Friday, October 13, 2006
Less Known Amish Trivia
With the execution style killings of five Amish schoolgirls, the less known and secluded community has once again come into the media glare. Everyone everywhere is talking about the Amish beliefs, customs, peace-loving nature, ability to forgive and unbelievably simple way of leading life. With so much being written and read about them, there really is nothing new left to say. But after some deep research and digging, I have found some less known trivia about the Amish community.
We always thought that the Amish didn't use technology. The Amish do use disposable diapers, gas grills, skates, and cell phones! They use machines that run on batteries and not on electricity. The Amish can ride in cars and buses but cannot own them.
The Amish are not only into farming. They are adept at woodworking. Amish Furniture, made of solid wood, is very popular throughout the USA. For making wholesale Amish furniture they use modern machinery operated by sometimes ingenious combinations of diesel engines used to power hydraulic and air pumps that replace the electric motor.
Amish Boys and girls begin their search for a spouse when they turn sixteen. The young man asks his girl to marry him, but instead of a diamond ring he gives her china or a clock.
Amish women wear blue at their weddings. Navy blue, sky blue and shades of purple are the most popular colors donning Amish brides. Her wedding outfit becomes her Sunday church attire after she is married. She is also be buried in the same dress when she dies. No one in the bridal party carries flowers. The groom wears a black suit, white shirt, black shoes and stockings, a bow tie, high-topped black shoes, and a black hat with a three and a half inch brim. There is no best man or maid of honor.Wedding dates for the Amish are limited to November and part of December, when the harvest has been completed and severe winter weather has not yet arrived. Most weddings are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are used as days to prepare for or to clean-up after. Saturdays are not used as wedding days to avoid work or clean-up on the following day, Sunday.The couple's first night together is spent at the bride's home because they must get up early the next day to help clean the house. The couple lives at the home of the bride's parents until they can set up their own home the following spring.
Amish women never cut their hair, which they wear in a bun on the back of the head. On their heads they wear a white prayer covering if they are married and a black one if they are single. In earlier times the women wore flat straw hats.
An Amish man does not shave his beard after he becomes married; a long beard is the mark of an adult Amish man. Mustaches are associated with the military, and therefore are forbidden among the Amish people.
Since so many Amish people have the same names, a person is sometimes identified by the name of his parents and grandparents, such as "Amos’s John’s Sammy" or "Jake’s Suzie’s Mary." Sometimes a man even gets a nickname from his wife’s name.
Pipe and cigar smoking is the accepted practice. Cigarettes, however, are viewed as ‘worldly.’ Older men appear to have more ‘right’ to chew or smoke than young men. Modern lighters are used by some. Earlier, it was common for older women to smoke a pipe.
The carriage, or buggy as we non-Amish call it, may not have changed a great deal in design, but now the body of the carriage is mostly made of fiberglass rather than wood.
The Amish use car batteries and other alternative sources to power their machines. The new machines were first used because the hand-operated ones broke, were old and could not be replaced since they were no longer made. To re-charge such batteries some Amish use solar panels, which can recharge a 12-V battery in about seven days.
The Amish have used telephones for years. Before they were common in the home, they used ones in town. Later, as they became more common, a phone booth or phone "shanty" was often built outside, and shared by several neighbors. Many Amish businesses used to rely on answering machines or services, or instruct their patrons to call at a certain hour when they would be at the outdoor phone.
The Amish will never cease to amaze us. Their resilience and inner strength will continue to astound us for years to come.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
We always thought that the Amish didn't use technology. The Amish do use disposable diapers, gas grills, skates, and cell phones! They use machines that run on batteries and not on electricity. The Amish can ride in cars and buses but cannot own them.
The Amish are not only into farming. They are adept at woodworking. Amish Furniture, made of solid wood, is very popular throughout the USA. For making wholesale Amish furniture they use modern machinery operated by sometimes ingenious combinations of diesel engines used to power hydraulic and air pumps that replace the electric motor.
