I Build Willow Chairs for Pleasure and Profit

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Ernest J. Lewis of Oroville, California earns $200 per week making attractive and durable—furniture from an abundant natural material. And, he does it without expensive tools.

If you like to work with your hands and you've always wanted your own backyard or garage business—but you lack "seed money" to invest in such an operation—why not build and sell willow chairs?

I earn a couple hundred dollars weekly making these wonderfully old?timey pieces of furniture, and there's no reason why you can't do the same! All you need are [1] a few simple hand tools, [2] the desire to make a quality item, and [3] the knowledge of how to do it. On the assumption that you already have the first two requisites, I'll give you the third right now.

WHEN AND HOW TO GATHER WILLOW

When the plant's buds begin to swell and leaf tips start to appear on its branches—in other words, when the sap starts to flow—that's the time to go after willow. (Any variety is suitable.) Here in northern California, where the winters are relatively mild, I'm able to begin my harvest in early February.

You'll find willows in abundance wherever there's water (along riverbanks, around lakes and ponds, etc.) and, quite often, along road rights-of-way. (State and county highway departments seldom object to the trimming back of roadside willows, since that's usually one of their unending chores. It might not be a bad idea, though, to ask for permission before you start hacking away.)

Take along either a pruning saw or a carpenter's saw (pruning shears also come in handy on your forays). And plan on cleaning up your on-site trimmings . . . unless, of course, you take your collection of branches home untrimmed.

Note: If you have a goat?as we do?you won't have any cleanup problems at home . . . but beware: Goats do have a taste for willow bark and will devour your unseasoned chairs with gusto if given the chance! Fortunately, our caprine friends don't seem to care much for seasoned chairs.

Here?assuming you want enough materials for just one medium-sized chair?is what you should look for, once you've found a good patch of willow:

[1] LEG AND FRAME STOCK. About 50 feet of 1-1/2"diameter branches. (The diameter can vary plus or minus 1/2", but remember to use the heaviest material for the chair's legs.)

[2] ARM WILLOWS. Here you'll want at least ten switches?four to five feet long and 3/4" thick-with as few side branches as possible. (Since these willows may not all bend to the same exact curvature, it wouldn't hurt to have a few extras.)

[3] HEADREST MATERIALS. Five 3/4" branches, eight to nine feet long. (Limbs of this length will most likely taper from about 1" in diameter at one end to 1/2" at the other, but that's OK.)

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