February 2009
30 posts
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dromomania
wordjournal:
noun • /DROMO-may-nee-uh/ • a compulsive longing for travel
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Jaali
It’s high time I go a little native. Jaali is a Hindi word meaning “netting” in this case it refers to a nearly extinct form of woodworking. It’s an extremely intricate design most famously, or most familiarly, cut into stone at the Taj Mahal. It’s commonly found in Mughal architecture, but sometimes in Indian architecture as well.
You may be able to see that a...
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Green Wood Centre →
These guys co-operate with the BHMAT of the previous post, and just like BHMAT they have a pre-req course. But if you are accepted by the trust, you are placed with someone who is appropriate to what you wish to learn for three years. As long as you stay within the parameters of the trust, you get an accredited degree!
Pretty nice deal, and since I plan on being over there for Ben Law, and just...
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Bill Hogarth MBE Coppice Apprenticeship Trust →
Our Purpose is to ensure that the coppicing skills of Bill Hogarth MBE are recognised for their full worth and their continuity secured through a broad-based apprenticeship.
I spoke with a few of the people that run this, last year, but I couldn’t attend their prerequisite course. They are extremely nice people and open to any question so don’t hesitate to ask, no matter how...
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Association of Polelathe Turners & Greenwood... →
The purpose of this, the official Association of Polelathe Turners & Greenwood Workers web site, is to promote green woodworking and all its associated crafts so that once again the woodlands of the world are nurtured and valued as a source of employment and enjoyment.
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Absence does what?
Please excuse my long absence, my mother has Bronchitis and I’ve been taking care of her. She’s still coughing like it’s going out of style, but she should be back to normal within the next few days.
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The Perfect Cabinet Company →
Stephen Hamilton-Bergin has an extremely enlightened take on how woodworking should be, and I appreciate his views on the green nature of woodworking. He’s exacting and intelligent, two things that go well when joined with wood. Stephen has started an apprenticeship school in Portugal, and he’s willing to talk, if you can maintain his attention!
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9 Toys You May Not Be Allowed to Buy After... →
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), set to take effect on February 10th, will require all toymakers to have their toys tested and safety-certified, at an estimated cost of up to $4000 per individual toy design. According to the Handmade Toy Alliance, this move is certain to drive countless independent toymakers out of business.
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Peter Follansbee, joiner's notes →
Peter Follansbee does reproduction work with greenwood, out of…Plimoth Plantation living museum, if I recall correctly, and he is…gifted is the best word.
I spoke to Peter about a year ago, when I found his name on John Alexander’s site. At the time he wasn’t in a position to take someone on, but as I say: “It never hurts to try, unless you’re trying to kill...
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Estimating
Sometimes you shoot and miss, life goes on.
To be honest, I had never considered Native Americans; I have always envisioned them kind of like the Japanese: extremely difficult to get inside the culture. And, for the record, I’ve been told by more than a few, that Japanese woodworkers would, and have almost never, taken on a foreign apprentice.
When talking about hand tools, I could argue...
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“Hi Britton,
Good luck in your search.
A few thoughts. There are lots of new...”
– Robin - via email
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The Spirit of Woodcraft →
I had originally intended to post the actual vid, but I can’t quite figure out the way embedding works!
Oh well.
Roy Underhill…I think he’s the most charismatic woodworker on telly, but I haven’t seen many other woodworkers on TV. He’s the one I’ve been most exposed to in my lifetime, so I have a special place for him in my memories. This is a singularly...
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Mark Krawczyk →
Mark is very nice, and well-rounded, he’s also very into permaculture. I spoke to him via e-mail many months ago, but he’s open to phone calls, and he’s got his number right there at the bottom of the page, so it’s probably alright if you call him and just want to talk about woodworking or permaculture, or would like to set up a course.
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Don Weber's Handcraft Woodworks →
I spoke to Don, himself, via phone this past summer about an apprenticeship, unfortunately he had just got a lad working with him. He was very nice, and I think more than a little pleased to hear from someone actually interested in his craft.
He does offer workshops, as you can plainly see on his main page, and he’s very personable, so don’t be afraid to talk to him about any...
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John Alexander →
Greenwoodworking includes a number of traditional hand tool crafts in which wood is rived not sawn from the log. Rived, straight-grained hardwoods that still contain substantial moisture are much easier to work than kiln dried wood. There is no need to rely upon power tools. Maul, wedge, froe, hatchet, drawknife, spokeshave, plane, chisel and gouge are the tools of choice.
Unfortunately he no...
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Living Heritage →
One of things I talk about in my letter to Ben Law (which speaks to this link, too) is the general decline of the trades and crafts, and how I wish to put more life into them. Also check out Robin Wood’s traditional craft site, I’m not sure he offers any workshops, but he seems passionate about the crafts and trades, it’s great stuff! Also be sure to check out the vids...
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a win, and my intentions.
earlier today I was speaking with my sister and she was attempting to convince me that I should move in with her and go to school. I calmly explained that living on loans that I would need to pay back, was not a very well thought out plan. Eventually I brought her around to my side of thinking by explaining why the process has been so slow: There are, perhaps, ten woodworkers in the U.S. that...
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Organic Architecture →
a little busy, but well worth a look-see, in multiple languages, and full of information about the organic architecture I love so much!
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the Frontier
I’ve just been made aware of The Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, by my father. I’ve emailed the director and asked if they have anything in the way of apprenticeships…but given my past experience with Colonial Williamsburg, and some other living museums, I’m not expecting much. I’m open to being happily surprised, though!
I’ll update with a response,...
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Apprenticeship Program at Heartwood →
It’s a little outside my preferred domain, but I don’t know who is reading this. Timber framing is wonderful stuff, and can literally last for hundreds of years if properly built!
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is it possible to go against time?
An anachronism (from the Greek “ana” “ανά”, “against, anti-“, and “chronos” “χρόνος”, “time”) is an error in chronology, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other. The item is often an object, but may be a verbal expression, a technology, a philosophical idea, a...
