Perfect Shelf For A Pewter Collection

January 18th, 2012

Amish Solid Oak Shelf

Hi Toby – We enjoy the custom shelf you made for us. 
My...



May I please do the dishes tonight?

January 15th, 2012

Amish furniture kitchen cat

May I please do the dishes tonight?

I ordered this ladder/stool s...



Sheltons Love Their Solid Wood Amish-Made Hutch

January 12th, 2012

Amish Furniture Factory Hutch

We are so happy with our hutch, the quality is superb.  We highly recommend your company to our friends and family. We will order again from your company with our next purchase of furniture....




An Amish Thanksgiving Innovation

November 20th, 2011

If you want try something new year,  serve the potatoes and turkey dressing baked together in one dish. This recipe serves six people, so you may need to double it for a larger group. Save room for pie! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Amish Furniture Factory!

AMISH POTATO BREAD STUFFING

5 medium potatoes; cooked in their skins
1 cup whole milk
4 average slices whole-grain bread
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped fresh par...




Chisels, Planers and Augers

November 13th, 2011

While there are many uses for power tools in Amish furniture-making shops, there are some hand tools that simply cannot be replaced. Three good examples of these hand tools are: chisels, planers and augers.

 

Chisels are used to chip away portions of wood, planers are used to smooth the surface of boards and augers are hand drills. It’s easy to see how each of these old-fashioned tools might come in handy for the more intricate, delicate aspects of furniture making, even th...




Tobin Talks Shop: Diesel Engine-Driven Power Tools

November 7th, 2011

 

In an earlier post I discussed the fact that the majority of Amish wood shops operate power equipment in order to produce their furniture pieces consistently and efficiently. Vintage hand tools are still used by some craftsmen, but the majority of shops primarily use electricity. Because 110 volt current running through wires in the walls or conduit pipe along the walls represents connection to the outside world, standard electrical wiring is not the norm. The Amish believe in keeping separate from influences of the outside world, and that...




Are All Amish Buggies Black?

October 31st, 2011

Amish horse and buggy rigs are a rather common sight all over the country. In southern Iowa, within 30 miles of our office, it's not uncommon to see Amish buggies driving along the shoulder of state highways as the regular traffic passes by. I must say that I thought all Amish buggies were completely black in color, as all the buggies I've personally seen looked black to me.


So I researched the topic and found out I was wrong. In other states ...




Amish Apple Crisp

October 24th, 2011

Everybody loves apple crisp, and lots of people are wanting more recipes, so here's a perfect one for the fall season.

AMISH APPLE CRISP

5 to 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

TOPPING

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, unbeaten

1/2 teaspoon cinn...




How The Amish Became Well-Known For Furniture Building

October 17th, 2011

Many years ago the timber industry employed men from the Amish community as loggers and equipment operators in sawmills. Although most of the timber was hardwood, meaning oak, walnut and hickory, some was evergreen softwood, the scraps of which were used to build pallets. Amish-owned businesses in the timber industry and pallet-making industry led naturally to a wide commercial opportunity for furniture making, since generations of Amish men were well-known as cabinet makers, furniture makers and casket makers in their own small, personal shops. Manufacturing the wooden parts of Amish buggi...




Tobin Talks Shop: Hand Tools In Amish Furniture Making – Bench Plane

July 18th, 2011

  Bench Plane Hand Tool

 

If you have harvested wood from hardwood trees of your own, and you're thinking you might want to try your hand at making some furni...