My expectations with this book were not met. It is a short book of only some 70 pages and was first printed in 1892. I guess my biggest disappointment with this book was that I wanted more details then the book offered. I bought this book because I suck at making miters. The author gives a (my opinion) very general overview of how to miter and a short blurb on how to cope in the very last chapter. I did like the way the author wrote it. I have a thing for reading just about anything printed around the turn of the last century (especially ads). I am always thinking to myself, did people really talk this way back then?
I think that the author wrote this expecting that the reader was already experienced somewhat as a carpenter or someone familiar with working wood. He starts off by explaining how to make a miter box, what wood to use, and how to lay the angles. Now comes a curious turn of events to my mind.
The author does not list any type of tools to use in making the box or any tools that would useful in making miters at all. He suggests that a panel saw be used vice a hand saw (no mention of a back saw at all). He explains how to lay out the 45 degree angles on the miter box a couple of different ways and what he considers to be the best way. Now here is the big surprise for me, he states that there is no need for a shooting board . If you follow his instructions and try the angles and adjust the box, there is no need for the shooting board at all. This is the only mention of a shooting board by the author.
Another curious aspect of the miter box is the author doesn't tell you to leave a lip on the front of the box so you could maybe clamp it in a vice. Instead he tells you to make the front and back bottoms flush with the bottom board of the miter box. You are told to secure the miter box from moving in use by driving nails through the ends into......
There weren't any great revelations for me with this book. There weren't a lot of aah's, in that's how you do that. The only aah was in the coping chapter were the author states that you should use a sharp pen knife to cope a joint. Do not use a compass saw, gouge or chisel as these may break the arris in softwood. I don't know why he doesn't mention using a fret saw for coping joints.
If there is a fault with this book it is that I think there isn't enough info given. He explains how to find a miter of two adjoining pieces but only briefly. He doesn't mention that this is the way to do it if you know the miter is less/more than 45 degrees. He blurbs a little about mitering into circles both at an angle and straight on in and that's all folks (think merry melodies).
As I love books and this is definitely going to be put into the collection, it will not be used as a reference guide. I got the book from Toolmera Press and it didn't cost much (about $10). I think I might not have bought it if I did the "look inside" and saw what I was getting into. I guess I expected that being a "hand tool book" on how the old guys did what I do now with a powered miter saw, it would be a fountain of hidden tricks. I'll keep looking around and maybe I'll get lucky and find a better author with hidden tricks.
accidental woodworker
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
double brain droppings
While surfing the WWW I found that a magazine that I thought was defunct was in fact still going strong. I was totally oblivious to it still being published. So I tried to do a little research on it and all I could find (so far) is that about the time I canceled my subscription the magazine was in trouble (don't know with what) and they hired some consulting company to get them back on track. The magazine I (brain fart here) thought that merged and took over WWJ was Hands On (I might even have this wrong) but I also found out that this is the magazine for the multi-tool Shopsmith (had one and I thought it sucked lemons). So again I am sitting in the corner with the dunce cap on. I made the journey down stairs to find the magazine (I bought several copies from a friend) that merged with WWJ but I can't find them.This all happened in the early 80's and it sucks out loud that I can't recall any more details about it. I take a little solace in the fact that most days at lunchtime I can't remember what I ate for breakfast.
So this is brain dropping number one. I will continue to search the web for info on this but so far I can't find a history or time line for the magazine (WWJ) any where. As for the rag that merged with WWJ, I am up the proverbial creek against the current as I can't remember the name of it. I was really fond of WWJ and when they did the big change it was just too much for me. I am not one to read editorials (then and now) that might have given me a heads up on it, so I have to accept this as my fault. It was almost as bad as when Popular Woodworking decided to kill Woodworking magazine. I found this after issue 3 I think and I bought the CD of all the issues they did put out. Woodworking magazine reminded me a lot of WWJ when I first started reading it. It all comes down to money in the end doesn't it?
Brain dropping number two is not a FUBAR on my part but a confusion, which is exceedingly simple to do to me. It concerns cambered plane blades. Moxon writes that the fore plane blade should be cambered but the jointer and smoother should be straight. David Charlesgate says in his video on planes that the jack (which he uses for everything) needs a cambered blade (he doesn't use a smoother). Sir Chris over at PW uses a cambered blade to shoot an edge straight. I understand using a cambered blade so that edges won't leave furrows in your work . What I don't understand is using a cambered blade to shoot an edge, it can't possibly be 90 to the edge. The other side of the coin for me is how do you effectively glue together two cambered edges? (a hollow to a hollow is my take)
One of the books I just bought is "Woodwork Tools and how to use them" by William Fairham which was published in 1922. He writes (page 110) that all blades are better off being cambered for all around work. He also writes in the same paragraph that some prefer to sharpen straight across and "rub the corners away". I'm thinking about buying Sir Chris's book on hand-planes. I could also get the same info by just reading his back blogs as he states that the book is compilation of sorts of all of his writings on the subject. I do like the way he writes and a book is easy to read and search then all his far flung blogs.
