Scooter Kick Bike Ultimate Workout

Colorful push scooters as seen on TV exercise commercials and Amish shows; push scooters use regular bicycle wheels with a standing platform. 

They help deliver low impact calorie burning squats and improved balance. Riders push back with one foot and then glide along.  

Some riders who are not able to mount and ride a regular bicycle such as disabled or stroke victims have found that a push scooter bike gives them back the freedom and enjoyment of cycling. 

The low foot boards allow for a routine cadence as the rider scoots along as they would ride a regular bicycle.

Push scooters are available in all sizes from kids 12” all the way up to adult 20” and 24” wheel sizes.  High pressure racing tires are preferred by adult scooter enthusiast who feels they provide less resistance.  

Some prefer a combination of a larger wheel on the front such as a 24” and a smaller wheel on the back such as a 20”. They feel it helps to improve the overall ride and maneuverability.

For those hard core scooter kick bike enthusiasts light weight all aluminum versions are also available.

Scooter Kick Bikes are available with baskets, kick stands, lights and safety flags just like a regular bike.

Best of all these workout machines are easy to maintain there’s no chains, or gears to mess with.

USA made scooter kick bikes are made and used in the Amish communities. The Amish depend on these human powered transporters for short trips to town, school and work.

Cottage Craft Works.com is an online emporium of hard to find USA Amish made products. Amish scooter kick bikes are one of the best selling products at Cottage Craft Works online general store.

Sewing Machine Lift & Cabinet Hardware

Build your own sewing cabinet using our hard to find hardware. We supply sewing machine air lifts, cabinet lid and sewing machine head hinges and even the old fashioned treadle hardware.

The hardware is the same as used in Amish handcrafted sewing cabinets that we also sell. Our Amish hardware distributor sells this same hardware across the country to Amish cabinet builders. We just bring it to you via online.

The German made sewing machine air lift is the same heavy duty lift rated at 50 lbs that others are selling for much more.

The recessed sewing cabinet hinges are designed to reduce fabric snags as the material is being pulled over the cabinet into the sewing bed.

Cottage Craft Works .com is an online self-sufficient living general store with a specialty in Amish sewing cabinets and hardware.  www.cottagecraftworks.com

Much more than just a sewing cabinet company Cottage Craft Works is a full line general store for the home, garden and ranch.

Mission Arts and Crafts Style Coat & Hat Racks

Trendy Arts and Crafts Mission Style furniture was very popular between 1880 and 1910. Now over 100 years later the trend towards Arts and Crafts décor is making a very strong comeback.

Some of it is due to the quest to find and rehabilitate old Craftsmen Style homes built during this era that were finished, trimmed and furnished with Mission style quarter sawn white oak.

Others just like the rich vintage look and feel of the old Mission Style furniture. It’s a 180° turnabout from when people moved away from the Mission Style in the early 1900s to a more modern look. 

That road has weaved in and out from painted to stain and varnish finishes with a mix of futuristic chrome and bright colors. It now appears to be returning back to the old Mission Style as people flock to antique stores in search of that perfect Mission Style piece or accent.

Mission Style furniture had it’s on unique appeal with very squared corners and simple lines that transitioned into the Arts and Crafts interior designs and furnishings.

Quarter sawn white oak with its unique cross cut grains brought the true beauty of oak used in Mission Style furniture. Today white oak has become very difficult to obtain and most can only find or afford standard red oak for new items.

What is also missing from that period and has now become prized collector pieces is the many Mission Style coat and hat racks.

Hat and coat racks were very common in homes offices and commercial buildings. The clothing attire was very formal during the Arts and Crafts Period as well with ladies coats, and men’s suit jackets, overcoats and hats. All these clothing accessories needed a place to land when people were at home, visiting or enjoying an evening meal out.

Today the dress code is very informal and a good solid functional coat rack is hard to come by especially during the winter months. Most families end up cluttering the home and furnishings with coats, hats and gloves. 

