Celebrating Craftsmanship

A man named Scott talks about “deep craft” —...

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:22:39 -0400

A man named Scott talks about “deep craft” — his response to recent faux-craft goods. He articulates what deep craft is on his website and even has a manifesto on deep craft.

Check it out.

Video

Sun, 29 May 2011 13:34:00 -0400

The American Craftsman Project

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:40:30 -0400

The American Craftsman Project:

The American Craftsman Project is going to run me out of business! Jokes aside, check out a well made website that guides you through some of America’s great craftsman.

I live in the Philadelphia area, and I would love to check this...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:35:00 -0500

I live in the Philadelphia area, and I would love to check this out.

However, he appears to be a very conflicted man, which makes me feel conflicted about this video—is this a life I would like to live? Let me be clear I am not judging if this is a life well lived, who would I be to decide that for others? He speaks about how rewarding it is to work, and is still in disbelief that this is his shop. But at the same time, he also laments about today’s youth and talks about buying bikes as a compulsion.

Do you have to be distraught by the lack of craftsmanship in today’s world once you appreciate craft? Once you see soul in your workshop, must it become a sanctuary from the soulless outside? Also, just because an item wasn’t made by big-name, corporate brands or you weren’t tricked into buying this particular item because of insidious marketing practices doesn’t mean you’re free from the clutches of materialism. Craftsmanship adds a more human depth to things, but can still never replace our virtues, loved ones or community.

Rant over.

What a great name for a handmade bike: soulcraft. I do however...

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:05:49 -0500

What a great name for a handmade bike: soulcraft.

I do however wonder if someone ever gets lonely spending so much time alone.

A small update: I now work in a Kitchen of a Lebanese restaurant. This is the owner’s first restaurant and he is very proud of it. I’m learning so much in the kitchen, even though I’m an avid cooker. Expect some posts on cooking as craftsmanship.

I feel bad that I haven’t posted for a while, honestly I’ve let this school year put me in a state where I only have time to react to commitments. Me finding and posting this video comes at the cost of precious study time. I am trying to master my “craft,” and be the best dietitian I can be so I can help create a healthier, happier world, but sadly I’ve become yet another stressed and time-pressed college student (the person I swore I’d never become).

Wish me luck.

I didn’t finish the guitar before I left for school. ...

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:41:00 -0400

I didn’t finish the guitar before I left for school. It’s essentially done, it plays clear notes that are quick to fade in a delta blues sense and sounds pretty good. Unfortunately the headstock is too thin, making the tuning pegs too high above the fretboard and so the action is terrible. I also have spiral wound strings so I can’t play slide with it yet. Once those are taken care of, it should be finished; I don’t intend on fretting the neck.

Although Fioravanti design house and Ferrari aren’t...

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 19:04:42 -0400

Although Fioravanti design house and Ferrari aren’t cottage industries, this vehicle is a one-off. Commissioned by a wealthy, Japanese individual, the “Fioravant SP1” was based off the F430, but it’s um…pretty. I’m absurdly peculiar in terms of the appearance of cars (I am not too fond of the new 458 Italia); this is one of the few Ferrari’s I really, really like.

Cigar Box Guitars

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:23:25 -0400

Cigar Box Guitars:

I want to bring a guitar back up to school in a couple weeks; I don’t want to be that guy with my electric and amp, and I can’t make my dad part with the acoustic. I decided to make a cigar box guitar.

The above link is a resource on cigar box guitars: how to make them, how to play them etc.

In America, the guitar is one of the most democratic instruments. Affordable, lightweight, and portable, plus you don’t have to share a mouthpiece with other people. A 15 year old and a 50 year old, each with guitars, can not share any musical taste, but can still both improvise over a 12-bar blues and a minor pentatonic scale.

I now think a cigar box guitar is even more democratic, even less expensive and even more portable. The fact that you make it yourself is even better.

I plan to make this before I go to school (fingers crossed), I’ll post up my results.

What things wear in rather than wear out? Some jeans I’ve...

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:30:19 -0400

What things wear in rather than wear out? Some jeans I’ve had wear in: the seat gets softer, the cuffs fringe a little, and unique patina develops. Other jeans I’ve had wear out: it rips in inappropriate and irreparable places, the material looses a quality; the pants kind of betray you. But my question to anyone who reads this is, what things wear in instead of wear out? What qualities must something be crafted with in order to wear in?

hotvvheels: Catalina Art Fitzpatrick’s Pontiac adverts...

