16 junho 2019
Uma manhã na Missom
ONE MORNING AT MISSOM
Deixo aqui uma parte da conversa que tive com o Manel enquanto encerava os cabides de pinho com cera de abelha. A Missom é um projeto do Miguel Ralha, mas nesta altura era o Manel que dava conta da maioria dos trabalhos desta oficina, única na cidade, dedicada essencialmente à produção de instrumentos. Numa manhã de verão visitei-a com a Matilde, que registou todos os pormenores deste atelier luminoso.
A part of a long talk I had with Manel from Missom, while he waxing the pine wood hangers with bee’s wax. Missom is a one-o-a-kind, wood workshop, in Porto, specialized in music instruments. Although it was founded by Miguel Ralha, at the time we visited the workshop, Manel was making most of the work here, including the wood hangers and the prototypes for the wooden scoops. On a bright summer morning I visited the workshop together with Matilde, who photographed all of its shiny details.
A part of a long talk I had with Manel from Missom, while he waxing the pine wood hangers with bee’s wax. Missom is a one-o-a-kind, wood workshop, in Porto, specialized in music instruments. Although it was founded by Miguel Ralha, at the time we visited the workshop, Manel was making most of the work here, including the wood hangers and the prototypes for the wooden scoops. On a bright summer morning I visited the workshop together with Matilde, who photographed all of its shiny details.
Queria-te perguntar algumas coisas sobre a história da Missom. Como é que começaste a trabalhar aqui?
I WANTED TO ASK YOU SOME THINGS ABOUT MISSOM. HOW DID YOU STARTED TO WORK HERE?
Foi através de um amigo meu. O Miguel andava à procura de alguém para vir trabalhar mas teve muita dificuldade em encontrar alguém. E entretanto veio para a oficina e estava cá um amigo meu que estava à espera de uma baquetas e contou-lhe: “Olha, tenho um amigo que era fixe vir para aqui.” E foi assim: ligou-me no dia seguinte e vim para aqui, e fiquei.
It started with a friend. Miguel (the owner) was looking for someone to work here, but it wasn’t easy. So one day a friend of mine came here to pick up his order for some drumsticks and told him he had a friend that it was nice for him to come to work here. The next day Miguel called me and I came, and then I stayed.
It started with a friend. Miguel (the owner) was looking for someone to work here, but it wasn’t easy. So one day a friend of mine came here to pick up his order for some drumsticks and told him he had a friend that it was nice for him to come to work here. The next day Miguel called me and I came, and then I stayed.
E já trabalhavas com madeiras na altura?
AND DID YOU WORKED WITH WOOD BEFORE?
Na altura não. Tinha feito um curso de carpintaria de moldes para fundição, já tinha trabalhado um bocadinho. Mas noutra área, não na área dos instrumentos.
Not at the time, no. I had a training on foundry mold carpentry, and I’ve worked on that for a while. But it was another area, not with music instruments.
Not at the time, no. I had a training on foundry mold carpentry, and I’ve worked on that for a while. But it was another area, not with music instruments.
Na altura já eram especializados em instrumentos, já faziam só este tipo de peças?
WHERE YOU SPECIALIZED IN MUSIC INSTRUMENTS AT THE TIME?
Faziam instrumentos, mas não os que fazemos agora. Depois fizemos uma série de investigações para enveredarmos um bocadinho na área das baterias e das percurssões. O Miguel já fazia bastantes coisas nessa área. (…) E foi assim que fiquei. Quando tirei o curso a minha melhor nota foi a carpintaria de moldes, só que eu como toco guitarra tive medo de ir fazer a especialização em carpintaria. E então acabei por tirar a especialidade em controle de qualidade, em laboratório. Depois, com o decorrer dos anos acabei por vir parar na mesma à carpintaria.
We made music instruments but not the ones we make now. Then we made some investigation to dwell in the area of drums and percussions. Miguel used to make quite a bit in that area (...). And that’s how I started working here. When I had my professional training my best grades was on mold carpentry, but because I’m a guitar player I was afraid to specialize in carpentry, so I went with quality control, in a lab. But with time, I ended up in carpentry after all.
We made music instruments but not the ones we make now. Then we made some investigation to dwell in the area of drums and percussions. Miguel used to make quite a bit in that area (...). And that’s how I started working here. When I had my professional training my best grades was on mold carpentry, but because I’m a guitar player I was afraid to specialize in carpentry, so I went with quality control, in a lab. But with time, I ended up in carpentry after all.
Mas porquê que tinhas medo de ir para essa área?
WHY WERE YOU AFRAID TO GET SPECIALIZED IN CARPENTRY?
Não queria ficar sem os dedos. [risos] É bem mais arriscado.
I didn’t wanted to loose my fingers [laughs], it’s much more risky.
I didn’t wanted to loose my fingers [laughs], it’s much more risky.
E ainda tocas guitarra?
DO YOU STILL PLAY GUITAR?
Ainda toco mas devia tocar mais… Toco pouquinho agora. Porque ao fim de um dia de trabalho só quero ir para casa. Embora o meu estúdio seja aqui ao lado. (…) Quando era pequenino, agora estava-me a lembrar… Quando era pequenino ia ajudar uma tia minha que morava ali em Rio Tinto, e ela tinha uma mercearia, daquelas mercearias normais “de aldeia” e havia lá perto um senhor que fazia móveis de cozinha e uma série de coisas. E eu quando me pirava de lá da minha tia, porque eu era miúdo, devia ter um 10, 12 anos, ia sempre para ao pé desse senhor que era o senhor José. Ia para lá fazer de conta que o ajudava.
