Brave New World Teaching

I am what you would call an "old fashioned" teacher.  I spent the early part of my career teaching four nights a week in the Adult Education classes which were popular in California during the 1970's and 80's.  That meant I taught Decorative Arts classes for each semester, which required 18 different 3 hour classes.

After 15 years of that type of teaching, I moved on to giving specialized classes in the Decorative Arts at various universities and colleges, generally on the quarter system.  Those classes were very popular at first, but the fashion of collecting antiques gradually went away and after the end of the last century, my teaching was reduced to occasional lectures for various groups.

My teaching  methods focused on providing as much information as possible in the time given.  During a typical 3 hour talk I would spend the first hour with a chalk board giving necessary background data on the subject, as well as introducing all the relevant research material such as books and museum sources.  The second hour would be spent on showing and discussing as many as a dozen examples of antiques for that topic as I was able to bring to class.  It is essential in teaching conneisseurship about quality, style and construction that the student is able to directly examine the object.  The third hour was showing slides of the different objects which represent the topic in question.

When I say slides, I mean that I used two carousel projectors with 80 slides in each.  By showing two images simultaneously you can begin to make subtle comparisons.  Also, with so many slides and so little time there was no falling asleep.  You had to pay attention, as you only had about 30 seconds for each image to see what was important.  I found that by throwing this much visual information at the student in such a short time that they subconsciously were able to absorb quite a bit.

Those days of teaching in person and with "hands on" methods seem like ancient history now.

I am reminded of the time some 40 years ago that I ended up buying a fake console table from Benjamin Ginsburg in New York.  I bought it from photos and when I had a chance to examine it in person I quickly determined it was put together.  However, Mr. Ginsburg (one of the most respected antique dealers in NY) was very old, and mostly blind.  I guided his hands over different surfaces of the table to convince him it was not right.  Eventually he agreed and I was refunded my money.

That was really a "hands on" experience!

These days the new format is YouTube videos, blog posts and more recently Zoom, GoToMeeting and many other apps for internet groups to meet.

Just last week I was able to participate in my very first virtual lecture.  I was asked by George Adams,  representing the New Hampshire Woodworker's Guild, if I could give a group talk about using protein glues.  Of course I was excited to try this new format, so we worked out the technical issues and Patrice helped make it work.

They asked me for a two hour lecture, and I said fine.  It turned out pretty well considering we did not know what we were doing.

You may enjoy the video by clicking on this link:  Protein Glue Talk

You Should Not Be Afraid of Your Glue

Have You Tried This?

My first experience with super glue was when I was working in physics nearly 50 years ago.  I didn't know what this glue was capable of and accidentally got some on my thumb.  When my thumb came in contact with my first finger it instantly got stuck.  I was somewhat amused and tried to pull them apart, with no success.  As I thought about living with my thumb glued to my finger I became concerned and asked one of the technicians in the lab for  his advise.  His response and attitude toward my situation indicated that I was about as stupid as a rock.

He handed me a razor blade and said, "You need to decide which side to cut.  Do you want your thumb or do you want your finger?"  Then he called over the other tech to watch me make the decision.  All I can say is that it was a painful learning experience and I have kept my distance from super glue ever since.

With that in mind, I remember seeing the introduction of Gorilla glue many years ago.  I was interested in this new product and read the label carefully.  I noticed there was a 1-800 phone number on the label so I called to ask a question.

"Hello, I need to ask you about getting this glue on my skin.  How do I get it off?"

The cheerful response was as follows: "It will wear off eventually."

I had some strange dreams that night.

In fact I was told that if my dog or child accidentally ingested Gorilla glue then immediate surgery was necessary, as it would form a blockage in the digestive system.

To contrast with this, I have had many shop dogs over the years and they all kept the floor clean of any spilled hide glue, which is a protein.

On one occasion I had a black lab who was always at my feet during work.  When I opened a new can of tung oil for a finishing project and set it down on the floor for a moment to do something else, Bruiser drank the entire can.  I expected him to get sick but his fur just got shiny...

I do not like toxic materials.  I use protein glue, shellac, wax and other traditional materials for this reason.  They also are reversible and work just fine.

Here is an article I cut out of the New York Times paper in May 2015.  It was a result of the federal discussion over the use of formaldehyde, an important additive to commercial wood glues and wood glue products.  The argument is between worker's health or profit.  It seems that industry is willing to risk toxic chemical exposure in workers if it means more profit on the bottom line.  Among other reasons, this was an important factor in my decision so many years ago to retire from high energy particle physics and devote my career to furniture conservation using organic materials.

Now it is time for the final video in the Fine Woodworking series.  This is about hammer veneering.

Enjoy:It's Hammer Time!

Synthetic Glues Rub Me The Wrong Way

One Ton of Milligan and Higgins Glue

In my somewhat distinguished and long career as a woodworker, I can say with confidence that I have never been concerned about running out of wood glue.  In fact, I cannot remember the last time I actually went out of the shop to a store to buy glue.  Of course I do go from time to time to places like Home Depot to get something and then I usually walk by the isle of glue and wonder what all that stuff is good for?  Gorilla glue, Titebond, Elmers, epoxy, contact cement, "super" glue...how confusing.  Don't even take the time to ask a salesman which glue should I use.  The answer you will get depends on what glue they sell the most or which glue they need to sell more of.  I can guarantee that the salesman who is advising you has never used any glue for any reason.

