Looking at Antiques

I just spent the morning at the Detroit Antique Mall. What a cool place! I was down there to get some ideas. My wife would like a headboard for the bed that incorporates wood and wrought iron. I remember that there was a ton of ornamental wrought iron down there that had been salvaged from old buildings. It is mostly in the form of fence sections, garden gates, and stair parts. I was hoping to find a really good looking piece that I could have sandblasted and restored for use as the centerpiece of the headboard.

I was successful too. I found some really excellent pieces that I could incorporate. I just need to get my wife down there to choose. While I was there though, I also noticed the stained glass. There are some beautiful pieces there. Once again, I believe that they were taken from homes, because they do not have religious themes. I started thinking that the stained glass might make an even cooler headboard. Especially when you consider that the headboard would be up against an east facing window.

I can just imagine how warmly those translucent colors would glow and light up the room on sunny winter mornings. I also like the fact that that combination would be unique. I really enjoy combining ideas like that.

The other thing that I found there that may be of great value is TM5-613 War Department Technical Manual "Woodworking and Furniture Repair" June 1946. Not only does it contain plans for all sorts of furniture, it also has an instruction section that is chock full of shop made jigs. As I thumb through it I am amazed at how little has changed and at how much has changed. Wood joints haven't changed a bit. A butt joint is still a butt joint, and a rabbett is still a rabbett, for example. However, if you look at glue, there is nothing they have listed that I would care to glue up furniture with. The entire list is: Powder animal glues, liquid animal glues, blood-albumin glues, starch glues, casin and vegetable protein glues, urea resin glues, and phenolic resin glues. I can only surmise that Elmer's Glue was still a dream back then.

I'll keep you posted as I dig deeper into this gem.