No matter how I get my info on sharpening plane blades (books, blogs, dvds) I still don't understand a cambered blade for shooting an edge.I can see the argument somewhat on how it would be easy to get it somewhat square but.... So I think in my ignorance on the subject I will continue the way I have been doing it for the last 35 years. My fore plane I will leave with a cambered blade as I understand it's purpose in initially flattening a board across the grain. All my other planes I will leave straight across and I will practice with my #3 on rubbing the corners. I got this #3 (Stanley home owner) when I was 20 and I realize now that it is basically crap and barely usable, but until I feel comfortable with "rubbing the corners" I will practice on this before doing my LN's. Sir Chris wrote a blog on rounding the corners with a file. Now I just have to find which blog he wrote about it that it's in.
accidental woodworker
So this is brain dropping number one. I will continue to search the web for info on this but so far I can't find a history or time line for the magazine (WWJ) any where. As for the rag that merged with WWJ, I am up the proverbial creek against the current as I can't remember the name of it. I was really fond of WWJ and when they did the big change it was just too much for me. I am not one to read editorials (then and now) that might have given me a heads up on it, so I have to accept this as my fault. It was almost as bad as when Popular Woodworking decided to kill Woodworking magazine. I found this after issue 3 I think and I bought the CD of all the issues they did put out. Woodworking magazine reminded me a lot of WWJ when I first started reading it. It all comes down to money in the end doesn't it?
Brain dropping number two is not a FUBAR on my part but a confusion, which is exceedingly simple to do to me. It concerns cambered plane blades. Moxon writes that the fore plane blade should be cambered but the jointer and smoother should be straight. David Charlesgate says in his video on planes that the jack (which he uses for everything) needs a cambered blade (he doesn't use a smoother). Sir Chris over at PW uses a cambered blade to shoot an edge straight. I understand using a cambered blade so that edges won't leave furrows in your work . What I don't understand is using a cambered blade to shoot an edge, it can't possibly be 90 to the edge. The other side of the coin for me is how do you effectively glue together two cambered edges? (a hollow to a hollow is my take)
One of the books I just bought is "Woodwork Tools and how to use them" by William Fairham which was published in 1922. He writes (page 110) that all blades are better off being cambered for all around work. He also writes in the same paragraph that some prefer to sharpen straight across and "rub the corners away". I'm thinking about buying Sir Chris's book on hand-planes. I could also get the same info by just reading his back blogs as he states that the book is compilation of sorts of all of his writings on the subject. I do like the way he writes and a book is easy to read and search then all his far flung blogs.
No matter how I get my info on sharpening plane blades (books, blogs, dvds) I still don't understand a cambered blade for shooting an edge.I can see the argument somewhat on how it would be easy to get it somewhat square but.... So I think in my ignorance on the subject I will continue the way I have been doing it for the last 35 years. My fore plane I will leave with a cambered blade as I understand it's purpose in initially flattening a board across the grain. All my other planes I will leave straight across and I will practice with my #3 on rubbing the corners. I got this #3 (Stanley home owner) when I was 20 and I realize now that it is basically crap and barely usable, but until I feel comfortable with "rubbing the corners" I will practice on this before doing my LN's. Sir Chris wrote a blog on rounding the corners with a file. Now I just have to find which blog he wrote about it that it's in.
accidental woodworker
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Almost gone
As a pleasant surprise to the end of last year I found out that my boss had given me a year end bonus of which I have spent almost every cent of. I might have enough to go out to dinner but if something catches my eye and sets fire to my "gotta have it" gene, dinner isn't going to happen.
I ended up getting a large router plane from LN and and an edge trimming plane from LV. This was an agonizing decision for me to make. I really like the LN products (aside from being american made) and I also like the LV products. After going back and forth on the router plane I went with LN on this mainly because although I think LV is right up there with LN in terms of quality, I am not a big fan of how their tools look. So LV lost this round and LN won.
What can I say about LN other than this is a tool that is ready to use right out of the box. Everything on this router is crisp and clean. There are no stray machining marks or casting errors. The paint is complete and the finish on the knobs is all there. I am on the fence with finish on the knobs. I have read several blogs that are for and against finish equally. I do like the feel of wood (with or w/o a finish) and I think a tool with plastic knobs (or totes) sucks. Wish I had a better to word to describe this but I think sucks conveys my sentiments adequately.