As a furniture conservator in private practice I have seen the results of amateur woodworkers trying to repair broken furniture by following the advice of these young salesmen.

WARNING!!  THE FOLLOWING IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING TO WOODWORKERS.

Here are a few examples:

Hot Melt Craft Glue Gun

In the hobby field of home crafts, there are many people who use a hot melt glue gun.  This devise appeals to those who want to hold a gun in their hand and quickly stick two things together by melting semi liquid plastic.  The photo above shows how you can attach a loose molding to an 18th century tall case clock easily and permanently by simply using a hot melt glue gun.

Gorilla Glue Failure 

For Some Reason This Repair Failed Also

One of the most commercially successful brands in the past decade has been the dominance of Gorilla Glue on the market.  This stuff is made in China and imported in large quantities.  The success of this product is in the advertising and product placement.   Even the smallest hardware store in the most isolated town has a special stand with this glue front and center.  The slogan "Strongest glue on planet Earth" is catchy, but I shudder when I see the result.  Frankly it should not be used.

Yellow Glue Failure

Even Nails Do Not Help

Various forms of "yellow" glue are essentially a type of plastic.  It doesn't flow well and has a weak resistance to creep.  If the joint is not properly clamped quick enough the glue creates a thick layer which really doesn't stick to any surface completely, but must be removed using invasive methods before a proper repair can be done.

Yellow Glue on top of Protein Glue

Restoring damage like this is how I make a living.

IF YOU HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR PERHAPS YOU CAN APPRECIATE THE FOLLOWING:

WTF??

Or this:

I Repeat: WTF???

This photo shows the application of these remarkable repairs:

This is NO Way to Treat a Lady!

I am an old hippy, but when I see work like this I just want to do bodily harm to the perp.

This was the repair made to a French Napoleon III card table as an effort to attach the leg.  Perhaps the best feature was the inclusion of the twisted steel staple, perhaps as a last resort.  You should know that removing these staples causes more damage than you can imagine.

Here is my repair using protein glue, of course!  (Matching veneer added later)

And now, something completely different!

Glue Block Rubbed in with Hot Glue

The video I am posting today discusses rub joints.  Here is a simple glue block rubbed in with hot glue on a piece of furniture made just after the Civil War.  Notice that it remains in place after a century.  No nails or screws or staples.  Just simple protein glue properly used.

Time for another installment of the Fine Woodworking series: Hide Glue and Rub Joints

Hoe To Save Your Hide (Glue)

9-17-08

When you work in a shop for a while, things just seem to find a place and never go away.  I am always finding photos, stickers, cartoons and other stuff that I think is interesting or important at that time and I just tape them to any open space on the wall.

In September of 2008 I cut out this cartoon and taped it to the wall.  I thought it was funny and that the people in it were just plain stupid.  Turns out they were following government orders to stay indoors and prevent further infection.  I think of this cartoon every day I show up at work and turn the "open" sign around in the front window.  I am trapped in here; the street is closed.

In any event, I am working on several projects so I am not exactly bored.

Here is the video for today.  Again it was done by Fine Woodworking last year.  This one explains how to save your hot glue when you are not using it every day.  Of course, with the liquid Old Brown Glue this is not a problem.  It is guaranteed for at least 18 months.

FW Glue Video:Save Your Glue

Cooking Oatmeal or Cooking Glue

You Cannot Make Marquetry Without Hot Glue

At this age, I get up ever day at 5:00 am and hit the ground running.  I believe the first 4 hours of the day are the most important.  There are no distractions, it is so quiet you can hear the birds sing, and you get to see the dawn break.

After my shower the first thing I do is make coffee and oatmeal.  Then I watch the darkness change into light, as my kitchen window faces east and I can see the earliest light appear as I wash the dishes.

Making oatmeal has become a ritual over the past few years.  Organic oatmeal with flax, berries, bananas, and just a touch of brown sugar is all I need to fuel the body for the important things I need to do.  The coffee helps.  Did you know that caffeine has a high that lasts 24 hours?  No wonder I seem to need it to start the day.

When I arrive at work the first job is to check the glue pot.  Making the hot hide glue is exactly the same as making oatmeal, but without the berries.

Traditional Hide Glue Cakes

Today I am posting the second part of the Fine Woodworking video series about protein glues.  When I lecture on this topic, I always encourage my audience to not make this more complicated than it is.  Remember, protein glues have been used for 8,000 years and that is way before nuclear physics was even imagined.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to cook animal glue.

Water and Heat Chart

I think this video does a good job of making that point:Start Cooking Protein Glue Today!

Fish Glue

Rabbit Skin Glue

Hide Glue

Liquid Hide: Processed or Organic?

Ready to Work

Tomorrow, the video gets into the application of this glue to common woodworking problems.

Video Series: Working With Protein Glue

Another Day at Work

To say that I repair furniture is being modest.  For 50 years I have solved two types of problems associated with antique furniture.  The normal cause of wood failure is shrinkage and movement of wood as a result of age and environment.  This damage is also a result of movement by careless furniture movers.  You would think that professional movers would be careful with client's heirlooms.  You would be dead wrong.

