My cover has been blown.

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JRB

JRB

PFG, Picture Framing God
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Posts
7,107
Loc
San Diego, CA
Well, it finally happened, an out of town Grumbler paid my shop a visit today.

Mike Johnson from Tadporter Custom Framing in Memphis came in. He not only had to meet me, he actually took pictures of my store and shop. I know he was blown away by what a classy guy I am, as was his girlfriend, Heather.

He seemed to be exceptionally impressed with how orderly my shop and office is run. I enjoyed meeting him, he came across as a very nice guy, who is really interested in learning, and improving his business.

I emphasized the importance of having a neat orderly shop. He said he will post pictures probably within a week or so. I would, but I don't know how. Anyway, it was a fun visit, and I am glad I met them both.

John
 
Great fun John!
We appreciate the time you spent with us (this was John's days off and he came in to meet us anyway) and your willingness to share your knowledge and experience.

There have been many times over the years that I wanted to pick up the phone and call JRB, but never did. I will admit that his shop in San Diego played no small part in my choice of destination on this trip to CA. Will post pics when I get back home.

You are exactly as I imagined... I kinda feel like your 'mini-me'. :cool:
---
Mike
 
One of the greatest joys of being involved in The Grumble is the opportunity to actually meet a framer from a distant area and feel like you already know them.

I'm jealous. John and Mike are both on my long list of Grumblers I'd like to meet.
 
Watch out what you wish for, Ron, remember how let down you were when you first stepped into MY shop and was greeted by this grizzly old bald headed, ........... well, the mental image was visibly destroyed by the shocked look on your face!! :eek:

Seriously, there is nothing cooler than to have a fellow framer stop in for a visit!! I have been blessed with numerous visits by strangers/friends who just happened to be in the area. It is like an instant friendship when you first meet!

We don't realize just how close we become here on the Grumble simply by daily bantering, counciling, and joking around. We learn much about each others' likes, dislikes, hobbies, shortcomings, and we seem to "bond" with certain ones that are so similar to our own selves that it gets a bit scary when you actually meet them. I felt that way when Ron and I first met.

Some of the "dropins", Mark, Barb, and a few others are already known to me from trade show meetings or just as close neighbors and are good friends but the new people whom you have such a cyber-friendship with over the years are real joys to meet for the first time. And it seems to become more important to me, anyway, when they take the time to stop in my shop on their way to somewhere and meet with me. That always turns out to be a rather humbling experience for me.

I highly recommend that, when you are planning a trip to somewhere out of your immediate area, check out the possibility of stopping by a Grumbler's shop. You will not regret the effort.

Framerguy

P.S. And if you come to Fort Walton Beach, I will show you some of the best seafood in Florida!! ............

(MRS. PAUL'S RULES!!!)
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Can't wait to see those pictures. Judging by their website, Tadporter's is a very cool place too. Inspiring, even.
It would be fun to be able to do a tour to various Grumblers' shops. Too bad we're so far-flung. I have visited Jay Goltz's locations in Chicago and Jim Miller's new store in the Columbus area. Both were very gracious.

Hmmm...can I write off my travel expenses now?

:cool: Rick
 
Back from vacation and as promised, here are the photos. I uploaded them to my site server to facilitate the loading of this page for dial up. Click the link below to access the photos.

http://www.tadporters.com/JohnBaker.html


---
Mike
 
Hi John.
This is just to let you know that I am selling my little dump of a shop and I am heading your way to work for you. I love to dust, too, btw!
I can bring my own bathing suit and flip flops.
Signed,
edie the soontobesunworshipping goddess
 
Rick, the bevels are a Roma fillet. The frames are 1/4 sawn white oak, dadoed and pegged together. Stained with aniline water soluble dyes. Finale finish is clear lacquer. I can wholesale these for $45.00 per foot if your interested. They are 3" wide plus the fillet.

Edie, I need a good duster, I'll dig out my Speedo and go-aheads.

John
 
Thanks for the pix of John's shop...