This is the bottom of the router plane, all shiny and nicely lapped flat. The one thing I really thought on with the LN vs the LV plane was this: LN doesn't have any other blades for this while LV sells a couple of others with theirs. The LV plane with the edge guide and extra blades (small straight & vee shaped) is yours for about 200 dollars, LN is about 140 (one blade and edge guide). I have looked over the LN site on the router plane and I am not 100% sure but I don't think they sell extra blades like LV does. I guess it's email time or you could buy an extra blade and re-grind your profile on it. As I am a newbie with this and I haven't started on the learning curve yet, I'll put this on the back burner. I'll re-think it once I get some experience and time on the pond with it. (Time on the pond - Navy talk for lack of experience)
I bought this edge trimming plane from LV over LN for two reasons. One I really like the positive screw adjustment for the blade a lot. LN uses a lever action that I am not fond of. I have an AMT edge trimmer with this type of adjustment and with my ham hock hands I am always hitting it and changing the blade advance. The second reason is that the LV plane is 1 1/8" vs LN at 7/8". A lot of what I work with is about 7/8 to 1 thick boards and the LV will handle just about anything.
The other thing I really like about this plane is it's size. It doesn't feel like a toy in my hands. It is a lot bigger than the picture. You can see the screw advance adjustment that they use. I played with it a little and it doesn't seem to have any backlash but I will wait on that until I actually try it out. Again the fit, finish, yadda, yadda, is comparable to LN and I don't mind the looks of this.
My old AMT edge is not square where it needs to be square. It's off a degree or two and it's something I didn't realize or check until I had the tool for a long time. This is something I don't think you should have to check for or correct for. The purpose of this tool is to plane a 90 degree edge. If the bed isn't 90 degrees don't sell it to people like me who expect it to be that and don't check it to ensure that it is. In other words do some QC before this crap gets packed and shipped.
The LV plane is square which is what I expected. I have become very jaded on tools lately in this respect. I check for square on my table saw and jointer before I use them but this is because I might have bumped the fence on the jointer or I might have cut a bevel with the table saw. This is something I expect to do with regard to these tools. It is not something I think I should have to do with an edge trimming plane.
Enough diarrhea of the mouth on that subject. These two tools were the major purchases with my bonus. With what was left over I bought some books form Toolmera Press. I should be getting them before the end of the month. All this extra time is really starting to get on my nerves and I am itching and foaming at the mouth wanting to get into the shop. I have been down there twice since I've been home but it's still too difficult for me to navigate the stairs up and down not to mention standing for prolonged periods of time. Besides we're are in the middle of a cold snap here in RI. The temps the last few days have been down into the minus F range at night. I feel bad about this because my wife has to do all the snow shoveling and we have been whacked for the fourth time with the white crap since I've come home. So I read some blogs and I read some books and think about my first time back to the shop.
accidental woodworker
I ended up getting a large router plane from LN and and an edge trimming plane from LV. This was an agonizing decision for me to make. I really like the LN products (aside from being american made) and I also like the LV products. After going back and forth on the router plane I went with LN on this mainly because although I think LV is right up there with LN in terms of quality, I am not a big fan of how their tools look. So LV lost this round and LN won.
I bought this edge trimming plane from LV over LN for two reasons. One I really like the positive screw adjustment for the blade a lot. LN uses a lever action that I am not fond of. I have an AMT edge trimmer with this type of adjustment and with my ham hock hands I am always hitting it and changing the blade advance. The second reason is that the LV plane is 1 1/8" vs LN at 7/8". A lot of what I work with is about 7/8 to 1 thick boards and the LV will handle just about anything.
The LV plane is square which is what I expected. I have become very jaded on tools lately in this respect. I check for square on my table saw and jointer before I use them but this is because I might have bumped the fence on the jointer or I might have cut a bevel with the table saw. This is something I expect to do with regard to these tools. It is not something I think I should have to do with an edge trimming plane.
Enough diarrhea of the mouth on that subject. These two tools were the major purchases with my bonus. With what was left over I bought some books form Toolmera Press. I should be getting them before the end of the month. All this extra time is really starting to get on my nerves and I am itching and foaming at the mouth wanting to get into the shop. I have been down there twice since I've been home but it's still too difficult for me to navigate the stairs up and down not to mention standing for prolonged periods of time. Besides we're are in the middle of a cold snap here in RI. The temps the last few days have been down into the minus F range at night. I feel bad about this because my wife has to do all the snow shoveling and we have been whacked for the fourth time with the white crap since I've come home. So I read some blogs and I read some books and think about my first time back to the shop.
accidental woodworker
Sunday, January 23, 2011
He with the most ....