I have seen solid curly maple Chippendale chest of drawers arrive in two sections (upper and lower) which was not the way they were made.  I saw a triple pedestal dining table put on the moving truck and then the heavy boxes of goods were stacked on top until all the legs (9 in all) broke at the same time.  Another antique Cuban mahogany dining table was transported properly with the top removed from the pedestals.  However, when it arrived, the mover carefully put down blankets and laid the top face down to install the pedestals.  Using sheet rock screws that were at least an inch too long, he proceeded to screw on the pedestals.  When he turned it over the result was shocking. It was also a difficult job to repair.

It is not always the movers.  Another antique dining table was damaged by the house cleaner trying to do a good job.  Her job was to polish the crystals on the chandelier which hung over the table.  It seemed a good idea to stand on the table to do this work.  The problem was that to reach all the crystals she decided to rotate the chandelier, instead of walking all over the table.  Eventually the screw holding it to the ceiling came loose and it crashed onto the table, resulting in a thousand very visible holes.  Another difficult job.

I am starting to get off topic here.  Sorry.  The second, and perhaps worse, type of damage is caused by amateurs (including movers) who use synthetic glue and/or sheetrock screws and nails to do the repair.

I have two prices:  The best price is if you bring it to me without trying to repair it.  The worst price is if you try to repair it and then bring it to me.  This is the reason I insist on using traditional and reversible protein glues.

I started to use hot hide glue when I opened my business in 1969.  I eventually was able to formulate a liquid version of this in 1995, which I sell as Old Brown Glue.  In experimenting and formulating this glue there have been some setbacks.

For example, I went home one day and forgot to unplug one of the glue pots which was cooking the glue.  When I arrived the next day this is what I discovered:

Do NOT do This At Home!

I need to point out that since the protein glue is reversible, I was able to clean up the mess completely.

This is What It Should Look Like

In the last post I mentioned that Ben at Fine Working visited last year and shot a series of videos about protein glues.  Today I am posting the first of these videos, which previously were only available to paid subscribers.

This first video discusses the working characteristics of these types of glues.  I think you will be amazed at what they can do.

Fine Woodworking Video: Protein Glue Fundimentals

I will post the second video tomorrow.  Have fun and stay safe!

Quarantined At Work

Christmas at 3815 Utah Street

The world has changed since my last post.  I have been as busy as always, working on diverse and amazing projects.  But with the emergence of the global Pandemic all non essential business has been shut down and half the work force is advised to stay home.

For me nothing has changed.  I get up at 5am as usual and walk 6 blocks on deserted residential streets to work.  I stay inside and work all day until it is time to walk home.  I am deeply concerned about the future of the global economy, but I am not concerned about having something to do.

In many ways business has picked up, unlike the economic collapse of 2008.  At that time it was serious.  The phone stopped ringing for several months.  My normal backlog of work went from the usual 6 months to 2 weeks and I was taking any job that showed up just to make ends meet.

These days we are more plugged into the virtual communication features of the web.  Since people are staying home they are interested in getting things done around the house, including restoring furniture.  More importantly, woodworkers are busy in the garage building things and ordering glue.

I am pleased at the dramatic increase in Old Brown Glue sales the last week.  Unlike the modern glues that are sold in "bricks and mortar" stores, OBG has always been sold online.  That means that woodworkers do not have to leave the house to buy glue but can easily order online and we are formulating and shipping large quantities of fresh glue every day.

Another reason for the increase in sales is the recent release of several Fine Woodworking videos that I taped last year.  I had completely forgotten about them since they were available only to magazine subscribers, but FW decided to make them public in light of recent events.

Last year Ben Strano, who is the digital brand manager for the magazine, spent a day at my shop with his equipment.  I have done several television and web videos over the years, but spending a day with Ben was a lot of fun.  The videos turned out fantastic.

There are 6 short videos in all.  I will post them here every day, starting with the shop tour.  Ben wanted to do an introduction to my shop for other woodworkers to see just how I operate.  It will allow you, dear reader, to virtually visit my studio  while maintaining your social distance.

The rest of the videos discuss different features of working with protein glues.  I will post the start of that sequence tomorrow.

SHOP TOUR VIDEO:3815 UTAH STREET

Master to Master Interview

I returned to teach at Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indianapolis recently.  I have been asked to teach there for several years now and it is starting to feel like a second home.

Marc has created the largest woodworking school in America and is celebrating 25 years in business. It is expanding every year and he continues to offer new and exciting classes with amazing teachers.

One way he supports and promotes his teachers is to ask them to sit down after class and chat for 5 minutes.    If you go to his website you can watch many different videos he has done with this casual format.   It gives you a close up view of the personalities he has developed a relationship with over the years.

Here is the video he did last year with me. Edwards and Adams

It is easy to be humble around someone as great as Marc.

Two Exciting New Videos!

Treasure Box Series II

I have been away from my bench for some time, living in a cabin in Montana.  When I am there my life is completely changed.  There is a simple artesian well and all the water needs to be collected and carried into the cabin several times a day.  There is also a need to chop wood and keep the stove going, from morning to dawn, so you don't freeze this time of year.  The only concession to modern life is that we put in electricity to operate the 1950 refrigerator, and at the same time we have lights, which is a big improvement over lanterns and candles.

