OK,
I'm a novice woodworker that has the advantage to be working with a
real craftsman. Some of the most interesting wood I've ever seen, much
of it pulled from floorboards and studs of old homes.
We've completed a few projects together including a 'mission-style'
cradle out of wormy chestnut and a cedar chest.
I've really taking a liking to the arts and crafts / mission style and
while somewhat blocky it has a nice appeal to me. And theres plenty of
work to do to create a piece.
I've got plans for a prairie style settle which will be my first big
piece.
I have looked at many books and read many articles, visited some
museums to see originals.
I'd be interested in any advice regarding good plans, good craftsmen
who have stuff online, "is the new stuff too far away from the
original?" type debates, types of wood, quarter vs. plain, etc.
And how many of you have either bought pieces to match built pieces or
vice versa? Were you able to match pretty well? I figure with my time I
may look to buy some stuff. Any recommendations?
Much appreciated, looking forward to getting back in the shop after
Easter.
Bill
charlie b wrote:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Greene-style-furniture/
>
> with 926 members, some being furniture makers
>
> charlie b
>
> Personally I think it's pretty clunky and the chairs don't
> look very comfortabble to sit in. All the sharp edges and
> square corners don't seem to lend themselves to contact
> with skin.
You could check out Thomas Moser's stuff. Not exactly G&G, but pretty
nice.
http://www.thomasmoser.com/home/index.php
He's got a few books out too, including one with measured shop drawings
of some of his pieces. You can check them out on Amazon.com, but I
encourage you to support your local independent bookstore.
JP
*************************************
Independence Day is overdue.
I'm taking a class at this school later this year, and they also offer
this one:
http://www.marcadams.com/xcart/product.php?productid=145&cat=2&page=1
IN THE GREENE & GREENE STYLE WITH THOMAS STANGELAND May 8-12 2006
Cost: $675 tuition
(Bring your own wood)
Class Size: 18 people
During this week long class each student will build a coffee table,
side table or sofa table utilizing the design language of the Greene &
Greene style.
Thomas starts off the week with a discussion of the Arts & Crafts
movement, specific design details and other influences that contribute
to its unique signature style.
Students begin by making full-scale drawings to work out any details
and to aid in the cutting, joinery and assembly phase. Thomas explores
the essentials of the Greene & Greene style by combining various
structural and design elements such as cloud lift, floating splines,
mortise and tenons, decorative pegs and inlay, all of which will be
incorporated into the design of your table.
Throughout the week, Thomas discusses grain matching, wood movement,
joinery, edge details, bread board ends, doors, drawers and how to
finish your project.
Particular emphasis will be given to weight and balance of design while
maintaining a specific focus on the excellence of craftsmanship needed
to parallel the Greene & Greene standard.
Swingman wrote:
>
> LOL ... I guess this culture we live in is one that just begs to be formally
> taught their skills, otherwise they are somehow not legitimately earned, or
> is it just a "shortcut to success" mentality?
>
> Not ragging you ... just musing out loud.
Damn...and to think I used to like reading your posts!! :-)
No offense taken, but here's the thing...trial and error is a wonderful
teacher, although you have to be careful using that method when dealing
with power machines.
But I'm paying the same price for a weeklong joinery course taught by
the owner of the school, Marc Adams, and I have a feeling I'm going to
get my $$ worth.
Now don't think I haven't considered that this $675, plus the cost of a
cheap hotel room for a week, won't buy me a good band saw, or put a
nice down payment on something from the Lie-Nielsen catalogue, or even
a very short, thin piece of cherry, albeit one with a few defects.
But I've been fiddling around with this hobby for a year now, and made
what I feel is decent progress. And now that I've made my own
mistakes, this is an opportunity to learn from (I hope) someone who
really knows their stuff. Edumacation is the one thing in life that
has shown to be a solid investment almost every time.
You're a musician...did you pick-up your craft without lessons? And if
you didn't, did you have to pay for those lessons? It's the same
thing, just in a shorter time period. In olden times, we might all
have learned our craft as an apprentice in a master's shop. But of
course, there the payment comes not from cashish or wampum, but from
the donation of your time in the master's shop.