The Amish who also love the true beauty of solid oak Craftsman Style furniture have been producing items just as they were being made at the turn of the Century.

The Amish also practice sustainable forestry allowing them to continue to harvest beautiful white oak logs and mill it for their wood furniture and accessories.  

The good news is that you don’t have to travel to the Amish country to find these items. USA Amish handcrafted Mission Style furniture, coat and hat racks are available online at Cottage Craft Works.com.

Cottage Craft Works is a unique online store bringing back old fashioned products of charm and integrity still being made in the USA by the Amish.

Heavy Duty Improved German Sewing Machine Air Lift

For years these German made sewing machine air lift mechanisms have been the choice for sewing machine cabinet manufactures. For years consumers have commented about the paint on the upright support would wear down, pit and gum up the roller bearings.

That issue has now been resolved with the introduction of a new zinc plated upright providing a durable surface for the roller bearings to ride up and down on the upright without chipping off any paint.

These are still the same German made airlifts being imported and sold by several US companies. Cottage Craft Works.com specializes in Amish made sewing cabinets and also makes the same sewing cabinet hardware used in the Amish cabinets available for those who want to build a sewing cabinet or are in need of replacing old hardware.

Working with the largest Amish hardware supply company Cottage Craft Works is able to provide the heavy duty 50 lb sewing air lift for about the same price as others are selling the lighter duty air lift for.

This can be a significant savings over what you might pay if you purchase this heaver duty lift elsewhere.

The lift operates off a cable and pulley system attached to a pressurized air cylinder similar to those used on automobile back hatch lids.

Cottage Craft Works.com is a full line old fashioned online general store dedicated to self sustaining lifestyles.  

The company has gained a respected reputation and was mentioned in the December/January 2015 issue of Vogue Patterns Magazine as a resource for Amish handcrafted sewing machine cabinets.

Collapsible Insulated Hunting Dog Transport Box

Hunting dog hunters take note of this collapsible insulated dog transport box from Cottage Craft Works.com. 

It provides so much more protection from the elements when traveling in the back of an open pickup during cold weather hunting; this insulated box will keep them ready for the hunt.

This sturdy hunting dog box uses full length riveted piano style hinges it is perfect for hunting dog owners with limited storage space during the off seasons. 

Traditional aluminum dog boxes quickly absorb and transfers heat and cold to the inside,

This dog transport box is insulated to a 4.6 R-Value. Two-way swinging aluminum dog door provides a warm and toasty transport during cold weather hunts. Door position is raised to keep bedding dry during rainy periods.

When open the dog box measures 35-1/4” x 24” x 25.

Cottage Craft Works.com is a unique back-to-basics general store providing hard to find products from deep within the Amish communities from all across the US.

Chandelier Reproduction Hanging Single Oil Lamp

Beautiful Amish reproduction chain hung chandelier uses a new old fashioned style quilted pattern oil lamp. 

Glass lamps are available in several different colors; these functional oil lamps are still being made and used in Amish homes.

Old fashion oil lamps are still is used in the Amish self-sustaining communities. Just as people did before electricity reached rural areas of the country the Amish who live off-grid still use these oil lamps and lanterns. Oil lamps are great for emergency lighting during and after storms when normal grid-power is not available or for those returning to off-grid lifestyles.

Select from black, gold, or stainless to fit your individual decor; these lamps are perfect for backup lighting or to fully live off-grid.

Hanging oil lamps are also available in a horse hames chandelier for that country ranch home.

Lamps are USA Amish made in Ohio and are available exclusively online at Cottage Craft Works.com

Cottage Craft Works.com is a unique back-to-basics general store providing hard to find old fashioned products used before electricity was widely made available.  

Many of the products are handpicked from deep within the Amish communities from all across the US where they are still being made just like they were at the turn of the Century.

