When Trades Were Respected

basswood

or at least the suppliers. This is an add from the Grand Opening of my shop building (originally a dance hall). Nice of them to thank the Lumber and Millwork shop, Tinner, Plumber, Paint & Hardware. I don't see this kind of thing very often anymore... maybe in the fine print... but equal ad space, not so much.

I'm researching the history of the place and will post a link to a slideshow of my findings soon.

The place was air conditioned with a cold well water heat exchanger back in the 30's. Interesting place with a cool history... get it... "cool history"

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Sooner Pesek

Bass,

It never fails, I drool on myself when I see your pics!!

Roger

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Sooner Pesek

Of your shop and workmanship, NOT of you.

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KentWhitten

To have a shop that size is one thing, to have a shop that size with a curved ceiling.....luxurious!

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Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

mdshunk

Looks like a wooden Quonset hut.

neolitic

That's what I said the first time
he posted pix.

Bass, I've got a drying rack
like that, except mine is red
and blue.

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basswood

OK... glad we got that straight.

basswood

The building is still a piece of work. But it is nice to have a big room to work in.

basswood

It is pointed like a gable roof on the outside and has 3 barrel vaults inside (small,large, and small vaults) the small barrel vaults along the long outside walls had booths under them.

Electrically, the room was indirectly lighted, using the large vault as reflector. They had lights of all the colors of the rainbow, all on dimmers and they could fade from one color to another, depending on the mood of the music. This was in 1935.

basswood

Here are some advertisements for my workshop, in the 30's and 40's, when it was a Big Band Era dance hall.

http://s436.photobucket.com/albums/q...view=slideshow

DBCoop

Bass, interesting advertisements-and to think they all came to your LUXURIOUS workshop.It's gotta be inspirational at times just to set back,look around and reflect! Beautiful shop !!!!! I've always liked the look the barrel and eyebrow look......It's a step back in time......

D.Foster

Yes, rarely do the craftsman ever get the credit. Anymore it is the designers and investors/contributers. Without the craftsmen it would still be a bunch of lines on paper.
I think i remember reading that the second highest paid man on an English ship was the carpenter, aside from the captain.
Craftsman used to be role models.
Thanks for the post Bass!!

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Burke's/trim

nice shop.. a little piece of heaven

JBMagi

Very cool shop. I also love the bit about the natural cooling. It is amazing the things people used to do that is all but lost today. I guess a barrel of oil was cheaper than a tsp. of thought.

basswood

Thanks Coop, I'm fixing up the old dance hall in fits and starts. It must have been something back in the day. I like listening to Big Band Music while I work in there. I've heard the Dorsey Brothers played in my shop and Al Capone was a visitor. Kinda wild.

Hey Mr. Foster, I noticed the roofer was mentioned by name in the ad. Nice to know the carpenter was second to the ship captain. I hope those of us with a passion for carpentry will elevate it by our efforts. All the best.

Thanks Burke.

The old well water heat exchanger was still in the basement when I bought the place, but deposits from hard water had shut it down. The 1935 ad mentioned a "Trane" AC for the Nite Club so maybe the well system predated that time or was a "pre-cooler" or was used to cool the walk-in cooler that was lined with cork. Not sure. Interesting. It is a good shop with a great history... working to make it a great shop... someday.

basswood

Trane started making AC systems in 1931 in LaCrosse, WI... 45 minutes down river from me on the other shore of the Mississippi.

seifconst

Bass, you certainly have a shop to envy. I don't dance much, but I'd love to "dance" in a shop like yours. I'd be happier than a fat kid with a cup cake.

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Greg Di

Yeah, and the best part comes when he tells us he only pays $179 per month rent or something ridiculous.

A room that size by me in NJ would easily cost $3k per month plus everything.

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seifconst

$179 per month and I suppose utilities are included.

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basswood

Greg, I don't pay anything extra for it... it is attached to my house (the house used to be an Inn). Just my house payment. Of course when I bought this place I got a lot of work for the money.

The shop is on the right.

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