Hi folks,
I’m going to try and shoot a video with period furniture pro Philip Lowe later this month.
We want to do a collection of short how-to videos on period details. We need to select the topics ASAP.
Any suggestions on what we should cover? e.g. fan carving, certain type of inlay, cabriole leg, etc.
Thanks, Gina
FineWoodworking.com
Replies
Gina,
Ask Mr Lowe to put that frou-frou to the side and do an article on Barnsley oak chest instead. :-)
Apologies for this othogonal aside but may I ask if and when the generally excellent series of Mr Lowe's vids will be made available to us (along with some others perhaps) at a decent resolution (min 640 X480 but I like 1080p) and in downloadable format? One doesn't mind paying a small extra fee for quality, tha knows.
Again, apologies for the aside.
Lataxe
Barnsley eh...? Yeah, I don't think that's Lowe's specialty.
But... it's an idea for future consideration. Anyone else like the Barnsley oak chest idea? Greg Paolini's an arts and crafts guy. we've done long videos with him before: https://www.finewoodworking.com/morris-chair-video-preview/index.asp
Lowe video would probably go up in February--but not in downloadable forum, that I know of right now... but you never know.
Lataxe, are you still unable to stream our videos chez vous?
Gina,
I can stream those vids now o' yourn now, as I changed my arcane and labarynthine security software for a type less pernickity. Sadly my software for turning streams into files on my hard disc won't work with Knots videos.
"Good", you sigh, "as we do not want them woodworkers copying and dishing out our treasures to the non-payers". Rest easy, I don't break the copyright laws in any meaningful way, despite disagreeing with them in large part. I am the law-abiding citizen.
Meanwhile, how about a set of stuff in mag and website about the wider A&C, especially that Anglish stuff - Gimson, Barnsleys, Voysey, Liberty, Heals and a host of others. I know FWW is American but I suspect this "other" A&C tradition would be of great interest to those who like Stickley, Roycroft, G&G et al.
Once more, apologies for this tangent. The frou-frou men will be chomping at the bit by now, with their lists of Lowe requests.
Lataxe
Gina,My request for Philip's techniques are in another post.I'd like to second Lataxe's request. There is a vast vault of untapped unique furniture that is more than tangent to the A&C standard boring stuff. The Gimson, Barnsleys, Voysey, etc. would really expose a lot of readers to a great many more designs and styles.
This one area that would boost readership and web pass through. Other mags aren't touching it. I suspect that if you show it, they will come. Don't commission one of the regulars to do it either, bring in artists that already do the real stuff and do it well. From Britain, Ireland, and Scotland if that be where they are. Your readers are dying for something fresh and good furniture design and execution just doesn't happen in this country. Put it on the website as that is international and I'm sure you would attract more paying subscribers from other countries. Your readers only know of Mission, A&C, G&G, Shaker and variations on above because that's the majority of what you show. I forgot all the colonial variations. FWW is being too provincial - parochial. Let's go global.
Something fresh for a new year?ThanksBoiler
Hi Boiler,
Thanks for the feedback. You're on to something.
I'll make sure to forward this feedback to the magazine editor. But stay tuned... I believe that they do have some NON-"A&C standard boring stuff" in the line up for future issues. Don't quote me on this because I'm not super familar with their content planning, but I've heard rumors. :)
I'll also take it into consideration for our future video workshops.
Thanks, Gina
Gina,Thanks.
As to the videos -- You get to travel to Europe for the production and that wouldn't be too bad, would it?
I mean you would have to stay at the Savoy in London and that would be awful! :)I'm sure there could be a lot of rationals for you to go vs.having a Euro crew do it!I like your productions but have to wish along with Lataxe for higher res. versions.BB
BB,
The Savoy? No, no - you misunderstand the necessary research mode. Gina must stay in the various draughty piles and edifices that house the various interesting Anglish A&C items. As they do not allow photography, she must take a drawing apparatus and many pencils, along with a tape measure.
Now, I understand some do have official bed & breakfast annexsus. The fact that one needs 7 hot water bottles, a ghost-chaser and something to reinforce the porridge-gruel they give for breakfast is a minor consideration. It will be a great adventure and pneumonia is easily cured these days.
Lataxe
PS I hereby claim my free copy of the forthcoming Taunton publication "Measured Drawings and Lovely Photos of Anglish A&C" (normal price $49.99, printed in China).
