The architecture and wood craft of the rural reaches of this region are remarkably consistent and appear not to have changed for centuries. Traditional wooden houses combine areas for livestock and threshing alongside living quarters under one roof. Roofing in this region consists of thin split shingles of aspen, overlapping in alternating rows, making silvery […]
Category Archives: daily handwork
Lessons from Samone
I had a tiny shop in our garage in the flatlands of North Oakland when Ene and I first moved to California in the early nineties after circuitous travels through West Africa, across the United States and into Alaska. I had been deeply inspired by working with the village menusiers of Togo, and was just […]
Jig-Cam on the Elder Chair Production
Wooden chair frames traditionally have a bent back leg. The legs need to splay out towards the floor to carry the load back and keep the chair from tipping, and they need to splay out upwards to ease the sitter back to a comfortable angle of repose. Round stock is often steam bent to […]
Dairy Barn Chair
I discovered this chair in an abandoned dairy barn in Tomales, California, among artifacts from a formerly productive cattle ranch just down the coast in West Marin County. It is a good example of “maintenance equals improvement” in that the original rush-woven seat has been replaced by a woven leather seat improvised by the deceased […]
Peg and Awl
Peg and Awl, (version by the Carolina Tar Heels) In the days of eighteen and one, peg and awl! (twice) In the days of eighteen and one, peggin’ shoes is all I done, Hand me down my pegs, my pegs, my pegs, my awl. In the days of eighteen and two, peg and awl! (twice) […]