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1982-CT-035

March 10, 1982
collector: Sue Manos

Interview with David Lester, chairmaker from Tahlequah, OK, by Sue Manos, March 10, 1982.

TAPE SUMMARY:

Learned craft from grandfather. Craft came from Arkansas with his family. As far back as he can remember, worked in shop with grandfather. "I played in the sawdust and I put the seats in, as far as the weaving again, as far back as I can remember."

Grandfather's grandfather was a chairmaker also. Grandfather worked in another shop there in Tahlequah in his early years.

They always made the same type of chairs, as far back as family history remembers. Used to make the bottom out of hickory with white oak long ago. Hickory seats lasted forever. Then went to split white oak which is also very strong.

David now uses rataan for the chair bottoms. Just cannot get the white oak anymore. Has tried, but can't get it, so imports rataan which is the strongest possible to buy these days.

Some other people use paper materials to weave chair bottoms, but that is not strong.

The rataan, since it is wood, needs to be treated like a good wood and it will last.

Grandfather had to go to paper product seats at one point because it was impossible to import rataan at that time. Very early on, grandfather used white oak seats, but as time went on, couldn't get it and used rataan and paper.

Grandfather used to go out and collect his own white oak and strip it, but that was extremely time consuming and he had trouble keeping up with the demand.

David goes to the sawmill and helps saw logs for the chairs

The chairs he builds get handled over 25 times from start to finish, and wants to keep it a hand made item.

Uses ash, oak, or hickory which is local for the rest of the chair. Helps to saw it himself. Can't but it through the lumber company in the form he needs.

Goes to sawmill about once a month to help cut wood. Can't but huge amounts of it at once because it dries up fast. Right after the tree is cut, has to saw it up, can't use a log that has sat for months.

Explains process of cutting, drying, etc. the wood for parts of the chairs.

No glue or nails in any chairs except for rockers which need a little extra support.

Used his grandfather's equipment, but sold it with shop and built his own