Katrina Furniture Project

[Brian Kent]

Just read something interesting about the Katrina Furniture Project:

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1615123,00.html

The idea is to set up local shops around New Orleans to reclaim 19th century Cypress and oak pulled off of barges to build homes. The homes are now destroyed, but much of the wood can still be used.

The furniture shops would use the old wood, teach some people a trade and give them employment, and increase the city's carpentry skill the next time a hurricane comes through.

I know nothing else about this yet, but it sure seems like a grea idea if it done well.

[Mike Henderson]

If someone would reclaim the cypress in the old homes, the wood itself could be sold nationwide for a good price. The old cypress was much tighter grain than the stuff sold today. It's naturally resistant to rot and fungus. The problem would be the nail holes in it and the cost of collecting and preparing it. A lot of it is 2x4s used to build the frame of the house.

The lower ninth ward was flooded in the late 60's by Betsy so all those houses (in that area) with cypress in them had been flooded before. They were able to gut the houses and renovate them which is something that you generally can't do when the structure is fir (because of mold infestation).

And unfortunately, if they let them rebuild in the lower ninth ward, it'll flood again some day.

I'm a native New Orleanian.

Mike

[Brian Kent]

I scanned this picture from a friend who just returned from a work team in Gulfport, Mississippi. I wonder if there are (or will be in the coming years) timber harvesting projects for the dead and felled trees.

If cost effective, that and the cypress retrieval both seem like business plans that could boost employment while re-using some beautiful resources.

[Stephen Goldsmith]

Good to see people picking up on this idea. If you're interested and would like to help us make this project a national model, as well as help us create a meaningful re-employment program for people in the region, kindly take a moment to look at our website at: www.katrinafurnitureproject.org (http://www.katrinafurnitureproject.org)

We need all of the help we can get right now, and it may be that we could assemble a team of woodworkers to come to New Orleans and help teach a workshop if any of the Sawmill Creek members would have an interest.

We want to help residents learn to make step stools which can be easily packaged and delivered anywhere. There is a huge market for these and it could be a terrific way for Forum members to pass on our fine craft to a new generation of New Orleaneans.

Thanks so much for your interest.

[Brian Kent]

Stephen, I like the idea of a team of Sawmill Creekers helping out. I've taken about a week to respond to your idea because there is a lot to think through. The plan of empowering the locals to recover some of the cypress and oak and create something beautiful is great. I also really appreciate a business plan that gives New Orleans residents an income and skills for recovery from the damage of the storm or a future storm.

Two things I am trying to weigh personally:

1) Are my skills adequate to be of benefit to someone else? I just over a year old as a woodworker. I have learned a ton and have done a couple dozen projects, but I have no idea what skills are needed and if I have any of those skills. Some photos of your shop(s) and what you are making would help.

2) The church where I work just sent 23 people to Gulfport Mississippi and is planning at least two more trips there. If I do Katrina recovery work, it should probably be with them.

Our church is having a scholarship-auction right now and I am looking at some of the astounding carvings and scrollwork that some of the folks at my church can do, and I am wondering if they could do a workshop on carving details.

Whatever the case, thank you for the good work you all are doing. We'll see if other creekers end up getting involved.