When you design a piece of furniture to build, there are three well-worn paths (some might call them ruts) to follow.

The first path is to design a piece in a wholly original style. This actually happens about once or twice a century, and its rarity is why we don?t have furniture styles such as ?Early Bill,? ?Middle Chuck? or the ?Late Butch Period.? Few people alive can claim they have successfully launched a style, but don?t let that stop you from trying.

The second approach is to build replicas, either spot-on or with mild alterations, such as an additional drawer, or substituting a square ovolo moulding for a bead. This is a good way to learn the vocabulary of different styles, though it is time-consuming to learn everything by the doing. Some woodworkers (even professionals) might build only six pieces in a year.

The third approach is to design a new piece with vintage parts, like rebuilding an old car. With this approach, you expose yourself to hundreds of images of the form. You could look at tables, cabriole legs or Arts & Crafts desks, for example. Then you select your piece?s dominant element from the library ? say a leg, a door or a bonnet ? and design your piece around that. (However, you can?t easily mix parts from different genres. It might seem like a good idea to put a Honda push rod in a Chevy, until you hit that metric barrier.)

When asked the secret to good design, Steve Hamilton, a builder at Mack S. Headley & Sons (headleyandsons.com), boiled it down to two words: ?Picture books,? he said. ?Get a bunch. Look them over.?

Design on the Run
Designing a suitable early American wall cupboard for Woodworking Magazine began with a day in our collection of books and images. You don?t need to spend a lot of money to build a book collection, most of the resources you need are at the public library and on the Internet.

My first stop was Wallace Nutting?s ?A Furniture Treasury.? This book is available in many different forms, and it?s common to find copies for about $25. The book is as-advertised. It?s hundreds of pages of images of early American stuff that has been organized into categories such as ?chests? and ?Windsor chairs.?

The second source was auction catalogs from Christie?s (christies.com) and Sotheby?s (sothebys.com) auction houses. The catalogs these houses publish for their Americana auctions are outstanding. Good images. Good overall dimensions. And good history lessons as well. These catalogs can be pricey at $50 or more, but you can usually browse the catalogs on the Internet for free, though sometimes you have to register with the auction house (registration is free).

The third source was an old favorite of mine from my grandparents? library: ?Fine Points of Furniture: Early American? (Crown) by Albert Sack. This common book can be had for about $10 ? the new revised edition is much more expensive and rare. Sack?s book compares different kinds of pieces and ranks them as ?good,? ?better? or ?best.? This book helps hone your tastes in mouldings, proportion and turnings.

After a day of reading, I chose a fetching tombstone door from Nutting?s book and found many tall and skinny shapes for wall cupboards that looked like pieces I had seen at Winterthur, the DuPont?s Delaware estate and museum.

My design firmed up when my doctor got too busy for me one Wednesday. After showing up for my appointment, I was told there would be an hour delay. So I sat in my car and sketched about 10 wall cabinets. I didn?t worry about dimensions or joinery, just the overall look and feel of the piece. Each sketch took about five minutes and tried out variations on the door (one or two?), the drawer (one, two or none?) and the width of the stiles and rails (chunky or light?).

After those sketches, I chose the best two designs, sketched them again and showed them around to woodworkers and friends. It sounds like a lot of work, but I have found that good design is like making stir fry: You first chop vegetables and mix sauces for a long time. The active cooking time is real short ? if you?ve done your prep work.

? Christopher Schwarz

Hardwood floors are part of an established home?s heritage. The look of the wood is what draws a guest in and what adds warmth even on the coldest of days. When you decide to install solid wood flooring in your home or office you are not only going for that old familiar aesthetic, but you are also acknowledging that wood flooring is extremely sensible. There is a treasured stability with hard wood flooring, something that immediately elevates the value of your property. With wood flooring you give a nod to the baroque.

In addition to looking beautiful and lush, wood floors are also unquestionably good for the environment. The flooring is, in a sense, insulation between your home and the elements. This insulation is said to be sixteen times as powerful as steel and four hundred fifteen times more productive than steel. Most solid wood flooring is made in America and therefore must adhere to the nation?s strict environmental codes and ordinances.

What grain of wood you select will determine the overall character of your floor. Nothing exudes dependability like oak solid wood flooring. Within each plank you see the life of the tree: the knots and burrs. Another benefit to choosing solid oak flooring is that it does not scratch easily. With proper care, the warmth of the color will last a very long time.

Engineered oak wood flooring is a less expensive option. You get the same look and character, but the installation is much easier. In most cases nails or screws are not necessary, all that you need is a foam underlay. Since most of the engineered oak wood flooring is made in China some may argue that the quality is lower.

While some of the heartiness of solid oak wood flooring may be lost, and the value of your home or business may not increase as much, the appearance is not sacrificed and most people rarely can detect the difference. The greatest difference is in the cost and the installation. A professional with elaborate and specialized tools must install solid oak wood flooring.

A benefit for choosing engineered oak wood flooring is that you have the option of putting in the floor yourself. With the do it yourself craze at full tilt many new and established homeowners are getting excited about improvement projects that can be accomplished within a weekend.

Most major chain home improvement centers not only offer a large variety of engineered oak wood flooring, but they are now offering workshops that will guide you through the step by step process. An added bonus to doing it yourself is that now under floor heating is becoming mainstream. In the same workshop where you learn about wood flooring you can learn about the under floor heat process and how energy efficient a row of heating coils can be.

Choosing to upgrade your home or business flooring is simple, and in most cases, affordable. Going with solid oak flooring or engineered oak wood flooring is up to your taste and your wallet.

Natalie Aranda writes on home improvement. Hardwood floors are part of an established home?s heritage. The look of the wood is what draws a guest in and what adds warmth even on the coldest of days. When you decide to install solid wood flooring in your home or office you are not only going for that old familiar aesthetic, but you are also acknowledging that wood flooring is extremely sensible. What grain of wood you select will determine the overall character of your floor. Nothing exudes dependability like oak solid wood flooring.

When it comes to many home improvement projects a lot of people are fearful or apprehensive about doing them on their own just because they have never done it. When it comes to installing your own shutters this doesn't need to be the case, installing your shutters isn't a difficult process at all. The main thing to remember here is to work with shutters that are specifically built for each individual window opening in unison with the detailed instructions from the manufacturer.

