Monday, I'm Checking you twice

Re: Monday, I'm Checking you twice

The prototype roll of cloth from a new pattern design?

John

Hardware used to keep Limbaugh quiet?

Nope- Hint

Not the call of nature, the pharmacist, IRS, or the like for that radio host either. The best ones are made in Britain.

Re: Monday, I'm Checking you twice

It's what you do after you rob a bank. ;-)

Tommy

Hint 2

Typically used in furniture building and repair.

Re: Monday, I'm Checking you twice

Don't know if this is what your after, but a Rush Bolt does refer to a common Euro sale of seating rush (as in canning) in quanities known as bolts (2.5 Kilos in weight). Hence a "rush bolt."

Re: Hint 2

Sitting down will probably help me with this mystery you weave---

I know, I know *LINK*

He's the half brother of my congressman and real life rocket scientist Rush Holt.

Rob


http://www.rushholt.com/

Re: Answer

SIT right down and PONDer this answer. John I thought was headed in the right direction. Ken was in the drivers's seat. Mark is dead on. Congrats. I'm talking about natural rush for weaving seats for CHAIRS and how it is PACKAGED. (I attempted to combine wood and gifts for the holiday)

Again, probably more than you want to know.

Rush seats should really be called "sedge seats", as the plant used for seating is a member of the sedge family, Cyperaceae, not the rush family, Juncus. The correct English name is the Common Bulrush, and the botanical name is Scirpus lacustris. (I know, so what.)

In the USA the material commonly used for "rush" seating is the cattail plant. In the UK they use the twisted flattened stems of two bulrushes, but with cattails it's the leaf that's used, and it's harder to work and not as hardwearing as the common bulrush.

The common bulrush is used for weaving-mostly chair seats, with its long, smooth, leafless stem, up to 10ft long. (The leaves grow from the base of the plant below water). There are far fewer places now where bulrushes grow. They can still be found in parts of England, and here and there throughout the northern hemisphere: in Europe from the Black Sea to the Atlantic as well as the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and the Scandinavian lakes, but it's generally regarded as not as good as English rush which is longer, stronger and displays a wider variety of natural colors - greens, browns and golds.

When harvesting rush half the crop is harvested one year and half the next, usually between mid-July and the end of August. Rushes grow under water so there's no practical mechanical method for gathering them, and rush-cutters still go out in flat-bottomed boats or wearing long waders, using sharp blades fixed to poles to cut the stems. Next the rushes are laid out on the bank to drain before being taken for storage to a dry, airy place out of the sunlight; they must be turned frequently to avoid mildew. Restorers ought to wear a mask when repairing old rush seats because they can harbor mold spores of unknown possibilities.

According to the net it takes 3 weeks for the rushes to dry out completely, after which they're tied into bundles and stacked. These bundles are between 6-8 feet tall (1.8-2.4m) and about 38" (96mm) around the base. They're known as "bolts" of rush, though today they're usually sold in bundles of 4.4 pounds (2 kilos) - enough to seat 2 average dining chairs. There is also fiber rush. It is essentially rolled brown paper. The appearance of it is smoother and more uniform in color, but the feel is not the same. Cats especially like the natural rush as the texture agrees with their scratching urges�sort of like fine sandpaper.

Getting near the end now. Today a 15� x 15� natural rush seat will cost $80 to $100 a seat to have done. If you want to do it yourself rolls and coils are available. Coils are packaged in the 200 foot range and rolls in the 400 foot length. A typical seat needs about (what else) 300 feet.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all.