OLD TIME OX CART MANUFACTUREROne project that Anne and I hoped that we would get around to this year, was to head up into the mountain town of Sarchi and hopefully find out where the manufacture took place of Costa Rica's claim to fame - - - it's Ox Cart.
Anne's internet research last night, turned up to main manufacturers:
1 ) Joaquin Chaverri Cart Factory - which is much older but caters to more modern manufacturing technique - - - it is in South Sarchi
2 ) Taller Eloy Alfaro workshop in North Sarchi. This one while slightly newer, was of much more appeal to me because it uses old school techniques including water wheel driven saws, planes, routers, etc.
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We have just returned from the 3 hour hair pin trip up in to the mountains and 2 1/2 hour trip home by Bus. We were told that it would be hard to find the place - and so hoped that locals would help us out. A man on the streets in Sarchi, directed us to exact location letting us know that it is a "old house"
It was a great experience as we were free to walk around the workers capturing images of all of the old equipment and methods. I shot some 135 images of all details. Here are just a few:
Here is the workshop ("old home")
Cardboard patterns and brushes with heavy use