Friday, December 21, 2012

IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON IN SOUTHERN UTAH!

 Autumn/Winter is always my favorite time in southern Utah.  It's a brisk holiday morning here at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet and as I was walking out back near the sawdust collectors, I noticed a smell I've overlooked for months now.

Autumn happens in the desert more subtly than it does in other places.  Although we do have some of the traditional signs of fall, like leaves turning color and falling from trees, it's more of a shift in the air.  You smell it...  Feel it, rather than see it.  I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the temperature dropping leaving crisp, cool air in its wake.  Oxygen practically leaps through your nose and mouth filling your lungs with the wintergreen freshness of Autumn.

This magnificent photograph is one I found on the web and St. George looks incredible!  You don't always notice the changing leaves or the clarity that comes in winter.  But this photo dramatically demonstrates how intense the colors of Southern Utah.  They burst forth during these cold months and explode like vibrant paintings!  I love the red of the mountains behind the orange, yellows and browns of changing foliage.  

It looks like we've got a lot of work ahead of us in 2013 and that's exactly where we want to be.  Busy!  We want to work for you and get a lot done, so feel free to call anytime and set up your appointment for cabinetry or woodworking needs.  We're happy to meet with you, give you bids and do your work.  Call today and we'll get to work for you!  Happy Holidays to all of you out there in cyberland!  Goodwin Mill And Cabinet wishes each of you the best in the upcoming year and hopes all of your dreams come true this Christmas!

McARTHUR HOME PROGRESS

 It's another busy day at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet.  Yesterday we delivered Rock Solid's Millcreek house and we're cutting our next two jobs out today.  The pics I want to show you today are of the last home we did for Jim McArthur.  I actually went to school with Jim and it's awesome to see him again after so many years.  He's building some great homes in the Green Valley area and Goodwin Mill And Cabinet is proud to be a part of such fine work!  I want to do another post on this house when the counter tops are in and I'll show you the whole structure not just the cabinets in progress.  The first photo is showing the east wall of the Kitchen and I wanted to show the upper bank.  As you can see, there are two double door uppers on both sides and then a range hood.  It's a well balanced set up and it looks great too.
 The lower banks are similar but not exact.  You've got a double drawer and door set to the left of the Range and a drawer bank and single drawer and door set to the right.  That piece of wood spanning the Range opening is actually a piece of crown molding we haven't put up yet.
 Moving over to the north wall, you have the Fridge opening with a cabinet above and then a two door upper and lower.  As you can see, the cabinet above the Fridge space is where the crown molding from the previous pic will fit.  You've also probably noticed these doors are flat panels.  They look awesome and give the Kitchen a rustic feel.  They're made from knotty alder; which also gives it an old fashioned appeal. 

 Next up is the Laundry or Utility Room.  This room has a set of uppers and base units on the north and south sides of an east wall.  This first pic shows the southern upper set and if you look at the extreme left, you will see a rod extended out.  This rod spans the space taken up by the washer and dryer below and is perfect for hanging clothes.
 This photo shows the south end base unit.  It's a simple two door shelf piece, but as you will notice in the next photo, it's not as wide as the northern base.  This photo also turned out kinda dark. 
 This is the northern base and you can see the flat panels in the doors much more clearly than in the other.  As I mentioned earlier, the washer and dryer will go between these two base units.
 This is the northern end upper unit.  You can see the rod coming into the cabinet.  You'll also notice, it's only a door two shelf unit where the southern cabinet is a three door shelf unit.
 This is the master bath.  The two vanities are separated by a drawer unit.  All of the drawer units have handles while the door cabinets have knobs.  I really like the color on the hardware for this job.  It looks great and with the different shading in the crown molding, the handles and knobs really stand out.   
 Back in the Kitchen, I wanted to show a couple more pics of the upper cabinets.  I wanted you to see the difference in color between the crown molding and the flat panel doors.  Here are the uppers on the east wall again.  This time with hardware on .
 And here is the north wall with Fridge opening.  The crown is on now and so is the hardware.  This crown proved a little tricky because the wall it runs into is on an angle.  We didn't want the crown to simply end abruptly, so we needed to cut a filler piece and the crown on the angle.
 This photo is my attempt to show you the angle cuts.  The crown is probably more obvious than the filler piece because it has more definition and you can see the way it angles better.  You also get a closer view of the difference between the cabinet color and the crown.  I love the blend here.  Using a darker crown to accentuate the flat panel doors is a great way to make a simple door design more elegant and pleasing to the eye.  It opens up the cabinets to even more blending with the tile floors, counter tops and wall paint.  All in all, this Kitchen turned out lovely!  And I'm sure the buyers of this house will love the cabinetry as much as we enjoyed making it!  If you're interested in the Green Valley area, give Jim McArthur a call.  He's doing some amazing work there.  As I mentioned earlier, once this property gets done, I'll take more pics and show you the whole house.  Until then, don't hesitate to contact Goodwin Mill And Cabinet for any of your woodworking needs!  We're also looking forward to bidding and doing your cabinet work!  Refacing, remodeling or brand new sets...  We can do it all!  Give us a call and we'll go to work!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

