Massive Lumber Warehouse in Shinkiba, Tokyo - Understand Wood from a Professional Japanese Carpenter

Рет қаралды 30,134

Жыл бұрын

In this video, we are in Shinkiba, Tokyo, Japan. we have been to this neighborhood before and meet a lot of interesting people during our previous video where we finished a new table top which was a massive 1.5 x 2 meters. We returned to Shinkiba this time to take a tour of a massive lumberyard which sells slabs of live edge wood in auction and to private sellers and professional carpenters.
There is a whole underground world in the carpentry industry of Japan and we got the exclusive access to a one of a kind facility that houses an impressive collection of domestic and exotic woods. Our tour guide is a former business owner and carpenter who built tea houses. His knowledge of wood is impressive and he shares a lot of his perspective throughout this video. To hear from a professional and understand why they would and would not buy or work with certain woods is a great learning experience.
We hope you enjoy this latest video.
#carpentry #woodworking #大工 #japanesewoodworking #wood #lumberyard #lumber #build #carpenter

Пікірлер: 47

@DerekBlais Жыл бұрын

This was a great one. I love that man’s passion for wood. I could listen to him all day.

@hektor6766 7 ай бұрын

This guy is a lumber connoisseur.

@arunasm11 Жыл бұрын

This is becoming my top 2022 youtube channel! Your videos are very interesting!

@micssticksnpipes Жыл бұрын

Loved this. The depth of knowledge is great

@theofarmmanager267 Жыл бұрын

The man’s knowledge is immense. When I started woodworking (over 45 years ago), we were all so much more wasteful (selective?) about what timber to use. We looked at a slab and didn’t hesitate to waste 40,50, 60% of it to get at a particular grain pattern that we desired for a piece. Most people can’t afford to do that now- and those who can afford to do it, shouldn’t. Wild timber, as opposed to plantation timber, is a diminishing resource and one that we should all cherish, no matter its faults. If the pip or knot pattern is not perfectly symmetrical, then brace that as part of the history of a piece of natural timber. I’m sat here in front of a 3m long coffered table that I made out of a slab of Platinus x Hispanica (colloquially, London Plane). It is full of imperfections and imbalances but those are stories about how the tree grew and what it went through. Insect attacks, fungus attacks, weather on one side - all tell bits of a story. If I want a symmetrical piece, then I use veneers. It’s a much, much less wasteful way of using a rare resource. It takes more skill to make a piece of finely veneered furniture or chest or whatever than to just buy the most expensive wood and use it solid. More skill, less waste.

@LabGecko Жыл бұрын

Agreed, I was thinking as he was talking that I would fit the project to the wood. Sure, maybe don't use that one slab for a family table, but it could make a great living room coffee table or office desk, piece of an art installation... plenty of things it could be tailored for to make use of the natural beauty it has.

@grast961 Жыл бұрын

Wow, this gentleman is so knowledgeable not just about the tree’s history and the area they have come from, but also in their use, I hope he has trained many apprentices so that he can pass on his knowledge.

@hiroakiminowa7431 Жыл бұрын

厳しい目で木を見て、素晴らしい木を見つける、経験やセンスが必要ですね！

@Timothylaing Жыл бұрын

This guy operates on a different level of understanding. I would say that only his peers could appreciate or challenge his opinions. Quite intimidating lol. Still very interesting

@huntermanley5257 Жыл бұрын

Discussing the regions where some species are best grown was fascinating. Geography through trees.

@adamallen8863 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video, some much info👌

@chriskirkemo2522 Жыл бұрын

I always look forward to your videos! Thanks for bringing us along on another very interesting trip. This man’s knowledge is surreal. I can only hope to have such a wealth of understanding of any topic. When he was describing how a good carpenter lines up boards to find the right balance of knots, it made me think of Shoyan (a Japanese carpenter with a YT channel I watch). You should try to do a video with him as you both have a passion for carpentry and he’s been doing it for 40+ years. You honestly have one of the most interesting and relaxing channels. Are you still working with the traditional carpentry company (Fujimoto)? If I’m ever in Japan, I’d love to sit down and have a chat.