The first thing you need to do is measure the window opening where you want to install the shutters. Depending on whether you will mount them on the inside or the outside this is where you will need to measure.

If you are going to mount them on the window jamb on the inside of the window opening, which is the preferred method, you will need to know the width and height across the inside of the window framing. The reason this is the preferred method is because it makes for a cleaner installation and doesn't require additional hang strips or frame strips, you just have to be sure the window you are working with is square and has a solid window jamb to screw into.

Next you need to determine the depth of the window by measuring from the front plane of the window back to the nearest obstruction that will obstruct the louvers and keep them from rotating. If you prefer, the manufacturer you bought your shutters from can also tell you the window depth for the style you ordered. Sometimes the manufacturer may suggest an alternative installation method to use in case the window is out of square or if it has a drywall opening without a solid wood jamb using rear hanging strips concealed behind the shutter panels that will allow adjustment up, down, left, and right for easier alignment.

If you choose to mount outside of the frame you will attaching to the wall or existing trim just to the outside of the opening of the window. Usually the frame will surround the shutter panels on three or four sides, depending on whether or not a lower sill exists.

Hanging strips are used if you decide to install a cafe type shutter style, the hanging strips will be screwed directly to the wall or trim, and the hinge of the shutters attached to the frame or the hanging strips.

The old adage of measure twice cut once applies here too, also be sure to use a steel tape for the most accurate measurement possible.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Shutters Plus at http://www.shutters-plus.com.

A question on dovetails on WoodCentral led to a discussion of their history, and one of the posters produced a link to a photo of a box with some of (if not the) earliest examples of dovetails on record:

Ancient Roman box, dated from the 2nd or 3rd century, currently located in Limesmuseaum Aalen (German language site) in Baden Württemberg. See the original link (Google translation) to the photo on woodworking.de.

It's a fascinating piece, I think most would agree.  I love this sort of old research...  and there's some real sophistication in the design of this box - though I guess sophistication shouldn't be a surprise when you review artworks of the period.  Helenistic statues display the foremost sophistication, for example...  But I digress

The poster also included an informative link to another German site on Roman woodworking tools I also found very interesting.

This box some fairly sophisticated woodworking - and obviously the dovetails' design is well developed at this point.   It's pretty obvious to me that they've been around for (literally) thousands of years...  Interesting that the idea of craftsmanship hasn't really changed all that much in all this time, isn't it?  There is a legacy to woodworking that goes back hundreds of generations, which is something that is easy to forget in the "we do it so much better now" frame of mind.

 It reminds me of some of the items that have been passed down to me..,.  One of my most treasured came from the old country with my grandparents - it's a traveling/storage box known as a "koffort":

Koffort - an antique Icelandic traveling/storage box that's been in my family for at least 150-200 years.

This box was originally made in Iceland, and my parents both believe it is at least 150  years old, and was quite possibly much, much older than that.  It was handed down to my father from his great grandfather when he was 13 years old...  By dad's account, his great grandfather had told him that "it was very old" when he himself had received it from his great-grandfather when he was 13 years old in 1933.  If we trace that path, his great grandfather would have been 13 years old in 1868, a difference of 65 years.  I don't know where, when, or by who it came into his great-grandfathers possession - but if it was "very old" then, I would guess that makes it at least 50 years older than that, which puts it at 1818 or so - and it could easily be yet older - but I have no documentation or even any oral history beyond what I've told you.

The construction of the box is quite simple and elegant - very similar to a "six board chest", but without any legs and a slightly more involved lid design.  The corners are dovetailed, and an iron strap has been added for strength at each corner:

Dovetailed corner with iron strap

I doubt the strap was original to the box - most like it was added some time later.  These boxes were heavily used and abused, and traveled with the owner all over creation.  Often they would also be used like what you would use a safe for today...  The angled "handle" on the side is repeated on the far side and is angled to make the box easier to be packed on the back of a mule, horse, or ox.

Inside the only additional item is a small tray at one end:

Interior view

Looking closely at the tray, you can see it's also dovetailed - and you can see the primitive hinges, which I also believe are not original:

Tray at one end is also dovetailed

The fact this is also dovetailed is important in showing the attention to detail this box was given during it's construction.  One also has to remember that when this box was built, Iceland had no real native timber of it's own.  Almost all wood came in the form of imports from abroad or, and this is more likely the case for a personal item like this, from driftwood.  Logs would follow the current up to the shores of Iceland having started anywhere along the shore from the Caribbean to upper Labrador in Canada.  Wood, therefore, was quite precious.

Another similar example I have is a larger version of the koffort, which I guess is called a "kista":

Kista - a larger version of the koffort

This is from mother's side of the family.  It's not nearly as old, I believe mom thought it dated to the late 19th or early 20th century.  It's a little more crudely made, but still uses dovetails in it's construction:

Dovetails on the Kista

 This particular box sat in a dirt floor barn for many years, and the bottom had rotted out of it.  Dad repaired it at the same time he refinished the koffort.  He did a good job at the restoration, but I'm not so proud of the finishes he chose.  But still, I'm proud to have them both here with me.

In my spare time over the last couple of years I've been working  on my own version of a koffort.  I'll post about it someday when I'm finished, but needless to say that anything I do will pale in comparison when you consider the history of these pieces, which is what I think truly makes them special.  I can only hope that, some couple hundred years from now, somebody is marveling over my creation wondering who the craftsman was that made it, why he did, and if he was as proud of his koffort then as I am of owning it now.

 

I know it's been a while, but I haven't been completely idle on the old truck project.... While I'm not directly working on it (I'm still in the collection phase), there's been a few developments worth note...

First - I picked up an engine and transmission. The engine is a 4-bolt main 350 chevy, I'm not sure of the year, but it's a good block. It's a rebuild, but it has less than 20k miles on the rebuild, and the bore and grind are virgin - never cut. There are some that might be taken aback some by putting a Chevy in a Ford, and I had those thoughts too... Truth is, I've been a Ford person all my life, and when I think back on my experiences - well, I don't feel too bad about stuffing a Chevy in there.

