Comments for Peter Follansbee, joiner's notes

Comment on late 17th-c drawings of tradesmen by flyingshavings

flyingshavings — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:36:04 +0000

Hey Peter,

These are really interesting pictures, as I must say the contents of your posts consistently are. There’s a rather amateurish picture of a joined bench I saw yesterday on my blog here: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4228132500_df51150547.jpg .You may find it of interest.

Comment on some birds, some woodworking by hnartisan

hnartisan — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:44:52 +0000

that hawk’d be Fred.

Comment on better than nothing by george way

george way — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 17:25:06 +0000

As a collector of early English furniture from the Elizabethan and Jacobean period for over forty five years, I found this imformation quite educatioinal to say the least. This early practice of construction techniques is useful for those who are keen on making furniture that will last for centuries to come. I would like to as your viewers if there would be an interest in learning more in the way of construction as I plan to have an exhibition on period furniture especially case pieces and chairs which total over one hundred. cupboards and the like will be featured for the public to feast on.

Comment on partial assembly of MFA cupboard by james conrad

james conrad — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:06:52 +0000

I stumbled into MESDA (museum of early southern decorative arts) and was surprised to see this cupboard, 1 of only 2 known southern court cupboards. It certainly looks different than new england cupboards in that there are no drawers, the top is open & there is very little carving. Still,a very impressive cupboard and the title they gave it is quite nice too,

“I’ve held Fine Silver,Virginia Hams and the undivided attention of anyone who lays eyes on me”

http://mesda.org/collections/furniture_sprite/mesda_courtcupboard_sprite.html

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by Joel T

Joel T — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:02:05 +0000

Peter and Joe

Three great authorities on the subject,
Drew Langsner’s book is on my wish list…

lets see what tomorrow brings!

Regards,
Joel

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by pfollansbee

pfollansbee — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:29:42 +0000

Regarding bark harvesting, I haven’t seen the DVD by Brian Boggs that Joe recommends, but I imagine it’s first-rate. Brian is one of the foremost practicioners of this sort of chair.
The time to cut the bark is spring – it’s outlined in Alexander’s book Make a Chair from a Tree, as well as in Drew Langsner’s The Chairmakers’ Workshop = see http://countryworkshops.org/books.html

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by Joe

Joe — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:28:21 +0000

Joel T,
Checkout Brian Boggs web site as he has a DVD “Hickory Bark from Tree to Chair”

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by Joel T

Joel T — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:21:55 +0000

the chairs look great!

hope to try a couple myself this winter. With the shaving horse complete there’s no excuse now…

I really like the hickory-bark warping, over shaker tape or even rush.

With respect to felling a hickory, is there a window of workability or a time of year that should be avoided, for shaving off the bark?

thanks, Joel

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by tico vogt

tico vogt — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 12:58:24 +0000

I agree with your description of Alexander’s chair as “modern”. That’s what I like about it, and the lightness of the frame and careful shaping improve the aesthetics of it, for me, over heavier versions. My impression after watching the DVD is that here’s a guy who has put an inordinant amount of thought into the process and reduced the sculpted chair to a very essential and minimal form.
Your history of chairs in this post was really well done and enjoyable. Thanks.
Tico vogt

Comment on Xmas chairs, done by Jack Plane

Jack Plane — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:51:23 +0000

Beautiful chairs and nicely executed Peter.

Your “plain” chairs are very familiar to me; I spent the first 30 years of my life in Ireland, and worked at both the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra and the Ulster-American Folk park at the Melon Homestead near Omagh. I also worked at many listed houses in N. Ireland and Donegal where these rustic chairs were a common sight even up ’til the mid eighties when I left Ireland.

The seats were of woven Maram seagrass (Ammophila arenaria), coloquially known as ‘Bent’ in Donegal. The Bent is pulled (not cut) from the sand dunes along the Atlantic coast in Summer. Much of it is used for thatching the low-roofed cottages, but some is reserved for seating.

I have woven many a seat with Bent. It’s very tough – much more so than rushes, and lasts well.