CANNON HOME DEC 12, 2012 - PROGRESS PICS

 It's a busy holiday season at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet.  We're working on a home for the Cannon family in the Highlands subdivision of Green Valley.  For those of you who aren't familiar with St. George, Green Valley is an area of town well known for its tennis courts and golf courses.  It's a beautiful subdivision and the homes are all magnificent.  I love it up there and this house is incredible.  We watched some of the other subs working on the job and everyone was doing such a fantastic job...  This is going to be an incredible home and I can't wait to show you how it looks when it's finished.  
These first two pics are the Guest Bath and the Master Bath.  Cannons have chosen an Antique Brown color with a flat panel door.  This color has a great quality to blend in with colors around it.  When I took the pics, both bathrooms were full of natural light and it was hard to keep the pics from turning into bright splotches.  Still, both bathrooms were done rather quickly and then it was off to the Kitchen. 
The first pic I'm gonna show is the opening where the refrigerator goes.  There are two full length finished panels running down both sides with an upper cabinet spanning the two.  The fridge will go directly beneath the cabinet.  This pic has a more normal light to it and you can see the shading in the wood grain thanks to the antique brown.  It dramatically accents the grain to give strong degrees of color variation.  That's why this particular glaze is great for matching with other things like granite, tile, paint, etc. etc.  It pulls in the light and color around it.
 Next to the fridge opening, there is a small upper and then the range hood.  This piece is the highest set upper in the entire Kitchen.  As you'll see in a future full Kitchen photo, this hood is quite majestic and we may add an additional piece at the top to accommodate the vent coming down from the ceiling.
 Next to the hood, you have the remaining uppers for this wall.  The two outer cabinets are both fairly thin and the cabinet in between them will have an additional piece hanging down where the microwave will sit.  That piece is still being manufactured but we should have it finished and in place quite soon.
 The last wall we looked at was the south wall.  This is the east wall and as you can clearly see, there is a lot of bright sunshine streaming in during the morning hours.  This first pic shows the two uppers on the right side of the window.  The window will sit above the sink with upper units on either side.
 In this pic, you can see the corner upper and the two uppers that extend over to the window.  You can also see Kent Goodwin working on the base units.  We were able to install this Kitchen plus the two bathrooms in 7 hours.  There is an additional room, but the flooring isn't ready.  We'll have to go back and finish that room along with any changes.
This photo shows the base units on the east wall.  You can see the sink unit, the space for the dishwasher; plus the other base units.  You can also see some of the island in this pic.  Well, mostly korbels, but some of the island. 

The final photo in this set shows the island from inside the Kitchen.  Look at that amazing difference in the appearance just from exposure to light.  The middle and right base units look extremely light while the left base looks dark.  This is a great finish and it's versatile.  I absolutely love it!  The Cannon's Kitchen is looking fantastic and I hope to go back when the counter tops are on to get more pics.  I can't wait to see what it looks like then.

