I was talking with a guy about FWW and he said “I want more plans from the magazine.” Nope this isn’t my invitation to debate. I think I have enough plans for those times that I just want to pull out a plan and stick with it. Currently, I am working on the Lonnie Bird Secretary/Bookcase -‘nuf said.
When I first looked at FWW, Carlyle Lynch was a contributor to the magazine and a source for plans. He had lots of pieces measured out and ready for you to build. There on his list was the Moravian desk bookcase in Old Salem NC. I had seen it 100 times in the Single Brothers house. At last.
His plans are still out there and I would encourage anybody to try one out.
Photos Deleted due to limits
d
Edited 6/9/2009 5:50 pm ET by danmart
Replies
dan,
I knew Carlyle. He was a real gentleman, of the Southern variety. In addition to his skills as a draftsman, he was an excellent craftsman. His furniture is quite sought after in these parts. The drawings are pretty enough for framing as artwork.
Ray
He was one of the most helpful guys I ran into back then. Unfortunately, I never got to meet him in person. I was stationed in Germany and I needed some really detailed information on one of his pieces. He sent me a hand written note with the details and some really nice words of encouragement. I still have the letter in an envelope in the desk I built with his plans. I have made a couple Moravian desks and several candle boxes. In my veneer days, I built the huntboard from his plans and used walnut veneer I tried to "resaw" just right. Well as a first attempt its passable but not FWW feature material.
Speaking about Virginians of note, Wallace Gusler is another guy who has helped me and shared information with so many builders its impossible to say.
The wood working world is a better place with their work.
dan,
I make the candleboxes, and footstools, for Old Salem. Carlyle asked me to "prove" his drawing of the candlebox, and I took my copy of the box to the marketing guy at Old Salem at Carlyle's suggestion. That was about 25 yrs ago. I have 6 of them in the shop now, ready to send down there. The Moravian candlestand proved not to be a good seller.
Carlyle was very generous of his time and talents.
I've onlymet Wallace a time or two. Quite knowledgeable, and maybe the most talented craftsman I've met.
Ray
That's funny. I have most likely seen some of your boxes. I use the design from CL but I made them a little bigger(15 x 8.5") Its a great design with one exception: the bottom.
With my pins and tails as you see in the photo, the bottom expands and loosens the joints. I am in the process of making some veneered panels that I will edge with solid wood and screw to the bottom - no movement. I'll send a photo later of the veneer efforts.
I make these as gifts for the holidays. They are a great project to keep up the skills and use up short/small sraps. I hate to toss wood like most of the other squirrels on the site. Its part of the "sickness" I've been stricken with. Ha.
The little miter is a challenge but I keep a few samples around and line the stuff up from the samples and I can move along pretty fast. Its like making drawers when you break it down but easier with all the wood the same thickness you just scribe, cut and chop.
Tried to show the miter in one photo for the other viewers but I missed the point- oh well.
Dan
Edited 8/28/2007 10:23 am ET by danmart
dan,
In making the boxes to satisfy the powers- that-be in OS, the bottoms must be nailed on, as in the original. I do space the nails to try and minimise the movement issue; that is, I nail the bottom to the ends with the nails closer to the center of the width of the box, and in nailing the sides, hold the nails away from the corners that way too. In other words I try to keep the nails away from the corners, so that as the bottom moves, the thin sides will, I hope, spring enough to allow the joints to stay together, for a few years, at least. Of course, my recollection is that the old box, in the Single Brothers' Hall, is still together after all this time...
Ray
Ray
I was wondering about Old Salem and I thought of you. In your travels to WS, has there ever been a request for the Moravian Desk/bookcase that used to be in the Single Brothers House? Seems like most of the items in the gift shop are little bird houses and craft store gifts. I have seen your candle boxes and wondered if it ever stirred up interest in larger work?
The only thing I have built for a customer that is large is the Corner Cabinet in the Winkler Bakery. It is very tall with one very large 2 panel door. Made of poplar and colored a medium brown. After years of absorbing all of the cinammon, it has a really nice color to it. This is another piece you can see the same molding planes and raised panel tools used on J. Krause's desks.
dan,
It's been years since I went to Winston-Salem. Is that desk/bookcase the cherry one with the crotch door panels? I remember that one!
They are...interesting... people to deal with. About the time I started doing the accessory items for them, they were all excited with a local (NC) mfr who was gonna market a line of Old Salem Reproductions. I never got any details, but apparently his attorney was better than theirs, and they got singed in the process, which fell through before very much furniture made it to market. Subsequent to their bad experience, interest in reproducing the furniture went way down
I've talked to one of their reps several times about the possibiity of doing a larger piece, by subscription, or otherwise, or even of expanding the range of accessory items, and while the interest seemed to be there, the follow through was not. Something always seemed to get in the way. This piece was not deemed "Moravian" enough, that one wasn't marketable, something.
Ray
The cherry desk was the big one(96") and the walnut desk was the smaller one(84" tall). The plans were for the smaller walnut desk that sat for years in the joiners shop in the Single Brothers' House.
Old Salem has gone thru many changes over the years and its hard to pin down that person that you can go to. Its tough.
Photos: cherry original, walnut original and repro.
Johann Krause built both pieces and the corner cabinet in the bakery. You can see his "stair-step drawer style" in most of the existing desks. Thought it would make sense if you saw a couple of photos. Not very good quality. Built 2 desks back in 1989.
Dan
Edited 9/10/2007 12:37 pm ET by danmart
Back when I first started ww, I ran into the plan "sets" that FWW or someone sold. They came in a folder, were beautifully drawn and lettered. I've never built from the plans however, I too look at them as display pieces (the plans that is...).
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