This classic short film shows how to make an igloo using only snow and a knife. Two Inuit men in Canada’s Far North choose the site, cut and place snow blocks and create an entrance--a shelter completed in one-and-a-half hours.
The commentary explains that the interior warmth and the wind outside cement the snow blocks firmly together. As the short winter day darkens, the two builders move their caribou sleeping robes and extra skins indoors, confident of spending a snug night in the midst of the Arctic cold! (via)
Things that Would be Lost to time Volume 2 I found these plans for folding bunk beds in a book called, "Children's Rooms and Play Yards". The book, published in 1970, features a wide variety of insane and impractical design for child spaces. I would have loved these bunk beds when I was a rugrat.
These folding bunk beds made it possible to put two beds in an 8 1/2 by 11 1/2 foot room and have leftover space for play and two study desks.
To secure the beds to the wall, you'll ned to expose two wall studs the same distance apart as the length of the mattresses you will use, plus 3 1/4 inches (to allow for the folding frames). This usually means adding 1 by 4 or 2 by 4 blocks to the existing studs, or adding a stud to the wall. The two uprights secured to these studs are 14 1/2 inches wide for the lower 28 1/2 inches; then they step back to 9 inches so the outer uprights can pivot up onto them.
Use any joinery desired on the bunk framing. Bolt the two bunk frames to the wall uprights and, with the bunks level, attach the two 5-inche wide uprights temporarily with small bolts. Swing the whole assembly up into the closed position to see if everything fits. Then install 5/8 inch thick bolts.
For the counterweights, cable and pulleys are available at marine supply stores and sash weights at lumberyards. Attach the cables to the front uprights so they will run level to the pulleys when the bunks are folded up. Adjust the spring tension to your liking. Then panel the exposed wall with 1/4 inch hard-board or plywood.
Personally, I would love to be able to do a project like this. I'm not sure if I know how to tear out the wall, expose the studs, and do all the other intensive labor aspects of the project. I mean you have to start some where though, right?
Man, this blog post has been sitting around for a good year now, always so close to being finished; now it is here!
Whether you sell typewriters, or buy typewriters online, knowing the right way to ship them is critical. They have always been an easy money maker for me, and they can be for you too! Shipping the right way is harder than throwing it in a box, but the peace of mind is priceless. Here's how.
The basic idea is just to 1) secure all moving parts and 2) provide adequate cushioning. Lets break it down!
1.Put bubble wrap or crumbled newspaper inside the type basket.
2. VERY IMPORTANT!!! --- Tape down the carriage release . You want the carriage to slide freely. When the carriage is "engaged", as in normal use, its held in place by one little metal catch; if it is shipped this way all the forces exerted on the carriage stress against that one little metal catch, which is pretty easy to break if the machine is being tossed around during shipping.
3. Wrap all moving parts, especially the carriage, in saran wrap. The carriage should be free moving -- But not allowed to move. Get it? good.
4.Wrap the entire typewriter, from all angles and sides in regular normal thickness bubble wrap - the whole thing should be encased in bubble wrap, a few layers thick, and then taped up. With the exception of one, all typewriters I've sold include a carrying case, so you don't have much room for this step. That's ok. Layer the bottom of the case before you put it in.
5.Place typewriter in carrying case and fill all excess space. Close it up. Get bubble wrap in every nook and cranny. If it is difficult to get the case closed, good.
6.Place the carrying case inside the second box -- make sure there are 4 to 6 inches of space on all sides (including the bottom, so pour a layer of packing peanuts before putting the first one in) and fill the excess space completely with packing peanuts, or something similar. The goal is to provide 4 to 6 inches of cushioning on all sides of the first box while it travels. With your standard size carrying case, I recommend the second box be 20" by 20" by 15" to 18".
7.Tape up the second box, make sure to mark which side is up, and that the contents are fragile.
All done! Congratulations, you have successfully package a vintage typewriter, crack open a beer and reward all your hard work.
Has all this reading about typewriters put you in the mood to purchase one for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? You're in luck! Manly Vintage has three avaliable on Craigslist as we speak. Go here for more info.
Cleaning an old vintage fan can be a rewarding experience. Something as gunked up as the first picture can clean up and look great like the second picture and will probably sell pretty darn well too. Its an easy process. Let me take you through the process my brother and I used the other day.
1. Prepare the tools - You're gonna probably need the following in no particular order:
Allen Wrenches - You might need this to separate the blade from the motor
Flathead Screwdrivers - small, medium, and large
Phillips Head Screwdrivers - small, medium, and large
Oil - get get some vintage machine oil out of someone's garage for a dollar
Steel Wool - the finer the better
Magic Erasers - These things are amazing
Paper Towel - The dirtier your fan, they more you're gonna need
Soapy Water - Put some warm soapy water in a bucket
Miscelaneous rags - some wet, some for drying
2. Prepare your workspace - you're gonna need some good lighting. If you're indoors, I'd suggest a good vintage task light. One similar to the one that we have in our shop is ideal, but something cheap from home depot will work.
2. Take pictures - Not only will taking before pictures help you really see the fruit of your labors and bask in the glory of your elbow grease, but it'll also help you realize how the hell to get the thing back together again. This particular fan became a little problematic when trying to get the coupling surrounding the motor just right. Clicking through the pictures helped to solve the problem and my brother and I were able to get it right as rain in no time.
3. Get a strip of masking tape - you're gonna use this to organize the various bolts, washers, and screws. I like to use masking tape because it holds the screw next to the correct washer, I can fold it over and write some sort of not on it so I remember where the screw goes. Planning ahead is important if you want to avoid frustration when you're trying to put the fan back together.
4. Take Everything apart. - Dont be scared. Trust yourself. You're smart, right? Above average at least. Get as much of the fan apart as possible.
5. Start washing the Heck out anything dirty. If its rusty, save it for later. Don't worry about getting things wet. The only thing you wanna keep dry is the motor housing and motor. Everything else is fair game. Remember, Magic Erasers are your friends.
6. If is rusty, and made of metal, take the steel wool to it and go to town. I like to use the steel wool under running water so I can see my progress. Probably not great for the environment, but hey, I didn't vote for McCain!
7. Continue to rub, scrub, scrape, and then dry everything until its spotless.
8. Put everything back together. Drink copious amounts of PBR. Take some shots of Irish Mist if necessary. Enjoy.
WARNING: Usually I take pictures specifically for each blog post, or a blog post comes from pictures I've taken. In this particular case I have none. You will be mercilessly subjected to my stinking cute kids.
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Last week over at the new TVB blog, Libby posted about hating her dining room and doing something about it...
Wait.
You guys read this blog, right? It's basically a super-blog. While Libby and Katherine still have their individual blogs, Alexander Salvage and BackGarage, the two co-creators of The Vintage Bazaar are putting the pedal to the metal hand in hand.
Wait.
...Oh, man. Right now I'm listening to Shrinebuilder, which among others, include metal god Scott Kelly of Neurosis(possibly my favorite band of all time) and Dale Crover of The Melvins, easily making them a super-group. The Vintage Bazaar is super-blog. Therefore, The Vintage Bazaar is Shrinebuilder. whoa.
Sorry about that, I enjoy breaking life down to its most purest form, hardcore/ metal bands.
So, anyways, I commented(on Libby's post) that patience is king, and baby, in this vintage business, it's the truth.
We can all agree, for the most part, money is the biggest factor. I guess in a perfect world I'd drive my Cadillac Escalade with rims to the swankiest boutique on the northside and buy whatever leather couch I wanted. Unfortunately, this is real life, the democrats control the White House, so not gonna happen.
Even if I had money to burn, I'd still be hitting strangers homes to rummage threw their earthly possessions. For all the reasons that estate sales( or all secondhand living for that matter) are wicked awesome, catalog-like predictability is not on the list.
Patience is king. Not only do you need to find that perfect "something". You need excellent condition, good timing, and a damn good fair price. At least in my experience, finding the perfect, whatever, is not that hard. It's finding the perfect of something you're actually looking for.
So we wait. My wife and I have been looking for a leather couch for almost two years. Our current couch below is great, and vinyl is the best there ever was with three little rascals running around.
But! If I could get it in red leather, cushioned arms, and one more spot wide, oh baby...baby, baby, oh.
When I got my first house, I got a store bought set of tools for Christmas. They sat on a shelf in the basement for about a year until I figured I needed to fix a door knob instead of having Sarah hire a handyman. But did I have all the tools I needed? The 1956-1957 Handyman Ideas magazine by Better Homes and Gardens gives the vintage man a concise rundown of essential tools for any vintage handyman.
A good workshop starts with a carefully planned selection of quality tools.
Buy the best you can, even if it means that your selection will build up slowly. You'll find that the cheap tools won't do the job you expect of them, and they will be damaged or worn out before a good tool is really "broken in".
The basic equipment shown below will handle most routine construction and repair jobs around the house. Undoubtedly, you have some of these tools."
One way to add more tools to your collection is to buy a new one as you approach a job where you'll need it. The tools below can be added that way.
However, once your tool board is well stocked, its a good idea to add a few pieces of equipment and materials that you may need in an emergency. This includes items like the plumbing supplies and electrical equipment shown below.
When you're that far into handyman activities, you'll want to set aside part of your basement or garage for a shop.
Here's a helpful tip to all you young first time home buyers, or more like; all you young first time home buyers w/three kids in tow. In those first couple weeks after you close on your house, when friends and family are super helpful, GET AS MUCH DONE AS POSSIBLE. For example, five months after closing, people aren't as understanding about your need to unload your kids because you finally decided on a color for your living room.
Saying my wife and I took it slow with some of our choices in our first house would be an understatement. Ah, choices, therein lies what was and is our downfall. When you're renters, your choices all pretty much fall in the arrangement category. Like, "where the hell is my fish tank gonna go?” or "should the kitchen table go along or come out from the wall?” Also the overwhelming feeling of wanting your first home to be perfect, I mean, forget about it.
There's also the dramatic increase in living space that can put former renters mind on a metaphysical stump to sit and watch the cars go by. When my dad and I took our first walk through together and he said it would take a lot of work, in the back of my mind I was thinking, "whatev, Tami and I painted and redecorated our whole apartment in two days, and this won't take much longer". Yes, our 4-room apartment vs. a 14-room house, what was I thinking?
We moved in and life happened and not much got done.
So now we’re back! Ready to take this house to the mat, get our hands dirty, and try new things. One room at a time baby, do it right, to the finish line.
You've bought something cool at an estate sale and you're not exactly sure what it is. Consult the hive mind. Here's how.
Context: Morgan was super stoked to get a set of three awesome gun posters at an estate sale recently, although neither of us were exactly sure what they were. The guy at the sale said that they were from WWII. Both Morgan and I were suspicious of that claim, as both of us have played plenty of WWII video games and are quite the experts on various WWII firearms.
I don't know why it took me so long to find this shop, its completely awesome. Based in Brooklyn NY, this shop has a manly mix of preppy vintage clothes, collectibles, technology, and home goods.
Function does not have to be a slave to form. But form in our case, is super important. We have three very busy and often messy children. So almost all of our design choices have “kid proof” in mind. We own a home in Oak Park on the measly salary of one teacher and a part time babysitting super mom, so cheap and affordable are important for us as well. We shop craigslist because it allows us to be thrifty as well as satisfy our style needs. Because of these monetary restrictions, craigslist is our Room and Board.
Our couch was a sweet recent find. While not vintage, it is definately modern. For $50 dollars we got a used but in great condition Jasper couch from Room and Board. It was hard parting with our billowing brown leather couch that previously sat in its home, but our tastes have evolved, and its Pottery Barn feel didn’t quite fit the rest of the room. We decided that we couldn’t part with it, and it will find a new home in our basement.
Our TV stand is an IKEA standard; the industrial and bright red metal cabinet. I like that it LOCKS and I can keep the kids out of the television equipment. To the right of it is a vintage valet we snagged off of craigslist for 25 dollars. To me, a well designed valet is the epitome of manly vintageness. It was designed for working men. I can’t think of anything more iconic than a man preparing his suite the night before, and the valet has room for all of its parts. I love that piece!
The coffee table was a hundred dollar craigslist find. It was bought from a woman who lost her job and supplements her husband’s salary by scouring estate sales for mid-century pieces. The kids have literally taken bites out of a few of its parts, but it is wood, and can be refinished if necessary. We were looking for a coffee table for MONTHS before we decided on this piece. The rug underneath it is the ultimate kid friendly rug. Carpet squares by Flor are insanely easy to clean. I’ve already thrown a few in the washer when the kids have spilled milk or other crap on them. $120 for 18 20? by 20? tiles.
The drapes were made by my wife from IKEA fabric. At first we thought they were garish and balloon like, but they’ve grown on us, especially after we purchased four Eames knock offs from Wisconsin. They match perfectly, and are in great shape. There’s nothing you can’t clean off of those fiberglass bad boys.
Flanking the fake Eames shell chair are two brown and chrome office chairs from the seventies. We purchased them from the Salvation Army for twenty dollars each. They smell a little bit like cat, but we’re hoping they’ll air out one day!
The IKEA lamp at the end of the couch will eventually make way for something better. Hopefully a nice end table and a nicer ceramic lamp when we find one that fits our fancy.
Overall, I love what we’ve done to the room. Its fun working together as a team and arguing over lamp shades. Its good for your marriage, you know.