The tranny is a Chevy TH350  also with less than 20k miles (from the same place), and as it's geared it will work out well with the 2.75 gears in the Ford 9" rear end I acquired. I was considering a 700r4 overdrive transmission, but the price was right for the TH350 - and with it working with the rear I have I couldn't turn it down. It was a good price too - my brother got it as a trade for some work, and he traded it and the engine to me for a really decent price.

I've been remiss in showing some of the research that I've done in choosing these as my drivetrain - I hope to remedy that with the following, taken mostly from emails I was trading with my brother, out of old textbooks, and of course off of the web. Note - I make no claim as to the accuracy of any of this information, and the large majority of it was gleaned off of several diferent web sites, some of which are linked to, and some of which I have lost or simply combined information from many different sites.

Calculating transmission and axle ratios

Here's an online calculator for figuring axle ratios and the like: http://www.angelfire.com/fl/procrastination/rear.html There's a discussion of overdrive transmissions here: http://www.superchevy.com/technical/engines_drivetrain/driveshaft_rearend/0205sc_vibrations/ They seem to suggest this: "For street rods the magic number for smooth running in overdrive seems to be a minimum of 1,800 engine rpm with 2,100-2,300 rpm at 55-65 mph a good goal" Using a 25" wheel (same height as on my lumina, should be close enough), A TH350 trans with 2.75 gears will be going 57 mph at 2100 rpm and 62 mph at 2300 rpm (not overdrive) A 700r4 trans with 3.25 gears will be going 67 at 2100 rpm and 75 at 2300. A 700r4 trans with 3.50 gears will be going 64 at 2100 rpm and 69 at 2300. A 700r4 trans with 3.75 gears will be going 60 at 2100 rpm and 65 at 2300. So, according that - the 2.75 gears are perfect for a TH350, but a 700r4 might need as tall as 3.75 gears. But that article also mentions that a overdrive transmission will have problems with a carbureted engine unless a "kit" is installed, and also mentions the computer we talked about. Anyway, it seems more and more like the TH350 is the way to go, especially since it means the rear end I have is already geared right. Transmission Gearing: Transmission__1st___2nd___3rd___4th___Rev Turbo 350___2.52__1.52__1.00_______1.94 R Turbo 400___2.48__1.48__1.00_______2.08 R 700R4______3.06__1.63__1.00__.70___2.29 R

While I'm at it, I should list some of the research I've done on the Ford 9" - the one I ended up with is out of a 1977 Lincoln Versaille, which I think will fit perfectly - though that has yet to be seen...