@steeleleestele Жыл бұрын

I'd love to see more video content on this subject. So interesting!

@thecarpentrylife Жыл бұрын

Yes, we will! Thanks for watching!

@FoxyfloofJumps Ай бұрын

This kind of passion is so rare these days. Too much emphasis on turnover and profit margin, not enough effort on making things that are unique and stand out as beautiful in their own right. Planned housing developments here in the US are a great(horrifying) example of standardization and loss of quality favor of turnover and return on investment.

@extremewirehead 7 ай бұрын

Man, I wish it was easy to just walk up and visit. sounds like a cool place to see the rare woods

@KhoaTran-mm9iy 2 ай бұрын

Dude selling woods but none seems to satisfy him, but I feel like I can trust him.

@garyradice9056 Жыл бұрын

Thanks much for this video. I've been enjoying all of your adventures and this is my favorite so far. The carpenter (his name, please?) clearly liked sharing his knowledge and experience.

@preluded Жыл бұрын

This is depth of knowledge is amazing

@thecarpentrylife Жыл бұрын

Agree!

@TokyoSilver Жыл бұрын

Greate videos. So inspirational and interesting. Thanks for sharing them. 意義深い動画ありがとう　楽しみました /// 参考になりました　Love & Crete!

@crossgrainwoodproductsltd9230 Жыл бұрын

Wow, my dream lumber yard to visit. Considering some of those slabs are at least 100mm thick and just huge, $2-3,000.00 US is not bad. I do disagree though with his assessment of the curved wood and it not being any good. I can see a beautiful natural office desk made from them. No big joinery, just some tendons and a dad to set the slab on if the legs are wood as well. Or a steel base for a modern flare. Thank you for sharing the tour with us!

@nilocm6365 Жыл бұрын

sugoiiiii~ all of these slabs are amazing

@CASniffer Жыл бұрын

INCREDIBLE!

@MrKikoboy Жыл бұрын

The Tamo is gorgeous...

@nicolamullings7993 Жыл бұрын

Legend....

@ahza4953 Жыл бұрын

Great content.. What is the name of this lumberyard?

@gregorymorales1 4 ай бұрын

Masterful knowledge and insight, but also so funny that he wouldn't recommend so many of the pieces. Was his recommendation in general, or for the specific purpose you wanted thr lumber for? I heard talk of a family table.

@joschmoyo4532 Жыл бұрын

Interesting. I think the European sensibility is less obsessive when it comes to using what you have. I select for stability where it is needed, beauty where it can be highlighted in frame and panel construction. Inferior boards get used in back panel's, rails or shelving. Drawbottoms are another good way to use less beautiful stock. I hate waste, so I spread a whole bunch of boards out on trestles to select the best boards for each component. Resawing thick boards is far less wasteful than buying thin stock. I never buy anything under 2" thick. Slabs look dramatic but are usually overpriced, unstable and wearisome to break down. Only fool's make table tops out of one piece slabs. It's a gimmick.

@dinewalton 4 ай бұрын

Which is the most profitable hardwood you can grow in Japan? Jindai Sugi? Kōyamaki? Kiri? or something else?

@thecarpentrylife 3 ай бұрын

I do not know the answer for this question. Value of wood is really dependent on the characteristics and quality of each individual piece. A piece of Japanese Cypress can be more expensive than a rare exotic wood and that depends on how it has been graded.

@ZlatkoImamovic Жыл бұрын

Would you mind sharing the name if this lumberyard?

@thecarpentrylife Жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, it's an auction place, you need to be a commercial dealer.

@ZlatkoImamovic Жыл бұрын

@@thecarpentrylife Actually I am a designer and for one of our clients we are looking for a unique slab. Obviously this would be purchased through an interior outfitter, though I am responding from my private youtube accout. I would be grateful if you could share it with us. Thanks!

@111menashe 9 ай бұрын

Great Video do you have the exact address? happen to be at Tokyo...

@thecarpentrylife 9 ай бұрын

Unfortunately, this place is only available for B to B. We were invited to see this lumberyard when we visited a friend in the area. Pretty rare side of Shin-kiba that we were able to film and see.

@111menashe 9 ай бұрын

Thanks🙏