BBC Four Goes Slow “Handmade”

Came across these and thought they were great. And part of what I liked about them is that there is no commentary, no music, the artisan doesn’t even say anything. You just watch the process. Some might say an explanation of the process would be helpful, but personally I really enjoyed this approach.

If I have a criticism is that some of the shots are really tight, and might benefit from being panned out a bit. And the sound of some of the tools and process can be a bit jarring. The sound of the blow pipes in the glass making one is a bit nails on a black board. The sound of power tools starting up after several minutes of chisels working wood and birds chirping jars you out of your reverie. Turn the sound right off or just be aware of it.

The only name I recognized was that of Owen Bush, a noteworthy knife and axe smith.

Hope that they do more of these, showing other crafts. Basketry, leather working, etc.

Birchbark Canoe Building

A few videos I found showing the process of building a birch bark canoe.

Makers: Balan The Blowpipe Maker

I’ve always been interested in blowpipes. (And I still don’t grasp why they’re illegal in Canada.)

Culled from an upcoming documentary, Sunset over Selungo, this short excerpt shows a Penan who still makes blowpipes. I know that in some cultures that used blowpipes, a groove was cut in two separate pieces of wood and then glued and/or wrapped with cordage back into one element. Here a long piece of wood is drilled through. Funny to see him using a modern rasp though.

I think the Penan are an especially fascinating indigenous people. They are one of the last remaining hunter gatherer tribes, although the Malaysian and Indonesian governments and multi-national corporations are seeing to their rapid demise, by destroying the forest they need to survive. Please consider donating to the Kickstarter campaign for this film.

The Making of Making

Sure, it’s a Nike thing, but I still found it inspirational.

Makers – Paul Elkins

A man after my own heart. Just love his sense of wonder, curiosity about everything, and willingness to tinker at whatever idea strikes his fancy.


http://www.highmileagetrikes.blogspot.com/

Repair Manifesto

Makers: Passionate Apprentices

I burst into laughter about this one, since this man, bladesmith John Hounslow-Robinson is essentially a 20 years older, Australian version of my pal Jarkko. Dreads, beard and all.

I reckon I would get on very well with this guy. I’m sure people with a pickle up their ass undoubtedly see him as a dirty hippy who lives in a ramshackle, cobbled together compound. But I see someone living a more genuine and fulfilling existence than they undoubtedly lead. And he seems to be doing a pretty good job of inspiring and teaching two young men some worthwhile skills. And Linden - that kid is fantastic.

And I’ve always been intrigued by Tasmania, and this video only stokes my interest in living there. I know it’s not so easy to move to Australia, but if there was a chance.... Not that I mind in the slightest where I live now, but the idea of living in a place that remote, with so much of it unsullied by roads and development, is really appealing. I loved my time in Australia, but the hinterland out past Slobart piques my interest.

Self Repair Manifesto

Makers: Victor Osborne - Hatmaker

I have to admit that I haven’t given a lot of thought to how hats are made. And by hats I mean older forms of mens hats - fedoras, trilbies, bowlers and the like - using wool felt. Interesting to see the forms used and the process involved in making them. 

http://victorosborne.com/

Makers: The Clockmaker

My dad was (among other things) a clock maker. Or a horologist, to use the technical term. I now kick myself that I didn’t take more of an interest in it when he was still alive, as it’s one of those supposedly dying, but still in demand skills. I’ve given some thought over the years that I should perhaps pursue it as a vocation. I figure I would be good at it and enjoy it. I like precise, finicky work, fixing things, solving problems, have great manual dexterity, etc. Alas, here in Canada at least, there is only one school that teaches it left in Canada, but it’s a French speaking school in Quebec, and it is slated to close. To pursue it at this stage in my life, would mean overcoming some very big hurdles.

This film about Cape Town clock maker Darryn Clark/Time Menders, gives an idea of some of what it all involves. As this video mentions, there are many skills that it touches on - metal work, woodwork, chemistry, mechanics, micro mechanics, etc. 