Ford 9" Rear Ends
Going through some rear-end options, just researching. I'm just guessing, but I think the width I need is a 56". I think a 9" out of a truck -which is the most plentiful 9" out there - are too wide. A more optimum find would be out of a 60's galaxie, as from what I read, all 60's Galaxies had 9" rear ends. I also looked at a "crate motor" from Summit Racing. A 5.0L ford longblock was $4000. Way outta here with that. A complete engine from Spaldings runs $800 to $1200. I still think finding a donor car might be the way to go. V-8 Thunderbirds or Cougars would work as well as Mustangs, and might be easier to find. Additional Options: Might consider the 8.8" rear out of an '98 and newer Explorer if the width is OK. Factory posi, 31 spline axles, 3.55 or 3.73 gears, disc brakes and built in E-Brake. Best of all, cheap and plentiful. I gave $250 for mine from a local wrecking yard. Bolt pattern is 5 X 4.5." Thunderbirds and Mustangs in 1995 used an 8.8" rear end also that came with or without ABS brakes. 1990 Mustangs had no ABS brakes, but used the 8.8", where 1990 T-Birds did have the ABS option. There was also a 7.5" rear used for these cars that would NOT be suitable, but I think those were on the 4 and 6 cyl. models. An 8" out of a 1977 Granada was used in one project. Had 3.25 gear ratio stock. Basically from what I've read an 8" will work fine for anything up to and including a 300 horse motor. A Currie Enterprises version of a 9" made for a 1965 Ford Galaxie was used in "Old Bleu". This was a truck where a guy used mostly new parts: http://www.oldbleu.com/ Just out of curiosity, I took a look at Currie Enterprises, and priced out a "crate" rear end. They have what they call a "Hot Rod" rear end ("hot rod" means a universal application, 56" wide rear end), that one can buy with options on what you want. Here's what I priced out: 31 Spline - Stock Gear Case & Pinion Support Traction Lock 3.25 Gear ratio (same price for any ratio) 11" Explorer Disc Brake Kit w/5 X 4 1/2" Wheel Bolt Pattern (the drum brake version is about $50 cheaper) Base Price: $849.9 3rd Member: $999.65 Brakes: $899.95 Total Price: $2749.5 Price for Housing and Axles Only (Base Price Above): $849.90. When I broke it down further, the housing and axles were priced at $400 each. That's directly from Currie. I found this page: http://www.rodfactory.com/NewFiles/Rear%20ends.html Says this: The Rod Factory offers narrowed 9" Ford rear axles in 3 different stages. Our Stage 1 rear axle is 56" wide from wheel surface to wheel surface and comes with 28 spline axles, bearings and seals. The Stage 2 includes new backing plates, brakes and drums. The Stage 3 comes with a rebuilt, 2.75 or 3.00 Open differential. Other widths are also available and additional options are listed below. 9" Ford Rear Axle Assemblies Part No. / Description / Price 2590-1 / Stage 1 Ford 9" rear axle 56" wide / $695.00 2590-2 / Stage 2 Ford 9" rear axle 56" wide / $1045.00 2590-3 / Stage 3 Ford 9" rear axle 56" wide (2.75 open) / $1595.00 2597-1 / Stage 3 Ford 9" rebuilt 31 spline 2.75 TSD / $2045.00 2597-3 / Stage 3 Ford 9" rebuilt 31 spline 3.0 - 4.11 TSD / $2195.00 2598 / Rebuilt 28 spline open 2.75 3rd member / $649.00 2598 / Rebuilt TSD 28 spline 3.00 - 4.11 / $999.00 2598-2 / Rebuilt Trac Lock 28 or 31 splin 3.00 - 4.11 / $899.00   Currie Hot Rod 9" Ford Rear Axle Assemblies Part No. / Description / Price 2590-1H / Stage 1 Ford 9" rear 56" wide / $799.00 2590-2H / Stage 2 Ford 9" rear 56" wide / $1149.00 2590-3H / Stage 3 Ford 9" rear 56" wide (2.75 open) / $1795.00 2597-1H / Stage 3 Ford 9" rebuilt 28 spline 2.75 TSD / $2095.00 2597-3H / Stage 3 Ford 9" rebuilt 28 spline 3.0 - 4.11 TSDk / $2295.00 The list below is incomplete, I think - and I've seen some inconsistencies w/other web sites. Here's a couple good links on rear-ends: http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/axle_rear_end_guide/ http://dfwmotorsport.com/Fairlane/9inchrearends.htm http://www.maliburacing.com/ford_9_inch/ford_nine_inch.htm http://www.ultrastang.com/Rearinfo.asp?Page_ID=1
Widths and technical infor on 9" Ford Rear Ends housing width in inches year/model 46 50 52 54 56 57 58-3/4   64-77 Broncos are 46" wide 58-60 T-birds are 50" wide 57-59 Ford/Edsel are 52" wide 63-69 Falcon are 52" wide 63-65 Comet are 52" wide 63-65 Fairlane are either 52" or 54" wide 65-66 Mustang are either 52" or 54" wide 67-70 Mustang/Cougar are 52" wide 66-69 Fairlane/Cyclone are 56" wide 66-69 Fairlane/Cyclone are 52" wide 70-71 Torino/Cyclone are 56" wide 71-73 Mustang/Cougar are 54" wide 60-64 Ford/Mercury are 56" wide 61-67 T-bird are 56" wide 58-72 F-100 pickups are 57" wide 73-90 F-100 & F-150 are 58-3/4" wide Another list had it like this: Year & Model / Axle Length / Notes 1965-1966 Mustang / 57.25 inches 1967-1970 Mustang / 59.25 inches 1971-1973 Mustang / 61.25 inches 1977-1981 Versailles / 58.50 inches 1967-1973 Mustang, Torino, Ranchero, Fairlane /59.25 inches to 61.25 inches 1957-1959 Ranchero and station wagon / 57.25 inches 1966-1977 Bronco / 58 inches 1977-1981 Granada/Versailles / 58 inches 1967-1971 Comet, Cougar, Mustang, Fairlane / 59.25 inches 1971-1973 Mustang / 61.25 inches 1964 Falcon / 58 inches 1967 Cougar / 60 inches 1967 Fairlane / 63.50 inches / coil springs 1972 Ford Van 3/4 ton / 68 inches Yet other information went this way: Where To Find The Nine Inch Rear Axle 1967-1973 medium and big block Mustangs and Cougars 1966-1971 Fairlanes, Torinos, Montegos, Comets, and other Ford intermediates with big blocks. 1957-1959 V8 Fords and Mercurys 1977-1981 Lincoln Versailles & Trucks Types Of Nine Inch Axle Housings 1967-1973 Mustang/Cougar - light duty, thinnest housing material, small axle bearings, 28 and 31 splines. 1957-1968 passenger car and 1/2 ton truck - medium duty, stronger than Mustang type, 28 and 31 splines. Ranchero/Torino - heavy duty thick wall housing, 3.25 inch diameter axle tubes with flat tops. 1969-1977 Galaxies (coils), Lincolns (coils), and late pickups (leaf)- 3.25 inch diameter all the way to the backing plate, coil housings have upper control arm mount How To Recognize Nine Inch Housing Centers 1957 - no dimples, flat center band up the center of the rear cover, bottom drain plug. 1958-1959 - two dimples on back of housing, flat center band, some had drain holes. 1960-1967 - two dimples, flat center band, oil level hole in back cover. 1963-1977 Lincoln, LTD, Thunderbirds had 9.375 inch centers, housings were cut away at the gasket surface for ring gear clearance, one curved rib at the front top portion of differential, strong but no gears. Tips On Shortening Nine Inch Axles 1972 and earlier 31 spline axles have the ability to be shortened. 28 spline axles are tapered and cannot be shortened and re-splined. 1973 and later cars have a 5-on-5 bolt circle and the axles cannot be shortened. 1967-1973 Mustang axles can be identified by wheel flange: Oval hole = 28 splines. Two large holes and counter-sunk center = 31 splines.

I looked at some old Ford Galaxies that were good candidates for width, but in the end the Versaille rear end came up on the local craigslist.com at a fair (but not cheap) price - so went with it.  What this all ended up telling me is that I am not going to go with a fuel injected, computer driven system like I first envisioned, but a naturally aspirated, old-school setup.  I'm more familiar with that setup anyway...

Back to the search: 

Other parts have been showing up at the door on occasion... First, an original stainless steel grille trim with only the most minor ding:

 

They do not make a replacement trim that I have found, and the grille I have didn't have one - so this was a good find. Next up, a piece that was supposed to be included with the parts I initially bought, but "mysteriously" was missing - the windshield frame:

There are companies out there that make a windshield frame, the cost is around $300 for a plain steel frame, and closer to $700 for a chromed one. The one I got cost 1/3 of the painted style and is in excellent shape - and as a bonus contains a windshield I may actually be able to use... Next at the door was the passenger side of the hood:

 

I have a full, complete hood, but the fins on the right side are pretty banged up. This one, while it has a good amount of surface rust on the exterior, is in much better shape. For $30, it will save me hours of work straightening metal. Here's the interior:

 

Now - one of the rarest body pieces you can find on a '36 Ford pickup is original steel rear fenders. There are no steel replicas made, all that's available is fiberglass at a cost of about $275. I have a pair of original rear fenders, but they are in pretty sad shape. I've been always on the lookout for replacements, but it often seems they go for between $900 and $1200 a pair, more than I want to spend - I can probably repair the ones I have for less than that. I did finally find one, a driver's side that I got for a somewhat fair price, though the fender needs substantial repair:

The crack is nasty, going through half the width of the fender:

Not only that, but there's the typical rot you find at the spot below the floorboards:

Still - even with all that wrong with it, it's still in better shape than mine. I'll still keep an eye out for another, esp. a passenger side - and if I end up with extras I'll either use my originals as source material for repair, or sell them at some point. I still may have to fix them, too - the one depends on how bad this one is once I get into it. Mine doesn't have much for rust, but it looks like someone was hooking a chain to it to try pull fence posts out or something... I would probably need an English Wheel to straighten it out, along with some metalwork that's quite likely well above my head.