As always, you know who to call if you need cabinets, a cabinet layout or all sorts of woodworking...  Goodwin Mill And Cabinet are your cabinet professionals and we're ready to go to work for you!  Call to set up your appointment today!

Friday, December 7, 2012

DIXIE NUTRITION AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY

It's another beautiful Autumn day at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet!  We've loaded most of the Rock Solid job for delivery and we're assembling another job we're hoping to deliver and install today.  We just finished installation on another job yesterday, but instead of going on and on about it I wanted to use this entry to talk about a company we support.  Dixie Nutrition is a health food store based on healthy alternatives to many of the regular fare you find in grocery stores.  They also specialize in everything from vitamins and other supplements, to all sorts of natural foods.  We visit for the delicious frozen yogurt.  It's not only some of the healthiest snacks around, it's so tasty you have to get a large every time.

 The big green yogurt frog has been an attraction on the St. George Blvd for almost as long as I've been alive.  It's iconic!  And an important part of how Dixie Nutrition has helped shape the look in this community over the years.  This pic shows the outside of the store as seen from the street.

Dixie Nutrition is another company through whom we express our appreciation to our clients.  They're also a company we're proud to be associated with.  Both business' have a long reputation in Southern Utah for offering excellence and quality products to customers.  If you're new to the area and looking for a health food store, this is it!  You need to go in today and start shopping.  And please, please, please treat yourself to one of their delectable cups of frozen yogurt!  You won't regret it and you'll thank me for the suggestion.


Goodwin Mill And Cabinet has other business partners in the community and I'd like feature some of them more in future blogs.  I'd also like to set up some interviews with the managers and owners of these business'.  I think it would be a great opportunity to learn more about the people behind the small companies that make up our area.


As always, if you're looking for woodworking, custom furniture, cabinets or decorative ceilings, Goodwin Mill And Cabinet is the first place to call.  Come meet with our design specialist and you'll have a layout ready for bidding in no time.  Call and set up your appointment today.


Monday, December 3, 2012

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT GOODWIN MILL AND CABINET

Whew!  I know what you're thinking...  Where the heck have you been?

Well the answer to that question is quite simple.  I've been BUSY!  The holidays aren't going to be relaxing and easy at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet this year, they're going to be super exciting, with lots of work.  Since the last time I posted, we've done many jobs.  We've turned out so much, my time is spent in the shop getting things ready to go.  I haven't been out on installs, so I haven't been able to provide you with pics of some of the new homes we've installed in.  But I want to remedy that a little bit.


 This first photo is a job we did and you're seeing an after pic.  Not a before pic.  I wish I'd gotten a before pic because the difference is quite amazing.  This is a butcher block island for a kitchen.  The island was sold along with a townhome and the previous residents completely destroyed it.  They'd cut into the cabinet with knives, chipped out portions, drawn on it with crayons and it had also suffered a degree of water damage.  The original color of the island was a natural color.  We sealed and finished it without applying an artificial color stain or glaze.  However, against the light colored wood, the defects and damages were extremely clear.  We decided to use the damage to our advantage.  First, we removed the butcher block table top and planed it down.  This allowed us to remove the unsightly cuts and damages caused by carving.  Then we sanded the top.  Next, we cleaned the cabinet and doors.  We used scotch brite pads to sand away the crayon wax, remove signs of water damage and smooth out deep cuts.  Next, we distressed the surfaces further and then went over the entire box and doors with a dark glaze.  We put a sealer coat on and then a finish.  In the end, the island looks antique and the damage appears to be part of the finish.
 Right now we have two homes sitting in the staging area ready to install.  Both are properties by James Cheney over at Rock Solid.  This first set of cabinets is colored with a Burnt Almond stain.  As you can see in this pic, the cabinets are ready to be loaded and delivered.
 I took this pic so you could see the color a little better and because I wanted to show the detail in the door.  These doors are made in what we call, "Colonial-lll" style.  The panels are raised in the center of the door.  They're very similar to other cabinets we've done for Rock Solid, and every single time they look incredible.  That Burnt Almond is a lovely color.
 The other job is also in the staging area and are ready to be loaded.  Like the other Rock Solid job, this one features raised panels in the "Colonial-lll" style.  However, this one has a different finish.  It's a whitewash glaze color we call Early Harvest.
In this photo, you can see a closer view of the doors.  You also get a better sense of the color.  What I love most about these lighter colors is the way they can adapt in different light.  They pull in the color around them and that changes the way you see the actual color.  These cabinets are better suited to color matching in the Kitchen and other areas.  The right counter top will make the cabinets really sparkle.  As will a dramatic paint or accent.