Then there is the outhouse, situated at a safe distance from the cabin.  Since I am now at a "certain age," I recently put a light and small electric heater in the outhouse, so that provides me with the most comfort possible.  Still, running outside in freezing cold to get there takes a bit of courage.

During my absence, Patrice was working hard on his upgraded computer to produce a video promoting our recent projects, the Treasure Box Series.  Upon completion of the Second Series of boxes, we had the good fortune to borrow back one of the First Series from a client.

Thus, we had an example of each of the Boxes to show at the same time.  Patrice and I took some time to shoot video of how each box operates and what the "secret" internal mechanisms were.

In the First Series boxes, there is a simple button and lever which releases the lid.  In the Second Series we used springs and an invisible button to release the writing surface.  This video allows us to demonstrate how each works, as well as what the internal veneer decoration looks like.

We are very proud to have produced a limited series of four copies for each design, and that all of them have found good homes.  A sincere "thank you" to our clients who support our work.

Another video I found interesting came in by email just this week.  I am excited to see that Joshua Klein is getting close to completing the first issue of his magazine, "Mortise and Tenon."  When I first heard of his efforts I immediately placed an advertisement with him promoting Old Brown Glue.

We discussed at some length his "mission statement" to combine the philosophy of furniture conservation with furniture creation and restoration, and that is close to my heart.

Mortise & Tenon Magazine from Joshua Klein on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoy these two short videos, as well as others we have posted on our YouTube channel, "3815Utah."

How To Veneer a Column

Damaged column with contact cement

I think it is probably obvious that I love antique furniture.  In particular, I am fascinated with the quality and variety of designs that were produced in Europe and America.  The high point of this period was during the 1820's and best represented by the Monroe Doctrine.  If you look at the furniture made in major American cities during that decade, you see rich Cuban mahogany, with highly figured veneers, and carved elements representing cornucopia, lion's heads and paws, stars, and other Egyptian, Roman and Greek motifs.  In addition to all this elaborate decoration one of the most common elements was the use of veneered columns, usually with a carved capital or imported gilt bronze mounts.

I was always fascinated with the veneered column as a form, and very early in my career as a furniture builder I did some research to try to duplicate it for my self.  I failed miserably.  Several times.

I began with hot animal glue and wet jute webbing.  I put the hot glue on the column, wrapped the veneer around and then added the webbing.  I tried to then heat the webbing on the theory that it would shrink and pull the veneer tight.  I remember reading something somewhere about this, and they suggested holding the column near the fire, but I live in San Diego, and it is not often that I have access to an open fire.

Next I tried to use bicycle tire tubes.  They were messy and applied uneven pressure, leaving marks.  Also, I couldn't work fast enough and the glue set before I was ready.  There was no way to add heat, since the tubes would distort and loose their stretch.

It was nearly 15 years after that when I was involved in a conservation group in Paris and discovered that I could modify the glue to give a longer open time.  I began experimenting with urea and, after 37 different formulas, found a mixture that worked.  That was the creation of Old Brown Glue.  It was designed to solve the problem I had struggled with all that time, and the first time I used it to veneer a column it was a success.

In December 2004 I wrote a column for Fine Woodworking (Issue Number 173) that was published in the Master Class area of the magazine, called "Low-tech method for veneered columns."  To go along with this article, they put one of my pieces on the back cover, the Bonheur du Jour.  This piece is one of my early favorites, and has large veneered columns on the base and small veneered columns on the top.  The veneer is some plum pudding Cuban mahogany I purchased years earlier in New York, and I didn't have enough to do the entire desk, so I used a contrasting Honduras ribbon mahogany in the upper section.  That meant that I had no surplus material if the veneering didn't work as planned.

I thought the article would create a bunch of interest and I expected a lot of phone calls about veneering columns.  The only phone call I got was from a person who wanted to know where I got the mounts and if I would sell him the blueprints to make the desk.  He was disappointed to learn that I don't use any plans or measured drawings when I build furniture, and the mounts were from Paris.

Recently a table came into the shop for restoration and it included a column which had been veneered using a cheap mahogany veneer and contact cement.  This table was English Regency and made with Brazilian rosewood.  The client agreed that I should remove the mahogany and use rosewood, which is now on the endangered species list.  However, I have a lot of rosewood, sliced very thick, which pre dates the ban.  Most of it was harvested over 50 years ago and the quality is amazing.  I purchased it from an old cabinet maker early in my career and have kept it for special projects.

As I began to do this job, it occurred to me that it would make a good video.  My partner, Patrice, has been successful at filming and editing videos here at work, and he set up two cameras to record the work.  Our videos can be seen on YouTube by searching for our channel.

The real breakthrough in my efforts to veneer columns was the direct result of my problems with my back.  All my life I lifted heavy objects and stressed my back without any problems.  However, when I was 48 I actually damaged my back and suffered a period of pain.  The doctor recommend that I use a stretchy band of rubber to exercise my muscles and rebuild my strength.  As he handed me a short piece of the stuff, my mind immediately realized this was the perfect solution to the problem I was having with inner tubes.  Sold as "Rep Band" (resistive exercise band for exercise, rehabilitation and conditioning) by Sammons Preston, it comes in different strengths.  The purple is the strongest (level 5), and a box has 50 yards.  Here is the link: Rep Band

Veneering a column actually is very simple with this process, but it takes a few days.  The reason is that the glue sets slowly, which is a good thing.  It allows time for the application of the glue, veneer and elastic bands.  Then, over night, the glue begins to set and the veneer shrinks to fit on the column.  The next day you can cut the overlap and make a joint, reheat the glue at the seam and wrap it up again.  One more day and it sets completely, even though if you have any problems you can simply reheat the area and fix it.

