Order Any Size Or Style
We Build Fine Dining Furniture Residential And Commercial All Styles And Sizes
Choose From Our Designs Or Use Your Design
We Will Build To Our Hand Made Standards
All Scottsdale Art Factory Furnishings Are Designed In America and Built In America Using Solid Natural Air Dried Timber, Genuine Stone, Marble, Granite, Fine Leathers, Fabric And Hand Forged Steel. By The Hands Of True American Master Craftsmen.
Under the supervision of world renowned artist H. J. Nick using only the finest materials. We use "No" engineered cores or faux materials such as paste boards, veneers, masonite, MDO plywood, melamine and oriented strand board panels with expensive wood sounding names such as walnut or hickory veneer etc.
"This Is The Real McCoy."
Master Crafted In America Since 1913. Our prices are usually lower than lesser quality name brand mass production imports, this is because "We Are The Factory," so don't be fooled by our upscale appearance.
Purchase American Made - Invest In "Your" Future.
Investment Quality Equals An Appreciable Asset Furnishing, Destined For Antiquity.
We build only proud to own family heirloom furnishing, rich with family history and priceless heritage. This process begins with you and your family personalizing each piece with your own special design requests. H. J. Nick supervises the details and drafting process with his design team, and upon your approval, we then build your product. Once you receive your item, you can enjoy it secure in the knowledge it will increase in value and become a cherished family heirloom that is guaranteed to stand the test of time.
Historical Origin And Design Inspiration
Whitetails communicate in many different ways including sounds, scent and marking. All whitetail deer are capable of producing audible noises, unique to each animal. Fawns release a high pitched squeal, known as a bleat, to call out to their mothers. Does also bleat, as well as grunt. Grunting produces a low, guttural sound that will attract the attention of any other deer in the area. Both does and bucks snort, a sound that often signals danger. As well as snorting, bucks also grunt at a pitch thats gets lower with maturity. Bucks are unique, however, in their grunt-snort-wheeze pattern that often shows aggression and hostility.
King Carol I of Romania (1839-1914), one of the great Romanian kings and conqueror of the National Independence, first visited the region and future site of the castle in 1866, when he fell in love with the rugged but magnificent mountain scenery. So, in 1872, a total of one thousand "pogoane", approx. 1,300 acres (5.3 km2), is purchased by the king and Piatra Arsa region becomes The Royal Domain of Sinaia, destined to be a hunting preserve and summer retreat for the monarch. On August 22, 1875, the foundation for Peleş Castle, the city of Sinaia, and indeed for the country of Romania itself was established. Several other buildings, annexed to the castle, were built simultaneously:
The Guard's Chambers, The Economat Building, The Foişor Hunting Chateau, The Royal Stables. The Power Plant was also constructed then, and Peleş became world's first castle fully operated by electric power. The "Sipot" Villa was constructed later. This would serve as the work site of architect Karel Liman. Liman would later supervise the building of Pelişor chateau (1889-1903, the future residence of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie of Romania), as well as of the King's Ferdinand Vila in the Royal Sheepfold Meadow (the actual Sheepfold Meadow). First three initial design plans for Peleş were copies of other palaces from western Europe but king Carol I rejected them all as they were too costly and unoriginal.
Second architect, Johannes Schultz won by presenting a more original plan, something that appealed to the king's taste: a grand palatial alpine villa combining different structures of classic European styles, mostly following Italian elegance and German aesthetics in Renaissance lines. The cost of the castle itself between 1875 and 1914 was estimated to be 16 000 000 gold Romanian lei (approx. $US 120 million today). Between three and four hundred men worked consistently on it. Queen Elisabeth of Romania, during the construction phase, wrote on her journal:
Order As Original Works Or Limited Edition
Details As Shown: Dining Table Royal Dining Room And Wilderness carved Chairs Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 60" Wide X 216’" Long X 31” Tall with hand carved Harness solid joined and interlocking and is permanently mounted to the 4" thick solid timber table top. This handmade dining table is hand hewn, pegged, mortised and tenon joined to form a solid mass that will never become weak or wobbly. Each leg includes a mar proof leveling foot allowing this table to be leveled on any floor.
Details As Shown: Matching High Back Side Chairs. Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 22”W X 20”D X 49”T. This size chair allows an adult comfortable sitting and a dining space of 24" (unlike most production tables with only 18" sitting space). These matching chairs are hand hewn, joined and doweled to form a solid structure that will never become loose or unstable. The posts are 2 3/4" X 2" and each chair leg has a mar proof button foot. The orthopedic slight pitch of the back allows for the most comfortable dining seating. These furnishings are truly custom and that means you may order your chairs to fit your particular comfort requirements at no extra cost.
Details As Shown: Matching High Back Arm Chairs. Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 26”W X 20”D X 49”T. This size chair allows an adult comfortable sitting and a dining space of 24" (unlike most production tables with only 18" sitting space). These matching chairs are hand hewn, joined and doweled to form a solid structure that will never become loose or unstable. The posts are 2 3/4" X 2" and each chair leg has a mar proof button foot. The orthopedic slight pitch of the back allows for the most comfortable dining seating. These furnishings are truly custom and that means you may order your chairs to fit your particular comfort requirements at no extra cost.
Details As Shown: Upholstery Full Wrap Fabric Seats And Backs With Tack Buttons. Customer's choice of fabric or leather. You may choose from hundreds of fabric styles or leather colors in stock or supply your own to further customize your dining room set.
Details As Shown: Dark Walnut Table - Exotic Cedar - Light Distress northern white core wood exotic cedar. If raised grain finish is desired. The wire brushed raised grain of the natural cedar is designed to appear rustic and aged, however, this is a highly finished, snag and splinter free surface. Our processes includes five to ten coats of hand rubbed furniture quality clear oils or water based non-toxic lacquers. It is applied, cured, rubbed and re-applied depending upon whether your order is limited edition or old growth original works. Every surface of this table and chairs is finely finished including the undersides and hidden areas. These furnishings are built to investment family heirloom quality and are finished to be virtually maintenance free and will stand the test of time. You may choose the natural color, from over 400 standard stain colors or computer color match to any color stain. Most of our finishes are water based and earth friendly. You may order any color or texture finish at no extra charge.
Colorized Carving. You can order any carving colorized. In order to achieve a colorized carving, multiple stain colors are used. The stains are hand applied and blended with an artistic eye to achieve an enhanced natural appearance.
All Steel Is Coal Fired, Hammered By Master Blacksmiths “The Old Fashioned Way” And Patina Finished.
At Scottsdale Art Factory, we take pride in our traditional, superior quality workmanship and craft our products from only the finest steel. Our master blacksmiths have been classically trained, and utilize old world techniques such as coal firing, anvil hammering and hand forging to create the finest handcrafted hardware available anywhere. All of our steel work is hand patina finished by heat applying iron oxides to achieve a natural patina finish that will stand the test of time.
Nothing is Drop Forged. We create works “The Old Fashioned Way” using solid hand forged steel, (drop forging is a poor quality, casted copy of a hand forged work of art). Nothing is wrought iron; wrought iron is simply a softer and less sturdy form of metal that cannot compare to stronger hand forged low carbon steel.
Patina Finish As Shown: Various Colors Of Hand Applied Iron Oxide Patinas. Our beautiful patina finishes are hand applied using a special patented process where oxides are bonded into the metal at over 1000 degrees. This permanent finish beautifies with age. S.A.F. does not paint or faux finish any of our iron creations. Paint fades, chips and cracks over time and patinas last forever. No Drop Forged Casted Copies. No Paint Or Powder Coated Finishes. limited edition or original works. Every surface of this furnishing is finely finished including the undersides and hidden areas.
Each item is finished to be virtually maintenance free and to age with grace. All steel parts are hand patina finished the old fashioned way by iron oxide hand applied with high temperature heat. We never powder coat or faux paint our steel, it has been proven paint and powder coating methods do not hold up over time. You may choose from many natural iron oxide colors. Our patina finishes are water based and earth friendly. You may order any single color or texture finish at no extra charge.
Product Details As Shown
Desiged From 175 Year Old Design KD2110 And CST899 And CBT500
Use Designs From Any Were And H J Nick And His Design Team Will Create Your Dream Furnishing
Details As Shown: Dining Table Royal Dining Room And Wilderness carved Chairs Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 60" Wide X 216’" Long X 31” Tall with hand carved Harness solid joined and interlocking and is permanently mounted to the 4" thick solid timber table top. This handmade dining table is hand hewn, pegged, mortised and tenon joined to form a solid mass that will never become weak or wobbly. Each leg includes a mar proof leveling foot allowing this table to be leveled on any floor.
Details As Shown: Matching High Back Side Chairs. Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 22”W X 20”D X 49”T. This size chair allows an adult comfortable sitting and a dining space of 24" (unlike most production tables with only 18" sitting space). These matching chairs are hand hewn, joined and doweled to form a solid structure that will never become loose or unstable. The posts are 2 3/4" X 2" and each chair leg has a mar proof button foot. The orthopedic slight pitch of the back allows for the most comfortable dining seating. These furnishings are truly custom and that means you may order your chairs to fit your particular comfort requirements at no extra cost.
Details As Shown: Matching High Back Arm Chairs. Solid Northern White Cedar - Exotic Natural Core Wood - 26”W X 20”D X 49”T. This size chair allows an adult comfortable sitting and a dining space of 24" (unlike most production tables with only 18" sitting space). These matching chairs are hand hewn, joined and doweled to form a solid structure that will never become loose or unstable. The posts are 2 3/4" X 2" and each chair leg has a mar proof button foot. The orthopedic slight pitch of the back allows for the most comfortable dining seating. These furnishings are truly custom and that means you may order your chairs to fit your particular comfort requirements at no extra cost.
Details As Shown: Upholstery Full Wrap Fabric Seats And Backs With Tack Buttons. Customer's choice of fabric or leather. You may choose from hundreds of fabric styles or leather colors in stock or supply your own to further customize your dining room set.
Details As Shown: Dark Walnut Table - Exotic Cedar - Light Distress northern white core wood exotic cedar. If raised grain finish is desired. The wire brushed raised grain of the natural cedar is designed to appear rustic and aged, however, this is a highly finished, snag and splinter free surface. Our processes includes five to ten coats of hand rubbed furniture quality clear oils or water based non-toxic lacquers. It is applied, cured, rubbed and re-applied depending upon whether your order is limited edition or old growth original works. Every surface of this table and chairs is finely finished including the undersides and hidden areas. These furnishings are built to investment family heirloom quality and are finished to be virtually maintenance free and will stand the test of time. You may choose the natural color, from over 400 standard stain colors or computer color match to any color stain. Most of our finishes are water based and earth friendly. You may order any color or texture finish at no extra charge.
About The Wood: Important details about our timber and craftsmanship.
Hand Carving Information: Important details about the kind of carving you can expect when you order from Scottsdale Art Factory.
Colorized Carving. You can order any carving colorized. In order to achieve a colorized carving, multiple stain colors are used. The stains are hand applied and blended with an artistic eye to achieve an enhanced natural appearance.
Our Heritage: Marabella brothers come to America.
All Steel Is Coal Fired, Hammered By Master Blacksmiths “The Old Fashioned Way” And Patina Finished.
At Scottsdale Art Factory, we take pride in our traditional, superior quality workmanship and craft our products from only the finest steel. Our master blacksmiths have been classically trained, and utilize old world techniques such as coal firing, anvil hammering and hand forging to create the finest handcrafted hardware available anywhere. All of our steel work is hand patina finished by heat applying iron oxides to achieve a natural patina finish that will stand the test of time.
Nothing is Drop Forged. We create works “The Old Fashioned Way” using solid hand forged steel, (drop forging is a poor quality, casted copy of a hand forged work of art). Nothing is wrought iron; wrought iron is simply a softer and less sturdy form of metal that cannot compare to stronger hand forged low carbon steel.
Master Blacksmithing: The kind of hand forged metal work you can expect when you order from Scottsdale Art Factory.
Patina Finish As Shown: Various Colors Of Hand Applied Iron Oxide Patinas. Our beautiful patina finishes are hand applied using a special patented process where oxides are bonded into the metal at over 1000 degrees. This permanent finish beautifies with age. S.A.F. does not paint or faux finish any of our iron creations. Paint fades, chips and cracks over time and patinas last forever. No Drop Forged Casted Copies. No Paint Or Powder Coated Finishes. limited edition or original works. Every surface of this furnishing is finely finished including the undersides and hidden areas.
Each item is finished to be virtually maintenance free and to age with grace. All steel parts are hand patina finished the old fashioned way by iron oxide hand applied with high temperature heat. We never powder coat or faux paint our steel, it has been proven paint and powder coating methods do not hold up over time. You may choose from many natural iron oxide colors. Our patina finishes are water based and earth friendly. You may order any single color or texture finish at no extra charge.
Fine Finish Information: Important details about our finish process: patinas, sealant and wood finishes.
Order Hand Forged Matching Furnishings Of Any Design.
Our Guarantee: We Guarantee Each Item “Forever” – No Questions Asked, backed by over nine decades of fine craftsmanship.
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Scottsdale Art Factory carries on the American Arts And Crafts Movement of the 21st century, in the same way William Morris and John Ruskin (founders of the Arts and Crafts furniture movement in circa 1800 England) inspired Gustave Stickley (founder of the American Arts and Crafts movement) in America circa 1900. Frank Loyd Wright, Charles and Henry Greene (inspired architects of the ultimate cottages such as the Gamble House in Pasadena California) are credited with raising quality standard to its highest level in their day. All of these great master craftsman also inspired the Marabella Brothers in the early 20th Century (founders of SAF circa 1913).
Every creative enterprise is always built on a foundation that was laid down by its predecessors. Creative people are also dependent on the groundwork laid down by those who came before them. H. J. Nick, artist and direct descendant of the Marbella brothers, and Scottsdale Art Factory have built on these foundations and have raised the bar of quality even higher. Thus setting a new standard and offering the finest one of a kind handmade furnishings found anywhere in the world in the 21st century.
