Assembly

Assembly is the last phase in which the piece takes shape, and the first in which a mistake cannot be undone: the work is on already-finished components, where a tool that slips or a dirty bench means redoing the finish, not touching it up. That is why assembly is prepared — protected benches, gloves, dedicated tooling, a defined sequence — rather than improvised on the day.

Assembly follows the scheme set during engineering: which components go together first, which screws are torqued, where adjustment elements are needed to take up the tolerances of the piece and of the place it will be installed in. In bespoke furniture the second part matters as much as the first: a perfect structure with no way of being adjusted on site becomes somebody else's problem.

This is also where hardware comes together, often supplied in part by the client: hinges, runners, fixing systems, electrical components when the piece is lit. They are checked for compatibility and function before closing up, because dismantling an assembled piece to replace a component puts it at risk again.

Inspection at this stage is both functional and visual. Functional: everything that moves moves as it should, everything that fastens holds. Visual: visible surfaces are examined in raking light, checking alignments, the gaps between components and the continuity of the finish between different pieces that will stand next to each other after installation.

The last decision is whether the piece leaves assembled or knocked down. A large object delivered assembled reduces work on site but increases transport risk and packaging cost; knocked down is safer but needs clear instructions and identified components. It is a decision to take with the client, before the piece reaches the packing area. For pieces that leave knocked down, a trial assembly in the workshop remains compulsory: everything is checked for fit, then dismantled with the components already identified for site.