Embry McKee
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LegacyCrests.com
(custom crests, signs, logos, etc.)
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Embry McKee
Fine Designs in Wood |
FAQ's
Your Participation in the DesignBecause
your
project will be based on your own design, and because it is custom-made
from the ground up, you are invited to have as much or as little input
in the design as you wish. If you are unfamiliar with woods
and
fabrication techniques, you may wish to leave most of the details to
me, simply giving me a graphic, photograph, or drawing (or a
description of one) and providing me with some basic
guidelines.
If you are familiar with various woods and their properties, you may
have strong ideas about what you want in your design.
 I will be happy to discuss your ideas and wishes and to share my own thoughts and opinions as part of the process of coming to an agreement on a commission (as discussed below). It is important that we understand each other and are in agreement on all aspects of the design before money changes hands and work is begun. There's no point rushing this stage: you should be comfortable that what you will receive is what you have envisioned; I must be sure that I'm making what you truly want. Aesthetic Considerations Even the most
faithful copy of the simplest drawing allows for a few choices
in its execution, especially where wood is involved. In a
complex
design, many things must be considered.
What kinds of wood will provide the best foundation for my design?  There
are several
dozen species of wood available for this kind of use, from the common -
oak, maple, walnut - to the exotic - bubinga, wenge, sapele. Color and
grain are important, but they are not the only criteria. Some
woods are hard to obtain in large pieces; some are hard to obtain
except by (risky) mail order; many are inappropriate for certain uses
(too brittle, too soft).How stark should contrasts between them be? Will the object be large or small? Will it be in a bright or a dim environment? Will it be seen up close or from a distance? Are you looking for subtlety or drama? Will exotically colored wood (purpleheart, bloodwood) be brought into the design, or should I try for a "natural" look? There are so many beautiful woods with gorgeous, startling hues; once you start looking at them 
it's very easy to get carried away and try to
incorporate everything that catches your eye into your
design.
Resist! A little restraint can save a design from looking
garish
and overdone. Besides, there are so many artificial stains and washes
available nowadays, many observers will assume that your colors are
fake. "Woodier" hues are usually your best bet; more colorful
species are best used as highlights and decorative elements rather than
as main themes. How will grain
be used in the design?Some woods have very fine grain - basswood, mahogany; some very coarse - oak, ash; some very distinctive - zebrawood, birdseye maple. What part does grain play in the aethetic of your design? How can grain be used to accentuate without cluttering? How can it guide the eye? How can it frame certain things and downplay others? How will it interact with the various wood tones? What finish should be used? Linseed oil, tung oil, oils with resins, carnauba-based waxes, beeswax, urethanes - there are dozens of finishes available. Which is best? Well... What environment will it live in? Will it receive frequent care? Frequent abuse? Exposure to moisture? Large swings in humidity and temperature? And which finish best brings out the beauty in the woods being used?  For most indoor applications it comes down to preference - oils, waxes, and urethanes will all serve. - Urethanes are hard and essentially waterproof, but they do not penetrate into the wood fibers and so do not show off woodgrain as well as oils. Urethanes can also be chip-prone under abuse and are difficult to repair smoothly (though this isn't usually a concern with a decorative piece); - Waxes alone can be quite beautiful with many species of wood and are easy to repair, but they are susceptible to abuse and moisture and require occasional re-waxing to stay at their best; - Oils penetrate and make the grain "pop" visually and they are also easy to repair, but they will also need occasional touch-ups.  My
personal
favorite is Waterlox, a tung oil and resin recipe that penetrates into
woodgrain then hardens, forming a deep waterproof surface that is not
likely to chip, but that can be easily repaired if it does.
It
has the look of an oil but requires no maintenance beyond
dusting. Unless you have a strong preference for something
else,
this is what I'd recommend. Pricing is based
on a $20/hr rate, multiplied by the projected time for completion, plus
materials, shipping, and shipping insurance. As an example, a
cross like the one on this site's homepage would bill at approximately
$250: 12 hours labor plus $10 or so in materials (delivery
was
local). A fifty percent deposit is required to begin work,
with
the remainder due before shipping. (Photos of the completed
design
will be provided before final payment is expected). Any
applicable taxes are due with the original deposit. Payments
will be made by cashier's check to Embry McKee.
 It
is in the
interest of both parties that the scope and detail of the project be
fully understood before work begins. All care will be taken
to
ensure that it is: plans for the project will be as detailed as
possible and you as the commissioning client will be asked to give your
written consent for those plans; if I am responsible for
drawing
up the concept, you will be asked to sign off on the final drawings.Having said that, this kind of project is as much art as fabrication. You are asked to remain flexible in the finer points of interpretation. No plan can foresee every nuance, and minor changes may be deemed useful or aesthetically preferable as the work progresses. Be assured that any important changes will be cleared with you before they are implemented, but be aware that inspiration continues after the work has begun and as the design takes shape and the logic of the added dimension becomes clearer.  As
I indicated
above, I do encourage you to take as large a role in your
design as you wish...until work begins. Once the
commission
has
been made and the first payment received, I will make very detailed
projections for materials, acquire the materials, and begin
work.
Seemingly small changes: "Can we make it an inch wider?" or "Why don't
we use mahogany instead of basswood for the trim?" can require many
hours of additional work or even complete reworking of the
project. For this reason, once work has begun, further design
consultation will be billed at the standard rate of $30/hr; any changes
to the design will be billed at the same rate, multiplied by the
projected number of additional hours of work involved, to be paid when
the changes have been agreed upon. Of course, you are free to
check on progress or ask other questions whenever you wish.In the course of making an agreement, I will provide you with a projected date of completion, and I will work with the intention of meeting that date. I will not, however, meet that deadline at the cost of inferior craftsmanship. Wood is a natural material: it can warp, split, or break; mail-ordered materials can be delayed or be unusable when they arrive; I may be dissatisfied with some part of the project and wish to re-do it; if the choice is between excellence and 
speed, completion may be delayed.Please feel free to contact me with any concerns, comments, or questions - I look forward to hearing from you. (Note: These guidelines were originally conceived for my work at Legacy Crests. Commissions initiating from this site tend to be simpler.) |