Inlaid Federal-Style Podium

SALINAS AIRPORT TERMINAL PROJECT #2

This is Part Two of the Salinas Airport Terminal Project. A federal-style podium was produced for the Salinas Municipal Airport.

Below, the first image shows me cutting out the legs from heavy stock after milling. The wood is sapele, a relative of mahogany. The second photo shows the stringing and the banding at the cuffs of the legs - the stringing is 1/16th of an inch thick and was steam bent to form the curves. The banding is maple, holly and dyed pearwood. This image shows the rough stock the leg is from and various stages of the stringing process. Image three shows off the bottom of the podium after the legs, aprons, and stretchers have been assembled. You are also able to see the beading details which reflect the Federal period which roughly extends from 1780-1820. The main drawers were fabricated with dovetailed poplar. The top of the podium is constructed as a slanted lift top and underneath is room for five pigeon holes and five drawers. The waist moldings were then routed and installed, then stringing was applied to the sides and front. Finally, “SNS” was then cut out of maple and walnut burl then wrapped with holly and inlaid into the front as a medallion. These are the call letters for the Salinas Airport used by pilots to identify.

Donated by J. Filmore Thompson to the Salinas Airport Terminal