"BY HAMMER AND HAND DO ALL THINGS STAND"
H. J. Nick And Scottsdale Art Factory LLC believe in fully educating our dealer representatives, potential customers and future master craftsman in the creative process. We also believe in full transparency and providing the correct information or sources that allows the facts about how each product is made to be evaluated with out bias or sales hype.
We provide this information derived from hundreds of years of collective knowledge of the facts as the experts of the worlds major universities, master craftsman and our own extensive experience conclude about wood working and joinery in relation to the creation of investment quality furniture, doors, Etc.
Much of this information is derived by the study of wood working and master crafting processes from the historical records all around tfv he world0. We have developed relationships with some of the worlds leading architectural universities professors, students and best known experts in the study of lost arts and crafts of all types and cultures. These relationships have been nurtured in the hope of continuing our family tradition of promoting and teaching future master craftsman who will carry on the American Arts and Crafts Movement into the 21st century and beyond.
We offer use of our facility and the sharing of the experience of our master craftsman in return for these contributions when available.Thus allowing for hands on experience training in the lost arts. We also allow use of our facility for project development in related fields under any accredited school program. Products produced in these programs are sold and proceeds are used to fund the advancement of these programs with no weight to profit.
We also offer the use of our facility for the advancement of environmental energy saving designs in connection with government funded Go Green development. These energy saving designs must be associated with our natural material, building projects such as doors/windows etc. without effecting the artistic value. This is a not for profit program provided by SAF LLC in hope of advancing new technology in conjunction with arts and crafts as it relates to our contribution to the world of fine art craftsmanship.
We believe through the arts all the lives we touch are elevated to a higher level. Through creating these beautiful hand crafted furnishings we can help you create your dream environment as well as make it possible to pass to your heirs cherished family heirlooms and a little immortality. We believe all of our customers are intellectually sophisticated and understand the real value of creating and appreciating these family heirlooms.
We understand how difficult it is in todays market place to determine the genuine article from the fake or faux. For this reason we believe when presented with the true facts of how each product is made and the materials it is manufactured from, our customers have the ability to make informed decisions. Decisions that are best for them and their financial investment based upon these facts. When you purchase a quality hand built family heirloom future antiquity, you are investing not wasting your money on a fake future yard sale item.
We believe you will also conclude from this information as we have experienced over our many years, only by using the best natural materials and master handcrafting, can you achieve the creation of a family heirloom investment quality furnishing or door. The use of true solid timber, genuine stones, top grain leathers, fine fabrics, and solid wrought iron in the hands of master craftsmen will never be replaced with modern methods of mass production.
Note: Warp-Resistant Engineered Core usually translates into; "How can we use paste board and veneered materials and make them sound better than the tried and tested solid wood doors?"
Just another way of trying to make a negative into a positive sales tool. There is no substitution for hand hewn, pegged and doweled solid full length timber construction, which is built to stand the test of time.
Many manufacturers have veneered the surface and cored the center all of the premium long lengths of lumber just to keep the cost of materials down and the profits up. Always keep in mind that if it is a veneer or "engineered" it usually means that they are using less quality materials while trying to make it appear and sound better. The expected result is usually reflected in the limited warrantee and is never positive.
For Example: Many companies make this statement: Honduran or Brazilian Mahogany wood is used to manufacture our premier selection of "Solid Entry Doors Or Furniture".
Simply Omitting Some Important Negative Facts. These doors are made up of scarf joints
and splice joints and glue in order to use scrap materials to make long lumber. The joints are then sanded filled and finished to hide the joints. Sometimes shorter sections of wood inside the door are used to make a frame, and then particle board and a thin mahogany veneered surface is added by a laminating machine.
The plain scarf is not preferred when strength is required, so it is often used in decorative situations, such as the application of trim or moulding. The use of modern high-strength adhesives can greatly increase the structural performance of a plain scarf. However when used in exterior products such as doors this method is never used by top quality door builders. The scarf is a method of using scrap pieces of wood to make long lumber. The end results are never positive.
Scarf joints and splice joints are used when longer premium lumber is not available or scrap is being used.
tand
The Doors Shown Below Are Created by Gluing Together Scrap Pieces Of Mahogany Using a Method Known As Scarf Joinery, Combined With CNC Machine Carving And A Hollow Tube Cold Bent Metal Faux Painted Grill.
The scarf joint in woodworking, there are two distinctly different categories of scarf, based on whether the joint has interlocking faces or not. A plain scarf is simply two flat planes meeting on an angle relative to the axis of the stock being joined, and depends entirely on adhesive and/or mechanical fastening (screws, bolts, etc.) for all strength. Structured scarf joint includes hooked, keyed, and nibbed scarfs and are some of the many example of interlocking scarfs, offering varying degrees of tensile and compressive strength, though most still depend on mechanical fastening to keep the joint closed.
A splice joint is a method of joining two members end to end in woodworking. The splice joint is used when the material being joined is not available in the length required. It is an alternative to other joints such as the butt joint and the scarf joint. Splice joints are stronger than unreinforced butt joints and have the potential to be stronger than a scarf joint. They are more visible than a scarf joint but may be preferred when more strength is required.
Splices are therefore most often used when structural elements are required in longer lengths than the available material. The most common form of the splice joint is the half lap splice, which is common in building construction, where it is used to join shorter lengths of timber into longer beams. The splice joint should never be used in quality furniture or door building.
Source info: EIA US Office P.O. Box 53343 Washington, DC 20009 United States of America info@eia-global.org Tel +1 202 483 6621 Fax +1 202 986 8626 www.eia-global.org
Also using this illegal foreign wood it could also mean bug infestation certificates of origin as well as de-infestation and are required on all imported woods due to the likely hood of bug infestation such as bed bugs. Click this link below for wood imports- Florida Entomologist report.
Mortise and tenon, simple and strong- The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, usually when the pieces are at an angle close to 90°. Although there are many variations on the theme, the basic idea is that the end of one of the members is inserted into a hole cut in the other member. The end of the first member is called the tenon, and it is usually narrowed with respect to the rest of the piece. The hole in the second member is called the mortise. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place. This joint is also used with other materials and, for example, is a traditional method for Stonemasons and Blacksmiths.
A mortise is a cavity cut into a timber to receive a tenon. There are several kinds of mortises.
Open mortise - A mortise that has only three sides. (See Bridle joint).
Stub mortise or "suicide" joint - A shallow mortise, depth depends on the size of the timber; also a mortise that does not go through the work-piece (as opposed to a "through mortise"). the back is wider, or taller, than the front, or opening. The space for the wedge initially allows room for the tenon to be inserted, the presence of the wedge, after the tenon has been engaged, prevents its withdrawal. Sometimes called a "suicide" joint - since it is strictly a "one way trip".
Through wedged half-dovetail - A wedged half-dovetail mortise that passes entirely through the piece.
A tenon is a projection on the end of a timber for insertion into a mortise. Usually the tenon is taller than it is wide. There are several kinds of tenons.
Stub tenon - A short tenon; depth depends on the size of the timber; also a tenon that is shorter than the width of the mortised piece so the tenon does not show (as opposed to a "through tenon").
Tusk tenon - A kind of mortise and tenon joint that uses a wedge-shaped key to hold the joint together.
Through tenon - A tenon that passes entirely through the piece of wood it is inserted into, being clearly visible on the back side.
Teasel tenon - A term used for the tenon on top of a jowled or gunstock post, which is typically received by the mortise in the underside of a tie beam. A common element of the English tying joint.
Top tenon - The tenon that occurs on top of a post.
Feather tenon - A round-shouldered machined fillet or feather which is glued into a machine (router) made slot or mortise on each side of the joint.
Generally the size of the mortise and tenon is related to the thickness of the timbers. It is considered good practice to proportion the tenon as 1/3rd the thickness of the rail, or as close to this as is practical. The haunch, the cut away part of a sash corner joint that prevents the tenon coming loose, is one third the length of the tenon and one sixth of the width of the tenon in its depth. The remaining two-thirds of the rail, the tenon shoulders help to counteract lateral forces that might tweak the tenon from the mortise, contributing to its strength. These also serve to hide imperfections in the opening of the mortise.
Mortis And tenon is an ancient joint and has been found joining the wooden planks of the "Khufu ship", a 43.6 m long vessel sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex of the Fourth Dynasty around 2,500 BC. It has also been found in archeological sites in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The 30 sarsen stones of Stonehenge were dressed and fashioned with mortise and tenon joints before they were erected between 2600 and 2400 B.C.
The finger joint - (Also known as "box joint" or "comb joint") is made by cutting a set of complementary rectangular cuts in two pieces of wood, which are then glued. To visualize a finger joint simply interlock the fingers of your hands at a ninety degree angle; hence the name "finger joint." It is stronger than a butt or lap joint, and often forms part of the overall look of the piece.
The history of the finger joint is believed to have begun with wooden produce boxes or crates in the days before modern, man-made materials. Finger joints were originally cut by hand with saws and sharp chisels. In modern times they are easily and quickly made with a table saw or router and a jig or fixture, which can be shop-made or purchased from a specialty woodworking supply store. A finger joint jig typically consists of a moving fence with an indexing pin that is used to evenly space out the cuts. The fence is moved over a cutting blade making a cut that is then moved over the indexing pin so the next cut can be made.
The strength of a finger joint comes from the long-grain to long-grain contact between the fingers, which provides a solid gluing surface. The number of contact points also allows for more gluing surface as opposed to a butt joint or a rabbet joint.
A dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a joint technique most commonly used in woodworking joinery. Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength), the dovetail joint is commonly used to join for example the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape. Once glued, a wooden dovetail joint requires no mechanical fasteners.
The dovetail joint pre-dates written history. Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty of ancient Egypt, as well the tombs of Chinese emperors. The dovetail design is an important method of distinguishing various periods of furniture.
Dovetails can be cut by hand or by machines, often with an electric router and using one of a range of commercially available jigs or templates. Although it is technically a straight forward process, hand-cutting dovetails requires a high degree of accuracy to ensure a snug fit and so can be difficult to master. The pins and tails must fit together with no gap between them so that the joint interlocks tightly with no movement. Thus the cutting of dovetails by hand is regarded as a mark of skill on the part of the craftsperson.
The angle of slope varies according to the wood used. Typically the slope is 1:6 for softwoods and a shallower 1:8 slope for hardwoods. Often a slope of 1:7 is used as a compromise - perhaps using a dovetail template for marking out.
When being cut by hand, there are two schools of thought as to whether the pins or the tails should be cut first. For pins first, the pins are laid out and cut by the chosen method, then the outline of the pins is transferred to the face of the tail board. For tails first, the tails are laid out and cut and then the outline is transferred to the end grain of the pin board. Each has advantages and it is a personal choice as to which is chosen.
Hand cut dovetails can often be distinguished from machine-cut dovetails by the width of the pins. It is possible to have pins that are almost triangular when cut by hand that are not possible when cut with a router, owing to the thickness of the router bit's shank. These narrow pins are known as London Pins.
A through dovetail joint (also known as plain dovetail) joint, where the end grain of both boards is visible when the joint is assembled. Through dovetails are common in carcass and box construction. Traditionally, the dovetails would have often be covered by a veneer. However, dovetails have become a signature of craftsmanship and are generally considered a feature, so they are rarely concealed in contemporary work.
A half-blind dovetail is used when the craftsman does not wish end grain to be visible from the front of the item. The tails are housed in sockets in the ends of the board that is to be the front of the item so that their ends cannot be seen. Half-blind dovetails are commonly used to fasten drawer fronts to drawer sides. This is an alternative to the practice of attaching false fronts to drawers constructed using through dovetails.
The sliding dovetail is a method of joining two boards at right angles, where the intersection occurs within the field of one of the boards, that is not at the end. This joint provides the interlocking strength of a dovetail. Sliding dovetails are assembled by sliding the tail into the socket. It is common to slightly taper the socket, making it slightly tighter towards the rear of the joint, so that the two components can be slid together easily but the joint becomes tighter as the finished position is reached.
The full-blind dovetail obscures the mechanics of the joint altogether. This variant is used in fine work when the craftsperson requires the strength of a dovetail but without the visual intrusion of the interlocking pins and tails. Two versions of this joint are the secret double-lapped dovetail and the full-blind mitered dovetail. The former presents a very thin section of end grain on one edge of the joint, whilst the latter does not. When used in drawer construction, a "full-blind dovetail" is known as a "French dovetail."
Some of these ancient joints and has been found joining the wooden planks of the "Khufu ship", a 43.6 m long vessel sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex of the Fourth Dynasty around 2,500 BC. It has also been found in archeological sites in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. In traditional Chinese architecture, wood components such as beams, brackets, roof frames and struts were made to interlock with perfect fit, without using fasteners or glues, enabling the wood to expand and contract according to humidity. Archaeological evidence from Chinese sites show that by the end of the Neolithic, mortise and tenon joinery was employed in Chinese construction. The 30 sarsen stones of Stonehenge were dressed and fashioned with mortise and tenon joints before they were erected between 2600 and 2400 B.C.
A butt joint is a joinery technique in which two members are joined by simply butting them together. The butt joint is the simplest joint to make since it merely involves cutting the members to the appropriate length and butting them together. It is also the weakest because unless some form of reinforcement is used (see below) it relies upon glue alone to hold it together. Because the orientation of the members usually present only end grain to long grain gluing surface, the resulting joint is inherently weak.
A bridle joint is a woodworking joint, similar to a mortise and tenon, in that a tenon is cut on the end of one member and a mortise is cut into the other to accept it. The distinguishing feature is that the tenon and the mortise are cut to the full width of the tenon member.
The corner bridle joint (also known as a slot mortise and tenon) joins two members at their respective ends, forming a corner. This form of the joint is commonly used to house a rail in uprights, such as legs. It provides good strength in compression and is fairly resistant to racking, although a mechanical fastener or pin is often required. The bridle joint is very popular in workbench construction.
