Stickley Furniture question

[Craig D Peltier]

Anyone here know if the black lines Stickley used to outline most of his furniture 21st century line was made out of?
http://www.stickley.com/OurProducts.cfm?Collection=21stCentury

I guess regardless of what its made of , whats the easiest rout to achieve the same look.
If someone says epoxy, how do you do that. Rout a groove tape off the edge and add epoxy and then take tape off and sand? Is it hard to do to get a clean line?

Do you think a inlaid wood strip that was dyed in india ink may work better? Is it hard to do?

Im trying to figure out how much time it will take so I can charge accordingly.

Thanks

[Sam Yerardi]

Craig,

You tend to see more of this type of inlay on another style of Arts & Crafts furniture, that being the Green & Greene brothers. If you were to consider Stickley as the Chevrolets of the Mission/Arts & Crafts/Prarie style (sorry for the bad comparison - I LOVE Stickley) , then the Greene brothers would be considered the Cadillacs. Amazingly beautiful and timeless. Anyway, I digress...

Historically, the inlay is typically ebony. However, there are numerous domestic hardwoods (and other exotics) that can be 'ebonized' such as hard maple, and walnut, even holly (the whitest of woods). There are many different recipes for dying wood black and having it retain that color. Some will tend to divide into its constituent colors which can be a pain in the neck. India ink has been used, carbon black, lamp black, dyes, the use of fire, etc. You can find a lot of this on the net. Search ebonized wood (or maple or walnut) or ebonizing wood, etc.

[Alan Trout]

About 2 years ago I met the president of Stickley. He literally started with the company sweeping floors and he is a really neat guy. I do know these are inlays for sure but not sure what the material it is. We were discussing this line and weather it was made in New York. It is not. It is made in Vietnam in a factory that they built and man. He told me they were going to try to produce the 21st century line in the US but the cost of the inlay work would have priced it out of the market. A large percentage of the employee's in New York are from Vietnam and they took family back in their home country and had them train and manage them in the new plant. I looked over several pieces and they are of very good quality. I have a few pieces of there more traditional Stickley because at the time I did not have the time build it and the wife wanted those pieces. Mostly Harvey Ellis Reproductions.

Good Luck

Alan

[Joe Chritz]

Definitely inlays.

I am also 100% sure it will take half the time the second time you do it.

I would cheat a little and use a CNC to route the grove, then clean up with a chisel and inlay slightly beveled inlays of ebonized maple. No reason you couldn't do the same with a plunge router.

The squares could be done the same or possibly with a hollow chisel mortiser and a shallow mortise.

Probably gonna have to wing it and hope for the best on time. I think I would add an hour per leg and take any more as a learning curve.

Joe

[Alan Schaffter]

About 2 years ago I met the president of Stickley. He literally started with the company sweeping floors and he is a really neat guy. I do know these are inlays for sure but not sure what the material it is. We were discussing this line and weather it was made in New York. It is not. It is made in Vietnam in a factory that they built and man. He told me they were going to try to produce the 21st century line in the US but the cost of the inlay work would have priced it out of the market. A large percentage of the employee's in New York are from Vietnam and they took family back in their home country and had them train and manage them in the new plant. I looked over several pieces and they are of very good quality. I have a few pieces of there more traditional Stickley because at the time I did not have the time build it and the wife wanted those pieces. Mostly Harvey Ellis Reproductions.

Good Luck

Alan

In a store in Williamsburg, VA I saw some of the Stickley furniture made in Vietnam. It was better than most furniture store crap, but I thought it was of lesser quality than their top of the line stuff (which is truly superior) and still being made in Manlius, NY and Archdale, NC.

Alfred Audi, whose father had partnered with L. Stickley, bought the L & J.G. Stickley company in 1974. Alfred Audi died in 2007 but his wife and son still run the company that he resurrected from certain demise. They continue to do well and have expanded their line.

They have a nice website (http://www.stickley.com/index.cfm) and put out some great color catalogs (you can download for free, but you must pay for print copies). I use one of the catalogs as a great source of A&C furniture inspiration and ideas.

[Jacob Reverb]

They have a nice website (http://www.stickley.com/index.cfm) and put out some great color catalogs (you can download for free, but you must pay for print copies). I use one of the catalogs as a great source of A&C furniture inspiration and ideas.

Great find, Alan! Thanks for the link!

[Bob Stegemann]

I don't know about the NC plant but the NY plant has a great tour almost daily. No samples but great sights.:cool: