Replies

1. 
   dukeone | Sep 24, 2005 08:40am | #1

   Patrick: Amazon has many books on Japanese cabinets, style, built-ins, etc. Also there are two stores; Hida Tool in Berkelely and Japan Woodworker in Alameda, both California, that have books on the subject.

   KDM

   Kenneth Duke Masters
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2. 
   sparrow | Sep 24, 2005 06:19pm | #2

   Hi Patrick,

   the books you listed are okay - for shoji however, the Odate book is much better than the Van Arsdale one. I specialize in Japanese carpentry, and I have seen virtually every book out there in English on the topic, along with a large number of them in Japanese. The bad news is that you just aren't going to find 'plans' as such. There was an article in FWW a few years back on sliding doors for furniture, and there have been a sprinkling of articles on Japanese plane set up, the odd bit of joinery etc. Another source of design info would be the Odate articles in Woodwork magazine, #'s 72-73 if I remember correctly, where he builds a western style cabinet with Japanese joinery techniques. That article will show you how to do carcase construction, frame and panel door work, drawer work, etc. I note however your relative inexperience with making furniture, so I would suggest that the complexity of Odate's work might be a bit too big a piece to bite off. Still, it will show you much.
   If you can look at a picture of an object and scale it, you might find some pieces of interest in "A Japanese Touch for Your Home", or "Japanese Furniture" or "Tansu". There are surprisingly very few books in Japanese on this topic, save for "Japanese Furniture" which was originally written in Japanese.
   Japanese houses traditionally did not have much in the way of built-in furniture, save for the display shelves in the alcove (toko-no-ma), and in the closet for storing futons that are a part of every bedroom. This closet is very simple, typically with just one shelf across the middle, about 3 feet in depth, and with a pair of sliding doors -fusuma - in front. Other furniture around the house was lightweight and designed to be easily moved around. the Japanese live on the floor, or at least used to, as you may know, and just didn't have a whole lot of furniture in comparison to western houses.
   That being said, it would not be impossible to adapt the form to your requirements. I would think looking at some of the Shaker storage solutions, such as seen at the Shaker Village in Hancock, Mass., would provide some ideas on built ins as well. You could build for similar function but with Japanese joinery and construction - depending upon how far you want to take it in terms of authenticity. Japanese kitchen storage tansu would be a possible source of design ideas, I might suggest.
   I would be very happy to answer any specific questions you may have concerning Japanese construction, materials, tools, or joinery.

   Good luck,

   Chris

1. 
   patrickmonk | Sep 24, 2005 07:08pm | #3

   Chris, very informative and helpful, thanks, will follow up on your suggestions and take you up on your generous offer of further assistance as needed. You may be familiar with the name/work of Paul Discoe, master Japanese builder/sensei; many years ago when I was living at Green Gulch Farm, the SF Zen Centre rural location, I had the good fortune to spend some time working with him. Here's a little ditty I wrote sitting by the wood stove in the shop one bitter morning.

   WOOD SHOP.

   My body's work is                                                                                                           

   making wood flow

   through my hands.

   My heart's work is

   sitting....watching

   glue dry.

   My practice is

   letting both

   work together.

                          Monk. '85.

                                        patrickmonk.rn.sf.

1. 
   sparrow | Sep 24, 2005 08:32pm | #4

   Patrick,yep, I know Paul Discoe, and have been to Green Gulch before - did you work on the octagonal building?Chris

1. 
   patrickmonk | Sep 24, 2005 08:43pm | #5

   Chris.  Unfortunately no, but have slept in it many times. primarily small maintenance projects, repairs, light construction and tree felling. dropped one dead centre in the 20' between the abbot's house and it's neighbor..one slip and i could have been running on this mouse wheel for many more kalpas !

    patrickmonk.rn.sf.