http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

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Last update: 8/07/05

Swingman wrote:
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm
=20
Tell me what you know about tansu.
=20

Canadian Woodworking just ran an article -- see cover page.


http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/


--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

"WillR" wrote in message
Swingman wrote:
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.


Canadian Woodworking just ran an article -- see cover page.

http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/

Thanks for the link.

Amazing ... you'd think I've been hiding under a rock down here in Texas. In
62 years I've never even heard the word "tansu" until last week. An ad in
American Bungalow magazine was the first time I've seen the word in print.

Appears to be very open to design freedom, which is right down my alley.
AAMOF, I can't believe how close I managed to come to some of the design
elements (like the plain base) which I have seen online the past few days
without ever having seen or heard of it ... which means there is something
intuitively organic and elemental about it.

Live and learn ...

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Last update: 8/29/05

Swingman wrote:
"WillR" wrote in message
Swingman wrote:
=20
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

=20
=20
Canadian Woodworking just ran an article -- see cover page.
=20
http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/
=20
Thanks for the link.
=20
Amazing ... you'd think I've been hiding under a rock down here in Texa=
s. In
62 years I've never even heard the word "tansu" until last week. An ad =
in
American Bungalow magazine was the first time I've seen the word in pri=
nt.
=20
Appears to be very open to design freedom, which is right down my alley=
=2E
AAMOF, I can't believe how close I managed to come to some of the desig=
n
elements (like the plain base) which I have seen online the past few da=
ys
without ever having seen or heard of it ... which means there is someth=
ing
intuitively organic and elemental about it.
=20
Live and learn ...
=20


Do what Larry did and get the "Free copy" -- pay shipping. If you are=20
interested it is a good article. (Well I like it anyway... :-) )

They do describe the reason for the "step" Tansu -- beating the tax man=20
-- an old-time American tradition as well.

Paul is thinking of selling an online edition of his magazine. Complete=20
with article downloads etc. That would widen his reach a bit and make it =

easier to get articles like that one... Any day real soon now...



--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

"WillR" wrote in message

They do describe the reason for the "step" Tansu -- beating the tax man
-- an old-time American tradition as well.

And an old European one, for that matter ... I was told by the curator of a
German museum many years ago that one of the reasons for the proliferation
of wardrobes were that taxes were based on the number of rooms, and closets
were taxed as rooms.

Until just recently I've never been a fan of Asian styles of any sort. When
you get older you gradually start to appreciate the elemental human aspects
of furniture design (when you get down to it, the basis for the design of
tools and devices that humans use to make their daily lives more
comfortable, regardless of geographic location).

The recent article in FWW with Sam Maloof is interesting along these same
lines as he seems to have a great deal of wonder about how his designs
instinctively meshed with Asian and Egyptian furniture styles, although he
was raised on an isolated farm and had never been to any of these places.

In a much more humble way I am beginning to know how he feels as the ideas
that have been floating around in my mind with regard to this "stacked" cube
thing mesh perfectly with what I am discovering about some aspects of tansu
.... must be Mongol blood in some of us old farm boys.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/29/05

Swingman wrote:
"WillR" wrote in message
=20
They do describe the reason for the "step" Tansu -- beating the tax man=

-- an old-time American tradition as well.
=20
And an old European one, for that matter ... I was told by the curator =
of a
German museum many years ago that one of the reasons for the proliferat=
ion
of wardrobes were that taxes were based on the number of rooms, and clo=
sets
were taxed as rooms.

I guess bureaucrats _are_ chosen for a particular mindset. As they say=20
in the security biz -- the crackers always win...

=20
Until just recently I've never been a fan of Asian styles of any sort. =
When
you get older you gradually start to appreciate the elemental human asp=
ects
of furniture design (when you get down to it, the basis for the design =
of
tools and devices that humans use to make their daily lives more
comfortable, regardless of geographic location).

Now I have to agree with that -- form follows function maybe???? :-)


The recent article in FWW with Sam Maloof is interesting along these sa=
me
lines as he seems to have a great deal of wonder about how his designs
instinctively meshed with Asian and Egyptian furniture styles, although=
he
was raised on an isolated farm and had never been to any of these place=
s.

Maybe he is a keen observer of nature. :-) Many good designs follow=20
those principle IMO -- whether instinct (programmed, genetic?) or a=20
learned response -- who knows?


In a much more humble way I am beginning to know how he feels as the id=
eas
that have been floating around in my mind with regard to this "stacked"=
cube
thing mesh perfectly with what I am discovering about some aspects of t=
ansu
... must be Mongol blood in some of us old farm boys.

Ukrainian? Lot of crossover there.



--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 16:38:55 -0400, the opaque WillR
clearly wrote:

Canadian Woodworking just ran an article -- see cover page.
http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/

I just sent for a free ($3CDN for shipping) issue. How do you
like the mag? It appears to have an article for every niche of
woodworking. Is it worth a buck more per year than FWW?

