Rustic Construction

by W. Ben Hunt

2015 Reprint of 1939 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. With chapters on Slab Furniture, Interior Fixtures, Fences, Gates, Arbors, Bridges, Wayside Stands, Road Signs, Birdhouses and more, Hunt offers straightforward and easy-to-follow instructions on how to create attractive rustic" furniture, lamps, shelves, and other interior fixtures using slab lumber and objects found in nature. W. Ben Hunt (1888-1970) was born in the town of Greenfield, Wisconsin. He and his wife came to Hales Corners in 1920 to live in the house he had designed on Janesville Road. Ben Hunt was a leader in the outdoor movement and in the reintroduction of pioneer skills. He introduced subjects such as rustic woodworking, whittling and carving, metal working, and historic Indian crafts and lore as hobbies and handicrafts for fun and leisure-time activities. He was involved with the Boy Scouts on a local and national level. Ben Hunt and his cabin are known throughout the world. His writings, with his knowledge and homespun philosophy, have been printed in 26 languages. He wrote more than 20 books and 1000 magazine articles. Under the pen names Lone Eagle and Whittlin' Jim, Ben Hunt was a regular contributor to Boy's Life magazine, the official publication of the Boy Scouts of America.

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Walter Bernard “Ben” Hunt (March 13, 1888 – March 30, 1970) was an American artist, outdoor educator and author whose books and articles covered topics such as Native American arts and performance, woodworking, whittling, scoutcraft, pioneering, jewelry making, metalworking, and calligraphy.
Hunt was born in Greenfield, Wisconsin and grew up in a log cabin. He attended Milwaukee’s South Division High School, but did not graduate, dropping out to become “a lithographic engraver” (now graphics designer) at the Bruce Publishing Company. Hunt moved to Hales Corners, Wisconsin with his wife, Laura, in 1920. In 1924, Hunt, along with his father-in-law and brother, Edwin C. Hunt, built a log cabin behind his home. The cabin, a 16x28-foot structure made of tamarack logs, was the subject of Hunt’s first article, “How We Built Our Log Cabin.” During the late 1930s, Hunt began to study the work of Native American artists. As part of his research, Hunt met with artists and leaders such as Nick Black Elk, Frank Smart (or Chief Gogeoweosh), and James F. "Buck" Burshears. Hunt shared his knowledge of "Indian lore" with Milwaukee's boy scout leaders and, in 1942, Hunt started writing articles for Boy's Life. He became a regular member of its staff, ultimately writing over 1,000 articles, an average of three to four per issue. Hunt's work for Boy's Life, led him to serve on the staff of the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1950, 1953, 1957, and 1960.

Reviews

[Philip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lacking the details necessary to make it worthwhile to the amateur, and seemingly trivial to the professional, Rustic Construction fits neatly into the category of books written by people who are very good at what they do but lack the precise focus to pass that skill on in any appropriate manner.

The only highlights are in how the language and tone have dated in the 60 years since it was published - sometimes quite amusing.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not very precise or detailed, but I'm pretty decent at figuring things like this out. It was very helpful for my short rustic construction phase. Given to me by my grandmother as a gift.