A Butterfly joint is a type of joint used either to hold two or more wooden boards together or to keep two halves of a board that have already started to split from splitting further. They may also be used to stabilize the core of a knothole, preventing it from dropping out over time. A butterfly joint resembles two dovetails connected at the narrow part. A negative of the hole is cut out of the board the butterfly will be placed in and the butterfly is then fitted, keeping the joint together. The wood used for the butterfly is usually a contrasting wood, often walnut.
Coping or scribing is the woodworking technique of shaping the end of a moulding or frame component to fit the contours of an abutting member. Most English speaking countries outside the US use the terms scribe and scribing. Coping is commonly used in the fitting of skirting and other moldings in a room. It allows for clean joints between intersecting members when walls are not square to each other. The other method of fitting these moldings that is commonly used is the mitre joint but this technique relies upon the walls being at 90° to each other for neat results.
Coping is only ever used for internal corners. External corners are always mitered. The main reason that scribed joints are used is that timber shrinks in width far more than it does in length. By using a scribed joint rather than an internal mitre joint the effect of shrinkage is minimized. Also it is possible to arrange the scribed joints pointing away from the most common viewpoint (usually the doorway of a room) and so present the best appearance.
Coping is also commonly used in cabinet making for moldings and frame components. The rails in frame and panel construction are commonly cope cut to fit the profile of the stiles. The technique is also common in the construction of doors and windows.
Frame and panel construction (also called "rail and stile") is a woodworking technique often used in the making of doors, wainscoting, and other decorative features for cabinets, furniture, and homes. The basic idea is to capture a 'floating' panel within a sturdy frame, as opposed to techniques like slab drawer fronts which are simply single pieces of material with exposed end-grains. Usually, the panel is not glued to the frame - it is left to 'float' within it so that seasonal movement of the wood comprising the panel does not distort the frame.
Frame and panel construction at its most basic consists of five members: The panel and the four members which make up the frame. The vertical members of the frame are called stiles while the horizontal members are known as rails. A basic frame and panel item consists of a top rail, a bottom rail, two stiles, and a panel. This is a common method of constructing cabinet doors and these are often referred to as a five piece door.
In larger panels it is common to divide the panel into one or more sections. To house the extra panels, dividing pieces known as mid rails and mid stiles or muntins are added to the frame.
Pocket-Hole Joinery, Pocket-Screw Joinery, or Kreg Joinery involves drilling a hole at an angle into one work-piece, and then joining it to a second work-piece with a self-tapping screw. The technique, in addition to doweling, has its roots in ancient Egypt. Egyptians clamped two work-pieces together and bored a hole at an angle from the outside work-piece into the second work-piece. They then inserted a dowel with glue, and cut it off flush with the outermost surface.
A rabbet (also known as rebate) is a recess or groove cut into the edge of a piece of machinable material, usually wood. When viewed in cross-section, a rabbet is two-sided and open to the edge or end of the surface into which it is cut. The spelling rabbet is probably a derivation of rebate, the latter being more common outside of North America. An example of the use of a rabbet is in a glazing bar where it makes provision for the insertion of the pane of glass and putty. It may also accommodate the edge of the back panel of a cabinet. It is also used in door and casement window jambs.
Tongue and groove joint A strong joint, the tongue and groove joint is widely used for re-entrant angles. The effect of wood shrinkage is concealed when the joint is beaded or otherwise moulded. In expensive cabinet work, glued dovetail and multiple tongue and groove are used. Tongue and groove or T&G is a method of fitting similar objects together, edge to edge, used mainly with wood: flooring, parquetry, panelling, and similar constructions. Tongue and groove joints allow two flat pieces to be joined strongly together to make a single flat surface. Before plywood became common, tongue and groove boards were also used for sheathing buildings and to construct concrete formwork.
Solid parquet boards with tongues on the right sides of the boards and grooves on the left sides. Grooves are also visible on the near ends; the far ends are tongued.
Each piece has a slot (the groove) cut all along one edge, and a thin, deep ridge (the tongue) on the opposite edge. The tongue projects a little less than the groove is deep. Two or more pieces thus fit together closely. The joint is not normally glued, as shrinkage would then pull the tongue off. For many uses, tongue and groove boards have been rendered obsolete by the introduction of plywood and later composite wood boards, but the method is still used in good-quality flooring. Plywood may also be tongued all round to fit it flush into a framed structure, and plywood for sub-floors used in platform framing is often supplied with tongue and groove edges.When joining thicker materials, several tongue and groove joints may be used one above the other.
A dado (US and Canada), housing (UK) or trench (Europe) is a slot or trench cut into the surface of a piece of machinable material, usually wood. When viewed in cross-section, a dado has three sides. A dado is cut across, or perpendicular to, the grain and is thus differentiated from a groove which is cut with, or parallel to, the grain. A dado may be through, meaning that it passes all the way through the surface and its ends are open, or stopped, meaning that one or both of the ends finish before the dado meets the edge of the surface.
Dougong (simplified Chinese: 斗拱; traditional Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng) is a unique structural element of interlocking wooden brackets, one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian and Singaporian architecture. The use of dougong first appeared in buildings of the late centuries BC and evolved into a structural network that joined pillars and columns to the frame of the roof.
Diagram of bracket and cantilever arms from the building manual Yingzao Fashi (published in 1103) of the Song Dynasty.
Dougong was widely used in the ancient Chinese during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) and developed into a complex set of interlocking parts by its peak in the Tang and Song periods. The pieces are fit together by joinery alone without glue or fasteners, due to the precision and quality of the carpentry. After the Song Dynasty, brackets and bracket sets became more ornamental than structural when used in palatial structures and important religious buildings, no longer the traditional dougong.
Dougong inside the East Hall timber hall of Foguang Temple, built in 857 during the Tang Dynasty
In traditional Chinese architecture, wood components such as beams, brackets, roof frames and struts were made to interlock with perfect fit, without using fasteners or glues, enabling the wood to expand and contract according to humidity. Archaeological evidence from Chinese sites show that by the end of the Neolithic, mortise and tenon joinery was employed in Chinese construction.
When you purchase investment quality furnishings, doors, gates, cabinets, lighting and hardware they will appreciate and keep up with inflation or exceed most other investments. For this reason, becoming wealthy has very little to do with a higher education or having a lot of extra money. It is truly making wise decisions and a state of mind that allows for you to pay once for a good value and continue to grow wealth while enjoying living in your investment. Not to mention this type of investing has many other benefits, such as priceless family heirlooms that have meaning and the ability to pass on your legacy to future generations.
Ezekiel, from Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling; in an old joke, "very high culture". High culture is a term, now used in a number of different ways in academic discourse, whose most common meaning is the set of cultural products, mainly in the arts, artifacts and heirlooms held in the highest esteem by a culture or society.
We provide this information derived from hundreds of years of collective knowledge of the facts as the experts of the worlds major universities, master craftsman and our own extensive experience conclude about wood working and joinery in relation to the creation of investment quality furniture, doors, Etc.
Much of this information is derived by the study of wood working and master crafting processes from the historical records all around tfv he world0. We have developed relationships with some of the worlds leading architectural universities professors, students and best known experts in the study of lost arts and crafts of all types and cultures. These relationships have been nurtured in the hope of continuing our family tradition of promoting and teaching future master craftsman who will carry on the American Arts and Crafts Movement into the 21st century and beyond.
We offer use of our facility and the sharing of the experience of our master craftsman in return for these contributions when available.Thus allowing for hands on experience training in the lost arts. We also allow use of our facility for project development in related fields under any accredited school program. Products produced in these programs are sold and proceeds are used to fund the advancement of these programs with no weight to profit.
We also offer the use of our facility for the advancement of environmental energy saving designs in connection with government funded Go Green development. These energy saving designs must be associated with our natural material, building projects such as doors/windows etc. without effecting the artistic value. This is a not for profit program provided by SAF LLC in hope of advancing new technology in conjunction with arts and crafts as it relates to our contribution to the world of fine art craftsmanship.
We believe through the arts all the lives we touch are elevated to a higher level. Through creating these beautiful hand crafted furnishings we can help you create your dream environment as well as make it possible to pass to your heirs cherished family heirlooms and a little immortality. We believe all of our customers are intellectually sophisticated and understand the real value of creating and appreciating these family heirlooms.
We understand how difficult it is in todays market place to determine the genuine article from the fake or faux. For this reason we believe when presented with the true facts of how each product is made and the materials it is manufactured from, our customers have the ability to make informed decisions. Decisions that are best for them and their financial investment based upon these facts. When you purchase a quality hand built family heirloom future antiquity, you are investing not wasting your money on a fake future yard sale item.
We believe you will also conclude from this information as we have experienced over our many years, only by using the best natural materials and master handcrafting, can you achieve the creation of a family heirloom investment quality furnishing or door. The use of true solid timber, genuine stones, top grain leathers, fine fabrics, and solid wrought iron in the hands of master craftsmen will never be replaced with modern methods of mass production.
Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattle-hide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable, long-lasting and versatile natural material for various uses. Together with wood, leather formed the basis of much ancient technology. The leather industry and the fur industry are distinct industries that are differentiated by the importance of their raw materials. In the leather industry the raw materials are by-products of the meat industry, with the meat having higher value than the skin.
There are a number of processes whereby the skin of an animal can be formed into a supple, strong material commonly called leather.
Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending on the mix of chemicals and the color of the skin. It is the only form of leather suitable for use in leather carving or stamping. Vegetable-tanned leather is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and then dry it will shrink and become less supple and harder. In hot water, it will shrink drastically and partly gelatinize, becoming rigid and eventually brittle. Boiled leather is an example of this where the leather has been hardened by being immersed in hot water, or in boiled wax or similar substances. Historically, it was occasionally used as armor after hardening, and it has also been used for book binding.
Chrome-tanned leather, invented in 1858, is tanned using chromium sulfate and other salts of chromium. It is more supple and pliable than vegetable-tanned leather, and does not discolor or lose shape as drastically in water as vegetable-tanned. It is also known as wet-blue for its color derived from the chromium. More esoteric colors are possible using chrome tanning.
Aldehyde-tanned leather is tanned using glutaraldehyde or oxazolidine compounds. This is the leather that most tanners refer to as wet-white leather due to its pale cream or white color. It is the main type of "chrome-free" leather, often seen in shoes for infants, and automobiles. Formaldehyde tanning (being phased out due to its danger to workers and the sensitivity of many people to formaldehyde) is another method of aldehyde tanning.
Brain-tanned leathers fall into this category and are exceptionally water absorbent. Brain tanned leathers are made by a labor-intensive process which uses emulsified oils, often those of animal brains. They are known for their exceptional softness and their ability to be washed. Chamois leather also falls into the category of aldehyde tanning and like brain tanning produces a highly water absorbent leather. Chamois leather is made by using oils (traditionally cod oil) that oxidize easily to produce the aldehydes that tan the leather to make the fabric the color it is.
Synthetic-tanned leather is tanned using aromatic polymers such as the Novolac or Neradol types. This leather is white in color and was invented when vegetable tannins were in short supply, i.e. during the Second World War. Melamine and other amino-functional resins fall into this category as well and they provide the filling that modern leathers often require. Urea-formaldehyde resins were also used in this tanning method until dissatisfaction about the formation of free formaldehyde was realized.
Alum-tanned leather is tanned using aluminum salts mixed with a variety of binders and protein sources, such as flour, egg yolk, etc. Purists argue that alum-tanned leather is technically "tawed" and not tanned, as the resulting material will rot in water. Very light shades of leather are possible using this process, but the resulting material is not as supple as vegetable-tanned leather.
Rawhide is made by scraping the skin thin, soaking it in lime, and then stretching it while it dries. Like alum-tanning, rawhide is not technically "leather", but is usually lumped in with the other forms. Rawhide is stiffer and more brittle than other forms of leather, and is primarily found in uses such as drum heads where it does not need to flex significantly; it is also cut up into cords for use in lacing or stitching, or for making many varieties of dog chews.
Leather—usually vegetable-tanned leather—can be oiled to improve its water resistance. This supplements the natural oils remaining in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure to water. Frequent oiling of leather, with mink oil, neatsfoot oil or a similar material, keeps it supple and improves its life-span dramatically.
Leather with the hair still attached is called hair-on.
Full-grain leather or top-grain refers to the upper section of a hide that previously contained the epidermis and hair. The hair and the epidermis have been removed from the hide/skin. Full-grain refers to hides that have not been sanded, buffed or snuffed (otherwise known as Corrected) in order to remove imperfections (or natural marks) on the surface of the hide, although is never perfect. The grain remains in its natural state which will allow the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability.
The natural grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort for clothing. Rather than wearing out, it will develop a natural patina and change in its appearance over time with some cracking and splitting. The finest leather furniture and footwear are made from full-grain leather. For these reasons only the best raw hide are used in order to create full-grain or top-grain leather. Full grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: aniline and semi-aniline.
Corrected-grain leather is any top-grain leather that has had its surfaces sanded, buffed or snuffed in order to remove any imperfection on the surface due to insect bites, healed scars or brands. Top-grain leather is often wrongly referred to as corrected-grain. Although corrected-grain leather is made from top-grain, as soon as the surface is corrected in any way, the leather is no longer referred to as top-grain leather. The hides used to create corrected leather are hides of inferior quality that do not meet the high standards for use in creating aniline or semi-aniline leather. The imperfections are corrected and an artificial grain applied. Most corrected-grain leather is used to make pigmented leather as the solid pigment helps hide the corrections or imperfections. Corrected grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: semi-aniline and pigmented.
Split leather is leather created from the fibrous part of the hide left once the top-grain of the rawhide has been separated from the hide. During the splitting operation, the grain and drop split are separated. The drop split can be further split (thickness allowing) into a middle split and a flesh split. In very thick hides, the middle split can be separated into multiple layers until the thickness prevents further splitting. Split leather then has an artificial layer applied to the surface of the split and is embossed with a leather grain ( Bycast leather ).