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:44:57 -0400

hotvvheels:

Catalina

Art Fitzpatrick’s Pontiac adverts were some of the best advertisements ever. If the car seems different than you remembered, that’s because he traced and redrew the image, but not before stretching the car to make it wider. Even though this kind of advertising would be considered misleading nowadays (and rightly so). I absolutely love his drawings, and each one took a couple days.

(Click the Image to link to Hendricks Farms’...

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:47:57 -0400

(Click the Image to link to Hendricks Farms’ Website)

Craftsmanship extends beyond suits and cars. Cultivating the land in compliance with the environment is a very skilled craft. Hendrick’s Farms and Diary up in Telford, PA, sells grass fed meat, diary, and eggs. And many chefs, and dietitians argue that the quality of products like theirs are in fact superior. I live about an hour from this farm and I plan on stopping by, and trying their products and asking them about their farm.

Here’s a video of the Norman Timbs Buick Special.

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:23:00 -0400

Here’s a video of the Norman Timbs Buick Special.

This roadster took three years and $10,000 during the...

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:12:32 -0400

This roadster took three years and $10,000 during the 40’s. It has a tube frame chassis, aluminum body, boot up front and a Buick Straight-8 sitting behind the driver. Despite its rather large dimensions (17’5” long, 117” wheelbase), it weighs a scant 2200 lbs. I would absolutely love to see this car in person.

Here’s an awesome example of craftsmanship beating big...

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:51:00 -0400

Here’s an awesome example of craftsmanship beating big wallets. Bill Caswell bought this rusted 318i and ran it in the World Rally Championship’s Rally Mexico-a big ticket race against cars approach a half million to build and are sponsored by big name brands. He actually did well too, click the photo to see Jalopnik’s original article.

(via photofinish) too pretty for words.

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 01:03:03 -0400

(via photofinish)

too pretty for words.

This hunk of junk may seem out of place in terms of...

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:53:00 -0400

This hunk of junk may seem out of place in terms of craftsmanship, but I can assure you that hotrodding is an intricate, noble craft. Hotrodders are excellent recyclers, they tend to scour junkyards to find parts— and if the part wasn’t exactly what they were looking for, they can fabricate a means to make it work.

For those who don’t speak car: this is a Chevrolet Small Block with three two barrel carburetors in a 30’s era Ford. This is a rather common swap, but the fuel lines, engine mounts, clutch or torque converter, wiring and cooling had to have been modified or replaced to put an engine in a car which is at least twenty years older than it. I consider myself a hotrodder, but growing up in the fuel injected age I’d have a better timing dowsing than tuning three separate carburetors; it’s becoming a lost art.

(Click image to see original article) Living in the Philadelphia...

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:05:57 -0400

(Click image to see original article)

Living in the Philadelphia area, I was really excited to see this article on a young man to become an apprentice tailor to Joseph Centofanti, who owns a custom clothier in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Patrica Mears, FIT NY: “There’s a growing trend amongst young people who not only want to avoid creating things or consuming things on a mass-market level, they are engrossed in the concept of craft, especially something so intimately connected to the human body,”

Genuardi (apprentice): “It takes a long time to learn, and the more I learn, the more I know it takes longer. And I’m OK with that, because I love what I’m doing,”

Just plugging a website I think is worth a look: etsy.com

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:50:00 -0400

Just plugging a website I think is worth a look: etsy.com:

Here’s a link to a website where people can buy and sell hand made goods. I believe the screen-printed t-shirts stretch the definition of hand made, but I personally like that the seller is usually also the maker.

A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter by Caleb Larsen. This is a...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:06:00 -0500

A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter by Caleb Larsen.

This is a sculpture that posts itself for sale on ebay. I think it’s hilarious. While it may not necessary be craftsmanship (I have no idea how it was made) I’m sure the artist enjoyed creating it.

A northern Italian man hand-built and designed this car from...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 23:53:00 -0500

A northern Italian man hand-built and designed this car from scratch. I personally don’t care for the general design of the car, but I love the engine compartment: it’s accessible, you can tell what has been done to the car.