My guess is that this $$ is an even better investment than one in, say,
a left-tilt-220v-37"-moss-colored-three
handled-family-gredunza-mortiser (the one with dust collection).
Because it's an investment in knowledge, and knowledge doesn't rust.
Unless you don't use it, but hell, now I'm gettin like charlie b...
(if only that were possible...) ;-)
[email protected] wrote:
<snip>
The location of this school's not jumping off the page at me. Where's
it at?
JP
Jay Pique wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> <snip>
>
> The location of this school's not jumping off the page at me. Where's
> it at?
Scratch that - it's in Indiana, I googled the 317 area code.
JP
Swingman wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Swingman wrote:
> > >
> > > LOL ... I guess this culture we live in is one that just begs to be formally
> > > taught their skills, otherwise they are somehow not legitimately earned,
> > > or is it just a "shortcut to success" mentality?
> > >
> > > Not ragging you ... just musing out loud.
> >
> > Damn...and to think I used to like reading your posts!! :-)
>
> Just don't shift the subject to something that wasn't on the radar in your
> posted course description and you should continue to enjoy my stained pearls
> of wisdom. ;)
>
> It was a serious question regarding the posted prospectus, and as stated,
> I'm musing at what appears to be a cultural thing in that regard that is
> hard not to notice, but may not be so obvious if you haven't been around all
> that long.
>
> <snip>
>
> > But I'm paying the same price for a weeklong joinery course taught by
> > the owner of the school, Marc Adams, and I have a feeling I'm going to
> > get my $$ worth.
>
> Arguably, you are now arguing to an entirely a different point than what you
> posted.
>
Sorry Swingman, I guess I mistook your original reply to be an
indictment of all classroom learning...my bad. That _was_ the whole
point of my reply to you. I only posted the course description in the
first place because it was in the same catalogue as the course I _am_
taking. Just tryin' to be helpful, that's all.
So basically we've both been wasting a lot of balloon juice here??!
Swingman wrote:
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> > So basically we've both been wasting a lot of balloon juice here??!
>
> While it's never bothered me before, you could do better. ;)
Hah!
How'd you like that Seussian gredunza mortiser of mine?!
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> OK,
>
> I'm a novice woodworker that has the advantage to be working with a
> real craftsman. Some of the most interesting wood I've ever seen, much
> of it pulled from floorboards and studs of old homes.
>
> We've completed a few projects together including a 'mission-style'
> cradle out of wormy chestnut and a cedar chest.
>
> I've really taking a liking to the arts and crafts / mission style and
> while somewhat blocky it has a nice appeal to me. And theres plenty of
> work to do to create a piece.
>
> I've got plans for a prairie style settle which will be my first big
> piece.
>
> I have looked at many books and read many articles, visited some
> museums to see originals.
>
> I'd be interested in any advice regarding good plans, good craftsmen
> who have stuff online, "is the new stuff too far away from the
> original?" type debates, types of wood, quarter vs. plain, etc.
>
> And how many of you have either bought pieces to match built pieces or
> vice versa? Were you able to match pretty well? I figure with my time I
> may look to buy some stuff. Any recommendations?
>
> Much appreciated, looking forward to getting back in the shop after
> Easter.
>
> Bill
>
http://furnituremaker.com/
Check it out. Darrell has a new book published by Taunton Press (Fine
Woodworking).
<[email protected]> wrote in message
> I'm taking a class at this school later this year, and they also offer
> this one:
>
> IN THE GREENE & GREENE STYLE WITH THOMAS STANGELAND May 8-12 2006
> Cost: $675 tuition
> (Bring your own wood)
> Class Size: 18 people
Jeeezzzus ... and bring your own wood? Damn, just think how much wood the
tuition will buy and how much you can learn in your own shop from following
a good set of plans. ;)
LOL ... I guess this culture we live in is one that just begs to be formally
taught their skills, otherwise they are somehow not legitimately earned, or
is it just a "shortcut to success" mentality?