Makers: Mick Strider

I have some misgivings about Mick Strider, and I’m also not hugely enamoured with the style of knives he makes - the sharpened pry-bar school of knifemaking. I know there is a place for them, but I guess I’m not his target market. They’re undeniably well made, and for those who have a need for them - or who can afford them as safe queens - have at it.

That being said though, this look into his shop is drooly. If I win the lottery I would set up a shop like this to make a few blades and axes.

Makers: Salty Bicycle

I love bicycling, and along with the enjoyment of the activity itself, is the idea that I would also love to actually make a bicycle. Which is kind of the case with everything with me. I love the activities I engage in, but would love to or do love to make things affiliated with it.

Makers: Steracle Press

I’ve been involved in printing in one way or another for many years. But part of what I enjoyed about it, that confluence of art and literature and science and technology and business, has lost much of its luster because the craft has gone out of it to a large degree. With so much of it moving to digital printing, and to web publishing, the craft element dwindle to the point where the fun has gone out of for me.

The resurgence of letterpress and craft printing gives me hope and offers a nice balance to the soullessness of so much digital printing.

Makers – Viberg Boots

I mentioned recently that I have become interested in making shoes. Part of that interest lies in wondering whether all the latest, high tech, all sorts of different fabrics, sneaker inspired shoes and boots are really they’re cracked up to be. Maybe they are. But part of my disenchantment with them is that they never seem to last that long, can’t really be repaired, and what else...oh yeah, they’re mostly made in China. 

It’s got me curious whether a more traditional construction style, made mainly of leather with a replaceable Vibram sole, is a better option. To that end I’d been looking at Wesco boots and also White’s boots, both made in the U.S. of A. But I recently discovered that there is a Canadian company still making footwear aimed at a similar market. And their prices are very reasonable considering they’re operating out of Victoria, British Columbia, and making boots largely the old fashioned, by hand, 200+ steps technique.


www.workboot.com

Maker’s Bill of Rights

• Meaningful and specific parts lists shall be included.
• Cases shall be easy to open.
• Batteries should be replaceable.
• Special tools are allowed only for darn good reasons.
• Profiting by selling expensive special tools is wrong and not making special tools available is even worse.
• Torx is OK; tamperproof is rarely OK.
• Components, not entire sub-assemblies, shall be replaceable.
• Consumables, like fuses and filters, shall be easy to access.
• Circuit boards shall be commented.
• Power from USB is good; power from proprietary power adapters is bad.
• Standard connecters shall have pinouts defined.
• If it snaps shut, it shall snap open.
• Screws better than glues.
• Docs and drivers shall have permalinks and shall reside for all perpetuity at archive.org.
• Ease of repair shall be a design ideal, not an afterthought.
• Metric or standard, not both.
• Schematics shall be included.

By Mister Jalopy, first published in Make: Magazine #04

Makers – The Luthier

I can’t play any stringed instruments worth a damn, but I reckon I would enjoy making them. I know I never will - too many other things competing for my time - but I can certainly appreciate the craft involved in making them.


www.sandersguitar.com

Makers – Great Lakes Boat Building Company

http://www.greatwoodboats.com/

Makers – Quoddy Workshop

(Given my obsession with making things, and that I stumble across some nice videos every so often of other makers at work, I figure I’ll have a semi-regular feature of high-lighting these inspiring artisans.)

Right now I am working on some designs for moccasin type shoes, and just trying to learn a whole lot about shoe making in general. So this video was very motivational.


http://www.quoddy.com/

Dogrib Birchbark Canoe

Some photos and each section is accompanied by a video as well.
Lessons From The Land

And a publication from the University of Calgary.
The Dogrib Birchbark Canoe Project – Thomas D. Andrews & John B. Zoe (1998)

Birch Canoe Builder

Film from 1970. The quality of the visuals isn’t great, but the quality of the content is.

http://archive.org/details/BirchCanoeBuilder