That's it for now - I'll add more as it comes.

I wrote once before about the generous gift I received from Kori Capaldi, Operations Manager of the Gamble House. I met Kori when I was in Pasadena for Pasadena Heritage Craftsman Weekend in October. Because I spent quite a bit of time at ?THE house? for various tours and receptions, I got a chance to talk with Kori for a while. I told her about the chest I was building and that the lid would be restrained by a leather strap. A month or so after I returned home Kori sent me an email and asked if I?d like a piece of the leather that was used in the Gamble house when the leather straps on the lighting fixtures were replaced several years ago.

Of course I said ?No? and that was the end of it. OK, maybe I said ?Yes? and tried not to appear overly anxious in the process. You see, the Gamble house is tantamount to a religious shrine for those of us afflicted with serious cases of Greene-itis. It is indescribably beautiful. I mean that literally. No attempt to convey, using words, that amazing vision can end in anything but utter failure. Thus, to have a tangible link between the core of the G&G universe and one of my pieces of furniture is very special indeed.

Though I?ve had the leather for some time now, I?ve just completed installing it. I didn?t want to be hasty -- it had to be just right. I spent hours scouring the internet for the perfect rivets to use to attach it and the search paid off. I found a product even better than I had hoped for. Screw posts are similar to rivets but because they screw together they are removable. So if I ever have to remove the lid of the chest I won?t have to cut the leather (Actually, I wouldn?t have been able to cut the leather I would have asked my wife to do it. When I wasn?t home.). And with persistence I was able to find them in solid brass with an oil-rubbed bronze patina. With that final piece of the puzzle in place, the installation is complete. And it was worth the wait. Thanks Kori.

By the way, this chest is the subject of an article to appear in the April issue of Popular Woodworking (available early March). Unfortunately, I didn?t have the Gamble leather when photos were shot for the article -- in the magazine you?ll see a piece of upholstery leather leftover from a Morris chair project.

Part V 

One of my favorite lines in a movie was in one of the Naked Gun movies (with Leslie Nielsen) where Ricardo Montalban was playing the villain.  When asked by Priscilla Presley how he could be so evil his response was something like:

"You forget I spent two years as a building contractor!"

Of course that's in jest (?).  You know - there are, of course, good and bad contractors, and I've dealt with my share of each - and the concrete contractor I used for this project was quite unfortunately of the latter persuasion.  I was really disappointed in his work - and I even gave him a second chance the next year to pour the slab out front of the shop for me - but that's for a later entry...  If you are looking for a general contractor, or even just a "sub" contractor, make sure you check references and investigate your choices with the local builders' association.  Above all - you will need patience and perseverance to be successful.  Don't expect perfection - but be ready to stand your ground when needed - and pick your battles well.  Know what's important, and what's not. At the time, there was a shortage of available contractors for me to hire, and I was not patient... 

But first, I should go over the design of the foundation in a bit more depth...

The Design

There were two different foundation systems I looked into using.  My first consideration was to pour what's known as a "monolithic" slab - that's where the footings, stem wall (if there is one) and the finished floor are all poured at once, in one big pour...  The section through such a system looks something like this:

There are several advantages to a system such as this.. It is the most efficient system, combining the footing, wall, and slab all into a single, large system.  There is considerably less labor involved in the pour, but the earthwork needs to be done more precisely to save fill requirement.  And finally if termites are an issue in your part of the country this type doesn't allow anyplace for the nasty little buggers to penetrate from underneath.  It does have a couple of disadvantages as well...  One is that the bottom of the wall is more prone to water damage, as the top of the concrete can be only slightly above grade level...  and because of that, it also does not work as well on a sloped lot.  Though it's hard to see in the photos below, my lot slopes down from right to left (east to west) about a foot in the width of the shop.  It might not seem like much, but it is a lot of fill to bring in.   I prefer to work with the slope of the land rather than fight it...

Another disadvantage - at least for me - is that I wanted to have the entire floor of the slope 1/8" per foot from the back end to the front - a drop of about 4", so it would drain and I wouldn't have water puddling up in the center of the floor if I parked a snow-bound car inside.  That would make it difficult to frame up so it is level... This might not be an issue for you, but my experience has been to keep the space as flexible as possible - and that means uses other than woodworking.  The next owner of my shop might want to work on cars, for example - and so will I, for that matter.

The final disadvantage is I wanted to be able to hose down the slab in the main section of the shop if for some reason it needed it...    I can seal a rubber base down for some walls, but doing all would be too much.  So - it meant I would opt for the more expensive version (of course) - a stem wall type foundation.  Here's a typical section for that style of  foundation:

 

You can see that now the foundation wall is independent of the floor slab, so with this system I can slope the floor and not worry about framing the exterior walls plumb and level.  The slab at the far back of the shop would be about an inch below the top of the foundation wall - and about 5 inches below it at the front.  This works out well for the driveway slab to be poured out front of the shop - it will work out to be about the right height so the foundation wall can be above finish grade level by about 8".

You can also see why more labor is required to make it...  Instead of one pour for the entire foundation and slab, the work now has to be divided into three separate pours...  First you must form up the strip footing so it is below frost depth and pour it - then you must form up the stem walls and pour them; and then, finally, you pour the floor slab.  Three separate pours...  It uses the same or more concrete, and your contractor must have the form work to be able to pour the stem walls.  There are many concrete contractors out there that do only flat work - they don't want to invest the money into the forms required, and most often they can get away without investing in too much heavy machinery.  If you do it yourself, you can easily make your own forms, and rent your own machinery... but it's an added expense, and not a small one.  You could use the forms afterward as sheathing - but you need to coat the forms with a release agent (usually an oil) that can make it less than desirable for use as sheathing.  My neighbor rented a backhoe to do his shop, and by the time he was done with it, he'd spent $1100 or so just for it.

