Real woodwork?

[Digit]

We all set our own standards I think, but unlike some of Jacob's work, I don't see Ikea furniture being passed on as an heirloom.

Roy.

 

[Lons]

We all set our own standards I think, but unlike some of Jacob's work, I don't see Ikea furniture being passed on as an heirloom.

Roy.

And there lie the real reasons Roy!

I like to be able to repair things and hate to be beaten. Your posts suggests you do the same? We live however in a world where we throw away and replace or if repairable it has to be whole modules not just a small part. Appliances and cars are typical examples and tools such as cheap hardpoint saws make replacement more cost effective than resharpening I wonder just how many thousands of very cheap powertools / handtools are bought from the sheds and just replaced regularly?

My kids are 29 and 33. They and their mates treat Ikea type furniture in a similar way. It does what they want and because it's very cheap, they have no problem changing every few years which appeals to them anyway.
They aren't interested in quality - just want a "clean simple look" and I have no illusions that any of the furniture I have made will be passed on when I am gone - nearest saleroom maybe :roll:
What they will keep though are the carvings, marquetry and turnings for very different reasons, even if they end up in the loft

Bob

 

[Digit]

I like to be able to repair things and hate to be beaten. Your posts suggests you do the same?

Yep! There's a lot of satisfaction in bringing broken items back to lie I find!.

roy.

 

[Lons]

Yep! There's a lot of satisfaction in bringing broken items back to lie I find!. roy.

Wife won't let me near any skips these days and I'm actually being forced to throw "stuff" away, It's a very slow and painful process :wink:
I still retain many items removed from various jobs though - you should see my "stock" :lol: :lol: :lol:

When in Sydney, my brother said that anything unwanted is put at the end of your drive an a specific day and free to anyone who cares to take it. he said very few items are left. Great system!

Also when in South Africa, there was a distinct lack of "rubbish" and I was told that almost everything is taken and "recycled" by the local coloured population :lol:

 

[andersonec]

According to Paul Sellers.....

'The Real Woodworking campaign is:

Making really beautiful things from wood
Making really practical and functional things from wood
Making things from wood that people can really interact with and enjoy'

Seems to me that is what most woodworkers do, isn't it?
Except for me, 'I'm just making shavings for the sake of it', but then, I haven't been doing it for nearly fifty decades like Mr Sellers.

 

[Edwin]

There's an article in today's Guardian about the contrast between the economy of Germany, in which making things is of great importance, and ours, in which consuming things sold here but made elsewhere is most prominent. The last paragraph seems relevant to this thread.

"At its best, the making of things is an all-absorbing activity. It seems odd to have so many people in Britain making things purely as a hobby, when we might be earning our living making high-quality modern products every bit as desirable in their own way as bright new BMWs. The truth is, a consumer or service economy will never make us happy. It is time to curb the shopping, and the environmental destruction this involves, and to rescue ourselves economically, and in terms of wellbeing, through more of us making intelligent, useful and profitable things contentedly and well."

 

[dickm]

Got a lot of sympathy with the Guardian piece, but difficult to see this country ever following that lead for two reasons. First, the fetish of "keeping the economy growing" (i.e., keeping spending) which every media outlet stresses at every opportunity, and second, the fact that all politicians are going to cosy up to financial services sector 'cos that's where they will go for obscene salaries once they get kicked out.

Folk who "make do and mend", in this view, are the enemies of society, because their effort doesn't appear in the magic figure of GDP.

 

[Jacob]

Agree with that.

here's the Guardian link http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... german-way

 

[Digit]

If you believe anything the Guardian says of course! :twisted:

Roy.

 

[Benchwayze]

Not only that, he turns to me, a Brummie, to try to work out how to make something for a completely foreign method of woodworkology -

But surely Brummagem was once the "workshop of the world"! So obviously anyone's first place to ask

Surely this is a place where there is a definite need for the 'thumbs-up' smiley.

Instead I'll use..
=D> =D> =D>

Anything from a pin to an elephant. Now those little brick buildings, with the multi-pane, metal-framed windows are mostly gone, replaced by 'Industrial Units', made of aluminium siding! We also had a couple of good football teams!

Those were the days. (hammer)

Happy New Year Folks.

John :ho2

 

[Evergreen]

here's the Guardian link http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... german-way[/quote]

And don't forget the comments that follow the article. Taken together, they give a more balanced and realistic picture than the article itself.

 

[Digit]

Typical annoying Guardian report, here's another view.....

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... VQ&cad=rja

...I would have much greater respect for the Guardian if it did less knocking and offered some productive ideas.

For example....
inform us, the general public, what they, the Guardian, suggests that we in Britain could produce, that we currently do not produce, that we could sell on the world markets at a price that is competitive with China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia or Brazil.
At that point I will show considerably more respect for the Guardian's opinions.

Roy.

 

[Modernist]

Typical annoying Guardian report, here's another view.....

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... VQ&cad=rja

...I would have much greater respect for the Guardian if it did less knocking and offered some productive ideas.

For example....
inform us, the general public, what they, the Guardian, suggests that we in Britain could produce, that we currently do not produce, that we could sell on the world markets at a price that is competitive with China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia or Brazil.
At that point I will show considerably more respect for the Guardian's opinions.



Roy.

EDIT

Why would we look for markets where we had to sell at BRIC prices?
Perhaps you could enlighten us with the view of the Express and Mail?

 

[Digit]

BRIC prices?

Eh?

I wouldn't have a clue as to their views Brian so I'm afraid you will have to remain unenlightened. My point seems to have been missed by you, I'm tired of the Guardian, or any other organ, knocking Britain and telling me how wonderful elsewhere is. They could just as easily have printed a more balanced view, could they not?

Roy.

 

[xy mosian]

I was puzzled too. A definition:-

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bri ... z1iEqB8QZO

xy

 

[Digit]

Ta! Thus my answer to the question would be, yes, as it seems unlikely that much would be sold at uncompetitive prices.

Roy.

 

[xy mosian]

Dunno about uncompetitive prices. The organic food folk seem to survive.
xy

 

[Digit]

Who to?

Roy.

 

[xy mosian]

They have a lot of fans, do they not survive in a business sense?

xy

 

[Digit]

Are they exporting, at a profit, to the countries I listed, which was the point I was making?

Roy.