The Unconscionable Use Of Polished Under Belly Sub-straight Hides Or Faux Man Made Materials Are Being Passed Off As Quality Leather In The Name Of Big Profits.These big brand name American companies are using just enough sub standard leather to be able to call the material leather or a variety of leather sounding names. Most of the non touchable parts are faux materials such as Nagahide, Pleather ("plastic leather") slang term for synthetic leather, Vegan Leather, Leatherette, Kydex, Birkibuc, Lorica, or Ocean leather. This type of construction will never stand the test of time.
Splits are also used to create suede and re-polished leather. The strongest suedes are usually made from grain splits (that have the grain completely removed) or from the flesh split that has been shaved to the correct thickness. Suede is "fuzzy" on both sides. Manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make suede from full-grain. For example, in one operation, leather finish is applied to one side of the suede, which is then pressed through rollers; these flatten and even out one side of the material, giving it the smooth appearance of full-grain. Latigo is one of the trade names for this product. A reversed suede is a grained leather that has been designed into the leather article with the grain facing away from the visible surface. It is not a true form of suede or leather and will not wear well or last over time.
Most Production Sofas Will Break Down If Set In The Same Spot Over And Over most production sofas are built for appearance and only copy the worlds best designs using sub standard materials with little regard for structure, usually resulting in a swallow you up effect and a break down in cushion and frame structure if set in repeatedly in the same place. As the sofa breaks down you work harder to remove yourself. Not only is this type of sofa unattractive-and not a good investment it is uncomfortable. Properly built sofas will stand the test of time and deliver comfort every time as well as durability.
Artificial leather is a fabric or finish intended to substitute for leather in fields such as upholstery, clothing and fabrics, and other uses where a leather-like finish is required but the actual material is cost-prohibitive or unsuitable. Under the name of artificial leather, (not to be confused with the more modern Pleather) or of American leather cloth, large quantities of a material having, more or less, a leather-like surface were once used, principally for upholstery purposes, such as the covering of chairs, lining the tops of writing desks and tables, and so on.
There was considerable diversity in the preparation of such materials. A common variety consists of a web of calico coated with boiled linseed oil mixed with dryers and lampblack or other pigment. Several coats of this mixture were uniformly spread, smoothed and compressed on the cotton surface by passing it between metal rollers, and when the surface was required to possess a glossy enamel-like appearance, it received a finishing coat of copal varnish. A grained morocco surface was given to the material by passing it between suitably embossed rollers.
Preparations of this kind have a close affinity to cloth waterproofed with rubber, and to such manufactures as ordinary waxcloth. An artificial leather which was patented and proposed for use as soles for boots, etc., was composed of powdered scraps and cuttings of leather mixed with solution of guttapercha dried and compressed. In place of the guttapercha solution, oxidized linseed oil or dissolved resin could be used as the binding medium for the leather powder.
Synthetic leathers, at times made from plastics, are often used in clothing and fabrics. Artificial leather is marketed under many brands, including "leatherette," "faux leather," "patent leather," "Naugahyde" and "pleather".
Plastic leather The term pleather ("plastic leather") is a slang term for synthetic leather made out of plastic. A portmanteau of plastic and leather, the term can be either descriptive or derogatory, depending upon the user. Pleather is often used as an inexpensive substitute for leather (the derogatory meaning implies use as a substitute for genuine animal hide to cut costs). Pleather, being made of plastic, will not decompose as quickly and is not green planet friendly.
Not all pleathers are the same. Polyurethane is washable, can be dry-cleaned and allows some air to flow through the garment. PVC pleather in contrast does not "breathe" and is difficult to clean. PVC cannot be dry-cleaned because the cleaning solvents can make the PVC unbearably stiff. Vegan Leather is an artificial alternative to traditional leather. It may be chosen for ethical reasons or as a designed material which may have different properties but a similar look to the natural material.
Poromeric Imitation Leather Sometimes referred to as poromerics, poromeric imitation leathers are a group of synthetic 'breathable' leather substitutes made from a plastic coating (usually a polyurethane) on a fibrous base layer (typically a polyester). The term poromeric was coined by DuPont as a derivative of the terms microporous and polymeric. The first poromeric material was DuPont's ill-fated Corfam introduced in 1963 at the Chicago Shoe Show. Newer poromerics include Clarino made by Kuraray Co. of Japan. Corfam was the centerpiece of the DuPont pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair in New York City. Its major advantages over natural leather were its durability and its high gloss finish that could be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. Its disadvantages were its stiffness which did not lessen with wearing and its relative lack of breathability. DuPont manufactured Corfam at its plant in Old Hickory, Tennessee, from 1964 to 1971. After spending millions of dollars marketing the product to shoe manufacturers, DuPont withdrew Corfam from the market in 1971 and sold the rights to a company in Poland. Corfam is mainly remembered as a textbook marketing disaster.
Corfam is still used today in some products, an example being certain types of equestrian saddle girth. Corfam shoes are still very popular in the military and other uniformed professions where shiny shoes are an asset.
Koskin is an artificial leather material commonly found in computer laptop cases. It is commonly used in Hewlett-Packard, Targus and Belkin laptop cases, CD wallets, and other consumer goods. It is made to look and feel like authentic leather. In Swedish, koskinn means cow's skin (ko means cow, skinn means skin), often causing much confusion for consumers.
Leatherette is a form of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. The fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer. Leatherette bound books and 20th century cameras are good examples of leatherette. Leatherette clothing of various kinds (including lingeries) also exist. A disadvantage of plastic "leatherette" is that it is not porous and does not allow air to pass through it, thus sweat can accumulate if it is used for clothing, car seat coverings, etc. However, one of its primary advantages, especially in cars, is that it requires little maintenance in comparison to leather and does not crack or fade as easily. During a fire, leatherette may cause additional serious skin damage because it not only burns more vigorously than leather, but can also melt.
There are many other materials that can be used as leather alternatives. Some of these materials are: Vegetan — a shop-owned trade name for one grade of microfibre Lorica — a wide range of Japanese microfibres including gloss-faced ones, dyed and softened in Italy. A type of artificial leather promoted by Sidi, an Italian bicycle shoe maker. Birko-Flor — this proprietary material of Birkenstock is made of acrylic and polyamide felt fibres; a variation is made to replicate patent leather Birkibuc — another proprietary material of Birkenstock, made of the same materials, but designed to replicate the look and feel of nubuck leather Vinyl also known as PVC Kydex — an acrylic-PVC alloy produced by Kleerdex Cork Leather — made from the bark of Cork Oak trees Ocean Leather — a little known versatile leather made from kelp,
Many mass production manufacturers have veneered and engineered cored all of the premium lengths of lumber using inferior materials to keep profits up. Always keep in mind that if it is a veneer or "engineered" it usually means that they are using less material and trying to make it seem like more. You should always keep in mind every manufacturer fully understands the quality and life expectancy of their products. The expected result is usually reflected in their limited warrantee. This built in obsolesce is intended and most warrantees are written in the hopes they will never be read or fully understood until after expiration.
Many companies make this statement: using a exotic sounding names along with mahogany, oak, walnut, teak, rose wood etc. to name a few woods used to manufacture our premier selection of solid wood furniture or doors etc. What they really mean is blocks of wood spaced inside and glued together by machine to make a long board, particle board or a exotic wood thin veneered surface over particle board.
This cheap cost of product production is not only arrived at because of cheap labor it also is the result of total disregard for the quality of materials with little or no guide lines for safety or cleanliness as well as the ecology of our planet. Not to mention the sub-standard human working conditions in these third world unregulated labor nations.
Also it means bug infestation certificates are necessary, however getting these certificates are almost never in-forced. The result these imported woods, particle boards, and frames are infected with bug infestation as stated on this government web site.
Marrakesh Tannery Worker Removing Fat By Hand (processing your imported leather)
To work in a tannery in Marrakech is to work under some of the harshest working conditions there are. Not only are the workers exposed to the blazing sun, but they are soaked in blood, animal bodily fluids and parts, pigeon poo, and get paid some of the lowest wages on the planet. This is one of hundreds of tanneries that work the same around the world.
The ancient Moroccan tannery tradition. Legend has it that the tanners are descended from demons who lived under a black king. As they didn't obey his rules, they were condemned to work in the tanneries.
Marrakesh Tannery Pits (processing your imported leather)
Hundreds of concrete vats are used to process animal skins which are bought locally in the souks. The skins (mainly sheep, cow, goat and camel are sometimes used - lions are no longer used as they were hunted to extinction in the region around 1900) are treated far differently to the way leather is treated in America as the process clings to its ancient traditions.
Hair and flesh are removed by soaking the skins in quicklime (Calcium Oxide formed when limestone - calcium carbonate - decomposes) and water. After this, the skins are placed in a vat of water and blood, then separated and rung out, before being coloured using a few natural products: Pomegranate for yellow, olive oil for shininess, bark for various colours, presumably brown, saffron for golden yellow, Henna for red/orange, poppy for many other colours including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and blue.
The skins are stretched out and left to dry for over 20 days in little piles that look rancid. Pigeon poo is used to soften the leather. Pigeon poo has actually been reported to be quite dangerous, with people almost dying after ingesting it. The poo adds to the smell of the pits.
If you want to be a tanner, you need to be born into it, and only men are allowed. Many suffer from arthritis and are forced into an early retirement. And it has been reported that in Bangladesh, half a million people are at risk of serious health issues due to their tanneries emitting toxic chemicals such as sulphuric acid in to the rivers.
The Finished Product Tanned Hides Look Like This
Even In 1866 Americans run a clean leather processing operation - here are some photos to compare to todays foreign leather tanners.
It was in 1866 when Maurice M. Schultz erected the Wilcox Tanning Company in Wilcox between the West Branch of the Clarion River and railroad.
The tannery is said to have employed up to 300 men an additional 400 men to peel bark from the hemlock. As part of the tanning process hemlock bark was required in great quantities. The bark contains valuable chemicals, such as tannin, used to tan the hides. The plant had 13 boilers powered by gas wells located at the site. 732 vats, seven (7) feet wide, nine (9) feet long and five and a half (5 1/2) feet deep were encompassed within the facility, making it the largest leather tanning facility in the world.
The first stage is the preparation for tanning. The second stage is the actual tanning and other chemical treatment. The third stage, known as retanning, applies retanning agents and dyes to the material to provide the physical strength and properties desired depending on the end product. The fourth and final stage, known as finishing, is used to apply finishing material to the surface or finish the surface without the application of any chemicals if so desired.
Preparing hides begins by curing them with salt. Curing is employed to prevent putrifaction of the protein substance (collagen) from bacterial infection during the time lag that might occur from procuring the hide to when it is processed. Curing removes excess water from the hides and skins using a difference in osmotic pressure. The moisture content of hides and skins get greatly reduced. In wet-salting, the hides are heavily salted, then pressed into packs for about 30 days. In brine-curing the hides are agitated in a salt water bath for about 16 hours. Generally speaking, methods employed for curing greatly make the chance of bacterial growth unfavorable. Curing can also be done by preserving the hides and skins at a very low temperature.
The hides are then soaked in clean water to remove the salt and mainly to bring back the moisture content to a desirable level so that the hide or skin can be treated with chemicals in an aqueous medium. This process is known as "soaking" and sometimes a hydrating agent is also employed along with water in a very low percentage for hides and skins which have become very dry.
Liming process of hides and skins
After soaking, the soaked hides and skins are taken for the next operation where these are treated with milk of lime with or without the addition of sharpening agents like sulfide, cyanides, amines etc. The objective of this operation are mainly to:
Remove the hairs, nails and other keratinous matters
Remove some of the interfibrillary soluble proteins like mucins
Swell up and split up the fibers to the desired extent
Remove the natural grease and fats to some extent
Bring the collagen to a proper condition for satisfactory tannage
The weakening of hair is dependent on the breakdown of the disulfide link of the amino acid called cystine, which is the characteristic of the keratin class of protein like hair and wools. The hydrogen atoms supplied by the sharpening agent reduce the cystine molecule to cystine and the covalent links are ruptured.
The isoelectric point of the collagen is also shifted to around 4.7, due to liming which is more towards an acidic tannage. Unhairing agents used during liming are: sodium sulfide, sodium hydroxide, sodium dithionite, Arsenic sulfide, calcium hydrosulfide
The majority of hair is then removed using a machine, with remaining hair being removed by hand using a dull knife, a process known as scudding. Depending on the end use of the leather, hides may be treated with enzymes to soften them in a process called "bating." But before bating, the pH of the collagen is brought down to a lower level so that enzymes might act on it. This process is known as "deliming." Once bating is complete, the hides and skins are treated with a mixture of common salt and Sulphuric acid in case a mineral tanning is to be done. This is done to bring down the pH of collagen to a very low level so as to facilitate the penetration of mineral tanning agent into the substance.
This process is known as "Pickling." The common salt penetrates the substance twice as fast as the acid and checks the ill effect of sudden drop of pH.
Tanning can be performed with either vegetable or mineral methods. Before tanning, the skins are unhaired, degreased, desalted and soaked in water over a period of 6 hours to 2 days. To prevent damage of the skin by bacterial growth during the soaking period, biocides, such as pentachlorophenol, are used.
Two men pressing the leather near the end of the tanning process in an American tannery.
Vegetable tanning uses tannin (this is where the name tanning comes from). Tannin occurs naturally in bark. The primary barks used in modern times are chestnut, oak, tanoak, hemlock, quebracho, mangrove, wattle and myrobalan. Hides are stretched on frames and immersed for several weeks in vats of increasing concentrations of tannin. Vegetable tanned hide is flexible and is used for luggage and furniture.
Mineral tanning usually uses chromium in the form of basic chromium sulfate. It is employed after picking. Once the desired level of penetration of chrome into the substance is achieved,the pH of the material is raised again to facilitate the process. This is known as "basification". In the raw state chrome tanned skins are blue and therefore referred to as "wet blue."