Sit down, get a cup of coffee and watch me veneer a column: Veneer a Column

I think if you watch the video you might be encouraged to try veneering a column yourself.  It is fun and rewarding and adds an element to your furniture design portfolio which you may not have considered previously.

Just don't call me and ask for plans to build the table.

Properly Restored with Hide Glue

The Future of American Trades, Part II

Contrast this video with the previous post.  The video of George was shot objectively, simply letting him tell the story of his life working at a trade that is almost obsolete, and what the future holds for him.

This video, with a much higher production value, tells the story of Eric and what he has done with his life, and how he is changing the future.

Eric, George and I are all from the same generation.  They are my brothers.

This film should inspire you!

Blue Ox Woodworks

The Future of American Trades

Hands to Work

This morning I discovered a post on the internet which included a video of a man named George who has made shoes for 40 years.  As I watched the video, I immediately recognized the tools and methods I use in my workshop to repair and upholster furniture.  Most of all, I recognized his hands.  People often remark about how my hands look, and I am always surprised that they are "unusual" in any respect.   However, when I see another man's hands, who has made a career out of hand work, I understand what they are talking about.

It reminds me of an English TV show many years ago, titled "Hands" which, unfortunately, is no longer being produced.  "Made by Hand," "Handwork," "Handmade,"and other similar terms are used so often that they lose their significance.  Seeing a person's hands at work on a skill or trade that takes years to master reinforces the true meaning of these terms, and I instinctively stop and reflect on the process which experience makes look easy.

Here is the video: Hand Made Shoes

As I listened to George relate his story, I was struck by how direct and realistic his evaluation of his life's work was.  In particular, his remark that he can't find a worker with a "good work ethic" to pass his knowledge on to, is exactly the same thing I have said over the years.  I began to reflect on how many specific trades will become extinct during the next decades, simply because people like George get old and the business dies with them.

Obviously, from a strictly economic sense, it is fine to have shoes made in China where people are paid pennies a day to make shoes for the masses.  There are a lot of people in the world who need shoes, and I suspect that cheap shoes provide a necessary good.  But at what cost, really?

I was born 65 years ago.  I remember the introduction of television.  I remember the rise of the middle class and watched, in confusion, as Reagan introduced changes that began to attack the middle class and allow the rise of the super rich.  I look at the situation now and am dismayed at the condition of the middle class and how the poor unemployed members of our society are attacked for being "lazy."

Well, where are the jobs?  Where are the productive and rewarding jobs that you could count on to provide work during the post war years?  Jobs like the steel industry, lumber industry, making cars or houses, even making shoes?  Without jobs there are no consumers, except at the WalMart price point.

One of the real problems is the elimination of trade schools and work related classes in schools.  Auto shop, metal shop, wood shop, and all the other related classes that gave students a chance to work with their hands have disappeared, except in rare cases.  Without teachers and students to learn the trades, it becomes difficult to create a working class to continue the trades.

How life has changed during my lifetime.

For example, I remember in 1967 I was in college, working 20 hours a week in the Physics department and carrying a full load of classes at UCSD.  I was paid $2.67/hour, which was a dollar more than the minimum wage, so I was doing well.  Tuition was affordable, books were expensive but I watched my budget, and lived on campus.  The next year, I was looking for a small house to purchase, and found one in a good neighborhood for $8,500.  I needed my father to cosign the loan, since I was young and had no credit history.

He refused to sign, as he thought the house was too much for me to afford.  "Your payments are going to be $85 a month!  How do you expect to pay that?" he demanded.

Well, during those days, even on a low wage, you could earn enough in a month to make a car payment with one week's income, a house payment with the second week's income, buy food and clothing with the third week's income, and the last week became "discretionary" spending for entertainment or saving.

That is what the middle class lifestyle was like before Reagan.  (I should note that it was not just Reagan who led this attack on middle class.  It has been a long, sustained attack by those on the right who, for reasons I cannot imagine (except greed) have been successful over the past 30 years.)  The Democrats have either stood by while this happened, or actually helped in the process.  There is plenty of blame to go around for both sides.  I mean, Clinton signed NAFTA and repealed the Glass-Steagall act, setting the stage for the banks to gamble with our hard earned savings.

Doesn't anyone remember Henry Ford, one of the captains of industry, who famously said, "Workers need to make enough money to buy my cars."  (I am paraphrasing here.  The actual quote is:
"There is one rule for the industrialist and that is: make the best quality goods possible at the lowest cost possible, paying the highest wages possible.")

I heard that if WalMart simply raised the cost of a package of its tube socks by a few pennies, they would be able to afford health care for all their workers.  CNN yesterday related the news that Switzerland is considering passing a law limiting the ratio of CEO compensation to worker compensation at 12 to 1.  Looking online just now, I noted that in America the current average CEO wage is $12,259,894/year and the average worker wage is $34,645/year.  That is a ratio of 354:1.

