Dynamite Chair Design

I love the ingenious creations that can result from having limited resources (tools, materials etc.). Here's a prime example. It was made by a miner at Independence Mine (gold) in Alaska from an old dynamite box. It probably dates to the late 1930s or early 40s.

So cool! Now I just need to find a dynamite box...

Ultimate Dream Shop

I'm pretty happy with my current shop, but while traveling this past summer I stopped by someplace that I think would make the best shop ever. Ever.

Here it is:


It's Lucy, the Margate N.J. elephant. Now before you think I am totally nuts (too late?) let me explain. First, she's made of wood - a lot of wood, almost one million pieces! She's framed like a ship - well, like a ship that stands on four legs and a trunk - but still. Second, she's historic. Build in 1882, she's the premier example of zoomorphic architecture. Third, she's roomy!





She's also full of unique character - check out this door:


It would be like having your shop inside a huge piece of art. (Speaking of which, isn't there something Edward Hopperish about this next photo?)


You could keep an eye on the surf while working at your bench:




She has an open upper deck, built like a howdah on top. Here's a shot back down the rather steep stairs that get you up there:


Once up in the howdah, you could sip cool drinks while waiting for your glue-ups to dry, or it would be the perfect place to cool off after ruining something...


In 1970, this dream shop was almost destroyed to make way for the condos visible here:


Who in their right mind would destroy this elephant to build that? Luckily, calmer, more far-sighted individuals succeeded in moving Lucy to her new location.

Here you can see the window that provides light for the steep, twisting stairs within the back leg:


Of course, those stairs would make getting wood up into the shop difficult, but I've already found a possible solution, although it might still be a pane in the...



Sorry...

Anyway, even if you don't agree with me that Lucy would make the ultimate woodworking shop, you might want to check her out the next time you are down the shore.

More From Hancock Shaker Village

The woodshop (set up in the Tannery):


And two giant workbenches, one of which is "the" workbench, the one featured in "The Workbench Book" by Scott Landis:










In a comment about the previous post, Wesley mentioned the research being done into the Shaker's use of bright, colorful paint. When we visited, one room in the Brick Dwelling had been restored to this original paint scheme.

Here are some photographs:







And apparently, the early Shaker preference for bold colors was not limited to architecture and furnishings - as you can see below...











Man, those Millennial Laws went a bit too far!

Finally, here is an interesting article with more information on paint restoration at Hancock.

Hancock Shaker Village Photo Safari

The pictures in this post were taken several years ago, during a trip back East. I recently found them again, buried in the computer image files. Strangely, they were already edited and organized for posting to the blog, but apparently I never got around to it. At least, I don't think so...

Shaker furniture gets a lot of attention, and rightfully so, but the environment where the furniture was created is also important. With that in mind, here's a series of photographs I took during a visit to Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I was trying to capture the peace, beauty and sense of simple perfection that, to me, so typifies Shaker work.

See if you can spot the not so secret theme that runs through these images...









































Did you spot the theme? That's right! There's a pig in every picture!

Seriously, I love multi-light windows and the look and feel of natural lighting. In this regard, and others too, Hancock is a paradise.

Oh, and I've got to get one of those hand-cranked thickness planers! But no thanks to the scary table saw...

Jamestown Joinery

More from our school trip back east. Here are a few pictures of the reproduction furniture at the Jamestown living-history museum in Virginia.



















It was fun to see the furniture in its actual setting (or close anyway). I'd like to know more about these. Who made them? How were they made? What were they based on? If I ever get back there I need to dig around a little and see if I can't find someone to answer these questions. Next time...