Kumi is what I do for relaxation
-- when I have any time to relax. :-( I find
the braiding movements to be a lot like Tai Chi -- sort of like
dancing sitting down or kneeling. The fact that a pretty braid
appears somewhat magically always seems like something extra!
The demand for spindles and niddies has kept me from even thinking
about doing a "line" of marudai -- some standardized
model. But, maybe that's a good thing. Each marudai has
evolved during a series of joint decisions between myself and
the customer.
The stool pictured here was about
25" tall. I turned the 10" diameter mirror out of "Midnight"
Environ -- an environmentally kind biocomposite that's made from
recycled newspaper and soybeans and looks and feels like
granite.
I turned the legs out of Bloodwood -- sort of a bamboo style
(?). If you look carefully, you might be able to see that the
front left leg in the photo has an extra "groove" turned
in it. That allows that leg to serve as a reference point.
If the braider always keeps that leg at "6 o'clock or whatever,
he or she will always be able to properly orient themselves when
returning to a braid in progress.
The base was out of a very interesting
piece of Red Oak -- it had these blonde streaks running through
it.
Again, it's difficult to see it, but I turned a round depression in the middle of the base. Mostly just a "bit of pretty" -- tho I could make a case for it providing a "home" for the counterweight bag as it settles down there. Let me tell you, it gets real interesting having a big SQUARE piece of wood spinning at 1,800 rpm on the lathe! I can't see them, but I have to be sure to remember that those corners are there!
I've made all my marudai so that they come apart for transit or storage. The legs have "hanger bolts" top and bottom. To unassemble: you first unscrew 4 wing nuts underneath the stool's base -- pull off the base -- then each of the legs is unscrewed from the mirror.
I currently
have some Purpleheart that is wide enough for mirrors and/or bases.
Maple is another good wood for mirrors -- it's the traditional
wood in Japan. The biocomposite "granite" is certainly
a different look. My personal marudai has a "Midnight"
Environ mirror like the one pictured here -- I love it!
If you're looking for something different -- let's talk! If you're a new braider you'll want to give some serious thought to mirror height. Traditional Japanese marudai are short ( maybe 16" (40cm))...intended for braiders who kneel while braiding. Most "western" braiders will be sitting on a stool or chair and can use something taller. Experts will make arguments for both tall and traditionally short stools:
Taller marudai:
Shorter marudai:
No one's taken me up on it yet, but I can make you two different sets of legs! <gggg>
I'm currently not even contemplating making bobbins. I made one set of 37gr'ers and that was enough! Mountain Loom Co. makes wonderful bobbins. The Weaver's Place brings in great ones from the UK. I use a set of 100g'ers that I picked up from Susie MacFarland (Susan's Fiber Shop) at MDS&W. And, of course, Halcyon Yarn stocks bobbins! All of these are also good sources for very functional and reasonably priced marudai.
A Hatchtown marudai with a mirror height of about 20" ( 51 CM ) will be US$195.00 with $15.00 for "shipping/handling/insurance". There is an additional charge of $20.00 for legs longer than 18" ( 46 CM ).