Henry Ford was not worried about shareholders and corporate profits.  He was worried that his workers would have productive jobs and be able to afford to consume his goods.  How times and priorities have changed in a century.

In any event, watching George go about making shoes, and listening to him talk about his future made me think, long and hard about my life.  I am doing the same thing, and the results will probably be the same for me.  My business will be liquidated, the tools sold, the wood thrown out, and the knowledge lost, except for what I can post on this blog.  That is why I am compelled to contribute whatever I can to help those who might be interested in keeping this profession alive.

Bottom line:  We all need shoes.  We all need jobs.  One and the same.

Assembly Board Videos

Lately we have been encouraged to make more videos, and YouTube provides the perfect venue for others to see what we do and how we do it.  We are working on a series of videos which will explain the different methods for making marquetry, according to Dr. Pierre Ramond.  Those will follow as we get the time to put them together.

However, as we are building the second series of Treasure Boxes, we thought it would be nice to show how a picture is put together on an assembly board, according to the traditional French process.

I have posted previously about this method, and it is important to note that the idea of building marquetry face down in hot glue on stretched Kraft paper is something developed by the French and not usually done in other countries.  In fact, the type of Kraft paper used is not even available in America, and I have searched for it.  We import rolls of it from a company in France, and the shipping costs exceed the cost of the paper.  (Last shipment arrived by air freight, and the "friendly" customs inspector drove his fork lift over the shipment and thought that was funny.)

Anyway, the French Kraft paper is shiny on one side and dull on the other.  The shiny side resists moisture and is the side we glue to, and the dull side absorbs moisture, and is the side we apply water to to remove the paper from the marquetry when we are finished.  By applying moisture to the shiny side and allowing it to soak in for several minutes the paper expands.  Then when we wrap it around a board and glue it to the edges, it shrinks tight.  That is an assembly board.

A more exhaustive explanation of how to build an assembly board is found on this blog by searching earlier posts.  Use the search word "assembly board."

Patrice finished cutting all the pieces for the marquetry panel using the Classic Method ("piece by piece"), and we set up the camera to film the incrustation of the elements.  Each picture took about a half hour to assemble, working normally, and we speeded up the video so it takes half that time to see what goes on.

Hot hide glue is spread on the paper and the background is laid face down on the board.  Each piece is then picked up, flipped left to right and placed into its appropriate cavity.  We use a special marquetry knife to install the pieces.  It is a soft steel, so we can pry with the point without breaking the tip.

When all the pieces are in place, we clamp it under a piece of plexiglass and start over.  It is fast and easy.  Note we are using sawn veneers, which are quite thick, and you can easily hear the "click" as they plug into place.

As soon as we posted this to YouTube, we noticed that our friend, Paul Miller, had made a similar video last month.  The difference is that he is using sliced veneers, which are much thinner, and he has applied paper to the veneers before cutting them to strengthen them.  After he installs the pieces on the board, he must then carefully remove the paper with a slight amount of water and scraping to clean off the surface.

In either case, once the picture is done, we mix hot glue, hot water and fine sawdust to make a mastic.  That mastic is applied to the entire surface, which fills any gaps and holds the parts together.  Only then can the picture be cut away from the assembly board and applied to the final project.

Hope you enjoy this.  Patrice's video is HERE

Paul Miller's video is HERE

Back To Work On Lecount

Marquetry Panel For Lecount Case Door

I have been rather busy lately with the business of business.  I knew that when the jobs and housing markets turned around the phone would ring.  Well, it has, and I am looking at a shop full of antiques that need my attention.  Also, I had two weeks of teaching which is always a nice change in routine.

The Lecount project has been calling me...literally.  The clock works sit on a stand in the corner of the shop and chime precisely on the hour, reminding me that they need a case.  The amazing thing about this set of works is that they run for 30 days!  And they keep time to the second.  Not bad for a set of brass works made by hand around 1690.  How many mechanisms made today will still be running perfectly in 300 years?

During the last week we had a holiday, and holidays mean that I can work without interruption.  So I returned to the chevalet and cut out the remaining panels for the door of the clock.  At the same time I thought I would make a video of the process of building marquetry face down on an assembly board, which is the French method.

I have written before about this method, but I find that using words to explain it really is confusing.  Watching a video is much better.  So I selected a simple flower example to demonstrate.  I should note that the only thing that didn't happen during this video was the phone or door bell ringing.  What did happen was the Lecount clock chimed, the mail man arrived and Bridget kept barking, Patrice stumbled over the stool while filming, and the garbage truck drove by the shop, making it impossible to hear what I said at the end.

All in all, a very professional shoot.  Watch it HERE

I am using sawn veneers, which are 1.5mm thick.  The building process is very easy and you just place the pieces in the picture cavity face down, holding them with hot protein glue.  The glue allows for some adjustment if you do it quickly, so you can move pieces around slightly for a good fit.  Later, if you find a mistake, you can easily reheat the pieces and remove them or replace them.

When the panel is assembled, I will use diluted protein glue and fine sawdust to make a mastic to fill the saw kerf, again working from the back side (glue side) of the marquetry, so the front surface remains clean.