--
Like they say, 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
------------------------------------------------------
http://diversify.com Lawyer-free Website Development

Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 16:38:55 -0400, the opaque WillR
clearly wrote:
=20
=20
Canadian Woodworking just ran an article -- see cover page.
http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/
=20
=20
I just sent for a free ($3CDN for shipping) issue. How do you
like the mag? It appears to have an article for every niche of
woodworking. Is it worth a buck more per year than FWW?
=20
--=20
Like they say, 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
------------------------------------------------------
http://diversify.com Lawyer-free Website Development

I know the publisher -- met him at woodshows -- nice guy...

It is much better over the last few years. I don't _like_ all the=20
articles because I am not interested in some aspects of this art=20
(sport?) -- but I do appreciate the technical aspects of each facet of=20
woodworking -- so sometimes I read the articles on things that I would=20
never do or try. Paul & Linda are trying very hard to get articles that=20
do represent a lot of the different aspects of the art. We discussed=20
that point last time I saw him. It is a conscious effort.

For a Canuck it is a goldmine of local sources. I wish more Canadian=20
companies would advertise in them. We have a unique way of advertising=20
businesses here - if you don't know somebody who knows of a given=20
company you can't find out about them. (lol) That's why I started adding =

Links to my web site. A couple of years ago I mentioned to Paul how=20
difficult it was to find sources. Now I see that he is trying to get=20
people/companies to advertise at least once and provide a link to their=20
web site or a contact point.

I don't even know the difference in subscription rates. I buy them both=20
for different reasons.

FWW I always check to see if there is an interesting article. CWW I just =

buy without looking -- he always has something of interest and a new=20
source or two or three...

The step Tansu article is a good one. Not interested now -- but someday..=
=2E

--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

Swingman,

Go to http://www.tansu.net/ for a bit of background.

When I was in Japan 35+ years ago, my first impression was that they
were beautiful as well as functional. My second impression was that
they appeared to made out of orange crate wood. In Japan the wood is
called kiri and in the US Pallonia(sp). In any case, bought one for my
wife on our second anniversary and brought it back when we returned.
Love it and it doesn't seem that out of place with any other style of
furniture.

Most have a series various size drawers, a space behind sliding panel
doors and often a secret compartment. Hardware is usually black metal
similar to "campaign style hardware" on the corners, simple bail type
drawer pulls and rather elaborate stylized chrysanthenum locks.

Seems to me that there are a couple of books out on the subject.

Ed







Swingman wrote:
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

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www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/07/05

Tansu were originally made for storing blankets, and is a generic term for
this function. Stackable cubes are not really tansu chests but sometimes
look similar.


"Swingman" wrote in message
...
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/07/05

Hi,

This is one of my favorite sites for tansu. Click on the links on the
left. The hardware is unbelievable! The only thing I don't like is
that their tansu are laquered...which isn't bad as the laquerwork is
beautiful, but I like seeing wood.

http://www.tsuyama.com/eg/

Here's one featuring different craftsmen.

http://www.edocraft.com/directory/furniture/index.html

Here's another favorite site for Japanese woodworking.

http://www.sonic.net/~kiarts/index.html

These guys build Japanese style houses using traditional Japanese
carpentry techniques. Click on the "construction" link to see the
joinery they make by hand using traditional methods. Amazing!

http://www.eastwindinc.com/

Regards,

Layne



On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 15:10:32 -0500, "Swingman" wrote:

http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

Check out this website:

http://www.hyypiodesign.com/shop.html

(Wonderful examples of modern day tansu design.)

There are several books on Tansu. In its broadest useage, Tansu
originally meant any type of chest which was portable. Some even had
wheels . . . Step tansu are a specific niche . . . there are other
niches . . . merchant tansu, sea tansu (for on-board sailing vessels)
etc . . .

Rick

Swingman wrote:
http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

Tell me what you know about tansu.

"Rick Stein" wrote in message
Check out this website:

http://www.hyypiodesign.com/shop.html

(Wonderful examples of modern day tansu design.)

Damn ... at those prices maybe it's time to consider incorporating ...
"Texas Tansu, Inc"?

Step tansu are a specific niche

Like my grandfather said: "There are riches in niches".

Actually, I am really having a good time with this project. I have a brief
period between houses and it's really nice to be able to do something for
your own use for a change... this tansu thing fits the bill and is
scratching all the wooddorking itches in the right places.

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Last update: 8/29/05

Progress on the "Texas Tansu" project, albeit glacial due to having to take
a back seat to making a living, moves forward.

Some may find the use of "French cleats" to attach the desk top between the
stack of chests a bit unusual, but it is surprising how well the system
works in practice.

AAMOF, the drawer like sliding action is so smooth, even between
stained/unstained/unwaxed parts, that I am thinking of using a similar idea
as wooden drawer slides for some of the multitude of planned drawers on this
project.

http://www.e-woodshop.net/Projects8.htm

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Last update: 9/17/05