What determines how deep you put your foundation is set by the local building department and is what's known as "Frost Depth" - the depth at which the ground does not regularly freeze.  Freezing ground is bad for a foundation. Water expands when froze, and as a result lifts and stresses the foundation, and over time that stress can result in the foundation failing.

Frost depth in my area is about 2'-0" below finish grade.  With an 8" deep strip footing at the bottom, that means we can use a 2' deep stem wall - which will give us two feet below grade if we keep the finish grade at a maximum of 8" below the top of the stem wall.   Frost depth varies around the country... in warmer climates, there isn't one, just a requirement the footing be on inorganic undisturbed soil or compacted structural fill.  Where I grew up in the Dakotas, it was a full 4' below finish grade.  It's one reason you will see so many basements in the north vs. the south - you are required to go so deep anyway to get down to frost depth with your footing, there's no good reason not to make it just a couple feet deeper to make it a basement.

Optimally, I would have used the detail above, with a 6" wide stem wall.  Structurally, it's plenty strong to hold up the building. it also keeps you from having problems with applying the finish material - when you install the drywall (or plywood, or whatever finish material you have) the inside of the wall will line up with the concrete.  What I ended up with was more like this, however:

 

Note the foundation is 8" wide, not 6".  One other difference that is shown on that detail that I don't have - insulation.  I got none.  Nada.  It's a sordid tale - I'll let you know as I go through the photos of the construction below just how I arrived with that detail.

Strip Footings

The first job after you dig the trench for the footings is to form up for the strip footings.  It's pretty simple, really - your biggest concern is setting them at the right height.   You want the footings resting on undisturbed, inorganic soil (or compacted structural fill), just below frost level.  Your building department will be able to tell you just how much your soil can support, and thusly how big your footing needs to be.  You can check with them to find what frost level is in your part of the country.  You then want to form so the top is level and gives the footing a minimum depth (in my case 8").  You can use the excavated soil for the sides of your forms at the very bottom - but it's best to have most of it formed with footer boards to make sure the edges are held in place correctly, which will allow you to estimate just how much concrete you need.  It's always better to overdo the forms rather than under-do them, as nothing sucks more than a blowout during a pour.

The easiest way to set the level is if you have a builder's level or transit and a pole, which can be rented for fairly little money.  You set stakes in the ground at strategic points and with the aid of a helper, shoot the top of the stake, then drive it down with a sledge until it's at the right height.  Do this with each successive stake, then using a string line, a plumb bob, and batten boards, drive a pair of stakes in about every 24" or so (more or less depending how good your soil is) and nail the footer boards on the inside of the stakes - which you've placed just for that purpose, using one of the sides as a guide.  Once in place, you can reinforce the footer boards by putting nailers across the top to help keep them from spreading apart while pouring, as this crew did:

For reinforcement, mine has two #4 rebar (#4 means 4/8" or 1/2" diameter) running the length of the tooting.  An additional rebar can be added perpendicular to these every four feet or so, but I am fortunate enough to have soil with a great load carrying capacity, so it wasn't necessary.  The next step is to pour them, obviously...  but I wanted to show the photo below for another reason:

 Look at that nice, green lawn.  By the time the concrete was done - they had torn the living snot out of my yard.  I tried to keep them from doing too much damage, and I even roped off the area where my drain field was located to keep them from driving their 574 ton trucks over it - which could easily crush the pipe.  Or should I say did?  For some reason, I'm telling you - it was like trying to keep flies of of s__t.  I came home after bringing dad to a doctor's appointment to find they drove right over my little tape barrier like it wasn't even there.  Not only did this happen once, but it happened several times over the time they were there.  My drain field still works, but it's capacity has been cut about in half from what it was - no more "super" loads in the washer for us...  and a healthy repair bill someday when I do half to replace it.  The one guy I was most worried about - the kid with the skid hoe - was easily the most careful and professional and did by far the least damage of any of them.

Stem Walls

So after the footings were poured and allowed to dry for several day, the concrete guy's crew comes back and sets the forms for the stem walls:

It was at this point that I went out back and measured them only to find out they had set them for an 8" wall and not a 6" wall, like was in the drawings.   The concrete guy wasn't to be found anywhere, this was entirely done by his crew...  Ugh.  Is it really that hard to do something I ask?  It's not like I was being disagreeable, or hard to get along with, or anything.   I bring it up to him, and he's like, well - we can tear it down and do it at 6", but then I'll have to schedule it for later because that crew's already on another job.  Jeez, can't these guys come up with something more original?  In the end, I said screw it, let it be 8".  I'll just deal with it later, and let it remind me of why I should never hire bozos like this guy again (yet I don't even listen to myself - more on that in a later entry in this series).

Reinforcement was just as described in the detail above - a #4 rebar every 4'-0" vertically, and a #4 within 6" of both the top and bottom of the wall.  Anchor bolts were placed every 6'-0" and within 12" of each end of each wall.

 After they poured the stem walls, the kid with the skid hoe came back and backfilled around the stem walls, stripped the topsoil in the center, and no - I don't know why he did it that way, but it didn't take him all that long to get the sod out and down to good soil, so what the heck?  As long as it got done right, I wasn't concerned.  There wasn't enough good fill to use on the inside of the walls to support the slab, so I ordered structural fill brought in to bring the sub-base up to grade.  They brought in a type of fill that doesn't require compaction, which I think is interesting - it's a product I was familiar with but had never seen it done before, a material called CLSM (Controlled Low-Strength Material).  It looks mostly like really sloppy wet sand, and it is brought in in a concrete truck and poured out and leveled almost like concrete. 

It's usually made up of a mixture of portland cement, fly ash, and aggregate mixed with water.  Lots of labor saved in that you don't have to compact it, and it can be put in place so very quickly...  I did need 2-1/2 truckloads of it, each costing $200 though (I ended up having to buy 3 truckloads full)  I had the remainder put out so I could use it as fill for under the driveway slab that would eventually be placed out front of the shop.