Amish Boys and girls begin their search for a spouse when they turn sixteen. The young man asks his girl to marry him, but instead of a diamond ring he gives her china or a clock.
Amish women wear blue at their weddings. Navy blue, sky blue and shades of purple are the most popular colors donning Amish brides. Her wedding outfit becomes her Sunday church attire after she is married. She is also be buried in the same dress when she dies. No one in the bridal party carries flowers. The groom wears a black suit, white shirt, black shoes and stockings, a bow tie, high-topped black shoes, and a black hat with a three and a half inch brim. There is no best man or maid of honor.Wedding dates for the Amish are limited to November and part of December, when the harvest has been completed and severe winter weather has not yet arrived. Most weddings are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are used as days to prepare for or to clean-up after. Saturdays are not used as wedding days to avoid work or clean-up on the following day, Sunday.The couple's first night together is spent at the bride's home because they must get up early the next day to help clean the house. The couple lives at the home of the bride's parents until they can set up their own home the following spring.
Amish women never cut their hair, which they wear in a bun on the back of the head. On their heads they wear a white prayer covering if they are married and a black one if they are single. In earlier times the women wore flat straw hats.
An Amish man does not shave his beard after he becomes married; a long beard is the mark of an adult Amish man. Mustaches are associated with the military, and therefore are forbidden among the Amish people.
Since so many Amish people have the same names, a person is sometimes identified by the name of his parents and grandparents, such as "Amos’s John’s Sammy" or "Jake’s Suzie’s Mary." Sometimes a man even gets a nickname from his wife’s name.
Pipe and cigar smoking is the accepted practice. Cigarettes, however, are viewed as ‘worldly.’ Older men appear to have more ‘right’ to chew or smoke than young men. Modern lighters are used by some. Earlier, it was common for older women to smoke a pipe.
The carriage, or buggy as we non-Amish call it, may not have changed a great deal in design, but now the body of the carriage is mostly made of fiberglass rather than wood.
The Amish use car batteries and other alternative sources to power their machines. The new machines were first used because the hand-operated ones broke, were old and could not be replaced since they were no longer made. To re-charge such batteries some Amish use solar panels, which can recharge a 12-V battery in about seven days.
The Amish have used telephones for years. Before they were common in the home, they used ones in town. Later, as they became more common, a phone booth or phone "shanty" was often built outside, and shared by several neighbors. Many Amish businesses used to rely on answering machines or services, or instruct their patrons to call at a certain hour when they would be at the outdoor phone.
The Amish will never cease to amaze us. Their resilience and inner strength will continue to astound us for years to come.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Plywood Or Solid Wood – Be Aware
With the advent of newer options everyday, furniture buying has turned into a real chore. It has become really difficult to pick the best from the good enough. There is metal, glass and the good old wood. Even the types of wood, the qualities and strengths of each, the durability and moisture content can leave anyone terribly confused. In this situation, it is not wise to completely trust the salesperson at the local store. It is important that you do your basic homework before stepping out to buy wooden furniture. What the salesperson calls solid wood might just be plywood or particle board topped with a veneer. There is a big difference between Amish handcrafted furniture and plywood cabinets with oak doors.
Now one would wonder why so many furniture manufacturers use plywood instead of solid wood. Here is why. One reason why veneered panels of plywood are used extensively in furniture making is the cost of plywood versus solid wood. Plywood can be got at a small fraction of the cost of really good solid wood. The more expensive solid woods like cherry can cost as much as 3 to 4 times the price of sheet goods. Manufacturers have now begun calling their cheap plyboards and flakeboards as ‘Furniture Boards’ just to enhance its image.
Another reason is the cost of labor to machine and assemble solid panels versus just cutting a rectangle of plywood or veneering a panel. It is cheaper to work with sheet goods than solid lumber in terms of man hours spent to put the piece together. Many high end tabletops are simply veneered plyboards with a wood edge. Despite the difficulty, true Amish furniture is handcrafted out of solid wood and stained and finished to perfection to give you a piece to last a lifetime.
