I'm not Japanese.... nor am I Asian.

But I really like the clean lines of Japanese style
furniture

Does anyone know of a way to buy or make such furniture
without a lot of money?

On Wed, 06 Jul 2005 20:32:42 -0500, the opaque clearly
wrote:

I'm not Japanese.... nor am I Asian.

But I really like the clean lines of Japanese style
furniture

Does anyone know of a way to buy or make such furniture
without a lot of money?

Buy a few books on Japanese joinery and furnituremaking.
Read them, learn how to do it, and make your own with
Japanese and Western hand tools.

www.thejapanwoodworker.com has pricing for beginner up to
professional (-really- pricy!) tools. They're good people.

http://www.hidatool.com/ is another supplier who gets good
remarks from some of the wooddorkers here. I haven't used
them.

Toshio Odate has several books which might interest you, so
look for them on www.Ebay.com or www.Amazon.com or search
for "books" on www.thejapanwoodworker.com .


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Buy a few books on Japanese joinery and furnituremaking.
Read them, learn how to do it, and make your own with
Japanese and Western hand tools.

I'm a student so no time for that. I'm working full
time as well

Any place to buy such furniture that is reasonable?

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 10:08:46 -0500, the opaque clearly
wrote:

Buy a few books on Japanese joinery and furnituremaking.
Read them, learn how to do it, and make your own with
Japanese and Western hand tools.

I'm a student so no time for that. I'm working full
time as well

Any place to buy such furniture that is reasonable?

Ah doubt er, Bill. It's specialized and only high-end stores
have it. You might ask a few local woodworkers if they could
handle something like that for you, though. Where are you?


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You might ask a few local woodworkers if they could
handle something like that for you, though. Where are you?

I'm in Hannibal MO

Abt 2 hrs north of St Louis

Again I'm not a wood worker... at all.

Just came across Japanese style of furnishing and
REALLY like the simplicity and Zen-like atmosphere of
it.

But man oh man is that stuff "pricey"!! At least what
I've seen on the Net for sale anyway.

Was hoping maybe there is a cheap or poor mans way of
doing it.

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 13:43:07 -0500, the opaque clearly
wrote:

You might ask a few local woodworkers if they could
handle something like that for you, though. Where are you?

I'm in Hannibal MO

Abt 2 hrs north of St Louis

Again I'm not a wood worker... at all.

Just came across Japanese style of furnishing and
REALLY like the simplicity and Zen-like atmosphere of
it.

But man oh man is that stuff "pricey"!! At least what
I've seen on the Net for sale anyway.

Was hoping maybe there is a cheap or poor mans way of
doing it.

There is. Find someone local who does woodworking CHEAP and
see if you can con them into faking some J furniture for you.
Use your pictures of furniture and allow them to use whatever
joinery they will (or can), not necessarily Japanese.

Fred Meyers (grocery chain here in the PNW) has knockoff Mission
stuff with fake spindles/M&Ts, etc. for a whole lot cheaper than
a U.S. furniture mfgr could make them.

You're close to Tejas. Give ol' Jummykins a call. He'll make some
for you out of pineywood, RBS, and poly. Yum!(?) (No, wait, he
moved Nawth, didn't he? Never mind.)


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You're close to Tejas. Give ol' Jummykins a call.

Who?!

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 17:05:04 -0500, the opaque clearly
wrote:

You're close to Tejas. Give ol' Jummykins a call.

Who?!

Jim MacNamara, an old Wrecker.

(The Wreck = rec.woodworking)
(Wrecker = Person who follows this newsgroup.)


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On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 10:08:46 -0500, wrote:

Buy a few books on Japanese joinery and furnituremaking.
Read them, learn how to do it, and make your own with
Japanese and Western hand tools.

I'm a student so no time for that. I'm working full
time as well

Any place to buy such furniture that is reasonable?

You want good stuff, or just sort of Japanese-looking? They've got
all sorts of things at those Pier One stores, though the quality and
finish usually leaves a lot to be desired. Whether the prices are
reasonable or not just depends on your budget.

Otherwise, you may just need to wait until you've got your other stuff
out of the way, and make it yourself sometime down the road.

You want good stuff, or just sort of Japanese-looking? They've got
all sorts of things at those Pier One stores, though the quality and
finish usually leaves a lot to be desired. Whether the prices are
reasonable or not just depends on your budget.

Otherwise, you may just need to wait until you've got your other stuff
out of the way, and make it yourself sometime down the road.

Well id like it to be decent quality

But it seems like furniture makes think they can charge
whatever they feel like for some of this stuff!!

Some of the Japanese style beds were $900 range. I
mean is there really $900 worth material and labor in
that?

here is a link to company that makes more reasonable
furniture. Comes shipped to you in three boxes

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 08:13:27 -0500, wrote:

Well id like it to be decent quality

But it seems like furniture makes think they can charge
whatever they feel like for some of this stuff!!