Amish Compact Wash Line-Clothesline Pulley Kit

Pulley equipped clothesline allows easy access to outdoor clotheslines without ever having to step off a back porch. 

This becomes a rather significant advantage for those who don’t want to tramp through and track in wet grass and mud from an early morning dew. Even more so for those who totally depend on outdoor clothes drying year round even with deep snow on the ground.  

The concept of a pulley driven clothesline concept is not new. Pulley mounted clotheslines were widely used between multi story apartment buildings long before automatic clothes dryers were available.

The operator can stand in one place preferably at the back door to the laundry room and completely load and unload a clothes line.

The Amish have taken the pulley concept a bit farther. Having large families and multiple wash loads the Amish have built a heavy duty pulley system to extend a clothesline up to 150’ away from the house.

The outbound pulley can be mounted high up on a building or post to allow the clothes to be well elevated up off the ground out of reach and conflict of other activities and animals in the yard.

There’s even an optional elevator pulley system to raise the operator pulley so that it also lifts the clothesline up and out of the way on the house end.

Cottage Craft Works.com is a unique back-to-basics general store providing hard to find old fashioned products used before electricity was widely made available.  

Many of the products are handpicked from deep within the Amish communities from all across the US where they are still being made just like they were at the turn of the Century. 

USA Water Well Pitcher Pumps and Parts, Heller Aller

Popular Amish USA made brass cylinder shallow well picture pumps have been pumping fresh potable water since 1886.

Those who depend on a hand pitcher well pump have relied on Heller Aller pumps to deliver for centuries.

Whether you live off grid, have one as a backup, or just use a pitcher pump up at the cabin you know that one cannot go without fresh water.

While many imported pumps have flooded the market; unless they are being purchased for ornamental displays, those who have purchased them soon find out they are not dependable and parts are not even available to match metric sizing.

Cottage Craft Works.com is a supplier of old fashioned hard to find products for homesteading and living off the grid sells all the USA made Heller Aller pumps and complete parts to rebuild them.

This is rather refreshing in today’s merchant frenzy to just sell products without the old fashioned support to get the parts and leather repair kits should one become damaged.

The PHB brass cylinder force pump is the most popular shallow well pump sold today.  It allows water to be pumped up to an overhead tank for gravity flow.  The PHB can also be used in line to a shallow well electric pump to pull water in case of electrical outages.

The Fig-T brass cylinder pump is a traditional shallow well pitcher pump ideally used at a sink side.

Cottage Craft Works.com can also provide you all your deep well hand pumps including windmill and force pumps.

Metal silhouettes for country and hunting decor

While most use thin metals and spray paint metal silhouettes ours are Amish USA made using 14 gauge steel and then powder coated with a durable outdoor baked on finish for years of service.  

Popular personalized two man saw blade is 59” long to form a lasting impression on visitors who will pass through your doors and gates for years to come.

Cottage Craft Works.com www.cottagecraftworks.com specializes in finding hard to find USA Amish made products from deep into the back roads of America.

The Amish have an outstanding reputation for building high quality products that are just made to last.

Imagines are transformed by an Amish artist into a laser engraving machine.  The attention to detail provides unique reverse patterns not found in most other silhouette engravings.

Amish Silhouettes are available for the passionate wildlife and hunting-fishing enthusiast to the country home decorator with cowboy, horses and wagons images of the past and current Amish and American Heritages are available.

Hand Painted Barn quilt signs with affordable shipping

Popular vintage American Heritage quilt patterns are being transformed by hand painting onto outdoor sign material by talented Amish artist. 

We offer them in 24” x 24” quilt block squares to provide economical shipping for larger sizes.

Bright and cherry barn quilts have added colorful memories to the Midwestern landscape. If you have recently traveled through Indiana and Ohio recently you may have noticed these beautiful quilt signs and barns and structures.