Another reason is that it is easy to get thousands of plywood sheets all looking identical. Solid wood by its nature would differ slightly in terms of grain, color, shade and moisture content. Cabinet parts, to many people, are more attractive in the form of matched veneer than the random color and grain matching of solids. Some people prefer the color variation of solids and the sometimes wild grain patterns and try to use these differences to make unique looking details.
In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission regulates the furniture industry and its sales pitches, etc. They have ruled on solid wood versus plywood and have indicated that there is a difference. That is, plywood is not solid wood. Specifically, The Federal Trade Commission has accepted for public comment a consent agreement with Taylor Woodcraft, Inc., settling charges that the company violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by deceptively claiming in promotional materials that its household furniture was constructed of solid maple or oak, when a number of its pieces contained some veneered exposed surfaces.
So while plywood may be cheaper and easier to construct, it is no match for solid wood furniture. It is more of an escape route towards convenience and higher profits. Beware of manufacturers who claim to be selling solid wood furniture but use plywood or particleboard for most of the internal parts. Do not feel shy to ask for details from the salesperson before buying a piece. Buy something only if you are absolutely sure. If the salesperson is not forthcoming with genuine information, it is time to check another store.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
Now one would wonder why so many furniture manufacturers use plywood instead of solid wood. Here is why. One reason why veneered panels of plywood are used extensively in furniture making is the cost of plywood versus solid wood. Plywood can be got at a small fraction of the cost of really good solid wood. The more expensive solid woods like cherry can cost as much as 3 to 4 times the price of sheet goods. Manufacturers have now begun calling their cheap plyboards and flakeboards as ‘Furniture Boards’ just to enhance its image.
Another reason is the cost of labor to machine and assemble solid panels versus just cutting a rectangle of plywood or veneering a panel. It is cheaper to work with sheet goods than solid lumber in terms of man hours spent to put the piece together. Many high end tabletops are simply veneered plyboards with a wood edge. Despite the difficulty, true Amish furniture is handcrafted out of solid wood and stained and finished to perfection to give you a piece to last a lifetime.
Another reason is that it is easy to get thousands of plywood sheets all looking identical. Solid wood by its nature would differ slightly in terms of grain, color, shade and moisture content. Cabinet parts, to many people, are more attractive in the form of matched veneer than the random color and grain matching of solids. Some people prefer the color variation of solids and the sometimes wild grain patterns and try to use these differences to make unique looking details.
In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission regulates the furniture industry and its sales pitches, etc. They have ruled on solid wood versus plywood and have indicated that there is a difference. That is, plywood is not solid wood. Specifically, The Federal Trade Commission has accepted for public comment a consent agreement with Taylor Woodcraft, Inc., settling charges that the company violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by deceptively claiming in promotional materials that its household furniture was constructed of solid maple or oak, when a number of its pieces contained some veneered exposed surfaces.
So while plywood may be cheaper and easier to construct, it is no match for solid wood furniture. It is more of an escape route towards convenience and higher profits. Beware of manufacturers who claim to be selling solid wood furniture but use plywood or particleboard for most of the internal parts. Do not feel shy to ask for details from the salesperson before buying a piece. Buy something only if you are absolutely sure. If the salesperson is not forthcoming with genuine information, it is time to check another store.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
Friday, October 06, 2006
Know Your Softwoods
As a continuation to last weeks article where we discussed hardwoods in detail, here comes the edition on softwoods used in home furnishings. While they need more care and are high maintenance, they are also cheaper. Most furniture manufacturers of repute use hardwoods so that the furniture is long lasting. When you are buying Amish furniture online, it is important to note the kind of wood used, the grain and texture, the polish and whether the wood being used is suitable for the kind of furniture. Being well-informed takes you a long way in making sound buying decisions so that you have an Amish Furniture piece you will cherish for life and not something you regret buying whenever your eyes fall upon it.
