Cape Breton’s Contented Chairmaker

by | Sep 24, 2018 | 3 comments

This well shot, if rather hokey video shows a post-and-rung chairmaker at work in his water powered shop. It looks like he also cards wool, weaves baskets, does some wagon wheel work, smiths…

His lathe looks to be a pattermaker’s lathe similar to mine, with a carriage for doing precise work.

He has the ubiquitous low assembly bench for assembling his chairs. I like his holdfast v-block-with-a-post at 3:00. He hits is holdfast with a metal hammer!

Old shops seem to be a total disaster. Why? This much mess would drive me nuts.

“In a confused world, he is a contented man,” it says at the end. Seems today will forever be tomorrow’s ‘good-old days.’

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Bob Simmons
6 years ago

What a great glimpse into the artisan world of Cape Breton. Thanks for posting it. Bob

6 years ago

It made me feel better that he used sandpaper to smooth his turning. 🙂

Warren
6 years ago

Makes me want to find that place. Thanks for sharing.

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