Safari Quality Chairs, Table and Basin?

[Jonathan Hanson]

That stuff looks awesome. I could totally see that coming out of the back of Jonathan's FJ-40.

Chris, I owe you a pint of Bass Ale for that one!

 

[DaktariEd]

That Melville & Moon stuff really DOES look awesome. :iagree:
Any North American Distributors?
I didn't see any noted on the website...

 

[dirtysouth]

Kermit Chairs

Have you checked out these? I've seen them around the camps when I attend some dualsport events/rallies and they seem to be the business. They're more than the walmart throw aways but from what I've heard, they hold up for years.

http://www.kermitchair.com/

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Here's my holy grail camping table. A friend found it in a junk store in Kelso, Washington, where it was tagged as a "sheepherder's table.":

It's obviously the direct ancestor of the ubiquitous blue vinyl roll-up tables, except made from canvas-covered hardwood, with a wood frame and what appear to be brass fittings:

It rolls up into a canvas case just like the newer versions.

Never seen another one like it.

 

[Scott Brady]

I am loving this thread. Now I just need to get some of this stuff for us to check out.

I am particularly interested in a set of these:
Lewis Drake Martin Chair

 

[DaktariEd]

:yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:
What a pricetag!

Beautiful stuff, no doubt about it...but...:yikes:

 

[PCRover]

That is some nice furniture, but for expedition use it might be a little much...Kinda bulky when collapsed too...But man that would be sweet to set up every night and use.

 

[OverlandZJ]

:yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:
What a pricetag!

Beautiful stuff, no doubt about it...but...:yikes:

:iagree:

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I think ours, sans leather trim, were $9 each. But it was a closeout.

If Scott gets one of the Lewis and Drake chairs he'll make us all sit behind him at the campfire.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Tell you what, Scott. I'll sew some leather trim on a couple of our chairs, add a tag reading "Hanson & Hanson, Ltd.," and you can have them for $249.95 each.

 

[BMAN]

I think ours, sans leather trim, were $9 each. But it was a closeout.

If Scott gets one of the Lewis and Drake chairs he'll make us all sit behind him at the campfire.

After Scotty won in Morocco you can't sit behind him at the campfire anymore. His GIANT head blocks all the heat...:shakin: :xxrotflma

 

[Scott Brady]

:arabia:

 

[articulate]

Ok, I am tired of these garbage chairs and tables. I just returned a set of chairs to REI that lasted only two trips before failure. So, I am curious if any of you have come across an importer of Safari/Expedition grade camp furniture. Canvas, wood, steel, etc., with no plastic.

A few come to mind I have questions on:

Jonathan Hanson: Your camp chair
Mark and Brooke: Your table

All apologies for missing this thread! I'm a late-comer, but you specifically asked.....

Regarding my table, here it is:

Roll top table by Byer of Maine

Benefits:

• Quick set up and tear down
• Constructed of wood, and has a marine finish
• Fairly large at 44" long and 30" wide
• Slat roll top uses heavy canvas on the bottom that appears like it will last a long time
• Perfect height for cooking and food prep
• Moderately compact

Downsides:

• Leg material is thin, 3/4"
• Table flexes due to the thin hardware

The table is in two parts: the folding leg assembly, and the tambour-style roll top that engages with the legs with a stout mortise and tenon joint.

I don't know that I would call it safari quality. It does the trick for me (I must not be safari quality either?). Should a leg or a slat break, I have the resources to fix it. Now that I'm thinking about it, I could make a folding leg assembly out of thicker material (perhaps 6/4 to 8/4 or so), and probably have a hell of a table.

Marine finishes require maintenance / recoating. Water is bad for wood, so if you don't keep up with recoating the wood (maybe once a year), you can kiss the table goodbye.

Cheers fellas!

Mark :rockon:

 

[articulate]

The Roorkhee chairs are first class and would be worth the investment! I'd like to try to make a couple myself. I have the book about British campaign furniture and there's some astonishing stuff in there. Say what you will about Victorian English officers, they knew how to travel in style.

Nice. Now that I compare your chair to the picture of my table, I wonder if they are of similar quality. They appear to share hardware and a similar design. Perhaps the frame of the chair uses thicker lumber, though.

If the table had a cross bracing from the feet of the legs to the opposite side to where the top meets the legs, it would be a far sturdier table.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Wow, I forgot all about Byer of Maine. I always liked their stuff.

Even my friend's old sheepherder's table is not very rigid. I'm thinking of building my own design, incorporating the best of everything.

Incidentally, all kidding aside, I've always found Lewis and Drake's products to be first rate - as they should be!