Lost Art Press

Search Results for: Craig

A Cabinet Maker of the Old School

Posted on by Jeff Burks

take_you_to_your_tools

There are some men in London who have not travelled far, nor seen many workshops, whose ideas of the importance of the Metropolis and the excellence of everything done in it might be corrected by hearing the opinions of master craftsmen in the quiet towns of England and Scotland. There are men in the provinces who have a strong suspicion that furniture made in London has not been well made: it may be fashionable, they admit, but it is likely to be flimsy; it may be cheap, but it is not durable; for they know that good material cannot be procured at the price, and cabinet makers in the country do not work for nothing.

They smile when you tell them that large transactions can pay for the great rents charged for warehouses and workshops in the City, and ask you if living is cheap, and what percentage is given for commission. They put their hands in their pockets and say, We can buy wood in the same markets with your manufacturers, we employ no middle-men, our rents are not so high, our profits are not too great, and we cannot compete with you in cheapness.

They may be too polite to hint that London furniture is dear in the long run. They confess that they have a personal interest in the welfare of their friends; they dislike accidents, and nurse a strong prejudice against chairs that need repairing in twelve months and tables liable to paralysis in the legs. Their customers do not believe that everything excellent comes from the Metropolis; and as they desire solidity and durability, they are prepared to pay a fair price to cabinet makers in their own town. A good reputation is the best advertisement in the country; for friends tell their neighbours where they can have value for their money.
(more…)

Roubo Campaign Stool: Prototype II

Posted on by Lost Art Press

stools_holes_IMG_4697

With the stool’s hardware mechanism working fine, this morning I made a set of three stool legs from mahogany left over from a run of Roorkhee chairs in 2012.

My design for the legs was inspired by the foot of an original 1898 Roorkhee, which is essentially a slightly flattened bead. I also added four grooves that straddle the holes through the legs and turned a gradual taper from these holes down to the ankle.

The fun part of the job was finishing the legs on the lathe. With the lathe spinning, I rubbed on some beeswax from farmer beekeeper and woodworker Will Myers (thanks Will!). Then, with the lathe still spinning, I used Roubo’s polissoir to burnish the mahogany and drive the wax into the wood’s pores. A final polish with some rough cotton cloth (an empty bag of grits) produced the final sheen.

I don’t know if it’s a non-non to use a polissoir on a spinning lathe, but it sure made short work of the finishing process.

stool_feet_IMG_4699

For the seat, Ty Black is cutting out some of my “oiled latigo” leather I bought for a Roorkhee chair for a customer. That leather is from Wicket & Craig and has the shop nickname of the “sex machine leather.” It’s impossibly buttery and beautiful.

On Friday, I hope we’ll get the second prototype assembled – after I age the hardware.

— Christopher Schwarz

Oh, One More Thing…
During the last 10 years, the most common question I’m asked (aside from, “What wood should I use for my workbench?” Answer here.) is, “How do you manage to write, edit, build and teach as much as you do?”

I know that most people are paying me a compliment with the question. With others, the implication is that I don’t build all the projects I show here. Or that I sub-contract out the construction or finishing. Or that I am just really skilled in making photo-realistic images.

Here’s the deal: I went to journalism school and cut my teeth at a newspaper where we wrote 400 to 500 original pieces a year. I can write a blog entry, such as this one, in about 15 to 30 minutes without much forethought. It just comes out – like water from a well or crap from a porta-potty, depending on how you like my work.

Also important: I don’t watch TV, don’t like sports, don’t have a lot of friends and don’t have any other hobbies besides woodworking and listening to music while woodworking. Considering how much time I devote to the craft, I actually should be a lot better and a lot faster.

A Roorkhee in Authentic Canvas

Posted on by Lost Art Press

Several readers have asked what a Roorkhee chair would look like with canvas seat covers. This week we finished up a pair of these chairs for a customer who wanted us to strive for the most authentic look from the early chairs in the late 1800s.

Finding canvas is one thing. Finding canvas of the right weight, color and weave is another. I have an old military machete sheath that is made of just the stuff we wanted. So Ty Black went out one day to a massive fabric warehouse to compare and contrast.

He got lucky.

The good news about canvas is that it is much cheaper than leather. This stuff – a remnant – was $4 a yard. So we bought all they had. The bad news is that it is a lot more work to sew it and get it right.

Some interesting details about this chair:

• We riveted the seams of the back with No. 10 copper rivets. We had to use that longer rivet because the material folds over a lot at the seams. It looks great, however, and was worth it.

• We put a buckle and strap on the rear of the seat cover for the back. This allows you to put on or remove the back cover when the chair is assembled. It also gives you some control over the lumbar support.

• All the buckles on this chair are a black malleable iron. We picked them up from a place that sells supplies to the saddle industry.

• The arm straps are an oiled latigo. This is our favorite leather. We bought it from Wickett & Craig, and you have to have a wholesale account to buy from them.

• Using canvas for the seat covers shaves off considerable weight. I’ll be interested to see what these chairs weigh when we pack them up for shipment.

Bottom line on the canvas: If you have someone in your harem/circle of friends/church group who sews, then this is an excellent option. If you are on your own, I’d opt for leather seat covers. They cost more, but they require less skill and tooling.

One more thing: Several people have inquired about who might supply finished seat covers for their Roorkhee chairs. Ty, who sewed these chairs, is happy to provide that service. Drop him a line at ty.black@gmail.com for details.

— Christopher Schwarz

%d bloggers like this: