Archive for the ‘handcrafted by Henry Mowry’ Tag
George III mahogany Lazy Susan, circa 1780, sold for about $3,900 by Christie’s in London in 2010. Photo credit: Christies.
We don’t know. We just don’t know.
The origin of the term “Lazy Susan” was probably in the 20th century … it was used to promote Ovington’s $8.50 mahogany “Revolving Server or Lazy Susan” in a 1917 Vanity Fair ad. That ad also stated that the device was “the cleverest waitress in the world.”
That points to the probable origin of the device, which was first observed in Europe in the 17th century … probably as a replacement for servants. That same ad says the price of $8.50 is “an impossibly low wage for a good servant.”
Some people have tried to say Thomas Jefferson invented them … but that isn’t true. He did not use them at Monticello. These revolving devices were certainly used in the 1700s in Europe and the US, but they were called “dumb waiters.”
A dumb waiter because they could not speak?
A lazy Susan because servants were generically known as “Susan?”
No clue.
What I do know is that I had 3 orders to make them for Christmas presents, and those were delivered today. No clue what the recipients will call them. All 5 are Black Walnut and about 15″ in diameter.
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WorldWideWords: Lazy Susan
Wikipedia: Lazy Susan
LA Times: Who Was Susan And Was She Truly Lazy?
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I can see the light at the end of the tunnel … but I’m not there yet.
I never understood how many cutting boards and cheese boards I’d be making this year when I hopped on this merry-go-round. With success … comes work. Here are some of the latest boards I’ve built … and there’s more to come. 2014 is not done, not by a long shot.
Some of these boards were built to fulfill Xmas orders. Some were built for our final events of the year, taking place this weekend. I built all of these because I thought they’d be pretty.
Hope you agree!
A set of Hard Maple & Purpleheart edge grain boards. 9″ x 11″ x 1-1/8″. Already sold.
Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Jatoba and Jarrah edge grain. 12″ x 9″ x 1″.
Hard Maple, Black Walnut & Jatoba edge grain. 8″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Black Walnut and Cherry end grain. 8″ x 11″ x 1″. Already sold.
Black Walnut, Cherry and Hard Maple end grain. 8″ x 12″ x 1″.
Black Walnut, Purpleheart, Jatoba, Yellowheart, Hard Maple and Jarrah edge grain. 12″ x 8″ x 1″.
A set of 4x cheese boards. Black Walnut, Red Oak and Padauk. Each is 8″ x 10″ x 3/4″. Already sold.
Hard Maple & Black Walnut edge grain. 8″ x 12″ x 3/4″. Three made; only one left.
Black Walnut edge grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1″.
Very fun grain pattern on this cherry. Black Walnut, Cherry, and Hard Maple edge grain. 8″ x 10″ x 1″. Already sold.
Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Cherry, Jatoba and Jarrah edge grain. 11″ x 16″ x 1″.
Black Walnut, Purpleheart, Jatoba, Yellowheart, Hard Maple and Jarrah edge grain. 13″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″.
A pair of Black Walnut, Hard Maple and Jatoba edge grain cutting boards. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Already sold.
Love this design. Black Walnut, Cherry and Hard Maple end grain. 12″ x 15″ x 1-1/8″.
Hard Maple end grain. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″. Already sold.
Hard Maple end grain. 12″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″. Already sold.
Black Walnut and Cherry end grain. 12″ x 15″ x 1″.
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Buying A Board From Mr M’s Woodshop
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I noticed that when I made what I consider to be a mid-sized board, they sold almost immediately. Me being a little slow on the uptake at times, I eventually decided to see what would happen if I made several mid-size boards.
Want to find out with me? Today, I’m making a rare solo appearance without the Mrs M’s at the Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire sponsored by the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History. It’s located at 956 Maple Avenue in Carpinteria, 10a – 3p, … and you can see me, and these new boards, if you come to Carpinteria today!
Three boards, each 12″ x 11-1/2″ x 1-1/2″. Hard maple, cherry and black walnut edge grain.
A board for the world traveler, with woods from 4 continents. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Black walnut (North America), Jatoba (South America), Padauk (Africa), Yellowheart (South America), Cherry (North America), Hard Maple (North America) and Jarrah (Australia) edge grain.
12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Jatoba and Hard Maple edge grain. I love the dark figure in the hard maple that echoes the color of the Jatoba.
12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Jatoba, Hard Maple and Cherry edge grain.
12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Jatoba, Hard Maple, Yellowheart and Walnut Edge Grain.
12″ x 16″ x 1-1/8″. Black Walnut, Hard Maple and Jatoba edge grain.
The “3×5″ board. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/2”. Black Walnut and Hard Maple end grain.
7″ x 12″ x 1-1/8″. Jatoba, Hard Maple, Yellowheart and Black Walnut edge grain.
8″ x 12″ x 1-1/8″. Jatoba, Hard Maple and Cherry edge grain.
9″ x 12″ x 1-1/8″. Black Walnut, Hard Maple and Jatoba edge grain.
Some people like vanilla, and that’s OK. Hard Maple edge grain. 8″ x 11″ x 1″.
10″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″. Hard Maple, Cherry and Black Walnut edge grain.
A monster of a board. Commissioned piece. 17″ x 21″ x 1-1/2″. Black Walnut and Hard Maple end grain.
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How To Buy A Board From Mr M’s Woodshop
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Thank goodness MrsMowry came back to us for yesterday’s post after her first 12 weeks in the classroom! I needed a break from the diary format … as I am sure you did, too.
So, the staycation is over and now its time to share the photos of all of the lovely things I did on my staycation.
51 boards.
You love seeing photos of what other people do for fun, yes?
Good. Happy to share.
Click on the photos for enlargements, and note that the measurements offered are approximations only. I was too tired to be more accurate. Good thing I was through in the shop … for a day or three, anyway.
# 22 Cutting Board, $60. Edge grain. Walnut, maple, padauk, oak, and cherry. 16″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Edge grain. Jatoba, walnut and maple. 14″ x 10″.
Edge grain. Sold the only one exhibited on day one. Walnut, oak and purpleheart. 8″ x 12″ x 1″.
# 25 Cutting Board, $50. Edge grain. Walnut, maple and cherry. 12″ x 8″.
Edge grain. Sold the one exhibited on day one. Oak, purpleheart and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 17 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Walnut, teak, and yellowheart. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
Edge grain. Walnut, purpleheart, cherry and maple. 11″ x 9″ x 1″.
Edge grain. 11″ x 9″ x 1″. Oak, purpleheart, walnut and cherry.
# 24 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. Walnut, cherry and maple.
# 32 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″. Maple, purpleheart and yellowheart.
# 23 Cutting Board, $50. Edge grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″. Maple, cherry and walnut.
Edge grain. 11″ x 9″ x 1″. Walnut, teak, yellowheart and maple.
Edge grain. Maple, cherry and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 16 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Maple, purpleheart and yellowheart. 11″ x 9″ x 1″.
Edge grain. Maple, purpleheart, walnut aand oak. 12″ x 12″ x 1″.
# 15 Cheese Board, $30. Edge grain. Oak, walnut, and cherry. 8″ x 10″ x 1″.
# 14 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Walnut, oak and cherry. 12″ x 10″ x 1″.
# 13 Cheese Board, $35. Edge grain. Ash. 10″ x 8″ x 1-1/2″.
End grain. Walnut, ash and cherry. Three sizes, 8″ – 12″ x 10″ x 1-1/4″.
Edge grain. Oak, purpleheart, cherry and walnut. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 51 Cutting Board, $60. End grain. Black walnut and cherry. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″ thick.
# 21 Cutting Board, $50. End grain. Black walnut. 14″ x 10″ x 1-1/2″.
End grain. Black walnut. 14″ x 10″ x 1-1/4″.
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I freaked out last weekend after selling several cheese boards … and I had to make more for our next big event.
Well, I call them cheese boards. You may think they’re perfect cutting boards for your small kitchen, RV, for cutting a sandwich, or whatever. To each his own. I’ll keep making them as long as people like them!
Today, Mrs. M’s Handmade is at the Thousand Oaks Street Fair. Come see us … and you’ll get to see these boards, up close and personal.