Up until now the larger sizes in 4’x 4’ to 4’ x 8’ have been cost prohibitive to ship to other parts of the US.  The smaller sizes that can be shipped are simply dwarfed when they are placed on the gable of most buildings.

Cottage Craft Works.com offers the popular Star Spin, Eight Point Star, Mariner Compass and Autumn Leaf quilt patterns in 24” square blocks that can be assembled in different configurations to build any size of barn quilt display desired.

Each pattern is hand painted by an Amish artist to duplicate the authentic patterns used in Amish hand stitched quilts.

The patterns are painted on exterior grade MDF board used by commercial sign companies.

If you’re in driving distance to Northern Indiana; Cottage Craft Works can arrange to have larger sizes made and available for you to pickup. 

Cottage Craft Works www.cottagecraftworks.com is a back-to-basics general store specializing in mostly Amish cottage based businesses. 

USA Glass Water Bottle Dispensing Crock Protective Ring Solution

For those who have been looking for a plastic ring protector to fit the top of a USA made water bottle dispensing crock you will be happy to know the solution is at your local hardware store.

In many areas the glass water jugs are still available to use on the water dispensing crocks. While plenty of imported ceramic water bottle crocks are sold to fit these bottles there’s much concern of them containing lead and other impurities. This concern sends people looking for an old fashioned USA made water bottle dispenser containing no lead or cadmium like the ones sold at Cottage Craft Works.com

The old fashioned USA made water bottle crocks at Cottage Craft Works.com are still hand turned and do not have the standard measurements as the imported water bottle crocks. Plastic glass bottle protector rings sold online for the imported crocks will not fit these larger unique USA versions.

This is not an issue for those using the plastic water jugs as they do not need the protector ring. On the old style glass jugs the plastic protector serves as a buffer to keep the glass and pottery glaze from scratching off into the water reservoir during water bottle changes.

If you have a Cottage Craft Works water bottle crock or another USA one made to also use a lid it will have a lid ledge inside the top. This lid ledge perfectly holds a 20 ¼" coiled length of 1” O.D. clear plastic tube sold by the foot in hardware stores.

The plastic tubing is sold for water lines and other applications.  It comes off the roll somewhat flatten.  When coiled inside the lid ledge it sticks up just enough to balance the neck of a full water bottle on and then seals around it when the bottle is lifted up into place.  The ring stays snugly in place when replacing water bottles and will lift out easy for cleaning.

The clear tubing blends in well with the clear glass jug and is not as noticeable as the plastic rings. Price wise at less than $4, this protector ring is much cheaper than the plastic rings as well.

Cottage Craft Works.com is a unique back-to-basics online store selling a wide variety of USA old fashioned products. Touring the site is like taking a step back in time into an old time general merchandise store.l

Sunrise Maple Syrup Evaporators direct from the Amish Sunrise Metal Shop

Sunrise has developed into a full line supplier of high quality wood fired maple syrup evaporators and stainless maple syrup products.

In the Northern Indiana Amish country Sunrise Metal Shop a family operated Amish shop has been developing and manufacturing some of the best stainless steel maple syrup evaporators available.

Since 1972 when their first maple syrup evaporator was manufactured for the local maple syrup production, Sunrise has developed into a full line supplier of high quality wood fired maple syrup evaporators and stainless maple syrup products.

Many in the maple Syrup industry have seen or know of Sunrise evaporators, or actually own them, but because they are mainly marketed to other Amish communities, the general public has not had the Internet or commercial exposure of other manufacturers in the maple syrup industry.

The Sunrise Maple Syrup Evaporators are now available online at Cottage Craft Works .com

We visited one of the Sunrise demonstrations in February of 2012 as the Amish gathered into a barn bringing in their fresh maple sap for cooking down into the wonderful maple syrup.

From the road it looked like any other Amish gathering but as we entered we found a giant Sunrise cooker being stoked with firewood and manned by several Amish in an assembly line process.