Some of the Japanese style beds were $900 range. I
mean is there really $900 worth material and labor in
that?

You may not think so, but there is. Enough hardwood to make a bed can
easily run into the $300-500 range, and that's just using domestic
woods. It can cost a lot more with exotic woods. Then all that
material has to properly routed, sawed, planed (you get the idea) into
the correct shapes. With Japanese joints, those shapes are like
jigsaw puzzles that lock together in three dimentions, and they are
incredibly complex compared to a couple of pieces of particle board
screwed together. Then the finish needs to be applied, and that
process can often take several weeks- and is in itself a strange
hodgepodge of chemestry, art and alchemy, with a little voodoo thrown
in for good measure.

And of course, none of the above happens without a whole lot of study
and practice on the part of the person making the furniture, as well
as an investment (usually very sizable) in the proper tools. Is it
worth $900? Yes, it usually is. Is it worth $900 to *you*? That you
have to decide for yourself.

here is a link to company that makes more reasonable
furniture. Comes shipped to you in three boxes

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

Looks like crap. How long do you figure a $300 couch is designed to
last?

You may not think so, but there is. Enough hardwood to make a bed can
easily run into the $300-500 range, and that's just using domestic
woods. It can cost a lot more with exotic woods.

I see

Thanks

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

Looks like crap. How long do you figure a $300 couch is designed to
last?

Well I don't know but the customer reviews on the site
seems very positive.

What I like ab the process is that they don't have
brick and mortar buildings and have come up with a
system that can be shipped in three boxes and assembled
at home.

All that removes a lot of "middlemen" in the process
and keeps overhead low. No?

Prometheus wrote:

On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 08:13:27 -0500, wrote:

Well id like it to be decent quality

But it seems like furniture makes think they can charge
whatever they feel like for some of this stuff!!

Some of the Japanese style beds were $900 range. I
mean is there really $900 worth material and labor in
that?

You may not think so, but there is. Enough hardwood to make a bed can
easily run into the $300-500 range, and that's just using domestic
woods. It can cost a lot more with exotic woods. Then all that
material has to properly routed, sawed, planed (you get the idea) into
the correct shapes. With Japanese joints, those shapes are like
jigsaw puzzles that lock together in three dimentions, and they are
incredibly complex compared to a couple of pieces of particle board
screwed together. Then the finish needs to be applied, and that
process can often take several weeks- and is in itself a strange
hodgepodge of chemestry, art and alchemy, with a little voodoo thrown
in for good measure.

And of course, none of the above happens without a whole lot of study
and practice on the part of the person making the furniture, as well
as an investment (usually very sizable) in the proper tools. Is it
worth $900? Yes, it usually is. Is it worth $900 to *you*? That you
have to decide for yourself.

here is a link to company that makes more reasonable
furniture. Comes shipped to you in three boxes

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

Looks like crap. How long do you figure a $300 couch is designed to
last?


Ya don't suppose it was an elaborate Spam leading up to $300 couches that
come to you in three boxes? Naaah! Nobody would do That, would they?

Ya don't suppose it was an elaborate Spam leading up to $300 couches that
come to you in three boxes? Naaah! Nobody would do That, would they?

If you think my post was an elaborate spam attempt.....
you really have a wild imagination

My questions and posts are sincere

I just thought the "concept" of buying furniture via
the web using the method they have was a good one

wrote:

Ya don't suppose it was an elaborate Spam leading up to $300 couches
that come to you in three boxes? Naaah! Nobody would do That, would
they?

If you think my post was an elaborate spam attempt.....
you really have a wild imagination

A well tuned Bull**** Meter.


My questions and posts are sincere

Good.


I just thought the "concept" of buying furniture via
the web using the method they have was a good one

Uh, huh.

On Sat, 09 Jul 2005 18:16:18 -0500, wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

Looks like crap. How long do you figure a $300 couch is designed to
last?

Well I don't know but the customer reviews on the site
seems very positive.

What I like ab the process is that they don't have
brick and mortar buildings and have come up with a
system that can be shipped in three boxes and assembled
at home.

All that removes a lot of "middlemen" in the process
and keeps overhead low. No?

Sure, it can keep overhead low. The question is whether that is all
they do to reduce costs. Without having one in front of you, it's
hard to say how they're made, and what materials they use, but you
have to figure that at a minimum they have three components- a frame,
padding, and material. To get those raw materials, process them into
a piece of furniture, and send them out for $300, they've got to be
making the things out of particle board and hot glue, and they're
liable to break down really quickly. But I could be way off-base,
it's always possible that they're being made out of decent local
materials by slave labor in a third-world country as well, but it's
just as likely in that event that they're still made poorly.

Don't get me wrong- if all you need is a place to sit, and that's what
you've got for a budget, it's a convienent product to have access to-
they're not likely to be any worse than the cheap futon I had for
several years, at any rate. Just don't expect a silk purse!

