At
the Drawing Table
Historical research is fundamental to the design of most
Kittinger pieces. To assemble ideas for new pieces, designers
and draftsmen review volumes of furniture–design
records, some dating back to before the turn of the 20th
century. They create numerous sketches. Only after careful
examination and adjustment are the sketches drafted into
autocad drawings. From the computer generated drawings,
detail drawings are created, which are used to make jigs
and fixture – templates for cutting parts in the
Kittinger mill.
The
result is not merely a pile of parts, but a set of components
that blend the classic features of antiques with Kittinger’s
own elegant innovations. For example, the Boston Bombé
Secretary is inspired by an 18th century colonial design,
yet displays a level of sophistication rarely found in
New England cabinetwork of that period. Its fullness of
the bombé form, intricate carved detailing, custom–made
solid brass hardware and quality hand–craftsmanship
make it truly a Kittinger creation.
Selection
of Wood
The Kittinger Furniture Company crafts its magnificent
designs from only the finest woods. Preferred by artisans
for centuries because of its perfect density for clear,
precise carving, prime mahogany has become the hallmark
of Kittinger’s lines. This South American mahogany
is hand–selected to meet The Kittinger Furniture
Company’s rigid specifications. Oak, maple, basswood,
ash, rosewood and yellow poplar are several varieties
of wood selected from locations in the United States.
The
Finest Veneers
Kittinger experts carefully scrutinize not only the solid
woods they select, but the veneers as well. Veneer samples
from cut logs or flitches are sent to the Kittinger design
committee and they select the pieces with the best combination
of texture, figure, density and color. Mahogany veneers
are favored because they offer a limitless variety of
grains and interesting details, and because their grains
can be easily matched on a single piece of furniture.
Careful
Preparation
With computer generated drawings and wood selected, Kittinger
cabinetmakers are almost ready to begin preparing the
pieces. Almost. First, the Kittinger mill must cut the
parts. A single pattern can combine as many as several
hundred parts, including the top, sides, drawers, doors,
dust panels, moldings and legs, to name a few. There is
no such thing as mass assembly at The Kittinger Furniture
Company. So each time a new pattern is introduced, or
an exquisite design is modified, new knives must be ground.
Templates for each knife are made by hand. Even when cutting
previously produced patterns, knives must be frequently
reground to maintain accuracy.
For
each pattern, special fixtures must also be constructed
to secure the wood during
mill production. These fixtures ensure that pieces are
cut consistently with each repetition.
Building
Furniture to Last
The Kittinger Furniture Company builds its furniture to
last for generations – and solid mahogany is used
when appropriate. However, most flat surfaces are constructed
of five layers to ensure warp-resistance and stability.
The core of a flat panel is typically a five ply construction.
Glued to each side of the core is a cross–banded
veneer. Mahogany face veneers are applied to both sides,
completing the panel. The direction of the wood grain
alternates with each layer appliedto give the surface
greater strength.
Before
application, face veneers are carefully inspected. Veneers
that pass inspection are slip–matched and book–matched
to closely align the direction and configuration of the
grain, as well as its color and density.
To
look at a Kittinger cabinet or table is to see nature’s
artwork magnificently displayed. Grains are perfectly
matched on the veneers of tops, doors and drawers. Solid
woods could never achieve such exquisite beauty.
Creating
a Perfect Fit
The top edge of selected five–ply panels is often
routed and fitted with lengths of complementary veneer.
This banding is applied by hand, and is available in a
wide variety of combination. For example, a panel with
a crotch–mahogany or olive burl field might be teamed
with mahogany veneer banding for the surface of a dining
table or desk. No two panels are alike. The color, pattern
and texture of each makes it particularly suited for a
certain piece. Such nuance does not escape Kittinger artisans.
Panels are selected for their appropriateness to a given
furniture style – from Hepplewhite to Chippendale.