Here are some photos of the process of building a marquetry panel using an assembly board.  The first photo shows the gluepot, assembly board, simple tools and a tray with the parts.  Note I have just completed the first panel and am ready to build the second.  The paper design goes with the parts in the tray for the second design.  All the parts in the tray are laid face down, and the paper design is inverted left to right so I can follow the design easily.

First Panel Done, Ready For Second

Here are the parts in the tray, carefully laid out according to the design.  All the pieces have been burned in hot sand.

All The Pieces Laid Out

Here is the ebony background which has just been laid into the hot glue on the stretched paper of the assembly board.  It is important to place the branches and leaves in place first, so that the background is properly located before the glue sets.  Putting the individual flowers in place takes longer so is done after the branches and leaves.

Sawn Ebony Background Glued Down

Here is the drawing for the flower at the top of the design.  It is made up of lots of pieces, and each one is unique, having a walnut piece with cut engraving lines and a box wood piece which is the lip of the petal.  This type of flower is typical of work done late in the 17th century.

Flower Design Inverted Left To Right

Here are the pieces for the flower, carefully burned and laid out in a precise location in the tray.

Flower Pieces Ready To Install

Here is the flower assembled.  You are looking at the back (glue side) of the flower, which will be filled with mastic to complete the process.

Flower Assembled Face Down

Here is the final picture, glued to the assembly board, ready for mastic.  The entire assembly of this picture took less than an hour.  Much less.

Ready For Mastic

Old Brown Glue on YouTube

Me and my OBG

I have been making, using and selling Old Brown Glue for nearly 20 years now, and I have had a lot of feedback from other woodworkers who are also using it for their creations.  From time to time I get emails with questions about its working properties.   I am happy to respond to these questions with information that helps them to understand how protein glues work.

Some time back we created a web page, OldBrownGlue.com which includes a FAQ page with some of these questions.  The web page is kind of "retro" and was made with a bit of humor, as we here at work find glue to be a funny topic.

We spend our time trying out slogans, like:

"Sticks to you like Old Brown Glue."
"I put OBG on my wedding list."
"Even my dog likes it!"
"My wife caught me calling Patrick again."
"OBG...more than a wood glue.  Its a spirit.  A way of life.  Hide glue Republic!"
"To keep your OBG longer refrigerate it a bit like ketchup, only tastes better."
"E=OBG"

For the past few months, Kristen has been pushing me to make some videos to post on YouTube to demonstrate the glue and answer questions.  I have always found a way to avoid this project, since it is much easier for me to just do something else at the bench.  Yesterday she pushed me particularly hard to get off my ass and do something about it.  I gave in.

Patrice has been waiting for this.  He is a frustrated French film maker, and always reminds me that movie pictures were invented in France.  He has made a holder for his iPhone and we set up a simple demonstration.  We wanted a VIDEO which was informative and not over produced.  We succeeded.  I think you will agree after you see it that it is not a "professional" product.


"OBG is serious stuff.  We're not."

We will continue to make short videos soon to answer some of the questions about OBG.  Keep watching, and let me know what you think.

I'm sure Spielberg started out this way?

PS:  Here's Will Ferrell to explain the true origins of protein glues:
 Colonel Belmont's Old Fashioned Horse Glue

Le Vrai Roi Roy!

My Small Tribute to Roy ©Antique Refinishers, Inc.

A true philosopher is a person who is in touch with his immediate surroundings and understands the complex relationship between the physical existence and limitations of the human body as well as the unlimited rational and spiritual potential of the human mind.  For countless centuries, philosophers have been driven to develop a complete cosmology that would help to explain simple existence.

It has always been summarized by the running joke which ends up with the person climbing the hill and asking the guru  who is sitting at the top of the hill the same question: "What is the meaning of life?"  The punch line varies from story teller to story teller, depending on their agenda.  In fact, there is never a clear answer to this question, as the true meaning of life is constantly evolving.  It is the process of living that defines life, and the ends do not justify the means.  In fact the end is the same for all of us.

What matters is "how" you live your life.

It is also important "when" you live your life, as those events and people who surround you and influence you must be considered as significant contributors to your understanding of your "purpose."

"No man is an island" is another common expression, and it is true, unless you were raised by wolves actually on an island.

I am fortunate to live during the same time as Roy Underhill.  His career and teaching has touched literally thousands and thousands of people, and they are changed forever by his unique approach to life.  I still remember the first time I saw him on television.  There was no laugh track.  There was no quick edits to distract from what he was doing.  There was no diversion.  It was simply a man working a simple material, wood or iron, and telling a story about how and why it was done that way.

Like the Shaker expression: "Hands to work."  I was fixated as I watched him work and sweat and talk and bleed, constantly in motion, always on task, guiding the viewer step by step through the ancient process of creation.  For the past 30 years The Woodwright's Shop has remained one of the most important "reality" shows on television.  There is nothing fake about Roy.

Meeting Roy and working with him on his show years ago was not only a great influence on my life but a verification that my belief in hand tool methods was important and worth preserving.  Walking with him through the native hardwood forests which surround his home was, for me, a humbling experience.  His understanding of his surroundings and ability to communicate his knowledge in clear concepts allowed me to appreciate the subtle meaning of nature and man's relationship to nature.

