Furniture 2
CABINETMAKING
Because our country's pioneers be of necessity competent handicraftsmen imposes no obligation upon the pr generation of steamheat and pushbutton settlers to emulate them with swea calluses. Financial considerations permitting, we are able to acquire almosl type of furniture our hearts desire, from wellconstructed replicas of auth antiques to comfortable creations of modern design. If unable to satisfy comp! all his furniture wants at one time, the average householder budgets his pure and buys carefully, thereby acquiring an increased pride of ownership derived a wellconsidered comparison of values.
It is doubtful, however, whether this ultimate pride of possession ever apj mates the deep satisfaction of the craftsman who successfully constructs a fortable and useful piece of furniture that in appearance and workmanship cl resembles the product of experienced cabinetmakers. To achieve such a i through one's own planning and with one's own hands is a tangible monume the selfreliance and the inherent ability of an amateur to invade successful! guild of master craftsmen. This guild is not only an ancient but also a most h able one, whose members were, and still are, truly artists in wood, althougl pride of craftsmanship that formerly prompted so many of them to sign products has necessarily disappeared as the result of our modern system of spi ization and mass production, under which no one individual can be entirely re: sible for the finished product.
It is not the intention here to decry the results of mass production, n< attempt an evaluation of the impact on our national economy of the millio manhours that increased recreational time may channelize into home proi from various hobby crafts. The goal is much more tangible-the erection of si guideposts welcoming the reader to the Ancient Order of Handicrafters. In 4»irit this book is aimed at those individuals in whom there exists some ve of the soulsatisfying urge to create something useful during their spare products such as patience, concentration, observation, and foresight are ni sneered at, but there is no desire to proselyte in the interests of char
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building or mental discipline. That would be trading a joyous hobby for the flagellant's whip.
The earlier craftsmen would have scorned such hardware aids as metal angle irons, corner plates, folding lid stays, or manufactured drawer pulls, relying instead upon the strength and decorativeness of accurate jointing alone. In this and other chapters, however, where such devices are considered logically economic and relatively invisible, they are included in various projects, such as kitchen tables or outdoor furniture. It is felt that these modern aids to construction represent a desirable saving in time and effort, where the intricacy and precision of craftsmanlike joinery would exert relatively little influence on the final decorativeness of the product.