I should play more... I don’t play as much as I used to. at the end of the day I just want to go home. Although my studio is just here around the corner. (...) When I was a kid, I was rememebering just now... When I was a kid I used to help out my aunt who lived in Rio Tinto, and had a grocery store, one of those typical small-town grocery stores. And then there was this man who made kitchen furniture and a bunch of other things. So I used to snick out my aunt’s store to go to this guy’s workshop, I was about 10 or 12. Him name was José and I used to go there I pretend I helped him.
I should play more... I don’t play as much as I used to. at the end of the day I just want to go home. Although my studio is just here around the corner. (...) When I was a kid, I was rememebering just now... When I was a kid I used to help out my aunt who lived in Rio Tinto, and had a grocery store, one of those typical small-town grocery stores. And then there was this man who made kitchen furniture and a bunch of other things. So I used to snick out my aunt’s store to go to this guy’s workshop, I was about 10 or 12. Him name was José and I used to go there I pretend I helped him.
Mas de certeza que já estavas a aprender alguma coisa.
CERTAINLY YOU WERE LEARNING SOMETHING.
Sim, sim. Ainda aprendi algumas coisas. Aprendi como se colava a fórmica nos móveis e tal.
Yes, of course. I learned some things. I learned how to glue formica to the furniture pices, for exemple.
Yes, of course. I learned some things. I learned how to glue formica to the furniture pices, for exemple.
[Enquanto encerava as peças]
[WHILE WAXING THE HANGERS]
Este tipo de cera [cera de abelha] permite usar ainda mais a peça, demora é mais tempo a secar. Há certas ceras agora no mercado que em 10, 15 minutos já estão secas, só que depois o nível de proteção é diferente. (…) Mas perdeu-se bué… nós tínhamos os nosso carpinteiros mais antigos eram eles que faziam isso [as ceras de enceramento] e as infusões também, e perdeu-se um bocado essa coisa toda.
This kind of wax [bee’s wax] allow to use the piece for longer, it just takes more time to dry out after applying. There are some wood waxes in the market today that are dry in 10-15 minutes, but the level of protection is very different. (...) But we lost so much... we used to have the old carpenters who made the waxes themselfs and the infusions, and that kind of [knowledge] was lost.
This kind of wax [bee’s wax] allow to use the piece for longer, it just takes more time to dry out after applying. There are some wood waxes in the market today that are dry in 10-15 minutes, but the level of protection is very different. (...) But we lost so much... we used to have the old carpenters who made the waxes themselfs and the infusions, and that kind of [knowledge] was lost.
Também havia muito mais pessoas a fazerem estas coisas. A fazerem coisas em madeira, à mão...
THERE WERE ALSO MANY MORE PEOPLE MAKING THINGS BY HAND. MAKING WOOD PIECES...
Ainda no outro dia estive a falar com um amigo, que tem uma série de material sobre restauro e ceras, e ficou de me passar um livritos para eu estudar. Há várias ceras diferentes, há uma cera vegetal que é a carnaúba, que é assim super-dura, e dá uns resultados porreiros para as peças [feitas] no torno. Como é muito duro ganha logo uma capa protetora grande. [Ele] é a mesma pessoa que nos arranja as madeiras nacionais para fazer uma série de tarolas para baterias com madeiras nacionais. [É ele] que os está a arranjar um bocadinho de madeiras que ele tem.
The other day I was talking to a friend, he has a bunch of material on these subjects of restoration and waxes, and he even promissed me some books on this to study further. There are different waxes, there’s this vegetable wax called carnaúba, that like super-hard, and is great for the pieces that are woodturned. He’s the same guy that gets us the national timber for us to make a new series of drum snares with national wood. He’s helping out sharing the timber pieces he can find.
The other day I was talking to a friend, he has a bunch of material on these subjects of restoration and waxes, and he even promissed me some books on this to study further. There are different waxes, there’s this vegetable wax called carnaúba, that like super-hard, and is great for the pieces that are woodturned. He’s the same guy that gets us the national timber for us to make a new series of drum snares with national wood. He’s helping out sharing the timber pieces he can find.
Porque é tão difícil arranjar as madeiras nacionais para trabalhar?
BECAUSE IT’S REALLY HARD TO FIND PORTUGUESE TIMBER FOR CARPENTRY?
É [difícil] porque se perdeu essa indústria. Nós não temos cá árvores de grande porte, que dê para mobiliário e tudo mais. Mas temos madeiras boas mas são madeiras mais arbustivas, o tronco é mais pequenino… Eu tenho ali um casco feito em Azinheira que é lindíssimo só que a Azinheira, aqui, quando se corta, é para lenha… não se faz mais nada com aquilo. Ainda por cima estou longe do Alentejo e não consigo arranjar mas ele arranjou aquele bocadinho e é lindíssima a madeira.
It is because it’s an indistry that is lost. [In Portugal] We don’t have large trees for furniture and all. But we have good timber, more like shrubs, with smaller trunks... I have an Azinheira hull that is beautiful, but this tree, in Portugal, when it’s cut down is only ment for firewood... it’s not used for anything else. I’m also far away from Alentejo [where the Azinheira grows], so he managed to get us a piece and it’s so beautiful.
It is because it’s an indistry that is lost. [In Portugal] We don’t have large trees for furniture and all. But we have good timber, more like shrubs, with smaller trunks... I have an Azinheira hull that is beautiful, but this tree, in Portugal, when it’s cut down is only ment for firewood... it’s not used for anything else. I’m also far away from Alentejo [where the Azinheira grows], so he managed to get us a piece and it’s so beautiful.
