The Project

This was one of the most technically demanding millwork projects our shop has ever undertaken. A residence in New Jersey required a pair of dramatic conical porch ceilings, each made from individually machined mahogany panels. In total, 144 pieces of mahogany were machined for the two ceilings. Every single piece is tapered, with a tongue and groove profile, so that together they form a perfect cone.

Design on this project was completed by James Mayer.

The Machining Process

To hold each board precisely for cutting, we designed and built a custom fixture for our CNC router. Each board required multiple setups and cuts. First, the top profile and tongue were cut on a shaper. The boards were then flipped and realigned to cut the shoulder of the tongue. Finally, the taper and groove were cut on the CNC router. Every piece had to be machined to tight tolerances: with 72 pieces per cone, any accumulated error would show clearly at the center of the ceiling.

Preparation for Finishing

Once all 144 pieces were machined, they were tested for fit ten at a time, stacked, and readied for paint. The painted finish on mahogany is exacting work: the grain must be filled and the surface properly prepared to receive a smooth, uniform coat.

Installation

After nearly a year from the start of the project, the machined and painted panels were delivered to New Jersey and installed. The conical ceilings went up section by section, each tongue slipping into the adjacent groove, and the result was exactly what the design called for: a dramatic, coffered cone overhead, precise and beautiful.

Projects like this conical ceiling represent the full capability of our Woodstock workshop, where CNC precision and traditional hand craft work together to achieve results that neither could accomplish alone. If you have an architectural woodwork project that requires this level of precision, we would be glad to hear from you. Call us at 845-679-8527 or visit our gallery at 2488 Route 212, Woodstock, NY.