Chrome tanning is faster than vegetable tanning (less than a day for this part of the process) and produces a stretchable leather which is excellent for use in handbags and garments. (Encarta, 2003) Depending on the finish desired, the hide may be waxed, rolled, lubricated, injected with oil, split, shaved and, of course, dyed. Suedes, nubucks etc. are finished by raising the nap of the leather by rolling with a rough surface.
Modern Day American Tanner Dying
This Is The Facts And The Photos Tell The Untold Story Behind Gloss And Glimmer Of Foreign Made Leather Products In American Showrooms Everywere.
When you purchase investment quality furnishings, doors, gates, cabinets, lighting and hardware they will appreciate and keep up with inflation or exceed most other investments. For this reason, becoming wealthy has very little to do with a higher education or having a lot of extra money. It is truly making wise decisions and a state of mind that allows for you to pay once for a good value and continue to grow wealth while enjoying living in your investment. Not to mention this type of investing has many other benefits, such as priceless family heirlooms that have meaning and the ability to pass on your legacy to future generations.
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Our Price Guarantee: Why you may purchase hand made custom at production prices.
Scottsdale Art Factory carries on the American Arts And Crafts Movement of the 21st century, in the same way William Morris and John Ruskin (founders of the Arts and Crafts furniture movement in circa 1800 England) inspired Gustave Stickley (founder of the American Arts and Crafts movement) in America circa 1900. Frank Loyd Wright, Charles and Henry Greene (inspired architects of the ultimate cottages such as the Gamble House in Pasadena California) are credited with raising quality standard to its highest level in their day. All of these great master craftsman also inspired the Marabella Brothers in the early 20th Century (founders of SAF circa 1913).
Every creative enterprise is always built on a foundation that was laid down by its predecessors. Creative people are also dependent on the groundwork laid down by those who came before them. H. J. Nick, artist and direct descendant of the Marbella brothers, and Scottsdale Art Factory have built on these foundations and have raised the bar of quality even higher. Thus setting a new standard and offering the finest one of a kind handmade furnishings found anywhere in the world in the 21st century.
Our Heritage: Marabella brothers come to America.
See Our Blog More about the history of Scottsdale Art Factory and the American furniture movement of the 21st century.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Things You Should Know About Wood Furniture Before You Choose
Things You Should Know About Wood Furniture Before You Choose
"BY HAMMER AND HAND DO ALL THINGS STAND"
H. J. Nick And Scottsdale Art Factory LLC believe in fully educating our dealer representatives, potential customers and future master craftsman in the creative process. We also believe in full transparency and providing the correct information or sources that allows the facts about how each product is made to be evaluated with out bias or sales hype.
"In The Sharing Of Knowledge And Experience We Advance The Arts And Enrich Mankind's High Cultural Environment", H. J. Nick
We provide this information derived from hundreds of years of collective knowledge of the facts as the experts of the worlds major universities, master craftsman and our own extensive experience conclude about wood working and joinery in relation to the creation of investment quality furniture, doors, Etc.
Much of this information is derived by the study of wood working and master crafting processes from the historical records all around tfv he world0. We have developed relationships with some of the worlds leading architectural universities professors, students and best known experts in the study of lost arts and crafts of all types and cultures. These relationships have been nurtured in the hope of continuing our family tradition of promoting and teaching future master craftsman who will carry on the American Arts and Crafts Movement into the 21st century and beyond.
We Offer Our Facility To Advance Go Green Technology And Advancement Of The Arts To Contributors
We offer use of our facility and the sharing of the experience of our master craftsman in return for these contributions when available.Thus allowing for hands on experience training in the lost arts. We also allow use of our facility for project development in related fields under any accredited school program. Products produced in these programs are sold and proceeds are used to fund the advancement of these programs with no weight to profit.
We also offer the use of our facility for the advancement of environmental energy saving designs in connection with government funded Go Green development. These energy saving designs must be associated with our natural material, building projects such as doors/windows etc. without effecting the artistic value. This is a not for profit program provided by SAF LLC in hope of advancing new technology in conjunction with arts and crafts as it relates to our contribution to the world of fine art craftsmanship.
We Invite Corrections And Additions
We invite corrections and additions to all of this information from qualified professionals, scholars and students from all architectural universities and related studies around the world. We strive to acquire all correct knowledge available related to this subject matter.
Through Fine Arts And Master Craftsmanship All Our Lives Are Elevated To A Higher Level
We believe through the arts all the lives we touch are elevated to a higher level. Through creating these beautiful hand crafted furnishings we can help you create your dream environment as well as make it possible to pass to your heirs cherished family heirlooms and a little immortality. We believe all of our customers are intellectually sophisticated and understand the real value of creating and appreciating these family heirlooms.
Many Of Histories Finest Designs Have Been Copied By Modern Production Manufacturers
Navigating Through The Fake And Faux Can Be A Daunting Task In Todays Market Place
We understand how difficult it is in todays market place to determine the genuine article from the fake or faux. For this reason we believe when presented with the true facts of how each product is made and the materials it is manufactured from, our customers have the ability to make informed decisions. Decisions that are best for them and their financial investment based upon these facts. When you purchase a quality hand built family heirloom future antiquity, you are investing not wasting your money on a fake future yard sale item.
How It's Made - The Materials Used Determine A Future Investment Or Yard Sale Item
We believe you will also conclude from this information as we have experienced over our many years, only by using the best natural materials and master handcrafting, can you achieve the creation of a family heirloom investment quality furnishing or door. The use of true solid timber, genuine stones, top grain leathers, fine fabrics, and solid wrought iron in the hands of master craftsmen will never be replaced with modern methods of mass production.
Natural Materials & Master Craftsmanship Cannot Be Replaced By Mass Production Methods
"We Still Hand Build To Investment Quality Like They Used To"
The Joinery, Material And Craftsmanship Determine Quality
Although Many Doors Appear To Be Quality, Don't Be Fooled By Pretty Door Photos,
These Are Not Solid Wood Doors
These Are Veneered Particle Board, Engineered Core Doors.
They are being passed off by many American as well as foreign manufacturers as solid wood doors.
Note: Warp-Resistant Engineered Core usually translates into; "How can we use paste board and veneered materials and make them sound better than the tried and tested solid wood doors?"
Just another way of trying to make a negative into a positive sales tool. There is no substitution for hand hewn, pegged and doweled solid full length timber construction, which is built to stand the test of time.
Many manufacturers have veneered the surface and cored the center all of the premium long lengths of lumber just to keep the cost of materials down and the profits up. Always keep in mind that if it is a veneer or "engineered" it usually means that they are using less quality materials while trying to make it appear and sound better. The expected result is usually reflected in the limited warrantee and is never positive.
This Laminated Method Of Exterior Door Building Will Never Stand The Test of Time
Laminated Always Means - "Until The Glue Gives Up"
We Never Veneer or Laminate - Only Full Length Solid Timber Air Dried Is Used
Lets Examine Imported Mahogany Doors And Furniture
The Doors Shown Below are Scarf Joined Solid Mahogany Doors, Meaning Made Of Small Lengths Of Scrap Mahogany
For Example: Many companies make this statement: Honduran or Brazilian Mahogany wood is used to manufacture our premier selection of "Solid Entry Doors Or Furniture".
Legally These Resellers Are Not Telling A "Lie"
Simply Omitting Some Important Negative Facts. These doors are made up of scarf joints
and splice joints and glue in order to use scrap materials to make long lumber. The joints are then sanded filled and finished to hide the joints. Sometimes shorter sections of wood inside the door are used to make a frame, and then particle board and a thin mahogany veneered surface is added by a laminating machine. 
The plain scarf is not preferred when strength is required, so it is often used in decorative situations, such as the application of trim or moulding. The use of modern high-strength adhesives can greatly increase the structural performance of a plain scarf. However when used in exterior products such as doors this method is never used by top quality door builders. The scarf is a method of using scrap pieces of wood to make long lumber. The end results are never positive.
Many Manufacturers Use Scarf Joints And Splice joints In Order To Use Exotic Scrap Materials
Scarf joints and splice joints are used when longer premium lumber is not available or scrap is being used.
tand
The Doors Shown Below Are Created by Gluing Together Scrap Pieces Of Mahogany Using a Method Known As Scarf Joinery, Combined With CNC Machine Carving And A Hollow Tube Cold Bent Metal Faux Painted Grill.
Scarfed Joined, And Veneer Always Means Temporary Or Until The Glues Gives Out
The scarf joint in woodworking, there are two distinctly different categories of scarf, based on whether the joint has interlocking faces or not. A plain scarf is simply two flat planes meeting on an angle relative to the axis of the stock being joined, and depends entirely on adhesive and/or mechanical fastening (screws, bolts, etc.) for all strength. Structured scarf joint includes hooked, keyed, and nibbed scarfs and are some of the many example of interlocking scarfs, offering varying degrees of tensile and compressive strength, though most still depend on mechanical fastening to keep the joint closed.
Splice Joint
A splice joint is a method of joining two members end to end in woodworking. The splice joint is used when the material being joined is not available in the length required. It is an alternative to other joints such as the butt joint and the scarf joint. Splice joints are stronger than unreinforced butt joints and have the potential to be stronger than a scarf joint. They are more visible than a scarf joint but may be preferred when more strength is required.
Splices are therefore most often used when structural elements are required in longer lengths than the available material. The most common form of the splice joint is the half lap splice, which is common in building construction, where it is used to join shorter lengths of timber into longer beams. The splice joint should never be used in quality furniture or door building.
Many Unscrupulous Manufacturers Offer Furniture And Doors Made By This Method
The Result Is Never Positive
There Are Many More Government Reports On Foreign Imports
Customer Mahogany Door Complaints Important details that you should know before you purchase wood imports
Illegal logging and associated trade and criminal activities supported by U.S. demand effecting planets environment Important details that you should know before you purchase wood imports.
Source info: EIA US Office P.O. Box 53343 Washington, DC 20009 United States of America info@eia-global.org Tel +1 202 483 6621 Fax +1 202 986 8626 www.eia-global.org
Also using this illegal foreign wood it could also mean bug infestation certificates of origin as well as de-infestation and are required on all imported woods due to the likely hood of bug infestation such as bed bugs. Click this link below for wood imports- Florida Entomologist report.
University of Florida, IFAS, Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center 3205 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 Bug Infestation Information Facts: Important details that you should know before you purchase wood imports- Florida Entomologist 89(1) Report
More Bug Infestation Information Facts: Important details that you should know before you purchase wood imports
All Scottsdale Door Factory Doors Are Solid Full Length American Grown Timber
(not scarf joined or paste board and veneer) and hand built in America by master craftsmen to stand the test of time.Guaranteed "Forever" No questions asked, Backed by over nine decades of fine American craftsmanship.
Door Terminology
in simple terms that everyone can understand. These diagrams are aids so that you may educate yourself and your client on door terminology. Many furniture and cabinet terms are also similar 
History Of Joinery And Terminology
Mortise And Tenon Joints, Simple And Strong
Mortise and tenon, simple and strong- The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, usually when the pieces are at an angle close to 90°. Although there are many variations on the theme, the basic idea is that the end of one of the members is inserted into a hole cut in the other member. The end of the first member is called the tenon, and it is usually narrowed with respect to the rest of the piece. The hole in the second member is called the mortise. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place. This joint is also used with other materials and, for example, is a traditional method for Stonemasons and Blacksmiths.
A mortise is a cavity cut into a timber to receive a tenon. There are several kinds of mortises.
Open mortise - A mortise that has only three sides. (See Bridle joint).
Stub mortise or "suicide" joint - A shallow mortise, depth depends on the size of the timber; also a mortise that does not go through the work-piece (as opposed to a "through mortise"). the back is wider, or taller, than the front, or opening. The space for the wedge initially allows room for the tenon to be inserted, the presence of the wedge, after the tenon has been engaged, prevents its withdrawal. Sometimes called a "suicide" joint - since it is strictly a "one way trip".
Through wedged half-dovetail - A wedged half-dovetail mortise that passes entirely through the piece.
A tenon is a projection on the end of a timber for insertion into a mortise. Usually the tenon is taller than it is wide. There are several kinds of tenons.
Stub tenon - A short tenon; depth depends on the size of the timber; also a tenon that is shorter than the width of the mortised piece so the tenon does not show (as opposed to a "through tenon").
Tusk tenon - A kind of mortise and tenon joint that uses a wedge-shaped key to hold the joint together.
Through tenon - A tenon that passes entirely through the piece of wood it is inserted into, being clearly visible on the back side.
Teasel tenon - A term used for the tenon on top of a jowled or gunstock post, which is typically received by the mortise in the underside of a tie beam. A common element of the English tying joint.
Top tenon - The tenon that occurs on top of a post.
Feather tenon - A round-shouldered machined fillet or feather which is glued into a machine (router) made slot or mortise on each side of the joint.
Generally the size of the mortise and tenon is related to the thickness of the timbers. It is considered good practice to proportion the tenon as 1/3rd the thickness of the rail, or as close to this as is practical. The haunch, the cut away part of a sash corner joint that prevents the tenon coming loose, is one third the length of the tenon and one sixth of the width of the tenon in its depth. The remaining two-thirds of the rail, the tenon shoulders help to counteract lateral forces that might tweak the tenon from the mortise, contributing to its strength. These also serve to hide imperfections in the opening of the mortise.
Mortis And tenon is an ancient joint and has been found joining the wooden planks of the "Khufu ship", a 43.6 m long vessel sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex of the Fourth Dynasty around 2,500 BC. It has also been found in archeological sites in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. The 30 sarsen stones of Stonehenge were dressed and fashioned with mortise and tenon joints before they were erected between 2600 and 2400 B.C.
Finger Joint - Box Joint - Comb Joint
The finger joint - (Also known as "box joint" or "comb joint") is made by cutting a set of complementary rectangular cuts in two pieces of wood, which are then glued. To visualize a finger joint simply interlock the fingers of your hands at a ninety degree angle; hence the name "finger joint." It is stronger than a butt or lap joint, and often forms part of the overall look of the piece.
