# homemade bottle hutch



## diggerdirect (Sep 5, 2010)

Thought I'd share my bottle hutch I made some years ago. Being in the logging/lumber business as well as an avid wannabe carpenter has its advantages.
   I cut this tree down on my woodlot, a big curly maple with nice grain, sawed up the logs on my sawmill, air dried the lumber 2 years, then designed and built this hutch using pretty much handtools (well also the help of a couple power tools). Curly maple with Cherry shelves.







 That is my collection in 2003, its changed quite abit since, sold some, bought some, dug some, but the bottle hutch is in it for the long run. I've drawn up plans for a matching gun cabinet, the rest of the lumber is stacked in a building (plenty dry now!) plan to get to it as soon as I dig the 'golden bottle' and retire, lol (but its gonna happen, I can feel it ) []


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## Poison_Us (Sep 5, 2010)

You do wonderful work.  That is a very nice cabinet!


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## blobbottlebob (Sep 5, 2010)

The whole thing looks wonderful (especially with the bottles in it). The wood looks quarter-sawn to me (if that makes sense). Like it really shows the cross sections of the grain. Beautiful!


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## diggerdirect (Sep 5, 2010)

Thankyou for the compliments! Yes the wood is quarter saw, which brings out the quilted patterns much better, but as with most figured wood makes the workability considerably tougher. (as my scrap pile will attest! [] )

 Al


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## stonebottle (Sep 5, 2010)

diggerdirect: Really nice hutch display.  On the bottom row, what are those stoneware bottles?  They remind me of different color variations of the "Gardner" stoneware from New York Mills, NY.  If you still have them and can take a closer picture that would be great.  Thanks.  stonebottle


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## diggerdirect (Sep 5, 2010)

> ORIGINAL:  stonebottle
> 
> diggerdirect: Really nice hutch display.  On the bottom row, what are those stoneware bottles?  They remind me of different color variations of the "Gardner" stoneware from New York Mills, NY.  If you still have them and can take a closer picture that would be great.  Thanks.  stonebottle


 
 Hi Stonebottle, that's exactly what they are, some years back I was fortunate to hit what I fondly refer to as the 'motherlode' of them on a dig, a vein of them about 8 feet down. When I realized what I was into I drove home (60 miles) grabbed my tent & gear then camped out for three days while recovering them. My assumption is that these were 'late throws' perhaps when the business was discontinued? Well over 300 of them in all (number derived from counting tops), most were broken but managed 67 whole examples with another 15 complete but damaged. These ten were one of every color I found, (with a couple being the only ones of that color)
 I had these ten for several years, eventually selling them as a set to fund another aquisition.

 I did however photograph them extensively, as I do with every piece I have (or had), will look the photos up and post for ya. []
 Al


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## cyberdigger (Sep 5, 2010)

I'm impressed by your hand-made cabinet! My line of work brings me in close contact with lots of furniture, and this one is right up there.. I wonder how deep are the shelves?? like 5, 6 in?


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## BillinMo (Sep 5, 2010)

You did some great work there!  I enjoy woodworking but I sure don't have the patience or the skill (or the tools) to do anything that elaborate.  Your design really shows off the wood's beauty and displays the bottles nicely.


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## stonebottle (Sep 5, 2010)

diggerdirect,  Thank you very much I would really like to see those pictures if you still have them.  I have just one of those Gardner bottles.  Mine has a 2 inch high cross carved on the right side when made by the potter.  Did you notice that on any of yours?  Maybe the one I have is one you found.  I have noticed there is quite a few of those bottles around, and maybe you are the original source!  I have only seen the dark colored ones before.  That was an amazing find.  Was there any other stoneware bottles or glass bottles of similar age with them?  I know they are listed as being from around 1860 from NY Mills near Utica.  stonebottle


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## diggerdirect (Sep 5, 2010)

Thanks for the comments!, the shelves are 7" wide. I had visions of incorporating interior lighting during the design process but just didn't like the way it appeared on paper. Looking back maybe changing the upper maple back for a light panel would've worked. I've always liked the look of backlit bottles on display, probably because they were other peoples, lol, I'd have to clean alot of my bottles interiors if you could see through 'em. []


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## div2roty (Sep 6, 2010)

Is that a clear drakes??


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## JOETHECROW (Sep 6, 2010)

Real nice job on the cabinet,.....and a super nice group of bottles, all very interesting.


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## Wangan (Sep 6, 2010)

Excellent job! I love curly maple.I have a friend that had a large corner gun cabinet made for him out of curly maple and it is beautiful.I saw a guitar made from it once.Its one of my favorite grains of wood.


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## diggerdirect (Sep 7, 2010)

*div2roty- That is a clear drakes clone, near identical to the d108 6 loggers but has No embossing or other markings. Only one I've ever seen.

**stonebottle- Well dont it figure, [] I go to looking for my pics of the gardners, so far haven't found them. (been through 3 computers and several hard drives since I took those) but they will turn up & I'll post them when I find 'em! Here are a few I found while looking....Al*

 This can give ya an idea of the various colors, 






 they ranged from reddish to yellow to green to chocolate browns.
 I never seen one with any other markings on it as the cross you mentioned,
 a couple had gardner on front and back shoulders, one had no markings, but all the rest
 were marked on one shoulder only.





 They sure are pretty pieces of stoneware. Looking for the pictures has renewed my interest
 so I guess its time to go back to that hole![]






 Each ine was different, several were more of an ovoid shape as the one below.





 When I come across the decent pics I'll post them[]

 Al


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## stonebottle (Sep 8, 2010)

diggerdirect:  I have never seen most of those colors.  The greenish one is really unusual, and the ovoid one looks earlier and awesome.  Here is a picture of the one I have.  Hopefully you can see the cross carved in the side.  I always thought it was a moment in time, preserved forever in the glaze.   Who knows what the potter was thinking when he carved into the bottle.  That is real history and what this is all about, why we all search for these old bottles.  Thanks for posting those pictures.  If you have any more stoneware bottles pictures it would be great to see them.  stonebottle


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## stonebottle (Sep 8, 2010)

Here is a closeup of the cross carved in the side.


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## div2roty (Sep 9, 2010)

That clear drakes is cool.  I'm working on a color run of drakes myself.


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