Woodworking I

Woodworking is a wonderful hobby for those who take it on. Are you ever interested in the old antique furniture that they sell separately with such beautiful hand-crafted carvings and designs or old style ways that tell about the history of that time? Woodworking one way or another is and has been a wonderful addition to our life. Imagine where we would be without it! We would still be living in sod houses with grass roofs yet like the prairie days! Least to say, I've always admired my grandpa's woodworking and craftsmanship when I was growing up and I plan to take on a few of those hobbies since he passed away. I still have to work on my guitar yet too! lol I suppose I better hurry?!? Well, it's always so wonderful to see the craft fairs, Founder and Landers Day craftsmanship and woodworking and the creative hobbies of all the many surrounding people. Being able to split an overall picture of your woodworking project up into the top, front and right sides and drawing to scale and measuring accurately can be just some of the few steps in preparing yourself. I think those that take the time to work with their hands to make things for others are so admiring. Our grandpa used to do that for people and so did my uncle Kenney and I think that the small pieces of furniture we have in our house from them will be something I will always treasure and not to mention when is furniture not useful? Geometric scales, accurate measurement and idealistic drawings for the split up of the pieces of wood you need to cut and measure are very important. Wearing your safety glasses and taking your time to cut your needed pieces to put your project together is a must. Some good advice is to make sure you never hurry and to always leave enough time for yourself. If your short of time, it's a helpful hint to work on your project a little at a time. Actually such a small thing we all know is common sense but it sure saves some pain if you don't want to seriously injure yourself. Believe me, it's happened to people I know before. Overall there are many styles of woodworking and we have the advantage of the electric tools today! Sheraton, Hepplewhite, The Adam Brothers and Chipendale were all important in the accomplishments of woodworking. There is much background behind many of our antique furnishings. It's kinda like taking a virtual tour throughout the leftover belongings of the world's history when you look at the years worth of old furniture, the old washing techniques, the sewing machines, dishes, silverware, dolls, tractors and toys. You name it and looking back at the progression over the years chances are things have changed. Many still relate old memories though to their unique belongings they have. A friend that sells antiques loves to just talk about how much history there is behind each piece. Even think about all the old pieces of furniture from the white house or capital buildings and the traditional style it had. There are the old velvet sofas that sometimes need to be reupholstered because of the ware over the years. The really neat butler cabinets, the dressers, tables, and beds. A lot of the period pieces come from different eras, golden ages or who even knows,..have survived through the great depression. The Big Four played a big part on the influence of styled furniture in the old world also.
Italian furniture:
Thirteenth and fourteenth century furniture consisted mainly of chests, tables, benches, stools and low bench beds. They typicallly have a gothic 14th and 15th century style and then developed into a new era of inspiration from greek models.
Spanish furniture:
The furniture builders of Spain never developed an exclusively national style. Consisted of French, Roman and Moorish influence and styles. Eleventh century Italian Art provided key note to spanish furniture. Around the 17th and 18th century walnut and oak woods and metal mounts along with common upholstery of leather was used, finely tooled and painted.
English furniture:
18th century furniture described as belonging to severed schools and not of same tradition as the colonial american furniture but having its own design and craftsmanship. The first schools of English furniture were made by most skilled craftsmanship nobility and gentry. The secone by that of the craftsman in the suburbs fot the homes and citizens of professional and tradesmen classes. The third produced in provincial cities and large towns.
Colonial Furniture:
Colonial furniture has the characteristics of being straight-edged, boxier and not as fancy.

Some basic steps:
1) Make a full-size outline of the overall piece.
2) Determine the approximate scale of the picture or sketch
3) Determine your needs and make a material list
4) Make sketches of the product or a layout
5) Select the best idea from the sketch that you like and meets your needs, so plan and pick your work
6) Develop the final sketch into a working or drawing and model and work out your plan!

Modern and modernistic furniture is also very different...one specifies the once modern ages and the other specifies the works of our furniture today! Take a look at our furniture stores now. What other things can you think of that involve woodworking? Wow! We've come a long way!