The history of the finger joint is believed to have begun with wooden produce boxes or crates in the days before modern, man-made materials. Finger joints were originally cut by hand with saws and sharp chisels. In modern times they are easily and quickly made with a table saw or router and a jig or fixture, which can be shop-made or purchased from a specialty woodworking supply store. A finger joint jig typically consists of a moving fence with an indexing pin that is used to evenly space out the cuts. The fence is moved over a cutting blade making a cut that is then moved over the indexing pin so the next cut can be made.
The strength of a finger joint comes from the long-grain to long-grain contact between the fingers, which provides a solid gluing surface. The number of contact points also allows for more gluing surface as opposed to a butt joint or a rabbet joint.
The Dovetail Joint Pre Dates Written History As Shown On This Romanian Church
A dovetail joint or simply dovetail is a joint technique most commonly used in woodworking joinery. Noted for its resistance to being pulled apart (tensile strength), the dovetail joint is commonly used to join for example the sides of a drawer to the front. A series of pins cut to extend from the end of one board interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board. The pins and tails have a trapezoidal shape. Once glued, a wooden dovetail joint requires no mechanical fasteners.
The dovetail joint pre-dates written history. Some of the earliest known examples of the dovetail joint are in furniture entombed with mummies dating from First Dynasty of ancient Egypt, as well the tombs of Chinese emperors. The dovetail design is an important method of distinguishing various periods of furniture.
Dovetails can be cut by hand or by machines, often with an electric router and using one of a range of commercially available jigs or templates. Although it is technically a straight forward process, hand-cutting dovetails requires a high degree of accuracy to ensure a snug fit and so can be difficult to master. The pins and tails must fit together with no gap between them so that the joint interlocks tightly with no movement. Thus the cutting of dovetails by hand is regarded as a mark of skill on the part of the craftsperson.
It Takes A Master Craftsman To Hand Cut Perfect Joints
The angle of slope varies according to the wood used. Typically the slope is 1:6 for softwoods and a shallower 1:8 slope for hardwoods. Often a slope of 1:7 is used as a compromise - perhaps using a dovetail template for marking out.
When being cut by hand, there are two schools of thought as to whether the pins or the tails should be cut first. For pins first, the pins are laid out and cut by the chosen method, then the outline of the pins is transferred to the face of the tail board. For tails first, the tails are laid out and cut and then the outline is transferred to the end grain of the pin board. Each has advantages and it is a personal choice as to which is chosen.
Hand cut dovetails can often be distinguished from machine-cut dovetails by the width of the pins. It is possible to have pins that are almost triangular when cut by hand that are not possible when cut with a router, owing to the thickness of the router bit's shank. These narrow pins are known as London Pins.
A through dovetail joint (also known as plain dovetail) joint, where the end grain of both boards is visible when the joint is assembled. Through dovetails are common in carcass and box construction. Traditionally, the dovetails would have often be covered by a veneer. However, dovetails have become a signature of craftsmanship and are generally considered a feature, so they are rarely concealed in contemporary work.
A half-blind dovetail is used when the craftsman does not wish end grain to be visible from the front of the item. The tails are housed in sockets in the ends of the board that is to be the front of the item so that their ends cannot be seen. Half-blind dovetails are commonly used to fasten drawer fronts to drawer sides. This is an alternative to the practice of attaching false fronts to drawers constructed using through dovetails.
The sliding dovetail is a method of joining two boards at right angles, where the intersection occurs within the field of one of the boards, that is not at the end. This joint provides the interlocking strength of a dovetail. Sliding dovetails are assembled by sliding the tail into the socket. It is common to slightly taper the socket, making it slightly tighter towards the rear of the joint, so that the two components can be slid together easily but the joint becomes tighter as the finished position is reached.
The full-blind dovetail obscures the mechanics of the joint altogether. This variant is used in fine work when the craftsperson requires the strength of a dovetail but without the visual intrusion of the interlocking pins and tails. Two versions of this joint are the secret double-lapped dovetail and the full-blind mitered dovetail. The former presents a very thin section of end grain on one edge of the joint, whilst the latter does not. When used in drawer construction, a "full-blind dovetail" is known as a "French dovetail."
Some of these ancient joints and has been found joining the wooden planks of the "Khufu ship", a 43.6 m long vessel sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex of the Fourth Dynasty around 2,500 BC. It has also been found in archeological sites in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. In traditional Chinese architecture, wood components such as beams, brackets, roof frames and struts were made to interlock with perfect fit, without using fasteners or glues, enabling the wood to expand and contract according to humidity. Archaeological evidence from Chinese sites show that by the end of the Neolithic, mortise and tenon joinery was employed in Chinese construction. The 30 sarsen stones of Stonehenge were dressed and fashioned with mortise and tenon joints before they were erected between 2600 and 2400 B.C.
Butt Joint
A butt joint is a joinery technique in which two members are joined by simply butting them together. The butt joint is the simplest joint to make since it merely involves cutting the members to the appropriate length and butting them together. It is also the weakest because unless some form of reinforcement is used (see below) it relies upon glue alone to hold it together. Because the orientation of the members usually present only end grain to long grain gluing surface, the resulting joint is inherently weak.
Bridle Joint
A bridle joint is a woodworking joint, similar to a mortise and tenon, in that a tenon is cut on the end of one member and a mortise is cut into the other to accept it. The distinguishing feature is that the tenon and the mortise are cut to the full width of the tenon member.
The corner bridle joint (also known as a slot mortise and tenon) joins two members at their respective ends, forming a corner. This form of the joint is commonly used to house a rail in uprights, such as legs. It provides good strength in compression and is fairly resistant to racking, although a mechanical fastener or pin is often required. The bridle joint is very popular in workbench construction.
Butterfly Joint
A Butterfly joint is a type of joint used either to hold two or more wooden boards together or to keep two halves of a board that have already started to split from splitting further. They may also be used to stabilize the core of a knothole, preventing it from dropping out over time. A butterfly joint resembles two dovetails connected at the narrow part. A negative of the hole is cut out of the board the butterfly will be placed in and the butterfly is then fitted, keeping the joint together. The wood used for the butterfly is usually a contrasting wood, often walnut.
Coping Or Scribing Joint
Coping or scribing is the woodworking technique of shaping the end of a moulding or frame component to fit the contours of an abutting member. Most English speaking countries outside the US use the terms scribe and scribing. Coping is commonly used in the fitting of skirting and other moldings in a room. It allows for clean joints between intersecting members when walls are not square to each other. The other method of fitting these moldings that is commonly used is the mitre joint but this technique relies upon the walls being at 90° to each other for neat results.
Coping is only ever used for internal corners. External corners are always mitered. The main reason that scribed joints are used is that timber shrinks in width far more than it does in length. By using a scribed joint rather than an internal mitre joint the effect of shrinkage is minimized. Also it is possible to arrange the scribed joints pointing away from the most common viewpoint (usually the doorway of a room) and so present the best appearance.
A scribed joint (right end of sketch) is derived from an internal mitre cut (left end) by cutting along the inside face of the mitre cut at a right angle to the board, typically with a coping saw.
Coping is also commonly used in cabinet making for moldings and frame components. The rails in frame and panel construction are commonly cope cut to fit the profile of the stiles. The technique is also common in the construction of doors and windows.
Rail And Stile
Frame and panel construction (also called "rail and stile") is a woodworking technique often used in the making of doors, wainscoting, and other decorative features for cabinets, furniture, and homes. The basic idea is to capture a 'floating' panel within a sturdy frame, as opposed to techniques like slab drawer fronts which are simply single pieces of material with exposed end-grains. Usually, the panel is not glued to the frame - it is left to 'float' within it so that seasonal movement of the wood comprising the panel does not distort the frame.
Frame and panel construction at its most basic consists of five members: The panel and the four members which make up the frame. The vertical members of the frame are called stiles while the horizontal members are known as rails. A basic frame and panel item consists of a top rail, a bottom rail, two stiles, and a panel. This is a common method of constructing cabinet doors and these are often referred to as a five piece door.
In larger panels it is common to divide the panel into one or more sections. To house the extra panels, dividing pieces known as mid rails and mid stiles or muntins are added to the frame.
Pocket-Hole Joinery, Pocket-Screw Joinery, or Kreg Joinery involves drilling a hole at an angle into one work-piece, and then joining it to a second work-piece with a self-tapping screw. The technique, in addition to doweling, has its roots in ancient Egypt. Egyptians clamped two work-pieces together and bored a hole at an angle from the outside work-piece into the second work-piece. They then inserted a dowel with glue, and cut it off flush with the outermost surface.
A rabbet (also known as rebate) is a recess or groove cut into the edge of a piece of machinable material, usually wood. When viewed in cross-section, a rabbet is two-sided and open to the edge or end of the surface into which it is cut. The spelling rabbet is probably a derivation of rebate, the latter being more common outside of North America. An example of the use of a rabbet is in a glazing bar where it makes provision for the insertion of the pane of glass and putty. It may also accommodate the edge of the back panel of a cabinet. It is also used in door and casement window jambs.
Tongue and groove joint A strong joint, the tongue and groove joint is widely used for re-entrant angles. The effect of wood shrinkage is concealed when the joint is beaded or otherwise moulded. In expensive cabinet work, glued dovetail and multiple tongue and groove are used. Tongue and groove or T&G is a method of fitting similar objects together, edge to edge, used mainly with wood: flooring, parquetry, panelling, and similar constructions. Tongue and groove joints allow two flat pieces to be joined strongly together to make a single flat surface. Before plywood became common, tongue and groove boards were also used for sheathing buildings and to construct concrete formwork.
Solid parquet boards with tongues on the right sides of the boards and grooves on the left sides. Grooves are also visible on the near ends; the far ends are tongued.
Each piece has a slot (the groove) cut all along one edge, and a thin, deep ridge (the tongue) on the opposite edge. The tongue projects a little less than the groove is deep. Two or more pieces thus fit together closely. The joint is not normally glued, as shrinkage would then pull the tongue off. For many uses, tongue and groove boards have been rendered obsolete by the introduction of plywood and later composite wood boards, but the method is still used in good-quality flooring. Plywood may also be tongued all round to fit it flush into a framed structure, and plywood for sub-floors used in platform framing is often supplied with tongue and groove edges.When joining thicker materials, several tongue and groove joints may be used one above the other.
A dado (US and Canada), housing (UK) or trench (Europe) is a slot or trench cut into the surface of a piece of machinable material, usually wood. When viewed in cross-section, a dado has three sides. A dado is cut across, or perpendicular to, the grain and is thus differentiated from a groove which is cut with, or parallel to, the grain. A dado may be through, meaning that it passes all the way through the surface and its ends are open, or stopped, meaning that one or both of the ends finish before the dado meets the edge of the surface.
Dougong Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng
Dougong (simplified Chinese: 斗拱; traditional Chinese: 斗拱; pinyin: dǒugǒng) is a unique structural element of interlocking wooden brackets, one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian and Singaporian architecture. The use of dougong first appeared in buildings of the late centuries BC and evolved into a structural network that joined pillars and columns to the frame of the roof.
Diagram of bracket and cantilever arms from the building manual Yingzao Fashi (published in 1103) of the Song Dynasty.
Dougong was widely used in the ancient Chinese during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC) and developed into a complex set of interlocking parts by its peak in the Tang and Song periods. The pieces are fit together by joinery alone without glue or fasteners, due to the precision and quality of the carpentry. After the Song Dynasty, brackets and bracket sets became more ornamental than structural when used in palatial structures and important religious buildings, no longer the traditional dougong.
Dougong inside the East Hall timber hall of Foguang Temple, built in 857 during the Tang Dynasty
Lost Art ? - We Can Provide The Replacement Parts Made In The Same Hand
In traditional Chinese architecture, wood components such as beams, brackets, roof frames and struts were made to interlock with perfect fit, without using fasteners or glues, enabling the wood to expand and contract according to humidity. Archaeological evidence from Chinese sites show that by the end of the Neolithic, mortise and tenon joinery was employed in Chinese construction.
These Joints Have Been Proven For Thousands Of Years
Understanding True Quality Makes All The Difference
When you purchase investment quality furnishings, doors, gates, cabinets, lighting and hardware they will appreciate and keep up with inflation or exceed most other investments. For this reason, becoming wealthy has very little to do with a higher education or having a lot of extra money. It is truly making wise decisions and a state of mind that allows for you to pay once for a good value and continue to grow wealth while enjoying living in your investment. Not to mention this type of investing has many other benefits, such as priceless family heirlooms that have meaning and the ability to pass on your legacy to future generations.
Over Ninety Five Percent Of Furnishings Offered In America Today,
" No Matter The Brand Name"
Are Foreign Made For Profit Only
The "Brand Name" Rip Off Of The American Consumer
Why Would Any One Pay 300% - 800% Mark Up For A Cheap Inferior Third World Made Furnishing? - When You Can Purchase Top American Made Quality For Less
It's A Simple Fact
When You Purchase A Third World Product You Are Working Against The American Economy.
You are thus working against yourself and your future employment or the employment of the customers your business depends upon. In addition, your choice works against employing American workers making quality American products as well as allowing these old brand name American profiteers to take advantage of the American consumer using these slight of hand tactics.
This Is Not Sour Grapes - And We Challenge Any Expert To Demonstrate Different
It is the facts of the furniture and door industry as a whole for past eight to ten years as we are living it. Simply turn on any news channel and see the results in action.
In Nine Decades Scottsdale Art Factory Has Never Changed Its Policy of "Made In America By American Workers Using American Made Materials".
We Will Never Sell Our Corporate Soul," Family Name" For A Fast Buck, And We Make No Apologies For Being Proud Flag Waving American Manufacturers.
