the hinge

So what kind of house did this come from, Debbie? Something from the Craftsman era?

Love it.

And I also love the fact that you’re going to try and use it in a project! Let us know how you end up using it. If I think of any ideas for using it, I’ll be sure to post it here…

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

I’m not sure how old the house is. The front windows are all coloured glass (what’s the word I’m looking for??). The hinges were from a door that was taken off in order to redo an entry and put the porch around the house again.
I’d love to hear of ideas for my one hinge. I’m thinking about a “note” box for guests at the back door of my house. Then I can look at it every time I enter my home. But I’m not sure yet.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Do you mean it has stained glass windows? Sounds wonderful. My wife and I are looking for a house, but we have a pretty specific idea of what we want (turn of the last century, craftsman style or colonial style, for starters…). It makes it easier and more difficult all at once – easier because we can discount about 98% of the houses on the market because of age and price range and more difficult because there aren’t many houses which fit our criteria that will go on the market.

-- Ethan, http://www.merganserwoodworks.com, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/

lol yah; stained glass. I remember going through the house before my brother fixed it up and it was like a museum. The woodwork, the beautiful staircase, the little nooks and crannies everywhere. My brother has tried to keep everything as true to the original as possible while still making it livable.
I can understand why you are looking for such as house – it is not just a frame of a home but a part of the past, the present, the future; it is (for me) a symbol of honour, dedication, family, and a whole lot more. I wish you all the best in your search!!

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Debbie, I think the era you describe is called the late Victorian or Edwardian period. There are many older homes in the Toronto area that were built during that period and have some lovely Victorian/Edwardian architectural features.

As a matter of interest, Melbourne Australia also has many homes of the same era. It pains me to occasionally see these grand old homes torn down to make way for some an unimaginative structure that looks every bit like a Lego block.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

I’m not an expert by any means on eras but it does “feel” Victorian as you walk through the house.
I agree re: demolitions. Not only are these stately homes lost forever but I can’t help thinking that we are dishonouring our forefathers as we destroy the things that they put their heart and souls (and labour) into in order to provide for their families and their descendants (which would be us).
When Rick and I started doing some woodwork a year ago I decided that from then on everything in my home would be from our ancestors or handmade by us, as a legacy to pass on down to our descendants. I guess I can’t expect them to find as much meaning in the pieces as I do but I hope that someone finds treasures amongst these four walls.

Debbie
(thank you for your comments)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Debbie, good luck on that one.

My two daughters seem to want to do thing intentionally different than my wife and I. I think it’s more about expressing their independence than having different taste – but that’s part of it also. Of course, they expect to start where we have taken a life-time to achieve. It puts tremendous financial pressure on them – but I guess they have no one to blame for that but themselves.

I gave both my daughters a large down-payment for their first homes. I thought it would give them a good financial start, but rather than start with a diminished mortgage, they simply purchased a more expensive home with the same mortgage. When I hear my 35 year old daughter taking about buying another larger home to accommodate her growing family and she throws around figures like $1,000,000, I realize that life moves on and the next generation do things their own way.

But I digress too much.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.canterburybaptist.org/

Totally with you on wanting to fill your home with heritage pieces, as well as from your own hands. We’re trying to do the same thing. One thing I love about our house, 1880 Farmhouse, is all the period detail, well… not so much detail as craftsmanship. Something that was lost on previous occupants, but slowly being reclaimed by me. Yes we’ve replaced windows with new, energy efficient models, but the trim work is being done exactly as it had been. Popcorn ceilings are coming down in favor of the beadboard that was underneath.

When we were doing the initial walk-through with the inspector, he told us that while the house did need some work here and there, the sturcture was sound for at least another 100 years. I don’t think that can be said about much of what popped up in the last couple decades!

I like the note box idea, but I can’t wait to see what you come up with for that great piece of hardware.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Don, I was going to say “another good reason for us to honour our ancestors and get back to the basics in our lives” but then I remembered the detail in this hinge and the beautiful carved handrail of the stairs in the old home and realized that whoever built the old home was living pretty high on the hog. This wasn’t simple living.

I am a Life Guide and one of my frequent messages with my clients is that they choose their lifestyle AND their debts. We are taught by society/media etc that we “need” so many things when we really don’t. It is an interesting process to peel back the layers of “want” in order to take control of one’s life.

Scott, it must be a real pleasure to sit in your house and just admire the details of the home. My home is “just” an old farmhouse but there are some details here and there that are worth admiring.

The hinge is still sitting on my table, waiting. Right now we are building a new bench to hold my scroll saw and Dremel equipment. By the time that is done perhaps we’ll have a plan for the hinge. Or not. At this point it doesn’t really matter. Just looking at the hinge throughout the day is rewarding enough

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

ok…i looked up the tag “hinge” and it led me here—-and since it has been a long time since you posted (6 months) I am wondering what you ended up doing with the hinge—-i must admit i did not read all the comments so you may have answered that above…

peace!!!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...177 days to sanity...

it just sits on a shelf beside a pix of my dad. No vision as of yet.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Deb, Did you know that Veritas has a whole line of Victorian cast and linished hinges? Just in case your hinge gets lonely.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

i’ll have to have a look.. I have a catalogue.. it just sits in with the rest of them.

A matching set (or kinda matching) would be pretty cool.

Does the chair that I’m expected to build now need a fancy hinge?? :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)