So, I think in my case, I paid dearly for it.  But at least it was ready for the floor.  I did have one problem - there was a lot of soil left over in a big pile - sod, rocks, organic soil - pure garbage to me and I had nowhere to put it.  The kid with the backhoe offered to take it - seems he was filling some ditch on his property out in the back woods, and could put it there. He loaded it and hauled it out himself, so there was some consolation. I rewarded him by getting him to put in a gravel driveway back to the shop and to redo the one out front.  He did a particularly splendid job, for a fair price.

For more information on CSLM, visit the Portland Cement Association's web site.

The Floor Slab

So - another appointment for dad, and I knew they were going to pour the floor - when I got back, this was the scene:

It was a good thing I got back when I did...  I noticed two things were completely wrong.  First - there was no insulation laid down around the perimeter.  Second - he hadn't dug out for the two pier footings I would need for the two columns I had designed for the structure.  You know, I don't think he actually ever looked at the drawings...  Guess there might have been too much information there for him to handle.  Anyway, it was already too late for the insulation, but I did at least get him before the concrete had reached where the pier footings were to go - and stood there while he dug them out and made sure they were the right size, even as the concrete was flowing closer to the pit.  Essentially, the pier footings can be poured as a part of the floor, like a monolithic slab would be - so it's fine if done that way.  It would have sucked if he hadn't done them though - I wouldn't have known about it, and would have wondered why the floor slab cracked so badly around the columns later...

At long last - I had a foundation on which to build my shop.   Woohoo!  The rest would be all up to me and me alone.

 

Up next - walls!

 

WESTERN EARTH KNIVES

Unique handcrafted hunting knives custom tailored for you at WEK.

Photos Courtesy of Western Earth Knives                                            "The dagger"

Custom Handmade knives and sheaths, made to order, using materials of the earth: bone, antler, horn, brass, leather, exotic woods of the West, and only high quality high-carbon steel blades. Western Earth Knives are made using designs derived from the qualities of the earth and her creatures by Douglas Gilbert.

 

Douglas has been a painter and sculptor for 40 years. It is only recently in his life that he has come to specialize in knife making, continuing to exercise his love for the powerful qualities and images of the earth. He spent much of his youth in the woods, and whittling wood was one of his early interests. A temporary illness brought him to abandon the 9-to-5 work-world and to devote himself full time to his craft. He has two grown children, a loving psychologist wife, and lives in southwestern Washington state. For additional information or to talk directly with Douglas ...

 

Contact:

                           Douglas Gilbert, MFA, Artist/Knife maker

                            earthknives@hotmail.com
                             360-501-6939

Highland Woodworking is excited to announce the addition of John Jordan Turning tools! An internationally renowned Wood Turner and teacher, John Jordan's works have graced The Renwick Gallery of The Smithsonian, The White House, The Boston Museum of Fine Art and Atlanta's High Museum of Art.

John Jordan tools have been developed over time and are a result of his many years of creating pieces that are known for their creative detail and texturing. Mention the name John Jordan while around any group of wood turners and the reaction is one of amazing respect. The fine reputation that follows him is echoed in the tools he has created.

Visit the John Jordan Wood Turning Tool collection at Highland Woodworking!

Highland Woodworking adds the CarveWright CNC Wood Router to our collection of woodworking tools. The CarveWright Woodworking System is winning awards for product innovation in woodworking, as it brings modern CNC technology and the power of the internet together with traditional woodworking. The CarveWright can be used to perform a variety of functions such as routing, cutting, carving and jointing and while considered a woodworking machine, it is also capable of creating detailed designs in other soft materials like HD foam and suitable plastics.

The CarveWright while compact, just slightly larger than a bench top planer, is a full-on, 3-dimensional CNC milling/carving machine. Use it to make signs, carve decorative reliefs or mill just about anything you can imagine in wood, HD foam and some plastics. The CarveWright can handle work up to 5” thick, 14.5” wide and almost any length. Its onboard computer and project design software makes it simple to use even for the novice. Just insert the memory card into the machine and an LCD screen walks you through the process. You don't need to bring your computer into the shop or even have it connected to the CarveWright. You can manipulate designs in almost anyway you like from their 3D pattern library, or create your own. For PC users the minimum system requirements are Windows 2000 or XP with 128MB RAM, 75MB of hard drive space and graphics card with OpenGL support. Mac users need OS 10.3 or later.

The CarveWright includes a carving bit, a cutting bit, two 1/4” bit adaptors, a bit removal tool, a vacuum bag, memory card w/programmer, design software and instructions.

Highland Woodworking is also pleased to announce an addition to our popular Saturday Mornings at Highland Free Demonstration Educational Series. On Saturday, June 28th, 2008 at 10:00am visit our retail store in Atlanta, Georgia where Ben Arthur will demonstrate the basic use of the CarveWright Machine.

July 18, 2008 Atlanta, GA. Highland Woodworking is pleased to announce the addition of The Fretboard Journal to their collection of woodworking books, magazines and DVDs. An important journal for luthiers and instrument enthusiasts, the quarterly publication is archival quality and chronicles the most innovative fretted instruments and instrument makers of the last 150 years. Fretboard's writers, historians and photographers from around the world provide well researched and insightful stories highlighting the best players and the most interesting tales in music.

The Summer 2008 Fretboard Journal features David Grisman's Chris Thile interview, details about veteran luthier Rick Turner's Compass Rose acoustic guitar and examines the tradition behind Kamaka ukuleles. The Fretboard Journal published by Jason Verlinde is a magazine for musical instrument makers, players, collectors.

Highland Woodworking, Atlanta, GA USA is a purveyor of fine woodworking tools and supplies with a 30 year reputation for quality tools and service. It is the exclusive source of the Wood Slicer Resawing Bandsaw blade, voted by Fine Woodworking Magazine as the best resaw blade available. Highland Woodworking is a trusted source of woodworking education and information. A schedule of woodworking classes and detailed product information is available at highlandwoodworking.com. Highland Woodworking 1045 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, GA 800-241-6748.

(ARA) – Most people think the first impression of their home is made by the color on the walls or furniture in a room; but in reality, it’s made by what’s under your feet – the flooring. If the carpet is dirty and worn, tiles are chipped, or the wood floor is warping, it’s time for a change.