As always, you know who to call if you're ready to order cabinets or have your existing cabinets spruced up.  A new kitchen is also a wonderful gift idea for that special someone in your life.  Call Goodwin Mill And Cabinet today for your woodworking needs and let us help you make this a season to be jolly about.  Call today!



Monday, November 5, 2012

PAPA MURPHY'S PIZZA IN ST. GEORGE


Goodwin Mill And Cabinet is a proud member of the Southern Utah community! We love working with you!  There's something special about those who choose to make the desert their home.  One of the perks of being in business here are the many local business' and companies we have the pleasure of working with.  Papa Murphy's Pizza is one of those companies.  Together with Papa Murphy's, we've created a customer appreciation package designed to express our thanks for supporting Goodwin Mill And Cabinet over the past few years.  And what a delicious way to do it!

From stuffed crusts to designer pizzas, Papa Murphy's is a unique company with an innovative vision of how to eat dinner.  For those of you who haven't enjoyed a Papa Murphy's yet, let me explain how it works...  The pizza is prepared on premises.  The crew makes the dough fresh every day, they load it with sauce, cheese, spices and all sorts of toppings.  I mean, these babies are lousy with toppings. The catch is, you take the pizza home and cook it yourself.  It's like pulling a fresh pizzeria pizza right out of your own oven!  They also offer cookie dough, salads and ready to bake bread sticks.  

We've also had the pleasure of working with Papa Murphy's District Manager, Candice McDougal.  She's outstanding and one businesswoman who knows how to encourage growth in her community.  

Papa Murphy's Pizza has two locations in St. George:  720 South River Road (435) 652-3500 and 1006 West Sunset Boulevard (435) 656-1221.  If you haven't tried their pizza yet, take the time to order one tonight.  You won't be disappointed.  

Stop by Goodwin Mill And Cabinet today and order your new cabinetry or have your existing cabinets refaced.  And then swing by Papa Murphy's on your way home.  Two great Southern Utah companies dedicated to helping each other grow in St. George!

Friday, October 5, 2012

ANOTHER AMAZING TURNING

 Here's an interesting turning Mike did at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet the other day.  We were asked to create a replica of a bottle so the company could make a mold out of it.  Mike turned it like a regular post.  He was given a banner with the size of the bottle they wanted appearing as a graphic.  He carefully cut one side of the banner off so he had a profile of the bottle exposed.
 He then traced the profile to a piece of material.  This material can be put in the post turning machine and it will read the shape and cut the post to match.  Once he's got the profile on the material, he cuts it out using a band saw.  Once it's cut, he sands the outline until it's exactly right and ready to be loaded in the post turning router.
 As you can see in the first couple of pics, the post comes out with a crown piece at the top.  Mike cut that piece off and sanded the top to look more like the top of a bottle.  The final product looks like what you see here.  This photo shows the post after it's been cut down and sanded to give it completely smooth sides.  It matches the bottle profile exactly.
 I'm including this pic to show you how we got the bottle profile.  This banner is the one we cut to make the template for the bottle.  For the record, this is also the company who hired us to create the post.  I wanted to show this because it's a great example of how versatile Goodwin Mill And Cabinet really is.  If you're looking for something specific, we can probably do it.  We have the craftsman daring enough to try just about anything and the tools to make even the most complex ideas come to life.  Isn't it time you called Goodwin Mill And Cabinet for your project? 

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

MEET THE CREW: CARSON! WEDDING!