I’m working with some new woods here … and trying some new techniques in the shop, too. Please share your thoughts; would love to hear what you think of these new boards.
Black Walnut, edge grain. 11-1/2″ x 12″ x 1-1/8″.
# 27 Cutting Board, $50. Black walnut, end grain. 11-1/2″ x 11-1/2″ x 1″.
# 28 Cutting Board, $50. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Cherry. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
The Alien Board. Honey Locust & Hickory end grain. 11″ x 8″.
Velda’s favorite. Black Walnut, Teak and Curly Maple edge grain. 11″ x 9″ x 1″.
Black Walnut, Curly Maple and Yellowheart edge grain. 10″ x 7″ x 1″.
The candy corn boards. Black Walnut, Yellowheart, Padauk and Hard Maple. 11″ x 8″ x 1″.
Black Walnut, White Oak, Honey Locust, and Hard Maple edge grain. 11-1/2″ x 12″ x 1″.
Hard Maple, Cherry & Walnut edge grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″.
Black Walnut, Cherry, Hard Maple & Yellowheart edge grain. 12″ x 12″ x 1-1/2″.
Curly Maple, Teak, Black Walnut and Yellowheart edge grain. 12″ x 11-1/2″ x 1-1/8″.
Black Walnut, White Oak and Hickory end grain. Two are 11″ x 9″ x 1-1/8″. The third board is 10″ x 8″ x 1-1/8″.
Detail of “the Santa board,” as Velda calls it. I love the cross species synchronicity, as the Hickory aligns perfectly with the White Oak.
Hickory end grain. 10″ x 10″ x 1-1/8″.
More
The Trouble With Success
Cheese Boards That Think That They Are Cutting Boards
Cheese & Cracker Servers
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One last batch of cutting boards finished before the 4th quarter craft fairs begin. These, and many others, will be at Mrs M’s booth this weekend.
If you’re out and about in Santa Clarita on Saturday, please join Mrs Ms Handmade at the LA Sheriff’s Department’s Annual Fun In The Sun Chili Cook-Off at the Equestrian Center in Castaic. The address is 26983 Tapia Canyon Road.
If you’re not so fortunate as to be out in the heat with us on Saturday, then write me on the Contact Us form and tell me what you would like!
Two Hard Maple boards. Cutting boards for your RV? Cheese boards? Bar boards? You choose. One is 12-1/2″ x 8″ x 1-1/2″. The other is 13″ x 7-1/4″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
# 63 Cutting Board, $125. Edge grain cutting board. Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Cherry and Yellowheart.
# 62 Cutting Board, $150. Hard Maple, Walnut, Yellowheart and Cherry. 22-1/8″ x 14-3/8″ x 1-5/8″. Edge grain.
# 68 Cutting Board, $150. Black Walnut, Yellowheart, Cherry and Hard Maple. 18-3/8″ x 14-1/2″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
# 66 Cutting Board, $150. Black Walnut, Jatoba, Padauk, Yellowheart and Hard Maple. 18″ x 16″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
# 69 Cutting Board, $125. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Padauk and Yellowheart. 15-1/4″ x 12-1/4″ x 1-1/8″. End grain.
# 64 Cutting Board, $125. Black Walnut, Cherry and Hard Maple. 19-1/4″ x 12-1/2″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
# 67 Cutting Board, $125. Black Walnut, Hard Maple and Cherry. 20″ x 12-1/2″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
# 65 Cutting Board, $125. Hard Maple, Cherry & Black Walnut. 16″ x 12-1/2″ x 1-1/4″. End Grain.
# 61 Cutting Board, $100 – $150, depending on size. Hard Maple end grain.
Hard Maple. 20-3/4″ x 12-3/8″ x 1-1/2″. End grain.
Commissioned restoration project. This 20-year old board was presented to me in two pieces: a glue joint had failed. The pieces were squared up, re-glued, sanded and re-finished. Purpleheart and maple.
More
Mrs Ms Handmade
Cutting Boards: What Kind Do You Want?