So what’s holding you back? A lot of people are hesitant to jump into a home improvement project involving flooring because of all the work involved. First you have to remove and dispose of the old material, then invest the time and effort necessary to get the base surface ready for the new material before finally putting it in.

“Do-it-yourselfers are overwhelmed when they learn how much work is involved in redoing a floor. But it doesn’t have to be that way,� says Scott Day of Forbo Flooring. Forbo recently introduced a new product that’s turning a lot of heads in the remodeling industry.

Marmoleum Click is perhaps the easiest flooring surface there is to install. No adhesives or fasteners are necessary. The panels simply lock into place with a tongue and groove system. “If you have an existing resilient floor, no need to remove it. The planks and squares can be installed right on top of the old surface. If you have carpet or tile, you just need to remove and dispose of the old materials and start clicking the Marmoleum tiles together right over the subfloor,� says Day.


Marmoleum Click comes in 18 different colors and is available in two different sizes: panels that are 12 inches wide and 36 inches long, and 12-inch by 12-inch squares.
The panels and squares can be mixed and matched to create a wide variety of patterns and color combinations.

“It’s really cool. You can mix and match colors to create a space that is uniquely your own,� says Day.

In addition to being decorative and easy to install, Marmoleum Click is made from natural materials consisting of flaxseed oil, pine rosin, limestone and jute. It also has anti-static and bactericidal properties, meaning it’s easily kept dirt and dust free, and is resistant to such micro-organisms as Staphylococcus. These qualities make it especially popular in bathrooms and kitchens – and in places young children play.

“Marmoleum Click is the ideal do-it-yourselfer’s surface,� says Scott Day of Forbo. “We’ve received a lot of feedback from customers that it’s the easiest material they’ve ever worked with, and they’ve had a lot of fun with it.�

For design ideas, or to find a retailer near you, log on to www.themarmoleumstore.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Visit A1 Wood Flooring for more on wood flooring and laminate flooring.

Learning to cut woodworking joints is one thing. Figuring out how to assemble all those joints in a correct and efficient order for a project is another skill entirely.

In the upcoming Fall 2008 issue of Woodworking Magazine, we're delving deep into the topic of cabinet construction. And the method we have developed during the last decade is different than any other you have read, but it will do three things for your woodworking:

1. You'll make fewer mistakes and waste less wood.

2. You'll have an easier time fitting your doors and drawers.

3. Your cabinets will go together faster with tighter joints.

If you'd like to learn about our new method, then I encourage you to subscribe to the magazine by May 30 to guarantee you will receive a copy of the Fall 2008 issue. In addition to our research into cabinet construction, you'll also find:

Fitting Doors & Drawers: We show you how to square up doors with a table saw and fit it precisely with a hand plane. Plus, we explain how to size your drawers so they'll fit properly with only minor adjustments with a plane.

Tool Review – Sliding Bevels: Why do so many of them slip and slide around on you? We investigate the major brands available today and find the best ones.

Coloring Walnut: Walnut with a simple clear finish looks cold and lifeless.
We show you how to warm up this beautiful wood with a variety of approaches, including shellac and stains.

So why should you subscribe to Woodworking Magazine? We think it's different than every other magazine out there. It's written to help all woodworkers fill in the inevitable gaps in our skills that result from teaching ourselves woodworking.

We show you the historical, time-tested and frequently forgotten methods to saw any joint, drawboring, wedged through-tenons and splines. We review tools that other magazines won't touch but are extremely important: like 6" rules, screws, combination squares and moisture meters.

Plus, we offer projects you won't elsewhere. We build only time-tested forms in classic styles, such as Arts & Crafts, Shaker and early American. More importantly, we pick projects that can be built without an enormous outlay of time, wood or tools.

And that's not all that's different. Woodworking Magazine has no advertisements and is printed in glorious sepia-toned black-and-white on its inside pages.

If you're ready to subscribe, we're ready to take your order. Click here and we'll sign you up to receive the next issue.

— Christopher Schwarz

Sometime back in 1996 I took a piece of cloth that was cast off from my wardrobe. I cannot remember what the garment was. A sweatshirt perhaps? Long underwear? It’s a bit stretchy. And I soaked the sucker in WD-40.

Since that day, I have soaked that rag with every kind of oily substance you can imagine. Here’s the short lubricant list: Camellia, 3-in-1, Jojoba, mineral spirits, thread-cutting oil, spray-on “dry� shop lubricant and oil from various recesses of my personhood (yes, it’s true, and historically correct. Ask me over a beer sometime).

I use this rag to wipe down every tool after I use it. I lubricate my plane soles with it while working. I use it to wipe off the sharpening slurry from my tools after honing them.

And what I’m about to say will upset people who know anything about chemistry: I have never suffered any ill effects from this nefarious mixture when finishing my projects using any of the known finishing compounds: shellac, lacquer, oil, varnish, wax and all of their wacky combinations. No fish-eye has ever appeared in my finish. No orange peel. No silicone contamination.

So what gives? How have I cheated the finishing gods for 12 full years?

Probably because of the cutting action of all tools. When I wipe down a tool – a sawblade or a handplane – I leave the thinnest coat possible behind. This thin film is all I need to protect the tool from rusting. Then, when I apply the tool to the work, there is little doubt that some of this lubricant winds up on my work.

This first cut removes the lubricant from the tool. Then my next pass with the tool removes the wood that has the lubricant on it. Problem solved.

In addition to my magic rag (Lucy, my wife, calls it my “woobie�), I also am very fond of the Sandflex blocks from Klingspor to remove rare and errant spots of rust or staining that show up on my tools. These spongy “rust erasers� are like rubber that has been impregnated by a mild abrasive. The blocks will abrade your tools, but only slightly – in most cases less than steel wool. One block (I like the “medium� and “fine�) will last for decades of normal use.

As a result, I have had few problems with rust on my tools, despite the fact that I live outside a humid river city (Cincinnati) and my home shop is in a basement.

The bottom line is that diligence is far more important than the brand of lubricant.

— Christopher Schwarz

P.S. Below is my latest project with a shellac and lacquer finish with no finishing problems. Maybe next project....