A Better Way
Apprenticeship in one of the better cabinet shops in the Washington, D.C. area gave Elijah Tabor a good education in the furniture restoration trade. But there were times he'd think, "There's got to be a better way!"
When the chance came to start his own business, he resolved to put quality craftsmanship and good customer relations first. Talking the idea over with established craftsmen, though, invariably brought the same response - "Well, that's nice, but in the real world it won't work".
But it has.
In Good Company
Generations ago, Shaker woodworkers pursued excellence in their work as a form of worship. Free from the hard business maxim of "give the least, get the most," they produced some of the finest furniture and craftsmanship of all time.
Elijah shares their philosophy. "It's more important to do things right. Not just good enough to get by, or even pretty good, but really right. The details that can't be seen are as important as those that can."
Real World Application
Of course, one must maintain a balance between doing things really right, and being too much of a perfectionist. Elijah works as efficiently as possible, aware that it is costing someone. Time spent is full-value; "If I don't quite have it, it's time to sign out and do something else".
Most restoration work is done by hand, sometimes with tools over 100 years old. Often he matches woodworking tools and techniques to those used originally.
If a piece of wood is missing, a similar piece of the same type, age, grain pattern, and color is used whenever possible. Then it is shaped and finished to blend with the original.
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| Home - Built 1793 |
Ideally, restorations are thorough - from the inside out. It's important to ensure structural soundness before the more cosmetic repairs. The goal is to correct the wear and damage from previous generations, and present your heirloom to the next generations as serviceable as when new - while preserving all its visual character and patina. Great care is taken to ensure that each piece is kept as original as possible in every way.
He also makes furniture with the same devotion to quality.
In 1974, Elijah set out to provide a positive alternative in the furniture restoration field. He's still at it today.