What makes Sunrise evaporators so intriguing is they are all made in an Amish shop by skilled Amish workers. Just about everything made in the shop uses heaver gauge steel and stainless. Stainless Joints and seams are welded with a tig welder. Sunrise uses 20 ga Stainless while others use 22 ga.

These evaporators are being built with long life spans in mind, as the Amish build things that they will use hard and last for a very long time.

Fire boxes are larger and built using heaver grates and thicker sidewalls than other factory built units. Fire boxes also come lined with fire brick for a longer firebox life span.

We expected to find a dark shop, with antiquated equipment. To our surprise we found a modern factory with the most modern equipment that was built just in 2009.

While the evaporators featured on the Cottage Craft Works website are geared more to the hobby farm and small commercial producer, larger commercial sized evaporators like the one we saw in operation are also available.

Hobby sized evaporators range in size from a 2 X 3- 35 tap 10 Gallon per Hour model, to a 2 X 6- 250 tap 35 Gallons per hour. Prices range from $1495 to $3600. Fairly competitive to others on the market.

Probably the best buy for the large hobby/small commercial producer is the Sunrise 2 X 6 Spitfire model. It is designed to handle up to 250 taps. It’s a wood fired cooker with a 2 x 2 flat finishing pan and a 4 x 4 flue pan.

Overall cooking surface is 9088 sq inches. The 2 x 6 Spitfire will process approximately 35 gal of syrup per hour.

The flue pans built by Sunrise are also of exceptional quality. The 2 X 6 Spitfire flue pan is built with 8” deep flues. This provides additional cooking surface, which means the Sunrise Evaporators are very efficient. The 2 X 6 Spitfire has an overall cooking surface of 9088 sq inches.

Building this type of flue pan using heavy gauge Stainless Steel is probably one of the key attributes of the Sunrise Evaporators. It’s very expensive and labor intensive to build a flue pan this way, but again the Amish don’t build things to just sell they build things to use and last.

Gas fired hobby finishers are also available in both a two and three burner models. Sunrise also makes Stainless filtering tanks, finishing pans, scoops and skimmers.

Sunrise makes their own unique heavy stainless sap bag holder. They are easy to use and keeps the top closed for less rainwater and debris to enter during the sap collection process.

Working closely with the Amish cottage based industries, for the past 30 years Cottage Craft Works has developed an online general store filled with hard to find Amish products.

No Boil Maple Syrup Finishing Cooker

One of the most difficult processes in making quality maple syrup comes down to the finishing process. Maintaining maple syrup just below the boiling point throughout the finishing process is part skill and part the right equipment.

Maintaining even heat without hot spots in large cooking pans is the most difficult. Most cookers using single pans will concentrate the heat right over the top of the burners leaving a high potential for that area to succeed the boiling point while the rest of the batch doesn't.

Even the most experienced maple syrup processors fear the dreaded sugar sand. Sugar sand occurs when the maple syrup is allowed to boil during the finishing process. Sugar sand is like honey that has sat on the pantry shelf too long and turned to sugar.

The creative Amish at Sunrise has developed a no boil maple syrup finishing cooker in two models to fit on top of a two or three burner LP Gas stove.

The cooker uses a double wall water jacket stainless cooking pan that can be filled with water. Much like a double stove top boiler used to make candy or melt wax for canning the water may reach boiling the point but the contents inside will never boil.

These cookers can be used on a camp style LP gas cooker or Sunrise makes a complete portable stainless steel cooking stand that is easy to knock down and assemble.

These professional LP cookers can also be used for other outdoor cooking and the double wall pan can be used for other cooking applications.

These cookers will also process small batches of maple syrup for the small hobby and individual family. The process just takes longer than firing over a wood fired cooker and then using a finish cooker to finalize the process.

No boil finishing pans are also available through Cottage Craft Works .com

Cottage Craft works is a unique back to basics store featuring many Amish made products from across the many Amish communities. Many of these products are difficult to find.