In the world of custom furniture, innovation often arises from a combination of inspiration and problem-solving. For Ryan Wilson of Wilson Custom Designs (@wilsoncustomdesigns), a chance discovery of Progressive Automations set the stage for an extraordinary project—an awe-inspiring conference table for Turtlebox Audio. This table, which seamlessly integrates a hidden speaker lift system into a reclaimed cypress slab, is a true testament to craftsmanship and ingenuity. If you are looking for inspirational ideas for automated furniture projects or modifying your office furniture with motorized speaker lifts, this is just the article for you!
The Story Behind the Project’s Inspiration
After reaching out, Turtlebox was immediately interested and gave him complete creative control over the project. The synergy between their brand—a rugged, waterproof speaker company—and a river-reclaimed cypress slab still covered in barnacles was undeniable. Ryan took full advantage of the natural voids in the slab, incorporating them into the table’s design. When the cost of custom metal legs was found to be too high, he pivoted to using a tree stump base, sourced from Tom Ridge at Wood Vendors. Hollowing out the stump to accommodate a motorized speaker lift was a labor-intensive process involving routing, grinding, and even a chainsaw.
Learn why manufacturers and engineers choose to work with Progressive Automations!
The Discovery of Progressive Automations
Ryan first discovered Progressive Automations when searching for a way to make a speaker rise out of a stump. As an experienced woodworker, he was already familiar with TV lift cabinets, where actuators raise and lower televisions from furniture enclosures. Using this concept as inspiration, Ryan searched for similar solutions and found Progressive Automations as one of the top results. Our range of electric linear actuators and automation systems offered exactly what Ryan needed to bring his vision to life—a seamless, hidden speaker lift system that maintained the natural beauty of the wood.
Explore our collection of electric linear actuators, from micro to industrial capabilities!
Choosing The Suitable Lifting Column Setup
Several factors influenced Ryan’s decision to work with Progressive Automations. The motorized lift column’s quality and durability met the demands of seamlessly raising the speaker enclosure while preserving the integrity of the design. He was also impressed with our customer service, which promptly provided two viable options for the project. Ultimately, he selected the LG-11 motorized lift column due to its ideal height limitations, which allowed the speaker to rise just enough above the tabletop without overextending. The project was powered by the following key components:
Check out our LG-11 which has a 3-stage design for a height range from 12.4" to 28.9"!
The Creative Process and Materials Used
A significant part of the project’s uniqueness lay in the selection of materials and the detailed craftsmanship:
- Tabletop Material: River-reclaimed cypress slab from the Pee Dee River near Hemingway, SC, sourced from Jim at @oldgrowthlogging.
- Epoxy Resin: 12 three-gallon kits of Deep Pour Epoxy from @superclearepoxy, with varied mica powder colorants from @eyecandypients and @blackdiamondpigments.
- Table Base: White cedar stumps from @woodvendors, clear-coated and enhanced with Van Dyke brown powder glaze for an aged appearance.
- Inlays: Custom Turtlebox bow ties, CNC-cut, and inlaid to prevent further splitting of the wood.
- Acrylic Lettering: CNC-cut custom Turtlebox branding with a printed water scene inside the epoxy layer.
- Custom Encased Memorabilia: A Buffalo Bayou sticker featuring the skyline of the city of Houston, TX. Embedded in epoxy, the sticker pays homage to Buffalo Bayou as the location where the 4 original Turtlebox founders lived and started their business.
Challenges Faced and Overcoming Obstacles
One of the biggest hurdles in the integration process was modifying the mounting plates of the LG-11 motorized lift column to fit within the stump’s parameter constraints. To resolve this, Ryan carefully removed the plates from the tower and worked with Lancaster Metalworks to custom-cut them to the appropriate dimensions (8" by 12") and weld the Turtlebox directly on top. The team also powder-coated the plates for a polished finish and fabricated a custom sleeve/deck to encase the entire lift mechanism, ensuring it rises seamlessly as a single polished unit.
The Experience with Progressive Automations
Ryan’s custom-built conference table for Turtlebox Audio is more than just a piece of furniture—it is a functional work of art. The integration of the LG-11 motorized lift column elevates the table to a new level, seamlessly blending aesthetics with the automation of the hidden speaker lift system.
“I first connected with Progressive Automations by tagging the company in one of my Instagram posts. Their Instagram team reached out, and after some back-and-forth conversations, they forwarded me to Mariia, who has been excellent to work with—quick to respond and even looking into the process of getting the table featured. I couldn’t ask for better customer service.
Then, yesterday, I encountered an issue with the speaker not rising from the stump. I reached out to the online help center, and they connected me with Luis from tech support. He patiently walked me through troubleshooting and attempted to reset the control box, but when that didn’t work, he followed up via email, as promised, and quickly came up with the solution of sending a replacement control box.
Overall, my experience with Progressive Automations has been exceptional!”
- Ryan Wilson
Browse through our range of lifting columns and find the best one for your application!
IN SUMMARY
Our motorized lift columns offer modular configurations, versatile specifications, and durable construction to handle the needs of any custom project. The custom-built conference table for Turtlebox Audio showcases how craftsmanship meets cutting-edge automation technology through the LG-11 motorized lift column.
Follow Ryan Wilson’s work at @wilsoncustomdesigns on Instagram to see more of his incredible furniture creations!
We hope you found this as informative and interesting as we did, especially if you were looking for project inspiration ideas to enhance your automated furniture projects. If you have any queries or wish to discuss our products further, please do not hesitate to contact us! We are experts in what we do and will be happy to assist however we can.
sales@progressiveautomations.com | 1-800-676-6123