What a nice shop and a GREAT location so near the lovely Pacific Ocean!!!

Like being on vacaton all the time!!

I feel a Road Trip coming on - and that would be a major one... won't happen this year!

The journey around Grumbledom!! What fun that could be!

Roz
 
Nice shop John. I cannot believe you are so close to the ocean that you can see it and smell it. I would never get any work done.

I want to know about the spiral staircase. Is it more store up there? I think the staircase is really cool looking.............
 
The spiral staircase goes to a 900 sq. ft. loft. There is another set of stairs that is a lot easier to navigate. I leased the loft to a professional photographer, Nancy Robbins. There is no retail display up there due to local codes. I would have to install an elevator for starters.

The building is a little over 5000 sq. ft. total. It has two lofts, the other one has my rat hole office and storage. I have a twenty year lease on the building, so it should take me well beyond my career ending. I am actually working on selling my business to my employee, Mary, and hope to be able to retire in the next few years. Unless of course, I win the lottery, whatever comes first. Just last week, I wisely invested a dollar in the lottery, nothing came of it though. All I needed was five more numbers, that would have been it! I may try again someday soon, who knows.

Working in this location, with a worker like Mary, is almost like being retired. I live about three and a half miles from the store, so I can walk or ride my bicycle. I had thought about selling my house and moving up to British Columbia or Mexico, then it dawned on me, I'm already in paradise, why would I want to move?

I have always thought I have been incredibly lucky to live here. My real luck was being smart enough to buy my house twenty years ago. I couldn't even afford to rent a room in this neighborhood now, the way property values have rocketed here.

Anyway, it was real nice to meet Mike & Heather, they were a lot of fun, much as you would expect from a Grumbler.

John
 
John,

Is that a lap joint on those frames? I've been doing Greene & Greene frames since I the early 70s in Pasadena, CA. But they are through tenon with champhers then pegged square in hand carved champhered ebony or ivory (deer antler or elk)pegs.
The furniture & architecture design moduals all stress the verticals to be the un interupted but I noticed yours is the horizontal. Care to comment?

I personally just think it the cats wiskers to see someone else also doing Arts & Crafts style framing. Have you ever tried to do real fuming?
Baer
 
Baer, several years ago, I ordered a set of mission style samples from a company back east. When they arrived, I figured I could do that, so I did. I have never been a woodworker, so my vocabulary in the trade is severely lacking. I have absolutely no clue what a lap joint is. I also have no clue about what a design modual is. As far as stressing the verticals vs horizontals, that also eludes me.

You sound like a real sharp fellow when it comes to woodworking, wish I was that clever. My point really is, you do not have to be a lifelong woodworker to turn out a relatively nice looking frame. I sell several thousand dollars worth of these a month, all my customers seem extremely satisfied with my product. I have a few fellows who belong to the San Diego Fine Woodworking Society that have seen my work, and they seem to like what I am doing.

You are the first person to actually give me a demonstration of your woodworking knowledge and I thank you for that. I shall venture to learn about lap joints and stressing un interrupted verticals.

I tried to do real fuming once years ago, using red oak and industrial ammonia. That is how I learned about the necessity of using white oak for fuming. I do have several formulas for fuming oak, and one of these days I'll try it again.

Thanks for the lesson.

John
 
John: In the lower left of the spiral staircase photo there is some kind of baseball field item which appears to be an old game of some sort. It looks cool. What is that?
:cool: Rick
 
Rick, that game is great, when they first came out we sold one heck of a lot of them. They are now in all kinds of catalogs and stores, their novelty has worn off. We continue to sell about one or two a month, nothing like before. The company we buy them from is in Seattle, Washington.

Front Porch Classics, 206-826-3202. They make many old time wooden games. Everything they make seems very rugged. That baseball game has been played hard by every kid in this neighborhood for at least two years, and it is still going strong, nothing breaks. It retails here for $129.00, I have seen them up to $149.00 in catalogs. Call them and get their catalog, great gift items.

John
 
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