Below, we'll be posting stories and photos of the project as it progresses and takes shape. Please check in once in a while. If you have any inspired ideas to share, we'd really appreciate hearing them.

Sincerely,

Marc, Leah, Abigail and Sylvie

Project#1: Remove the barnwood siding from Hobart's gallery

 

Leah carefully pulling nails. All of this  barnwood, old when it was put up in the 1960s, has already been claimed by some locals for its next re-use.

Abigail and Sylvie were helping pull nails and stack boards. Then they got bored and wanted to play...(kids these days!)

An exciting discovery: underneath the barnwood and a layer of quarter inch old-growth redwood sheets (cigar box wood, we're told) we found the original wainscotting from 114 years ago. Still in great shape, hidden and protected all of those years and decades!

Back to work for the girls.

Marc and the girls pulling nails and stacking redwood.

"Wow. This wall is barely hanging here. I'll just..."

"...oops!"

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Well, a lot has happened since the day that old makeshift partition wall came crashing down,  both in terms of our building's revival and in the acquisition of some pretty interesting shop equipment.
One gorgeous addition to the Manufactory's machinery is the original wood-turning lathe from Stanford University, donated by Matt and Lori Knowles (Thanks!!).

 Marc (left) and Matt Knowles (at right) watch as the lathe is loaded into Marc's truck.  Troy Land's forklift made the job easy. (Thanks, Troy!)

This lathe sure is a beauty, and it's in perfect working order. It began it's working life in the Stanford University woodshop during the Victorian period, and will now reside within the hallowed halls of Mind's Eye Manufactory. Does anyone know where we can find a working steam engine to power it?