Cutting Boards: Care & Cleaning
Cutting Boards: Restoration
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My latest cycle of woodworking passion resulted in 13 cutting boards and cheese boards … and some that are whatever you think they are.
Small cutting boards are perfect for slicing a tomato or an onion … or for serving cheese & crackers. Therefore, I’m not going to define them. That will be up to their owners!
With that disclaimer, here are the new boards.
# 12 Cheese Board, $35. Black Walnut edge grain with Yellowheart and Hard Maple inlays.
Hard Maple end grain cutting board. 16″ x 20″ x 1-1/2″. Commissioned piece.
Hickory end grain board. 14″ diameter x 1-1/4″ thick. 20 degree cant on the edge.
# 31 Cutting Board, $40. Hard Maple and Black Walnut end grain board. 11-3/4″ x 8″ x 1″.
# 29 Cutting Board, $40. Hard Maple and Black Walnut end grain board. 7″ x 10-1/2″ x 1″.
# 30 Cutting Board, $40. Hard Maple and Black Walnut End Grain Board. 12-7/8″ x 8-3/8″ x 1″.
# 70 Cutting Board, $125. Hard Maple end grain cutting board. 12″ x 14″ x 1-1/2″.
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Here are the new cheese & cracker servers just finished. Each have a cherry frame, with a cutting board insert made out of either hard maple or black walnut. Most of the cutting board inserts are end grain boards; one of the walnut boards is edge grain.
The servers are 10-1/2″ x 17-1/2″. The inserts are 6-3/4″ x 9-1/2″.
All will be at the SCV Junction this weekend. Come and see Mrs M’s Handmade at Heritage Junction, next to Hart Park. Or, if you don’t find your self in Santa Clarita, please check out the ladies’ site, MrsMsHandmade.com, or use this site’s Contact Us form. We will get back to you!
Cherry server, Hard Maple end grain cutting board insert.
Cherry server, Black Walnut end grain cutting board insert.
Cherry server, Hard Maple end grain cutting board insert.
Cherry server, Black Walnut end grain cutting board insert.
Cheese & Cracker Server # 91. Cherry with a Walnut insert. This design is one I won’t make again … I am going to tweak the design in 2015.
Cherry server, Black Walnut end grain cutting board insert.
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From The Shop: Cheese & Cracker Server
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So you’ve used your cutting board to cut food. What do you do now?
You clean it, of course!
Foods on cutting boards are often raw, and raw food can be contaminated. Once the board has been contaminated, it can cross-contaminate other food that is put on the board … until the board is cleaned.
Any raw food can be contaminated. Certainly chicken is always cited as a big carrier of bacteria until it is cooked; you never want to use a cutting board for raw chicken and then use the same board for other food without cleaning it. However, any raw food can be contaminated; there was a 2013 e. coli outbreak in 39 states caused by contaminated raw spinach.
Keep Your Board Dry
The best way to keep your board free of contaminants is to keep it dry. Bacteria needs moisture to grow, and a dry board is not a suitable host for bacterial contaminants. Leaving your board with a wet surface is always a bad idea: not only does it promote growth of contaminants, but water will also degrade a wooden board’s wood as well as the glue that holds it together.
Keep your boards dry as much as possible, and dry them after use. Store them upright whenever possible so that any moisture will drip off.
Clean Your Cutting Board
Plastic cutting boards are often easily cleaned in the dishwasher. However, it has been shown that when a plastic cutting board becomes worn, with visible cuts and grooves in the surface of the board, then those cuts can harbor bacteria that are particularly difficult to remove. Worn boards should be discarded.
Both plastic and hard wood cutting boards should be cleaned after use, and between uses with different ingredients.
1. Clean with soap and water. Wipe off with a cloth.
2. Do not use a wire brush or metal scraper. Simply scrub with soap, rinse, and dry.
3. You can sanitize your board by rubbing kosher salt into it, and then wiping it off. If an odor is wafting from your board, rub the board with white vinegar and set it aside to dry. I’ve also seen lemon juice suggested as an anti-odor treatment.
4. Some recommend a bleach solution to sterilize your board on occasion, but I have seen no evidence that a dilute bleach solution will improve the cleanliness of the board. Soap, salt and vinegar are all proven cleansers that will deliver a food-ready board to your kitchen.