The
Shape of Things to Come
When matches have been made, it is time to cut. The mill
is the only place in the
Kittinger plant where quantity work is performed. Cutting
orders may be placed for as few as six or as many as 100
sets of parts.
Technology
has found a welcome place at The Kittinger Furniture Company.
Rather than replacing hand–crafting, it augments
it, allowing craftsmen to focus more on the fine art of
woodworking. In the mill, a computer–controlled router
eliminates imprecision and heightens efficiency by performing
several cutting and boring operations at once. Carefully
following the draftsman’s detail drawings, it shapes
the layered panels into table tops, desk sides, and other
furniture components.
After
the machine’s work is done, each newly shaped piece
of wood is transferred to the
skilled hands of Kittinger craftsmen. Their mastery in
cabinetmaking and finishing will
create a product without equal.
Shaping
Pieces by Hand
But not all furniture components are flat panels. Look
at the graceful curve of a cabriole
leg or the delicate shell carving of a chair back. Kittinger
artisans craft such parts out of
solid wood. In fact, a single component of a piece of
furniture can require several stages
or lathing and carving.
The
Kittinger family of craftsmen take pride in their heritage
of building furniture by hand. To them, furniture–making
is an art. The plant is filled not with laborers, but
specialists – carvers, cabinetmakers, wood and veneer
experts, finishers, upholsterers and more – who share
in the company tradition. One family has produced five
generations of Kittinger craftsmen with more than 175
years of combined service.
Delicate
Shapes Emerge
Many
specialists may play a role in the crafting of a single
part. Making the cabriole leg of a Queen Anne chair, for
example, is not a simple task. The leg starts out as a
solid column of wood. The mill department is responsible
for making a rough cut. Following the detail drawings,
a craftsman bandsaws the column into a superficial outline
of the piece. Next, the multiple carving machine is used
to refine the shape. This machine allows as many as 24
pieces to be worked at the same time. The individual pieces
are then returned to the hands
of a craftsman who uses a spindle carver to carefully
shave and sculpt the leg into its characteristic curve.
Finally,
the experienced hands of a master carver adds the finishing
touches. Using the same type of tools employed by English
craftsmen in the 18th century, this highly skilled specialist
routs and carves intricate details along the mahogany
surface. Each piece is carved to perfection, but retains
the unique character of an object made by hand.
One
Piece at a Time
On a table or cabinet that requires delicate Queen Anne
scrolls or Chippendale ball–and–claw feet, Kittinger
carvers work meticulously on one piece at a time. It may
take two full days to carve four sofa or desk legs. But
work of this high caliber can only be accomplished by
hand. Each arm, leg or finial is a work of art. No machine
could duplicate the crisp details produced by the hands
of a Kittinger craftsman. Each carver maintains his own
set of tools. A craftsman grows accustomed to his tools’
weight, shape and balance. A chisel becomes a veritable
extension of the carver who uses it.
Precision
Detailing
There may be more than 125 individual pieces of wood that
add up to a bookcase or credenza. For all these components,
the Sample Department serves as a checkpoint. This department
fully assembles a single “sample” piece, and
measures each component against the detail drawings for
accuracy. Every piece that enters the Sample Department
is sanded, shaped and fit to the other parts that it must
join to form a complete piece of furniture.
The
department adheres to milling specifications. Table tops,
for instance, must have a variation of thickness of no
more than .0004 inches. Any piece that fails to make the
grade is sent back to the appropriate department for adjustments
in order to meet The Kittinger Furniture Company’s
stringent standards. Pieces that pass inspection proceed
to the cabinetmaker’s bench for assembly.
Crafting
to your Specifications
Adjacent to the Sample Department is the Customs Department.
Here, Kittinger craftsmen can combine selected details
to make a piece of furniture unique. For example, a customer
may request a conference table with satinwood banding,
a reeded edge, and ebony inlay.
Conference tables, a long–standing Kittinger specialty,
are available in a variety of widths and shapes, in lengths
from six to sixty feet.