Conclusion: If your client is in the market for the best quality hand made in America solid wood doors or furniture or hand forged ornamental iron cabinet knobs, entrance door handles, entrance gates, iron fencing, iron furniture, hand forged lighting etc. commercial or residential
Scottsdale Art Factory Is The Right Choice.
Understanding Leather Furniture
H. J. Nick And Scottsdale Art Factory LLC believe in fully educating our dealer representatives, potential customers and future master craftsman in the creative process. We also believe in full transparency and providing the correct information or sources that allows the facts about how each product is made to be evaluated with out bias or sales hype.
"In The Sharing Of Knowledge And Experience We Advance The Arts And Enrich Mankind's High Cultural Environment", H. J. Nick
Ezekiel, from Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling; in an old joke, "very high culture". High culture is a term, now used in a number of different ways in academic discourse, whose most common meaning is the set of cultural products, mainly in the arts, artifacts and heirlooms held in the highest esteem by a culture or society.
We provide this information derived from hundreds of years of collective knowledge of the facts as the experts of the worlds major universities, master craftsman and our own extensive experience conclude about wood working and joinery in relation to the creation of investment quality furniture, doors, Etc.
Much of this information is derived by the study of wood working and master crafting processes from the historical records all around tfv he world0. We have developed relationships with some of the worlds leading architectural universities professors, students and best known experts in the study of lost arts and crafts of all types and cultures. These relationships have been nurtured in the hope of continuing our family tradition of promoting and teaching future master craftsman who will carry on the American Arts and Crafts Movement into the 21st century and beyond.
We Offer Our Facility To Advance Go Green Technology And Advancement Of The Arts To Contributors
We offer use of our facility and the sharing of the experience of our master craftsman in return for these contributions when available.Thus allowing for hands on experience training in the lost arts. We also allow use of our facility for project development in related fields under any accredited school program. Products produced in these programs are sold and proceeds are used to fund the advancement of these programs with no weight to profit.
We also offer the use of our facility for the advancement of environmental energy saving designs in connection with government funded Go Green development. These energy saving designs must be associated with our natural material, building projects such as doors/windows etc. without effecting the artistic value. This is a not for profit program provided by SAF LLC in hope of advancing new technology in conjunction with arts and crafts as it relates to our contribution to the world of fine art craftsmanship.
We Invite Corrections And Additions
We invite corrections and additions to all of this information from qualified professionals, scholars and students from all architectural universities and related studies around the world. We strive to acquire all correct knowledge available related to this subject matter.
Through Fine Arts And Master Craftsmanship All Our Lives Are Elevated To A Higher Level
We believe through the arts all the lives we touch are elevated to a higher level. Through creating these beautiful hand crafted furnishings we can help you create your dream environment as well as make it possible to pass to your heirs cherished family heirlooms and a little immortality. We believe all of our customers are intellectually sophisticated and understand the real value of creating and appreciating these family heirlooms.
Many Of Histories Finest Designs Have Been Copied By Modern Production Manufacturers
Navigating Through The Fake And Faux Can Be A Daunting Task In Todays Market Place
We understand how difficult it is in todays market place to determine the genuine article from the fake or faux. For this reason we believe when presented with the true facts of how each product is made and the materials it is manufactured from, our customers have the ability to make informed decisions. Decisions that are best for them and their financial investment based upon these facts. When you purchase a quality hand built family heirloom future antiquity, you are investing not wasting your money on a fake future yard sale item.
How It's Made - The Materials Used Determine A Future Investment Or Yard Sale Item
We believe you will also conclude from this information as we have experienced over our many years, only by using the best natural materials and master handcrafting, can you achieve the creation of a family heirloom investment quality furnishing or door. The use of true solid timber, genuine stones, top grain leathers, fine fabrics, and solid wrought iron in the hands of master craftsmen will never be replaced with modern methods of mass production.
Natural Materials & Master Craftsmanship Cannot Be Replaced By Mass Production Methods
"We Still Hand Build To Investment Quality Like They Used To"
The Joinery, Material And Craftsmanship Determine Quality
Understanding Leather.
Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattle-hide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable, long-lasting and versatile natural material for various uses. Together with wood, leather formed the basis of much ancient technology. The leather industry and the fur industry are distinct industries that are differentiated by the importance of their raw materials. In the leather industry the raw materials are by-products of the meat industry, with the meat having higher value than the skin.
There are a number of processes whereby the skin of an animal can be formed into a supple, strong material commonly called leather.
Vegetable-tanned leather is tanned using tannin and other ingredients found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. It is supple and brown in color, with the exact shade depending on the mix of chemicals and the color of the skin. It is the only form of leather suitable for use in leather carving or stamping. Vegetable-tanned leather is not stable in water; it tends to discolor, and if left to soak and then dry it will shrink and become less supple and harder. In hot water, it will shrink drastically and partly gelatinize, becoming rigid and eventually brittle. Boiled leather is an example of this where the leather has been hardened by being immersed in hot water, or in boiled wax or similar substances. Historically, it was occasionally used as armor after hardening, and it has also been used for book binding.
Chrome-tanned leather, invented in 1858, is tanned using chromium sulfate and other salts of chromium. It is more supple and pliable than vegetable-tanned leather, and does not discolor or lose shape as drastically in water as vegetable-tanned. It is also known as wet-blue for its color derived from the chromium. More esoteric colors are possible using chrome tanning.
Aldehyde-tanned leather is tanned using glutaraldehyde or oxazolidine compounds. This is the leather that most tanners refer to as wet-white leather due to its pale cream or white color. It is the main type of "chrome-free" leather, often seen in shoes for infants, and automobiles. Formaldehyde tanning (being phased out due to its danger to workers and the sensitivity of many people to formaldehyde) is another method of aldehyde tanning.
Brain-tanned leathers fall into this category and are exceptionally water absorbent. Brain tanned leathers are made by a labor-intensive process which uses emulsified oils, often those of animal brains. They are known for their exceptional softness and their ability to be washed. Chamois leather also falls into the category of aldehyde tanning and like brain tanning produces a highly water absorbent leather. Chamois leather is made by using oils (traditionally cod oil) that oxidize easily to produce the aldehydes that tan the leather to make the fabric the color it is.
Synthetic-tanned leather is tanned using aromatic polymers such as the Novolac or Neradol types. This leather is white in color and was invented when vegetable tannins were in short supply, i.e. during the Second World War. Melamine and other amino-functional resins fall into this category as well and they provide the filling that modern leathers often require. Urea-formaldehyde resins were also used in this tanning method until dissatisfaction about the formation of free formaldehyde was realized.
Alum-tanned leather is tanned using aluminum salts mixed with a variety of binders and protein sources, such as flour, egg yolk, etc. Purists argue that alum-tanned leather is technically "tawed" and not tanned, as the resulting material will rot in water. Very light shades of leather are possible using this process, but the resulting material is not as supple as vegetable-tanned leather.
Rawhide is made by scraping the skin thin, soaking it in lime, and then stretching it while it dries. Like alum-tanning, rawhide is not technically "leather", but is usually lumped in with the other forms. Rawhide is stiffer and more brittle than other forms of leather, and is primarily found in uses such as drum heads where it does not need to flex significantly; it is also cut up into cords for use in lacing or stitching, or for making many varieties of dog chews.
Leather—usually vegetable-tanned leather—can be oiled to improve its water resistance. This supplements the natural oils remaining in the leather itself, which can be washed out through repeated exposure to water. Frequent oiling of leather, with mink oil, neatsfoot oil or a similar material, keeps it supple and improves its life-span dramatically.
Leather with the hair still attached is called hair-on.
In General, Leather Is Sold In Three Forms:
#1 The Best- Full-Grain Top-Grain Leather
Full-grain leather or top-grain refers to the upper section of a hide that previously contained the epidermis and hair. The hair and the epidermis have been removed from the hide/skin. Full-grain refers to hides that have not been sanded, buffed or snuffed (otherwise known as Corrected) in order to remove imperfections (or natural marks) on the surface of the hide, although is never perfect. The grain remains in its natural state which will allow the best fiber strength, resulting in greater durability.
The natural grain also has natural breathability, resulting in greater comfort for clothing. Rather than wearing out, it will develop a natural patina and change in its appearance over time with some cracking and splitting. The finest leather furniture and footwear are made from full-grain leather. For these reasons only the best raw hide are used in order to create full-grain or top-grain leather. Full grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: aniline and semi-aniline.
#2 Hides Of Inferior Quality - Corrected-Grain Leather
Corrected-grain leather is any top-grain leather that has had its surfaces sanded, buffed or snuffed in order to remove any imperfection on the surface due to insect bites, healed scars or brands. Top-grain leather is often wrongly referred to as corrected-grain. Although corrected-grain leather is made from top-grain, as soon as the surface is corrected in any way, the leather is no longer referred to as top-grain leather. The hides used to create corrected leather are hides of inferior quality that do not meet the high standards for use in creating aniline or semi-aniline leather. The imperfections are corrected and an artificial grain applied. Most corrected-grain leather is used to make pigmented leather as the solid pigment helps hide the corrections or imperfections. Corrected grain leathers can mainly be bought as two finish types: semi-aniline and pigmented.
#3 Lowest Quality - Split Leather Or AKA Polished Under Belly Sub-straight Hides
Split leather is leather created from the fibrous part of the hide left once the top-grain of the rawhide has been separated from the hide. During the splitting operation, the grain and drop split are separated. The drop split can be further split (thickness allowing) into a middle split and a flesh split. In very thick hides, the middle split can be separated into multiple layers until the thickness prevents further splitting. Split leather then has an artificial layer applied to the surface of the split and is embossed with a leather grain ( Bycast leather ).
Many Of Histories Finest Handmade Designs Have Been Copied By Modern Mass Production Manufacturers Using Cheap Third World Labor.
Most Production Sofas Found In Retail Stores "No Matter The Brand Name" Use Substandard Materials Such As Polished Under Belly Sub-straight Hides Or Faux Man Made Materials.
The Unconscionable Use Of Polished Under Belly Sub-straight Hides Or Faux Man Made Materials Are Being Passed Off As Quality Leather In The Name Of Big Profits.These big brand name American companies are using just enough sub standard leather to be able to call the material leather or a variety of leather sounding names. Most of the non touchable parts are faux materials such as Nagahide, Pleather ("plastic leather") slang term for synthetic leather, Vegan Leather, Leatherette, Kydex, Birkibuc, Lorica, or Ocean leather. This type of construction will never stand the test of time.
Split Leather Or AKA Polished Under Belly Sub-straight Hides
Splits are also used to create suede and re-polished leather. The strongest suedes are usually made from grain splits (that have the grain completely removed) or from the flesh split that has been shaved to the correct thickness. Suede is "fuzzy" on both sides. Manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make suede from full-grain. For example, in one operation, leather finish is applied to one side of the suede, which is then pressed through rollers; these flatten and even out one side of the material, giving it the smooth appearance of full-grain. Latigo is one of the trade names for this product. A reversed suede is a grained leather that has been designed into the leather article with the grain facing away from the visible surface. It is not a true form of suede or leather and will not wear well or last over time.
Most Production Sofas Will Break Down If Set In The Same Spot Over And Over most production sofas are built for appearance and only copy the worlds best designs using sub standard materials with little regard for structure, usually resulting in a swallow you up effect and a break down in cushion and frame structure if set in repeatedly in the same place. As the sofa breaks down you work harder to remove yourself. Not only is this type of sofa unattractive-and not a good investment it is uncomfortable. Properly built sofas will stand the test of time and deliver comfort every time as well as durability.
Our "Guarantee Is Forever" no questions asked ( backed by over nine decades of fine craftsmanship.
Our Guarantee Has No Fine Print We believe reading the fine print of any companies warrantee is the best way to compare and ascertain the true quality of any furniture purchase. Please read ours and compare.
Don't Be Fooled By Great Furniture Photos And Fancy Showrooms
All That Looks Like Leather May Not Be Leather At All
Understanding Artificial Leather Used As Upholstery Fabric.
Artificial leather is a fabric or finish intended to substitute for leather in fields such as upholstery, clothing and fabrics, and other uses where a leather-like finish is required but the actual material is cost-prohibitive or unsuitable. Under the name of artificial leather, (not to be confused with the more modern Pleather) or of American leather cloth, large quantities of a material having, more or less, a leather-like surface were once used, principally for upholstery purposes, such as the covering of chairs, lining the tops of writing desks and tables, and so on.
There was considerable diversity in the preparation of such materials. A common variety consists of a web of calico coated with boiled linseed oil mixed with dryers and lampblack or other pigment. Several coats of this mixture were uniformly spread, smoothed and compressed on the cotton surface by passing it between metal rollers, and when the surface was required to possess a glossy enamel-like appearance, it received a finishing coat of copal varnish. A grained morocco surface was given to the material by passing it between suitably embossed rollers.
Preparations of this kind have a close affinity to cloth waterproofed with rubber, and to such manufactures as ordinary waxcloth. An artificial leather which was patented and proposed for use as soles for boots, etc., was composed of powdered scraps and cuttings of leather mixed with solution of guttapercha dried and compressed. In place of the guttapercha solution, oxidized linseed oil or dissolved resin could be used as the binding medium for the leather powder.
Synthetic leathers, at times made from plastics, are often used in clothing and fabrics. Artificial leather is marketed under many brands, including "leatherette," "faux leather," "patent leather," "Naugahyde" and "pleather".
Plastic leather The term pleather ("plastic leather") is a slang term for synthetic leather made out of plastic. A portmanteau of plastic and leather, the term can be either descriptive or derogatory, depending upon the user. Pleather is often used as an inexpensive substitute for leather (the derogatory meaning implies use as a substitute for genuine animal hide to cut costs). Pleather, being made of plastic, will not decompose as quickly and is not green planet friendly.
Not all pleathers are the same. Polyurethane is washable, can be dry-cleaned and allows some air to flow through the garment. PVC pleather in contrast does not "breathe" and is difficult to clean. PVC cannot be dry-cleaned because the cleaning solvents can make the PVC unbearably stiff. Vegan Leather is an artificial alternative to traditional leather. It may be chosen for ethical reasons or as a designed material which may have different properties but a similar look to the natural material.