NEVER
Do not submerge your board in dishwater in the sink.
Do not sand a plastic board (you’ll just create more places for bacteria to hide) … when a plastic board is worn, replace it.
Do not submerge a hard wood board in water, or put it in the dishwasher.
Do not use a wooden board that is clearly degrading … when pieces are coming off, then there are too many cracks and crevices for bacteria to hide.
Oil Your Wooden Boards
Wooden boards need to resist water, and the best way to help your board do that is to apply mineral oil to your board about once a month (depending on usage … oil it whenever the wood becomes dry and loses its luster).
Only use mineral oil, which you can buy at any pharmacy. Do not use any sort of vegetable oil such as canola, olive or walnut oil. All of these organic oils can spoil in an aerobic environment. Mineral oil will not spoil.
Note that the oil is to help protect the wood from water: it has no anti-bacterial properties. In fact, treated and untreated wood has been shown to have equal anti-bacterial properties (read Cutting Boards: What Kind Do You Want?, as well as the links from that article, for more information).
When Boards Become Worn
Plastic boards: throw them away. Worn plastic boards are a haven for bacteria, and you can’t fix them.
Hard wood boards: sand them smooth, and then re-apply mineral oil and a board butter topcoat (I use Mrs. M’s, of course!). Do not coat cutting boards with “salad bowl finish,” as that is a varnish.
If your hard wood board is too degraded to sand smooth, replace it.
If your cutting board develops a crack, replace it.
More
Cutting Boards: What Kind Do You Want?
Cutting Boards: Restoration
USDA: Cutting Boards & Food Safety
Food Network: 5 Ways To Clean A Cutting Board
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I have this problem. I have too much wood in my garage workshop.
There’s only one solution: make more stuff. So I did.
All cutting boards have routed hand holds on each end for easy handling. Non-skid rubber feet attach with stainless steel screws for long life. Finish is mineral oil, with a top coat of Mrs M’s special Board Butter that combines mineral oil with locally produced beeswax (and it smells like honey when I rub it in!).
These cutting boards are for Mrs M’s Handmade fall craft shows which begin in September. So now the only question is … how soon do I need to make more?
# 71 Cutting Board, $125. 17-1/2″ x 12-1/4″ x 1-5/8″. End Grain. Walnut, Hard Maple & Padauk.
# 73 Cutting Board, $100. 15-1/4″ x 11-3/8″ x 1-3/16″. Edge grain. Black Walnut, Hard Maple & Padauk.
# 56 Cutting Board, $85. 14-1/4″ x 11-3/4″ x 1-3/8″. End Grain. Black Walnut.
# 55 Cutting Board, $85. 14-1/2″ x 11-5/8″ x 1-3/8″. End Grain. Hard Maple & Walnut.
# 53 Cutting Board, $85. 18″ x 11-3/4″ x 1-3/8″. End Grain. Hard Maple & Walnut.
# 54 Cutting Board, $85. 13-1/4″ x 11″ x 1-3/8″. End Grain. Walnut, Hard Maple & Jatoba.
# 72 Cutting Board, $100. Black Walnut and Hard Maple, edge grain. 16-1/4″ x 11-5/8″ x 1-5/8″.
# 52 Cutting Board, $85. 14-1/4″ x 11-5/8″ x 1-1/4″. End Grain. Hard Maple & Walnut.
# 57 Cutting Board, $60 each. Edge grain. 11″ x 11″ x 1-1/2″. Hard Maple, Padauk, Yellowheart & Walnut.
Three pieces were made from some walnut I got from a contractor doing home restorations. There are 3 slightly different sizes. # 1 is 11-3/8″ x 10-3/4″ x 1-1/8″. # 2 is 10-5/8″ x 10-1/2″ x 1-1/8″. # 3 is 10-7/8″ x 9-1/4″ x 1-1/8″. End Grain. Black Walnut.
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Three New Cutting Boards
Cutting Boards: The Third Round
Cutting Boards: The Next Set
I Had To Mention Cutting Boards
The Cutting Board
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