I was discussing this with a co-woodworker friend, and I thought the concept is neat. The idea is that people find division by 7ths to be aesthetically pleasing/harmonizing (like music scale).
Examples: You build a cabinet with hutch. The bottom cabinet would measure 3/7 of total height, and the hutch would measure the remaining 4/7 of height.
Or you are building a dresser, 4 drawers tall. The bottom 3 drawers (stacked) would be 2/7 total height each, and the top drawer would be 1/7 height. (or a 3/2/2 division).
I haven't found any information on the magic web, but I'd like to read on it.
I haven't heard of "sevenths" before, but the Golden Ratio is a common one (1.618, 3/5 and 5/8 are close to that). There is a good book that uses this quite a bit, "By Hand and Eye" and the book is in the proportions of the Golden Ratio
I haven't heard of "sevenths" before, but the Golden Ratio is a common one (1.618, 3/5 and 5/8 are close to that). There is a good book that uses this quite a book, "By Hand and Eye" and the book is in the proportions of the Golden Ratio
I've read about the Golden Ratio before. I don't think it's exactly what he's talking about, but maybe it is. I appreciate the book reference, and will look it up!
I too can't say I ever recalling, being taught or seeing anything in old tome about "7ths" but there is a plethora of info on scaling to the golden section/ratio...and other old standards and "rules of thumb" modalities...Good Luck,
If those ratios were of any standard then most furniture would be very close to those standards. From what I've seen furniture is every conceivable size you can think of. The only exception would be the height of a table or desk. These at one time were around 29" but like most things subject to change. People are taller today so the so-called standard height is subject to change. I'm starting to see tables and desks 32" tall now.
Fibonacci numbers...1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89...used by mathematicians, architects, musicians, artists, found all through the natural world and some claim are the building blocks of the universe.
With a trade as old as woodworking there are many that would benefit from learning the traditional tried and true methods rather than continually striving to reinvent the wheel.
I can imagine Fibronacci looking at an object and wondering, what is it that I like about that, rather than trying to figure out a way to improve it even more.
I made a picture frame that used the Golden Ratio in a couple different ways. Unfortunately, by the time it was done the frame itself was simply wrong for the picture. In theory, it was a match made in heaven. In reality, they were not compatible. And so they both sit, alone and wanting.
I was discussing this with a co-woodworker friend, and I thought the concept is neat. The idea is that people find division by 7ths to be aesthetically pleasing/harmonizing (like music scale).
Examples: You build a cabinet with hutch. The bottom cabinet would measure 3/7 of total height, and the hutch would measure the remaining 4/7 of height.
Or you are building a dresser, 4 drawers tall. The bottom 3 drawers (stacked) would be 2/7 total height each, and the top drawer would be 1/7 height. (or a 3/2/2 division).
I haven't found any information on the magic web, but I'd like to read on it.
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