Half blind drawer fronts

Re: Practical reproduction will persist, and grow

Cal Beasley

>Adam�I always read your posts and I usually bite my tongue but as Popeye (you may not know him but he was a mid-20th century cartoon character) said, �I�ve had all I can stands and I can�t stands no more.� I guess the first question I have for you is how is your computer powered; windmill, waterwheel, or do you have a great wheel generator? Next question is what stand of old-growth timber do you get your lumber from? By the way, did you know that Pennsbury Manor is a modern recreation of William Penn�s home and not the real deal? If you don�t feel well and you go to the doctor, do you turn down modern antibiotics? Perhaps your dentist uses whiskey and pliers to extract a sore tooth. Can you charge your customers more because you wear leotards and put a diaper on your head?

I know Jeff Headley and believe me, you�re no Jeff Headley. As a matter of fact some of my best friends are SAPFM members and they range from hand tool purists to folks that use a combination of power tools and hand tools. Some may use polyurethane but most use shellac or oil and wax finishes depending on the look they are after.

I was at the Designer Craftsman Show and your piece (you only had one piece there if I remember correctly-I was too busy looking at your leotards) didn�t hold a candle to Andersen & Stauffer�s or Irion�s stuff.

So unless that�s how you get to work, get off of your high horse and join the 21st century. Just because someone uses a Stanley #4 in lieu of a beech coffin smoother doesn�t make him any less of a craftsman.

Boy, do I feel better now.

Calvin

still don't believe it ha ha

john jesseph

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Re: Half blind drawer fronts

john jesseph

>I was talking to my friend Randy, who has examined and measured lots of fine pieces all over the country. He maintains that the highest quality work in most centers did not overcut dovetails ever, in his direct observation. He is talking about the best of the best, Goddard-Townsend, the most estimable Philly pieces, etc. The other 98 to 99 percent of work varies from maker to maker more than region to region. Getting away from the major centers, probably rough work in unseen parts is the rule more than the exception.

Re: Practical reproduction will persist, and grow

Adam Cherubini

>I want my Dentist to use the BEST technique to treat me, regardless of when that technique was developed.

I'm not a Luddite. I'm not a purist. I don't use hand tools because I think they are cute. I use them because I believe they are the best tools for the job when the job is reproducing 18th c furniture. Its a practical decision, and in my opinion, a very logical one.

I would go further and say that since many of us share more in common with 18th c workers than 21st century factory workers, we'd do better to mimic the techniques and tools used by people with low production, high expectations, and little space and start up capital.

I'm not against modern technology. But unlike you, my mind is open to the best tool for the job. Now if you'll excuse me I have a buggy to catch.

Adam

At first, I thought this was harsh, but

john jesseph

>After I reread Adam's quote: "So I don't think you get to charge an extra 30% for your ignorance. And that the customer wasn't willing to pay the stupid premium isn't surprising." Wow that is a big insult to guys who have been at the scholarship game a lot longer than Adam has been, sorry to say. Don't think that these are new, orginal points to ponder...

question and a comment

VTAndy4

>I wonder what role the cost of the wood that is used accounts for this 30% that was mentioned? Obviously if you use poplar (painted), or surfaced Home Depot softwoods you can probably get away with charging less without driving yourself out of business. Or perhaps it is the cost of being in business full time, as opposed to weekend moonlighting.

Perhaps the following comment will be misunderstood, but I also believe that there must be a difference between authenticity (they way the things actually looked) and "an impression of authenticity," which drives consumers. To understand this, look at "period" movies from a recent decade and note that the "impression of authenticity" changes with the decades. Remember how "authentic" the movie "Amadeus" looked when you saw it in the 80s? Watch it again this weekend and be amazed at how "eighties" it actually looks. So I'm not sure how close we are to seeing bright green Windsor chairs becoming prevalent -- to the general public, they will probably never give the "impression" of being authentic.

-Andy

Re: Half blind dovetails

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>The scraper/saw blade trick is, I think, the same a Tage Frid's as illustrated in a short video he made. Excellent trick, works great.

Pam

Agreed!

Adam Cherubini

>Yeah, John, not new and not exclusive! (I don't believe I claimed either, but no matter).

And there's a whole room painted that candy apple green in Williamsburg. I think its in a little house near the Governor's Palace. I don't recall seeing a painting of that but they had a paint chip analysis of that very room, IIRC.

Not to beat a dead horse, but again, my advice to just to be aware that what guys did and what was acceptable 10 years ago, may not be acceptable 10 years from now.

Adam

Re: Practical reproduction

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Let's assume for the sake of argument that it was during the 18th century that a pinnacle of american furniture making was achieved (I include shaker as well as federal, queen anne, chippendale, hepplewhite, and the like). Let's also acknowledge explicitly that it was only the best built pieces that have survived.

So, the important thing to me in studying said furniture seems to be that we can relearn about how to make quality furniture from studying 18th century technique, process, materials, storage, moving, usage, design, and whatever else becomes historically important. Certainly air conditioning was not an important longevity issue; although it may become one.

I think design, joinery and materials are the most important of these; and while I personally love to study process, I don't think this is important beyond those things determined by process (of course, it's difficult to know what these things are without studying them). Where my feet land is to not care all that much about power tools vs hand tools, but to care a lot about proper joinery and solid wood. I don't think hose reproductions that use cope and stick rather than true M&T are reproductions at all. Nor those pieces that use plywood. Etc. Now it may be that someday in some miserable future we can't use solid wood, but until that day I consider quality furniture to be made of solid wood only.

Beyond an interest in historical technique and quality, I don't understand the reproduction market. Or, more the point, not considering marketing and sales, why does someone want to reproduce something 300 years old? I like to create things, and fully expect that once I've learned enough I'll be ready to invent some new designs to build. Kind of reminds me of the politician who's so good at staying on message that s/he gets reelected time and again; whereas repeating myself that many times would be excrutiatingly boring and I don't care for people that can do this, much less would I want them in charge of anything in my life.

Pam

One thing

Dan Donaldson

>It seems to be counterproductive, but you do not want to sharpen the edge of the scraper like a blade. If you use a dull edge, it works great, but if you sharpen it, it tends to split the wood.

Re: One thing

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Great reminder, Dan. Make it too sharp and you split right through stuff you don't want to. I do make sure the two edges are fairly sharp, though.

Pam

Like a cut nail vs round nail

John in New Mexico

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Re: Half blind dovetails

"RJ" Whelan

>Pam .... interesting - I'll have to ask my friend if he learned the trick from Mr. Frid (certainly a fine pedigree if that's where he got it).

Good catch on the non-sharpened edge - forgot to mention it ... rj