Our Customer's Challenge
Dave Gamez of Health Delivery contacted us to inquire about custom fabricating some very unique items for his headquarter facility. Because Health Delivery occupies the former Michigan National Bank building in downtown Saginaw, he had on hand a significant amount of 1-1/4” acrylic that was used to protect the tellers. Dave was looking for someone to fabricate the various sized pieces into functional furniture to be used at Health Delivery. While acrylic isn’t wood, it cuts and shapes very much like wood, so we accepted the challenge.
The Solution
We spent some time learning about acrylic and working with sample pieces to determine how to proceed with fabricating the new items. Dave requested several specific types of furniture and items to be built: a conference table, sofa, table, two lamp tables, coffee table, a top and leg that attach to the wall and a book display shelf. Along with the acrylic that was used for the tops and legs of the pieces, walnut wood was selected for the support structure to match the walnut woodwork in the building. Exposed acorn nuts, similar to the bolts and nuts seen on the vault doors still in the building, were used to secure the pieces. The materials and design elements came together to create a truly unique style of furniture that fit the existing building perfectly.
The Results
While there was a bit of a learning experience in working with new material, the end results turned out beautifully. Health Delivery employees enjoy having these items to use while providing a distinctive connection to the history of the building. The impressive conference table in a glass-walled conference room is a standout among the pieces. The unique custom crafted furniture turned out to be real conversation pieces – as well as offering us a chance to expand our working skills and experience with a new material.
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