 I wanted to make this entry a combination piece.  Part "Meet the Crew" and part wedding coverage.  One of our own, Carson Goodwin, got married this past weekend.  There was some prep for the reception happening at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet.  Kent made these extremely cool lamps using mason jars.  The finish happened in two steps.  We painted the wood and then glazed over the paint once it had a sealer coat on. 
 These two pics show the first one he made.  This was the test lamp.  It turned out quite nicely.  In a later pic, I'll show you how the lamps were placed at the reception.  Right now, I just wanna enjoy the color and how nicely they turned out.
 The reception itself took place Saturday night at the Green
Springs Chapel.  They were set up in the back behind the building on the grass.  There were all kinds of treats for the guests and an amazing dinner was served by the bride's mother.  She made some traditional Cuban dishes and they were incredible.  They also served home made Root Beer.  As you can see, there were a lot of found and discarded wood items re-purposed for various things.  The Root Beer stand is an example.  You can also see the lamp behind it.  They were positioned all around the party for light and decoration.

 This picture is of the St. George temple where Carson and Evie were married.  Kent made the frame for it.  I wanted to show this picture because I thought the frame was just incredible.  Kent did an amazing job with it.  Originally, the white distressed section around the photo was black, but Kent decided to change it to white to help showcase the photo better.  I think he made a smart choice.  The white boarder helps the twilight colors explode out of the frame.
And now you get to finally meet Carson.  Here's the bride and groom eating ice cream...?  Carson's a valuable member of the crew.  He does most of the cutting for the cabinets.  He cuts the boxes, shelves and anything else that needs cutting on the bigger saws.  He also co-ordinates the assembly process.  He numbers each piece cut and prepares it to be put together.  Carson also runs our edge-bander.  He's an incredible craftsman as well.  He's been known to create some incredible pieces of furniture after hours.

Carson is about 2 semesters from earning his bachelor's degree in communications from Dixie.  He's interests include cars, bikes and woodworking.  He's also one of those guys everyone enjoys being around.  He's friendly, kind and loads of fun, (as you can probably tell from the photo).  He's an essential part of the company and we wish him and Evie all the best as they embark on a new life together.  

Carson Goodwin is another example of how the crew at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet are dedicated to excellence and their areas of specialization in the cabinet making process.  Put Carson to work for you by calling Goodwin Mill And Cabinet today and ordering the cabinets you've always dreamed of having!

Friday, September 28, 2012

BRAND SPANKING NEW CNC ROUTER

 There are lots of exciting things afoot at Goodwin Mill And Cabinet right now.  Back in June, we ordered a new CNC Router for cutting out our boxes and other stuff.  At one point, we were using a beam saw to do all of our cutting.  That came to an abrupt halt when the saw broke down and we couldn't find anyone who could repair it.  It's a cautionary tale of buying an unrepairable item from a company who will only service it if you fly their repairman in from Europe.  It's just not worth it.
 This router is awesome!  It uses a vacuum system to hold the material in place and it's a precision instrument when you look at the intricate cutting it is capable of doing.  Of course we'll mainly use it to cut boxes, so not many complex lines.  It's still cool you can do more with it if you needed or wanted to.
 This is the computer console that runs the machine.  It's actually more advanced than it looks.  This is where we enter the dimensions of the parts we want the sheet of material cut in to.  It looks like something you'd seen in a Godzilla movie.  But it's much nicer and the keyboard is cool.
 Right now, we've been cutting our boxes out on a regular table saw.  Carson Goodwin is the man responsible for doing all the cutting.  And even though he's got it down to a science, it can still take some time to get all the sides cut out.
 Using this router, we can cut that time down significantly.  And I'm not just talking about minutes and hours here.  With this machine running, Carson can cut an entire kitchen in a half a day.  That's faster than we can assemble them. 
We've been studying some lean manufacturing techniques to try and speed up the assembly process.  If we can, we'll be able to match the speed of our router.  That would put us on track to deliver and install four times faster than before.  With that type of installation speed, we can take on more work and more Southern Utah residents can benefit by having Goodwin cabinets.  Now's the time to contact Goodwin Mill And Cabinet.  Let us transform your life and help you realize your dream of the perfect Kitchen or other space through tasteful, stylish cabinetry!