e
Mitja Narobe's Wooden Bathtub
With power tools and ready access to wood, there's plenty of things you can build for home use. Plain desks, tables and cabinets are the most straightforward, with beds, chairs and seating pushing into more challenging territory. But there are a host of domestic objects I'd never dream of trying to build—like a bathtub. And that's why I'm no Mitja Narobe.
Narobe is a woodworker who hails from Slovenia, and maniac that he is, he decided to build a bathtub out of beech with mahogany inserts.
The joinery is done via waterproof wood glue and half-inch dowels, meaning "The whole bathtub has not a single screw or nail," as he told Woodgears.
Building something this massive out of wood raises the question of how you'd straighten the edges. Narobe rigged up a router sled and removed material one pass at a time. (Presumably not at the angle shown in the photos, he's clearly got it propped up for break time.)
One of the things I like about looking at photos from overseas woodworkers is checking out what brands of tools they've got. I'd never heard of the Iskra Ero brand stamped on his router, though Slovenia's proximity to Germany makes the Bosch drill unsurprising.
And man—when was the last time you saw a corded drill with a keyed chuck? While I don't miss using them, it's nice to see useful, durable objects that have lasted this long.
While an angle grinder took care of the rough sanding, Narobe finished up with "a lot—really a lot—of hand sanding."
The tub was then sealed with twelve layers of marine-grade varnish.
While I don't doubt that some of you readers could tackle a similar project, you might want to think twice: The 440-pound tub took Narobe 200 hours, spread over five months. It would be even more impressive if from the start of the project, he delayed washing the sawdust off of him until he could do it in the finished tub.
Via Woodgears
-
oFavorite This
-
Q7Comment
Directory Company Profiles
Core77
Industrial Design
Resources
Industrial Design
Resources
-
Core77 Directory
Find the Best Industrial Design CompaniesGo -
AmmunitionFounded in 2007, Ammunition is led by partners Robert Brunner and Matt Rolandson. Our work is create...
-
Agncy Design
Using design as a tool to reduce structural inequity. We work with teams and leaders to make the equ...
-
Acorn Product Development
Acorn Product Development is based in Silicon Valley with design centers in Boston, Denver, Los Ange...
-
219 Design
219 Design is an interdisciplinary product engineering firm based in Silicon Valley. Our team of mec...
-
Sprout Studios
Sprout Studios is an award-winning, concept-to-launch design studio deeply rooted in technology and ...
-
Unbox Product Design
Unbox is a full-service design, engineering, branding, and custom manufacturing firm. Unbox works wi...
-
Tandem Product Design
With a stellar record of design and engineering successful products with World Class brands since 20...
K
{Welcome
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
K
Reset Password
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
Comments
Which special varnish (made in Germany) for the underwater part of wooden boats is used and Which special expendable waterproof wood glue is used (made in Slovenia)???
grazie