Poromeric Imitation Leather Sometimes referred to as poromerics, poromeric imitation leathers are a group of synthetic 'breathable' leather substitutes made from a plastic coating (usually a polyurethane) on a fibrous base layer (typically a polyester). The term poromeric was coined by DuPont as a derivative of the terms microporous and polymeric. The first poromeric material was DuPont's ill-fated Corfam introduced in 1963 at the Chicago Shoe Show. Newer poromerics include Clarino made by Kuraray Co. of Japan. Corfam was the centerpiece of the DuPont pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair in New York City. Its major advantages over natural leather were its durability and its high gloss finish that could be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. Its disadvantages were its stiffness which did not lessen with wearing and its relative lack of breathability. DuPont manufactured Corfam at its plant in Old Hickory, Tennessee, from 1964 to 1971. After spending millions of dollars marketing the product to shoe manufacturers, DuPont withdrew Corfam from the market in 1971 and sold the rights to a company in Poland. Corfam is mainly remembered as a textbook marketing disaster.
Corfam is still used today in some products, an example being certain types of equestrian saddle girth. Corfam shoes are still very popular in the military and other uniformed professions where shiny shoes are an asset.
Koskin is an artificial leather material commonly found in computer laptop cases. It is commonly used in Hewlett-Packard, Targus and Belkin laptop cases, CD wallets, and other consumer goods. It is made to look and feel like authentic leather. In Swedish, koskinn means cow's skin (ko means cow, skinn means skin), often causing much confusion for consumers.
Leatherette is a form of artificial leather, usually made by covering a fabric base with plastic. The fabric can be made of a natural or a synthetic fibre which is then covered with a soft PVC layer. Leatherette bound books and 20th century cameras are good examples of leatherette. Leatherette clothing of various kinds (including lingeries) also exist. A disadvantage of plastic "leatherette" is that it is not porous and does not allow air to pass through it, thus sweat can accumulate if it is used for clothing, car seat coverings, etc. However, one of its primary advantages, especially in cars, is that it requires little maintenance in comparison to leather and does not crack or fade as easily. During a fire, leatherette may cause additional serious skin damage because it not only burns more vigorously than leather, but can also melt.
There are many other materials that can be used as leather alternatives. Some of these materials are: Vegetan — a shop-owned trade name for one grade of microfibre Lorica — a wide range of Japanese microfibres including gloss-faced ones, dyed and softened in Italy. A type of artificial leather promoted by Sidi, an Italian bicycle shoe maker. Birko-Flor — this proprietary material of Birkenstock is made of acrylic and polyamide felt fibres; a variation is made to replicate patent leather Birkibuc — another proprietary material of Birkenstock, made of the same materials, but designed to replicate the look and feel of nubuck leather Vinyl also known as PVC Kydex — an acrylic-PVC alloy produced by Kleerdex Cork Leather — made from the bark of Cork Oak trees Ocean Leather — a little known versatile leather made from kelp,
Conclusion : There Is No Substitute For Top Grain Leather If Your Expecting Quality
The Frame Is Equally Important
The Limited Warrantees Tell The Facts
Many mass production manufacturers have veneered and engineered cored all of the premium lengths of lumber using inferior materials to keep profits up. Always keep in mind that if it is a veneer or "engineered" it usually means that they are using less material and trying to make it seem like more. You should always keep in mind every manufacturer fully understands the quality and life expectancy of their products. The expected result is usually reflected in their limited warrantee. This built in obsolesce is intended and most warrantees are written in the hopes they will never be read or fully understood until after expiration.
The Use of Exotic Wood Sounding Names Can Be Very Misleading
Many companies make this statement: using a exotic sounding names along with mahogany, oak, walnut, teak, rose wood etc. to name a few woods used to manufacture our premier selection of solid wood furniture or doors etc. What they really mean is blocks of wood spaced inside and glued together by machine to make a long board, particle board or a exotic wood thin veneered surface over particle board.
Using Pieces And Veneers Are Not Solid Wood Furnishings Or Solid Hard Wood Frames.
As If Using Inferior Materials Were Not Unconscionable Enough There Is More Bad News
This cheap cost of product production is not only arrived at because of cheap labor it also is the result of total disregard for the quality of materials with little or no guide lines for safety or cleanliness as well as the ecology of our planet. Not to mention the sub-standard human working conditions in these third world unregulated labor nations.
Cheap Third World Labor With No Guide Lines For Safety Or Cleanliness
Also it means bug infestation certificates are necessary, however getting these certificates are almost never in-forced. The result these imported woods, particle boards, and frames are infected with bug infestation as stated on this government web site.
Bug Infestation Information Facts: Important details that you should know before you purchase woods, particle boards, and frame imports- Florida Entomologist
89(1) Report
89(1) Report
Bug Infestation Information Facts: Important details that you should know before you purchase woods, particle boards, and frame imports
All Scottsdale Art Factory All Furnishings Are Solid American Grown And Cut Timber
(not paste board and veneer) all hand built in America by master craftsman to stand the test of time. Lets Compare A Foreign Made Leather Product To American Made
Marrakesh Tannery Worker Removing Fat By Hand (processing your imported leather)
To work in a tannery in Marrakech is to work under some of the harshest working conditions there are. Not only are the workers exposed to the blazing sun, but they are soaked in blood, animal bodily fluids and parts, pigeon poo, and get paid some of the lowest wages on the planet. This is one of hundreds of tanneries that work the same around the world.
The ancient Moroccan tannery tradition. Legend has it that the tanners are descended from demons who lived under a black king. As they didn't obey his rules, they were condemned to work in the tanneries.
Marrakesh Tannery Pits (processing your imported leather)
Hundreds of concrete vats are used to process animal skins which are bought locally in the souks. The skins (mainly sheep, cow, goat and camel are sometimes used - lions are no longer used as they were hunted to extinction in the region around 1900) are treated far differently to the way leather is treated in America as the process clings to its ancient traditions.
Hair and flesh are removed by soaking the skins in quicklime (Calcium Oxide formed when limestone - calcium carbonate - decomposes) and water. After this, the skins are placed in a vat of water and blood, then separated and rung out, before being coloured using a few natural products: Pomegranate for yellow, olive oil for shininess, bark for various colours, presumably brown, saffron for golden yellow, Henna for red/orange, poppy for many other colours including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and blue.
The skins are stretched out and left to dry for over 20 days in little piles that look rancid. Pigeon poo is used to soften the leather. Pigeon poo has actually been reported to be quite dangerous, with people almost dying after ingesting it. The poo adds to the smell of the pits.
If you want to be a tanner, you need to be born into it, and only men are allowed. Many suffer from arthritis and are forced into an early retirement. And it has been reported that in Bangladesh, half a million people are at risk of serious health issues due to their tanneries emitting toxic chemicals such as sulphuric acid in to the rivers.
The Finished Product Tanned Hides Look Like This
Lets Compare To American Tanneries
Even In 1866 Americans run a clean leather processing operation - here are some photos to compare to todays foreign leather tanners.
It was in 1866 when Maurice M. Schultz erected the Wilcox Tanning Company in Wilcox between the West Branch of the Clarion River and railroad.
The tannery is said to have employed up to 300 men an additional 400 men to peel bark from the hemlock. As part of the tanning process hemlock bark was required in great quantities. The bark contains valuable chemicals, such as tannin, used to tan the hides. The plant had 13 boilers powered by gas wells located at the site. 732 vats, seven (7) feet wide, nine (9) feet long and five and a half (5 1/2) feet deep were encompassed within the facility, making it the largest leather tanning facility in the world.
Modern Methods Of Tanning In America
The first stage is the preparation for tanning. The second stage is the actual tanning and other chemical treatment. The third stage, known as retanning, applies retanning agents and dyes to the material to provide the physical strength and properties desired depending on the end product. The fourth and final stage, known as finishing, is used to apply finishing material to the surface or finish the surface without the application of any chemicals if so desired.
Preparing hides begins by curing them with salt. Curing is employed to prevent putrifaction of the protein substance (collagen) from bacterial infection during the time lag that might occur from procuring the hide to when it is processed. Curing removes excess water from the hides and skins using a difference in osmotic pressure. The moisture content of hides and skins get greatly reduced. In wet-salting, the hides are heavily salted, then pressed into packs for about 30 days. In brine-curing the hides are agitated in a salt water bath for about 16 hours. Generally speaking, methods employed for curing greatly make the chance of bacterial growth unfavorable. Curing can also be done by preserving the hides and skins at a very low temperature.
The hides are then soaked in clean water to remove the salt and mainly to bring back the moisture content to a desirable level so that the hide or skin can be treated with chemicals in an aqueous medium. This process is known as "soaking" and sometimes a hydrating agent is also employed along with water in a very low percentage for hides and skins which have become very dry.
Liming process of hides and skins
After soaking, the soaked hides and skins are taken for the next operation where these are treated with milk of lime with or without the addition of sharpening agents like sulfide, cyanides, amines etc. The objective of this operation are mainly to:
Remove the hairs, nails and other keratinous matters
Remove some of the interfibrillary soluble proteins like mucins
Swell up and split up the fibers to the desired extent
Remove the natural grease and fats to some extent
Bring the collagen to a proper condition for satisfactory tannage
The weakening of hair is dependent on the breakdown of the disulfide link of the amino acid called cystine, which is the characteristic of the keratin class of protein like hair and wools. The hydrogen atoms supplied by the sharpening agent reduce the cystine molecule to cystine and the covalent links are ruptured.
The isoelectric point of the collagen is also shifted to around 4.7, due to liming which is more towards an acidic tannage. Unhairing agents used during liming are: sodium sulfide, sodium hydroxide, sodium dithionite, Arsenic sulfide, calcium hydrosulfide
The majority of hair is then removed using a machine, with remaining hair being removed by hand using a dull knife, a process known as scudding. Depending on the end use of the leather, hides may be treated with enzymes to soften them in a process called "bating." But before bating, the pH of the collagen is brought down to a lower level so that enzymes might act on it. This process is known as "deliming." Once bating is complete, the hides and skins are treated with a mixture of common salt and Sulphuric acid in case a mineral tanning is to be done. This is done to bring down the pH of collagen to a very low level so as to facilitate the penetration of mineral tanning agent into the substance.
This process is known as "Pickling." The common salt penetrates the substance twice as fast as the acid and checks the ill effect of sudden drop of pH.
Tanning can be performed with either vegetable or mineral methods. Before tanning, the skins are unhaired, degreased, desalted and soaked in water over a period of 6 hours to 2 days. To prevent damage of the skin by bacterial growth during the soaking period, biocides, such as pentachlorophenol, are used.
Two men pressing the leather near the end of the tanning process in an American tannery.
Vegetable tanning uses tannin (this is where the name tanning comes from). Tannin occurs naturally in bark. The primary barks used in modern times are chestnut, oak, tanoak, hemlock, quebracho, mangrove, wattle and myrobalan. Hides are stretched on frames and immersed for several weeks in vats of increasing concentrations of tannin. Vegetable tanned hide is flexible and is used for luggage and furniture.
Mineral tanning usually uses chromium in the form of basic chromium sulfate. It is employed after picking. Once the desired level of penetration of chrome into the substance is achieved,the pH of the material is raised again to facilitate the process. This is known as "basification". In the raw state chrome tanned skins are blue and therefore referred to as "wet blue."
Chrome tanning is faster than vegetable tanning (less than a day for this part of the process) and produces a stretchable leather which is excellent for use in handbags and garments. (Encarta, 2003) Depending on the finish desired, the hide may be waxed, rolled, lubricated, injected with oil, split, shaved and, of course, dyed. Suedes, nubucks etc. are finished by raising the nap of the leather by rolling with a rough surface.
Modern Day American Tanner Dying
This Is The Facts And The Photos Tell The Untold Story Behind Gloss And Glimmer Of Foreign Made Leather Products In American Showrooms Everywere.
Its Always your Choice - Buy American And Insure Your Economic Future
Understanding True Quality Makes All The Difference
When you purchase investment quality furnishings, doors, gates, cabinets, lighting and hardware they will appreciate and keep up with inflation or exceed most other investments. For this reason, becoming wealthy has very little to do with a higher education or having a lot of extra money. It is truly making wise decisions and a state of mind that allows for you to pay once for a good value and continue to grow wealth while enjoying living in your investment. Not to mention this type of investing has many other benefits, such as priceless family heirlooms that have meaning and the ability to pass on your legacy to future generations.
Over Ninety Five Percent Of Furnishings Offered In America Today,
" No Matter The Brand Name"
Are Foreign Made For Profit Only
The "Brand Name" Rip Off Of The American Consumer
Why Would Any One Pay 300% - 800% Mark Up For A Cheap Inferior Third World Made Furnishing? - When You Can Purchase Top American Made Quality For Less
It's A Simple Fact
When You Purchase A Third World Product You Are Working Against The American Economy.
You are thus working against yourself and your future employment or the employment of the customers your business depends upon. In addition, your choice works against employing American workers making quality American products as well as allowing these old brand name American profiteers to take advantage of the American consumer using these slight of hand tactics.
This Is Not Sour Grapes - And We Challenge Any Expert To Demonstrate Different
It is the facts of the furniture and door industry as a whole for past eight to ten years as we are living it. Simply turn on any news channel and see the results in action.
In Nine Decades Scottsdale Art Factory Has Never Changed Its Policy of "Made In America By American Workers Using American Made Materials".
We Will Never Sell Our Corporate Soul," Family Name" For A Fast Buck, And We Make No Apologies For Being Proud Flag Waving American Manufacturers.
Conclusion: If your client is in the market for the best quality hand made in America solid wood doors or furniture or hand forged ornamental iron cabinet knobs, entrance door handles, entrance gates, iron fencing, iron furniture, hand forged lighting etc. commercial or residential
Scottsdale Art Factory Is The Right Choice.
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