Not ragging you ... just musing out loud.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05
"charlie b" wrote in message
> Personally I think it's pretty clunky and the chairs don't
> look very comfortabble to sit in. All the sharp edges and
> square corners don't seem to lend themselves to contact
> with skin.
Looks are deceiving ... actually sitting in some of this stuff can be
surprisingly comfortable. The ass-it test is always recommended.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05
<[email protected]> wrote in message
> So basically we've both been wasting a lot of balloon juice here??!
While it's never bothered me before, you could do better. ;)
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Swingman wrote:
> >
> > LOL ... I guess this culture we live in is one that just begs to be
formally
> > taught their skills, otherwise they are somehow not legitimately earned,
or
> > is it just a "shortcut to success" mentality?
> >
> > Not ragging you ... just musing out loud.
>
> Damn...and to think I used to like reading your posts!! :-)
Just don't shift the subject to something that wasn't on the radar in your
posted course description and you should continue to enjoy my stained pearls
of wisdom. ;)
It was a serious question regarding the posted prospectus, and as stated,
I'm musing at what appears to be a cultural thing in that regard that is
hard not to notice, but may not be so obvious if you haven't been around all
that long.
Then again, it is also appears to have some regional aspects to it, as the
phenomenon seems to start on either coast, and spread toward the middle.
Perhaps the result/mindset of urbanization? ... I say that cuz I am a real
provincial who didn't know many folks who were farm raised who had to take
lessons to do much of anything. ;)
> No offense taken, but here's the thing...trial and error is a wonderful
> teacher, although you have to be careful using that method when dealing
> with power machines.
Irrelevant ... the course description you posted had nothing to do with
woodworking safety.
> But I'm paying the same price for a weeklong joinery course taught by
> the owner of the school, Marc Adams, and I have a feeling I'm going to
> get my $$ worth.
Arguably, you are now arguing to an entirely a different point than what you
posted.
"Joinery" is not the subject of the course to which I was musing/remarking
upon. I would think that time/$ well spent for the majority of wooddorkers.
Making things "using the design language" of Greene and Greene style is what
you posted.
Somehow that sounds more than a bit contrived to me ... but that's just me.
Nonetheless, as long as you benefit, then no one else, or their opinion,
matters.
> Now don't think I haven't considered that this $675, plus the cost of a
> cheap hotel room for a week, won't buy me a good band saw, or put a
> nice down payment on something from the Lie-Nielsen catalogue, or even
> a very short, thin piece of cherry, albeit one with a few defects.
> But I've been fiddling around with this hobby for a year now, and made
> what I feel is decent progress. And now that I've made my own
> mistakes, this is an opportunity to learn from (I hope) someone who
> really knows their stuff. Edumacation is the one thing in life that
> has shown to be a solid investment almost every time.
That's all fine and good as long as it works for you.
> You're a musician...did you pick-up your craft without lessons? And if
> you didn't, did you have to pay for those lessons? It's the same
> thing, just in a shorter time period.
As it turns out, Yes ... I taught myself to both read and play, no lessons.
I agree there are some elements of the "same thing" to some extent, but
probably not how you intended:
The music business is famous for its cottage industry of folks who never
"made it" themselves, but can certainly teach you how. :)
>In olden times, we might all
> have learned our craft as an apprentice in a master's shop. But of
> course, there the payment comes not from cashish or wampum, but from
> the donation of your time in the master's shop.
Bad analogy, take it from one who experienced a wee bit of that
apprenticeship thing firsthand in Europe many years ago. That was much more
of a comittment than a week long course ... it is most definitely not the
"same thing".
> My guess is that this $$ is an even better investment than one in, say,
> a left-tilt-220v-37"-moss-colored-three
> handled-family-gredunza-mortiser (the one with dust collection).
> Because it's an investment in knowledge, and knowledge doesn't rust.
In a "joinery" course, more than likely ... in the "design language of..."
course, caveat emptor and take P.T. Barnum to heart, IMO. ;)
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/13/05