Lataxe,Yes, I see. To do the job in a truly Bristol manner she must reside in more transcendental lodges as to become a nexus between the video and the furniture. Only then can you experience the true discomfort of a Morris chair. Great for the bum, horrible on the more lumbardian areas. Certain pieces from that era where truly borrowed from Torquemada's Aragonic racks.
Yet most pieces are true beauty in wood.Lataxe, I think you should take on the job of trip planner and tour guide for our Ms.Gina. You might even get on camera and then get more free volumes of things. Our man on the scene as it were. Maintenance of purity.BB
I would love to see some clear instruction on acanthus carving, and advanced floral carving as on Chippendale knees and drawer fronts. A programmatic approach, going through it in small incremental steps would be great. This is how I learn best. I have not seen anything well-done in 25 years in video on this. Advanced carving is very hard to learn form magazine articles and books! Thanks, --Bill Forest, VA
The fan carving would be quite good--there are a variety of styles both concave and convex. Also carving other details like pea and sausage banding, gadrooning, egg and dart moldings. Carving a volute, with or without acanthus leaves would also be useful. Rosetes are other useful details, as would be fluting and reeding a column or leg.
He could give a good demo on hammer veneering, though not quite a "detail".
Great suggestions... I'll mention these.
If anyone wants to weigh in with yeas or nays on these topics, please chime in. What would you be interested in watching. Or on that same vein, what is less interesting.
Possible topics:
Fan carving: convex or concaveFlame finialCabriole legPea and sausage bandingGadrooning, egg and dart moldingsCarving a volute, with or without acanthus leaves Rosetes Fluting and reeding a column or legInlay... bell flower or other typesBack splat carving
Thanks, Gina
Gina.
Anything Veneer, veneer repair & restoration.
banding
inlay
Everything else I have in mind has already been well voiced,
Thanks,
Gina
And keep up the good work!
Knee carving on the cabriole leg!
I, too, vote for the hammer veneering, or veneering in general. How he matches the grain, creates tight seams, etc.Woody
Gina,Gadrooning, egg and dart moldings and the carved shells (concave)ThanksBB
Well I am excited. That's great. He has worked on some very important historical restorations etc.
I say ask him what HE is exited about and wants to talk about.
I am always interested in biographical stuff to:
• tour of his shop
• what he thinks is important to know about his training
• past experiences etc.
• what kind of exercise does he take or stretching/workout to compensate for the physical stresses on the body of woodworking.
• music in the shop
• art that he likes outside of woodworking
• his thoughts on the future of historical furniture restoration/preservation
Has he built a new bench for himself ? ? ? He said once he put his daughter through college he was going to cut back a bit on the intensity and build a new bench for himself. That was a long time ago.
If no bench yet tell him from me he deserves it and to get going on it ! I would buy a magazine with an article or a book or a DVD on the project.
He pulls out a drawer bellow the vise to support some types of work like a bench slave. Doesn't the drawer get a lot of saw dust collected in it ? Or maybe not. What is the process here ?
What tools does he want that are no longer available or should be made ?
Who (up and coming ) is doing work that interests him?
Gina,
I know this is not exactly what you asked for but is what came out.
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Maybe when I'm visiting I can get some answers to these questions...
Or... this suggests that people might enjoy a live Q&A with Lowe sometime in the future...
Would people be interested in something like that? Live video? Live Web chat? If so, what times work best for people? Weekends? Over lunch hr early afternoon (EST?) the "Internet prime time"? Any thoughts?
-Gina
A taped interview would be interesting, assuming the right armload of questions. Live chats are difficult to manage well. Just my two cents.
Hand Made Cabriole legs from design to fabrication. This should duplicate his articl on the subject from long ago
Jabe
How about some advanced veneering techniques ?
Any turning tips/specific turning projects for the furniture maker.
I would say that my preference would be to show all details from an entire piece.
For example, federal sideboard with fluting and related veneering or a queen anne piece with cabriole legs (start to finish with carving on knee and fabrication of the knee block) and related fan carving, etc.
In other words, all the elements of a particular piece in the period.
Jeff
I attended a 5 day class on a demi-lune table with Phil at Marc Adams School. Three elements stand out:
1. His development of a full-scale drawing to locate legs and design joinery.
2. His development of the brick-laid demi-lune apron.
3. His demonstration of hammer veneering the apron.
Jerry
Frosty
“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert,
in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.”
Milton Friedman
How about Phil's technique for navigating through, and making posts in, woodworking forums?
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