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 00:01:46 GMT, the opaque Lobby Dosser
clearly wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 08:13:27 -0500, wrote:
And of course, none of the above happens without a whole lot of study
and practice on the part of the person making the furniture, as well
as an investment (usually very sizable) in the proper tools. Is it
worth $900? Yes, it usually is. Is it worth $900 to *you*? That you
have to decide for yourself.

here is a link to company that makes more reasonable
furniture. Comes shipped to you in three boxes

http://tinyurl.com/9b8uz

What do you guys think of their "concept"?

Looks like crap. How long do you figure a $300 couch is designed to
last?

Ya don't suppose it was an elaborate Spam leading up to $300 couches that
come to you in three boxes? Naaah! Nobody would do That, would they?

Since most furniture sold in the USA is now made in China, there is
probably little difference between a $1,500 couch and a $300 couch
except the retailer's amount of overhead and expected profit margin.


--
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--------------------------
http://diversify.com Comprehensive, Sin-free Website Development

Larry Jaques wrote:

Since most furniture sold in the USA is now made in China, there is
probably little difference between a $1,500 couch and a $300 couch
except the retailer's amount of overhead and expected profit margin.



For $1500 they wash off the used motor oil before they assemble it. )

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 08:16:23 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Since most furniture sold in the USA is now made in China, there is
probably little difference between a $1,500 couch and a $300 couch
except the retailer's amount of overhead and expected profit margin.

Is it? I wouldn't be surprised, but it is one of the few industries
where you can still find products made in the US. I know most of the
stores around here stock Ashley, and that's right in Wisconsin. I
know at least a couple of the big particle board furniture makers are
still in the states as well.

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 02:13:58 -0500, the opaque Prometheus
clearly wrote:

On Sun, 10 Jul 2005 08:16:23 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Since most furniture sold in the USA is now made in China, there is
probably little difference between a $1,500 couch and a $300 couch
except the retailer's amount of overhead and expected profit margin.

Is it? I wouldn't be surprised, but it is one of the few industries
where you can still find products made in the US. I know most of the
stores around here stock Ashley, and that's right in Wisconsin. I
know at least a couple of the big particle board furniture makers are
still in the states as well.

Call Ashley and ask them what percentage of their stock is still made
here. IF they answer your question, I'll bet it's less than half. Yes,
there are still a few furnituremakers on the East Coast, too, but
couches, tables, and chairs are commodity items now. Check around and
you'll see what I mean.


--
- Tom Mix Died For Your Sins -
--------------------------
http://diversify.com Comprehensive, Sin-free Website Development

Me,

If you live in a area with a Japanese community chances are they would
have some kind of dept. store that sells cheap Japanese furniture. But
remember that cheap Japanese furniture is the same as cheap American,
French, Italian, and Scandinavian furniture....it's cheap! If you ever
get the chance to inspect a real tansu made by craftsmen in Japan
you'll see the difference. It's like the diff between a nice office
desk made by craftsmen and one bought at Kmart and put together at
home...some how the doors don't line up, the drawers don't slide quite
right, the particleboard shelf will start sagging...

I understand you're a poor student who can't afford nice furniture...I
almost in the same boat. I'm not a student, but I'm poor...so I
decided to learn how to make my own furniture...furniture that's
better than the crap you buy at Target and Kmart, and not all that
more expensive if you use cheap wood. I use hand tools a lot, though I
do have a few power tools.

You could start off by making a small tansu and when you get better
you can make bigger ones to match what you need. You don't have to get
fancy either. Screw and glue joinery for starts is okay. When you get
better you can move on to mortise & tenon and dovetail joints...

Layne

On Wed, 06 Jul 2005 20:32:42 -0500, wrote:

I'm not Japanese.... nor am I Asian.

But I really like the clean lines of Japanese style
furniture

Does anyone know of a way to buy or make such furniture
without a lot of money?

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 07:45:26 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:


Call Ashley and ask them what percentage of their stock is still made
here. IF they answer your question, I'll bet it's less than half. Yes,
there are still a few furnituremakers on the East Coast, too, but
couches, tables, and chairs are commodity items now. Check around and
you'll see what I mean.

Hmmm. It's long-distance, and I don't care that much- I just know
that they're always looking for more manufacturing personnel, and they
already employ a lot of folks in the area. There are a number of
places like that around my area- like I said in another thread at some
point, if people know they have to look their neighbors in the eye at
the end of the day, most folks are pretty decent. Arcadia is a small
town.

You can look at their website, if you like.
http://www.ashleyfurniture.com/ashleyjobs/Search.asp

Looks like they've got eight factories in the US, and one in Brazil-
but no jobs listed for Brazil. If it's anything like the place I work
for, it's probably just a South American JIT hub with a couple of
forklift drivers and a sales rep.

According to them, they're the second-largest furniture maker in the
world, if that's true, it'd be awfully tough to claim that
furniture-manufacturing is done for in the states.