George Nakashima Woodworker -- New Documentary

[ChuckM]

https://nakashimadocumentary.com/ (DVD/Blue Ray/Poster)

To stream:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/georgenakashima/479378911

 

[Charles959]

The documentary is excellent, and has material likely to be new even to viewers who have read the books about him and his work. For him, a number of setbacks lead to unexpected opportunities.

 

[ChuckM]

This one is free:

 

[ChuckM]

As the video title suggests, this one is all about the staff working there:

 

[smorgasbord]

Thanks for the one on the staff working there.

The earlier video with the high-heeled woman talking about collecting is exactly the kind of thing Nakashima apparently disliked. For instance, when the Met Museum in NY wanted to add some of his work to their collection, Nakashiima said no to them being put on display - he wanted pieces to be used daily, which is why most of them aren't in the actual gallery, at least as of 2019 when I was there (just one desk was in a gallery with vases and such). He was also against signing his pieces. Mira does that for her pieces now, btw.

 

[ChuckM]

https://modernegallery.com/how-to-identify-george-nakashima-furniture/#:~:text=With%20his%20assistance%2C%20clients%20usually,he%20could%20sign%20his%20order.

This is an article about his signing.

 

[smorgasbord]

Thanks for that:

Nakashima continued to use black markers to preserve the name of the client on the piece, but rarely signed work until the 1980s.

His wife Miriam kept excellent records of most orders beginning 1951. This Nakashima Archive is now an invaluable resource for establishing authenticity. If the name of the client is on the piece, their order can usually be found in the archive. That is the only true way to establish authenticity.

After Nakashima’s death on June 15, 1990, orders for Nakashima pieces were produced under the supervision of the only designer he ever trained, his daughter, Mira Nakashima. At first she wasn’t sure of what to do about signing, so she just signed “Nakashima” with the date of completion. Shortly after that, she added “Mira” under Nakashima,” and a bit later began to sign “Mira Nakashima.”

Yeah, my parents' pieces have just our last name.

Anyway want to know a "secret" about Nakashima's butterflies? I've seen lots of articles and videos on making them, but even the ones acknowledging Nakashima don't use this technique, which I suspect will surprise some people here.

 

[bertv]

Anyway want to know a "secret" about Nakashima's butterflies? I've seen lots of articles and videos on making them, but even the ones acknowledging Nakashima don't use this technique, which I suspect will surprise some people here.

Please enlighten us.

 

[smorgasbord]

Nakashima's butterflies are screwed in from the bottom.
Old-fashioned, slotted flat-head screws, too.

 

[rst]

I just watched an amazing YouTube doc on the Process channel.  The Process Behind Japan’s Rarest Woodworking Technique “Suituki”. Single craftsman makes a beautiful solid wooden table with No metal fasteners, it’s a slab top. His method of attaching battens and legs is incredible.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Does this LINK work?

Haven’t watched the video but this open shot shows a very inviting shop.

 

[rst]

That’s the one wait till you see the joinery!  Another new to me is SWR Handwerkskunst, German craftsmen.  How Carpenters build a traditional granary, German post and beam construction

 

[onocoffee]

Nakashima's butterflies are screwed in from the bottom.
Old-fashioned, slotted flat-head screws, too.

Thinking about this a little more. While during George's time they used slotted, flat head screws, might anyone have insight if they still only use that technique today for their new built stuff?

 

[ChuckM]

Nakashima's butterflies are screwed in from the bottom.
Old-fashioned, slotted flat-head screws, too.

The piece by Mira Nakashima I came across also showed the use of screws with the butterfly joints. Out of curiosity, I wrote their shop and got this reply from their General Manager:

"The screws are really just used to continue the traditions of work that was done by George in the early years when glues were not as strong.  We use Urea – plastic powder resin. We have found this provides the best adhesive qualities and work time."

Did you write them about the wood movement question or get any reply?

 

[Svar]

That’s the one wait till you see the joinery! 

I "invented" that joint years ago, but later discovered it already existed  [sad]

[attachimg=1]

For stopped dovetail battens there is a simpler and stronger solution:

[attachimg=2]

Parts go in #1, then #3, then #2 wedged in between. Part #2 could be rectangular or wedged. Easy to get a perfect fit. Three parts could be glued to each other or pinned through for disassembly. Hafele sells a flush, metal version of this, which employs screws to spread parts 1 and 3.

 

[smorgasbord]

(Mira... We use Urea – plastic powder resin. We have found this provides the best adhesive qualities and work time."

I looked that up:https://veneersystems.com/product/urea-plastic-powder-resin-ppr-1-gallon/
Seems to be mostly a veneer glue, but:

* At 70°F pot life will be 5-1/2 hours, and @ 90°F will be 3 hours.
* The adhesive will continue to cure until it is rock hard—generally within 24 hours.
* As temperature increases, allowable assembly times decrease. Max. assembly time @ 70°F is 40 minutes, and @ 90°F is 20 minutes.

It appears to be kind of a process to add water and mix, so a lot harder to use than just squeezing out some Titebond.

Did you write them about the wood movement question or get any reply?

No, never did write.