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A bed fit for a princess

Asa Christiana, editor, Fine Woodworking magazine

14 users recommend

Marc Adams with his Beauty and the Beast bed. Each sinuous post started as a huge poplar glue-up, and was finished with a rasp.

Asa Christiana

The sculpted areas are smooth, fair, and flawless.

Asa Christiana

Adams hand-carved all of the movie's characters into the bed. Belle is the star, of course.

Asa Christiana

The Beast faces her on the left.

Asa Christiana

I especially love Adams' reproductions of the famous Disney poster boards that were displayed in theaters is days past. Marc has developed his own techniques for dying veneers, in order to get perfect, lightfast renditions of each vibrant color.

Asa Christiana

All of the posters are done with wood marquetry, some with a scroll saw, and the more precise parts with an Eplilog laser engraving machine.

Asa Christiana

Marc Adams with his Beauty and the Beast bed. Each sinuous post started as a huge poplar glue-up, and was finished with a rasp.

Photo: Asa Christiana

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If you've ever attended a class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking, you've seen the framed Disney marquetry on the walls, done by the school's owner. And you probably also know that Adams is a Disney super-fan. He loves the old movies, he loves the artistry, he loves how the parks are run, and most of all, he admires Walt Disney's philosophy of "plussing," or asking his employees to take their work ever-higher.

That has been Marc's goal with his own school, where he has steadily added buildings, classes, and pluses for the 1,000s who pass through the doors each year. It is in the quiet helpfulness of his staff, the long hours he keeps the facilities open for students, the lunches served each day, everything down to the ice-cream machine, which is always on. He'd better make it a wonderful island, since it sits in the middle of endless Indiana cornfields!

Marc's woodworking is Disney-inspired, too, and he is just finishing his masterpiece, a bed for his daughter, which has taken 5 years to complete. I was there last week during Adams' winter break, to produce an in-depth video workshop on safe tablesaw use, and Marc took me out into a cold classroom building to see this amazing piece of furniture. Aside for some sanding, a professional paint job, and draping the fabric on the posts and canopy, just as it appeared in "Beauty and the Beast," the bed is done. He designed it from close examination of the movie, adding carved friezes of the main characters.

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The hobbit cupboard completed

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Bandsawn Dovetails: Tails AND Pins

Comments (3)

bill117 writes: The bed is incredible but I am more impressed with the posters.

Posted: 9:01 am on December 22nd

Wfritzinsb writes: That is incredible. Some day I hope that I can develop the skills it take to accomplish endeavors like this. Truly amazing.
Posted: 8:25 am on December 22nd

WernerMaria writes: Hey. . I m deeply impressed. . . . great job ! ! ! !
Posted: 10:45 pm on December 16th

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