Thread: Australian Miners Couch plans - Can I find some?

I had to Google it to find out what it was - but then I'm a pom.

Bazza - these things were knocked up according to the skill of the maker, and the material on hand, and vary a lot. It's essentially a cross between a couch & a 'daybed', & I doubt many were ever built to a formal plan. I've made several similar to the one below. Richard's google search has given you a good set of styles to choose from. I turned the side rungs on my exmples, but didn't turn the feet, opting for a scrolled foot instead.

The critical dimensions are the height & width of the seat, all else is pretty much optional (unfortunately, I've long-since lost the working sketches for these, so can't tell you what the dimensions I arrived at were). The seat height I worked out by starting from regular chair seat heights, & allowing for a mattress The width of the seat was set according to intended use & how generous the back padding was going to be.

You need some decent padding behind your back if you intend to use it as a regular couch for casual seating, because that hard backboard is usually of just the right height to dig into your spine at the most sensitive spot, so the seat width needs to take that into account, too. I have since seen examples that used a wedge between backboard & back leg, to give it a backward slope. I think that's a great idea, & will incorporate it if I'm ever commisioned to do another one......

Cheers,

IanW, that is the one. My friend came over and asked me to have a look-see, so I did a Google on it and found a few pictures of one that had been sold by an antiques dealer, and he said that it was the exact one. It had turned legs, and I pointed out ot him, that it also had a pair of little short legs placed under the seating area to take any real heavy weight. It was an antique, so I don't think these extra legs were for supporting an MDF sheet.

I don't think he's keen on drawing himself, but as a team him and I may be able to come up with something, now that your advice has come through. Thanks for that.

Richard, Googling is the one thing I do for all needed knowledge these days. I found a few couches and he said "Nope" to those, and then I got the correct one, in less than two minutes. I think one could Google for just about anything and it would be found in seconds. Apparently, the Australian Miner's Couch is different to most others, as the person in need of having a lay down, can choose from either end to place his head. Nearly every home had one in the old days preceding WWII.

I googled 'just about anything' and you're right - I did find it in a few seconds!

I'm glad you found what you wanted. I think it's a grand looking piece of furniture - I'd love to know how it got it's Australian label!

Originally Posted by Buzza

..... Apparently, the Australian Miner's Couch is different to most others, as the person in need of having a lay down, can choose from either end to place his head. Nearly every home had one in the old days preceding WWII.

Bazza - it is an unusual bit of furniture, & as far as I'm aware, there are no exact equivalents elsewhere, though vaguely similar things pop up in rustic furniture in other parts of the world. It would be interesting to know just where & when they first came to be, if anyone knows their history? It's basically a double-ended day-bed (there were both single-ended & double-ended types) with a board nailed across the back, & probably sprang from the need for a couch-like seat for evening use. I imagine most people weren't lying about on day beds in Australia in the early 19th century - too busy trying to scratch a living!

Good luck - it shouldn't be too difficult to come up with something convincing enough. Miners' couches came in a range of 'poshness' levels, but most I've seen are fairly basic, with very simple construction like mine. Turned feet will increase the challenge a bit, as you will have to decide where & how to join them to the arms - if you could find a couple of oldies in an antique store & have a quiet squizz at the construction & slip a tape measure over the major dimensions, it would be a great help to the design step!

Cheers,

There was a need for these things, as people travelled a lot, and could never afford hotel stays. There would have been no caravan parks, and such, so most people could put someone up for a short stay. Unlce Bill has come to stay . . . forever. ) I have a feeling that these were popular in Broken Hill, New South Wales.

My friend wants to do one with the turned legs and the back board, with the ends both the same so as one can always have a choice in any room, as to which way to lay their head.

Whenever I have been on the road, I like to make sure the first sunlight does not hit me in the face. ;-)

Thanks for the input people, I still hold out hope that someone has one they can measure, or better still the plans themselves.

Hi Buzza, we actually own one of these. Made from Australian red cedar and longer than normal apparently. We were told by the antique dealer that restored it (a forum member) that it was circa 1830 so quite early. The miner must have been on the tall side. I can take some photos and get some dimensions if you like. Legs are not turned though. Basically the same as the photo by IanW. The main design feature is that they can be dismantled for transport. Let me know if I can help.

Rickey

Thanks a lot Rickey. I will see the bloke in about three days time, and ask him, but I'm sure he said he would like to get hold of the general measurements. The 1830 date makes yours a really old couch, and another thing is that there were not a lot of tall people about then. A lot of the buildings such as houses and early hotel remnants that I've seen, had doorways that barely coped for six footers.Having said that, I think the Welsh had tall people and some of the Highlander Scots were tall.

Some pics of your couch would be great as well please.

HI Buzza, photos as requested. Unfortunately the couch has been knocked around a bit since it was restored around 20 years ago. Only cosmetic though. We saved it from going to the tip - it had a broken leg. The width of the seat is around 1815mm (internal measurement). I have included some photos of the bolt and where the 'captive' nut goes.

The back is simply screwed on. The ends are bolted to the rails using the bolts and nuts as shown and the slats are held with 1 nail at each join. This enables it to be easily 'flat packed'.

If you want specific photos or more measurements give me a hoy

Rickey

(We were never very happy with the upholstery - will get that re-done one day)

Well thanks very much Rickey. I wil get a hold of my friend early in the week to look at these pictures, and he will work it out for himself I think. I only do a bit of scrollsaweing, and cannot do carpentry to save meself. However, he has a lot of tools anf know how, so until then, thanks again Rickey.

The book TRADITIONAL AUSTRALIAN FURNITURE by author Peter Collenette has a design with major dimensions for a settee/miners couch which may be adaptable to your requirements.

Hi Buzza, I haven't read through all the posts but have you looked for "Day Bed" plans, in the old days they wern't call a Miners Couch. Or look up images on Google for Day Beds. Good luck.

Thanks for replies Plane-Bertie, and Claw Hammer. I may be able to get my mate to come over today to see what we have so far on the PC.

G'Day Rickey, my mate says he would like a few more measurements, especially the depth for one's posterior to slide back into & the height off of the ground for the seat please.