If you can afford it, you must go for hardwood furniture. But if budgets are tight, you can choose from amongst the following most commonly used softwoods:
Cedar
Strength: Not very strong.
Color: Yellow, red or purplish. Resembles mahogany.
Texture: Straight grained with even texture.
Uses: The best varieties have a peculiarly pleasant aroma which is offensive to insects; hence it is highly valued for making drawers and chests.
Pine
Strength: Soft. Easy to work and finishes well.
Color: White and yellow. Looks good without staining.
Texture: Straight grain and occasional knots. Fine even texture.
Uses: Doors on primary pieces, joinery, and turning.
Fir
Strength: Fairly strong and resists warping.
Color: Light colored.
Texture: Straight, wide grain and fine texture. Does not finish well.
Uses: Mainly for secondary pieces such as drawers and joinery.
Hemlock
Strength: Moderately strong.
Color: Light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture. Easy to work and finishes well.
Uses: Joinery.
Redwood
Strength: Very strong. Easy to work.
Color: Red.
Texture: Straight grain and even, coarse texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Secondary furniture pieces such as frames, joinery, drawers.
Spruce
Strength: Strong. Easy to work and finish.
Color: White to yellow brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture.
Uses: Joinery and frames.
Yew
Strength: Very hard and durable. Difficult to work.
Color: Reddish orange.
Texture: Close grain and fine texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Cabinetwork, joinery, turning and veneer.
Willow
Strength: Light, soft and weak. Low shock resistance, decay resistance, and steam bending properties. Glues, screw, nails, and finishes satisfactorily.
Color: Pale reddish brown to grayish brown heartwood and whitish sapwood.
Texture: Straight grained, sometimes interlocked with a fine, uniform texture.
Uses: Millwork, packing cases and boxes, artificial limbs, caskets, polo balls, cricket bats, Venetian blinds, veneer and inexpensive furniture.
Now you can make well-informed choices regarding the wood to be used in your dream home. Happy decorating!
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
If you can afford it, you must go for hardwood furniture. But if budgets are tight, you can choose from amongst the following most commonly used softwoods:
Cedar
Strength: Not very strong.
Color: Yellow, red or purplish. Resembles mahogany.
Texture: Straight grained with even texture.
Uses: The best varieties have a peculiarly pleasant aroma which is offensive to insects; hence it is highly valued for making drawers and chests.
Pine
Strength: Soft. Easy to work and finishes well.
Color: White and yellow. Looks good without staining.
Texture: Straight grain and occasional knots. Fine even texture.
Uses: Doors on primary pieces, joinery, and turning.
Fir
Strength: Fairly strong and resists warping.
Color: Light colored.
Texture: Straight, wide grain and fine texture. Does not finish well.
Uses: Mainly for secondary pieces such as drawers and joinery.
Hemlock
Strength: Moderately strong.
Color: Light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture. Easy to work and finishes well.
Uses: Joinery.
Redwood
Strength: Very strong. Easy to work.
Color: Red.
Texture: Straight grain and even, coarse texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Secondary furniture pieces such as frames, joinery, drawers.
Spruce
Strength: Strong. Easy to work and finish.
Color: White to yellow brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture.
Uses: Joinery and frames.
Yew
Strength: Very hard and durable. Difficult to work.
Color: Reddish orange.
Texture: Close grain and fine texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Cabinetwork, joinery, turning and veneer.
Willow
Strength: Light, soft and weak. Low shock resistance, decay resistance, and steam bending properties. Glues, screw, nails, and finishes satisfactorily.
Color: Pale reddish brown to grayish brown heartwood and whitish sapwood.
Texture: Straight grained, sometimes interlocked with a fine, uniform texture.
Uses: Millwork, packing cases and boxes, artificial limbs, caskets, polo balls, cricket bats, Venetian blinds, veneer and inexpensive furniture.
Now you can make well-informed choices regarding the wood to be used in your dream home. Happy decorating!
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
