Lost Art Press

Roorkhee Chairs with No Turning

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The turnings on the Roorkhee chairs I build are beyond simple – easier than pen turning, to be sure. But some woodworkers simply do not want anything to do with a lathe. For those of you who fall into this camp, here are some ideas.

1. Get over your fear/dislike of the lathe. It’s a fun machine, whether powered by foot, indentured servants (e.g. children) or electricity. This would be a fantastic first turning project.

2. Pay someone to turn the legs for you. There are lots of production turners who could bang these legs out in about an hour.

3. Make the chair with legs shaped by other tools. As shown in the photo above, in the 1930s version of this chair made by Kaare Klint, the makers omitted the cylindrical turning near the top of the leg. The shape at the foot could be made with a drawknife, spokeshave and a gouge or two.

Then there are the chairs shown below, which have a “Land of the Lost” feel to them – kind of mid-Chakka, if you ask me. I think they look clunky, so I’d opt for one of the three choices above.

— Christopher Schwarz

Roorkhee Chair in the New Popular Woodworking

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Want plans for a good Roorkhee chair? Look no further than the October 2012 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. My plans for a traditional Roorkhee Chair – leather and all – are there, along with construction notes and hardware details.

I have to give a huge thank you to Greg Miller in Australia, who helped guide me through the construction and design process of this incredible chair. My chair didn’t end up exactly like his, but I couldn’t have done it without him.

Some details:

— You can download the SketchUp drawing of the chair here.

— You can download the issue of the magazine here.

— Read more blog entries about Roorkhee chairs here.

— Christopher Schwarz

The Case for No-kill Mutton Tallow

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During my travels, I’ve met lots of vegetarian woodworkers. And their No. 1 complaint about the woodworking industry is how sheep must be slaughtered to lubricate hand woodworking tools.

Yes, the mighty paraffin/home canning industry has tried to provide an ethical substitute called Gulf Wax – the tofurky of the tool-lubrication world. But nothing compares to slick, silky rendered sheep guts.

Like many meat-eaters, I dismissed these complaints at first. But after some beers thought, I had a revelation.

And that’s why today I am urging the mutton tallow industry to unite with the liposuction community to give us “no-kill mutton tallow.”

Think of it: Sheep could be fattened as per usual. Then, when sufficiently obese, their fat could be safely removed using liposuction and then rendered into tallow, leaving the sheep both unharmed and sexier (to other sheep – not me).

Mutton tallow could then fill your nostrils with the smell of “hot lambchop” without the nagging guilt that some sheep had to die so your handsaw could mindlessly butcher trees with less friction.

So please, sign the petition below stating that you support “no-kill” mutton tallow. Because the next glob of sheep fat that you smear across your tool could have come from a sheep in your town.

— Christopher Schwarz

Nobody’s Business and Half Done

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System is not work, but is simply a law of action for reducing work. It does not require special executors, but permits few to accomplish much. It loads no man with labor, but lightens the labor of each by rigidly defining it. Hard work begins when system relaxes. System never, under any circumstances, interferes with variations in human action, but includes them. Elasticity is not a quality of system. Comprehensiveness is.

System is the result of two rigid laws: a place for everything and everything in its place, and specific lines of duty for every man… .

In many shops half the things are everybody’s business and never done; the others are nobody’s business and half done.

— James W. See, “Extracts from Chordal’s Letters” (American Machinist, 1880)

Joint Stools Built by Readers

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“Make a Joint Stool from a Tree” has been out a while now, so once you’ve digested  your copy, go get at some oak and let us see what you came up with. Hopefully summer will let go soon, so the heavy work of busting open a log won’t seem so daunting. I know I have cut back on what I have tackled during the heat and humidity.

Here is a stool sent in a while ago by reader Larry Barrett:

Here’s what Larry had to say:

“Attached are a few photos of joint stools, carved boxes and chairs – all made thanks to things I have learned from you both, either via your new book, Peter’s blog or classes with Jennie.  I have a good sized black (or maybe red) oak and a chestnut oak on the ground so there may be more to come.”

We’re thrilled to see this sort of work, so keep them coming. If you are working your way through the joint stool book, send me some stuff. We’d love to see it.

— Peter Follansbee, one of the authors of “Make a Joint Stool from a Tree”