After all, I was born and raised in Southern California.  Our "native" hardwood forests are all planted in front yards by residents.  There is nothing more artificial than the environment that has been created out of the desert in SOCAL.

I am thinking of all this today, since I discovered a  VIDEO on the web which is an interview with Roy.  He is older and wiser these days, not much slower, and just as involved with his career as he ever was.  He remains a leader in a historic movement which has persisted through time.  To me, the old joke is slightly changed: As I climb the hill and reach the top, seeking truth, I find Roy sitting on a stool he has just made from a tree, with his axe resting beside him.  "What is the meaning of life?" I ask.

Roy simply replies, "Work with your hands."

Someday, his hat will rest in the Smithsonian Museum, and we can all thank Roy for his wisdom.

Paris 11th Arrondissement

They Have Everything You Need!

There are, in my mind, three basic types of Americans.  The first type is an American who lives their whole life in the same town, city or state, never venturing outside the limits of their horizons.  The second type is an American who travels within the USA and takes the time to visit other states, gaining a wider view of different lifestyles and cultures.  Even though there are accents which reflect the diversity of our heritage, this visitor can rely on speaking English to communicate.  The third type of American is the one who leaves this country and travels to foreign countries.  This requires a bit of physical stamina, a willingness to learn other languages and taste sometimes strange food, and an open mind.

My advice is to travel while you are young.  Too many wait until they retire and then are physically limited in the scope of travel available to them.  I first went to Europe when I was 18 and travelled for three months on a bicycle, visiting 7 countries.  It was the most important decision I have ever made, and I still reflect on the events of that summer, as if they were yesterday.  Later, when I was in my early 40's I lived in Paris for a few years while I was a student at ecole Boulle, living most of that time in the 11th arrondissement.  The city of Paris is divided into districts, called "arrondissement" which are numbered and start in the center, rotating like a spiral out to the limits of the city.

The 11th district is the historic furniture making district in Paris.  It is a district which is not often visited by tourists, as it is mainly full of furniture stores, workshops and the different speciality supply shops which furnish the materials to the trade.  It generally starts from the Bastille and goes to Nation, where ecole Boulle is located.  I walked those streets literally thousands of times, and it became my "neighborhood."

Years ago there was a series on TV called "Barging Through France" with the host, Richard Goodwin.  I just found a copy of an episode on YouTube where he explores the 11th.  A highlight of this video is a visit with my dear friend, Patrick George, who supplies the most exotic materials in France for woodworkers.  This is a special video, where George, in his distinctive beard, speaks English, although with a heavy accent.  I think you will immediately appreciate his personality and passion for the trade which he pursues, and with the understanding that he is the 5th generation of his family to keep the business open.

Enjoy:Paris 11th Tour

Mr. Goodwin ends this segment with a prophetic wish, "Let's hope the developers don't move in too soon and rip out the heart of Paris."  In fact, each time I return to this district, I find fewer and fewer actual ateliers and more and more condos and upscale gift shops.  Paris is changing, and modern lifestyles have little interest in ancient trades.

Graham Blackburn Videos

I remember when MTV first appeared and for the first time we could watch music videos on our TV.  Then YouTube was developed and we could watch videos on demand on our computer, and eventually, on the portable devices which everyone in the world now seems to have in their pocket.

All this is recent history, and I seem like an old guy when I talk about "when I was young..."  However, this is not the world of video which I entered in 1973 when I taped my series on CBS.  I had ten shows at that time, tracing the evolution of furniture design from the pilgrims to the victorians.  What I remember most was the cameras.  There were three cameras, each about the size of a Volkswagen, and they were on these wheeled tripods, moving slowly around the room, following the action.  You didn't move too quickly, or you would miss your blocking and the operator couldn't focus fast enough to capture the information.

Talk about the dinosaur era of video.

Technology has changed all that, of course, and it is now possible to "film" using hand held cameras with natural lighting, and sound.  (I wonder how long we are going to use the term "film" to talk about these digital files...)

I have done a lot of video over the years, and am trying to make these past efforts available online.  I am still working on Roy Underhill to get his episode, and he assures me that, when he gets some time to put it together, that will happen.

In 2007 I worked with Graham Blackburn to shoot some material in my shop.  He was very easy to work with and the result was very informative and professional.  Graham has been involved in traditional woodworking as long as I have, and I have always had the deepest respect for his work.  I was honored to have him in my workshop and we really enjoyed each other's company.

The result was a series of video "magazines" which were called "Woodworking...in action!!!"   They were available on a subscription basis, and each issue included a long list of diverse workers and their work.  I was featured in Issue 6 and Issue 8.

I had forgotten about these videos until recently.  That was when I found out that Popular Woodworking had purchased them and was making them available again.  I contacted the publisher, Kevin Ireland, and floated the idea of linking to my videos directly from this blog.  He was very supportive and generously made it happen.

Popular Woodworking has posted my two videos on a private YouTube link, which you can access directly from this post.

Here is the link.  There are two videos on "Recreating a Process" which include part one (handtools and veneer) and part two (pickers and chevalets).  Just scroll down from the first video to see the second.

Blackburn Videos


Be sure to thank Popular Woodworking for making these videos accessible.