At least part of my recuperation is going to be enjoyable. I have lots more time to search the web for blogs to read. My list has morphed into a monster and I am glad somewhat that everyone doesn't post everyday. I don't think a month of sundays would be enough time to read them all. I found a new one "Highland Woodworking Blog" and I was reading an entry about "he with the most tools" is the reason why he is able to do woodworking so good. (I don't know how to link to the site yet)
It was a short entry about how Norm bristles when people comment on how they could be as good as he is if only they had all the tools has. Nothing could be farther from the truth as far as I am concerned. Having all the tools in the world isn't going to increase your skill or output one iota. If you don't know to use a tool you just have a tool and a paperweight. If you don't develop the skill to use the tool or have an aptitude for it, you have a an object that takes up space. As an aside, I found a website (I googled NYW) devoted to the New Yankee Workshop where the author has counted the number of tools Norm has/used, what episodes they are used in, and how many times he used that tool. This guy has more free time on his hands then I do.
Norm sure does have a lot of tools, but he uses them all to do something that helps in building what he is making. I have watched this show from it's inception up to the very last one. If start at show #1, the corner behind the table saw and to the left of the storage bench you'll see that it is basically empty (look at all the walls). Over the years everything from a drill press to clamp storage is added. So at the beginning Norm didn't have a workshop full of tools but as the seasons passed his tool collection grew as did the complexity of the projects he made. Norm had the skills already and the tools acquired just made what ever project he was doing easier to build. I am not a master craftsman but I realize that having a lot of tools doesn't mean you get the skill/ability to use them out of the box when you buy them. That comes with use and practice and a desire to learn something new.
A major part of this entry is a video insert about a native indian from Canada who makes a birch bark canoe. I hope that this link is correct, if not you can get to it from the entry on the Highland Woodworking blog."www.nfb.ca/film/Cesars_Bark_Canoe/". I counted ten "tools" that he used to make this canoe from the materials he got from the forest. A couple of the tools were, or looked like they were home made and a few were "store bought". He used three knives, a penknife (makes a mortise with it), a big knife that he uses as a froe, and a crooked knife (I don't know what the correct name of this is). In short it is amazing what he accomplished with so few "tools".
This video proves that it is not how many tools, but rather the skill of the person using what he has at hand that matters.
accidental woodworker
It was a short entry about how Norm bristles when people comment on how they could be as good as he is if only they had all the tools has. Nothing could be farther from the truth as far as I am concerned. Having all the tools in the world isn't going to increase your skill or output one iota. If you don't know to use a tool you just have a tool and a paperweight. If you don't develop the skill to use the tool or have an aptitude for it, you have a an object that takes up space. As an aside, I found a website (I googled NYW) devoted to the New Yankee Workshop where the author has counted the number of tools Norm has/used, what episodes they are used in, and how many times he used that tool. This guy has more free time on his hands then I do.
Norm sure does have a lot of tools, but he uses them all to do something that helps in building what he is making. I have watched this show from it's inception up to the very last one. If start at show #1, the corner behind the table saw and to the left of the storage bench you'll see that it is basically empty (look at all the walls). Over the years everything from a drill press to clamp storage is added. So at the beginning Norm didn't have a workshop full of tools but as the seasons passed his tool collection grew as did the complexity of the projects he made. Norm had the skills already and the tools acquired just made what ever project he was doing easier to build. I am not a master craftsman but I realize that having a lot of tools doesn't mean you get the skill/ability to use them out of the box when you buy them. That comes with use and practice and a desire to learn something new.
A major part of this entry is a video insert about a native indian from Canada who makes a birch bark canoe. I hope that this link is correct, if not you can get to it from the entry on the Highland Woodworking blog."www.nfb.ca/film/Cesars_Bark_Canoe/". I counted ten "tools" that he used to make this canoe from the materials he got from the forest. A couple of the tools were, or looked like they were home made and a few were "store bought". He used three knives, a penknife (makes a mortise with it), a big knife that he uses as a froe, and a crooked knife (I don't know what the correct name of this is). In short it is amazing what he accomplished with so few "tools".
This video proves that it is not how many tools, but rather the skill of the person using what he has at hand that matters.
accidental woodworker
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Brain Droppings
I spent most of the morning reading the PW blog and unlike at work when I do this, today I got to read all the posts, every comment and check out all the links. Most importantly, I got to watch the video feeds which I can't do at work (sucks I know). I really think I could be sick for a lot longer than 12 weeks rather easily.
I left off my blog reading with the entry on the Moxon vise that Sir Chris built and everyone is commenting on how difficult it is to cut wooden threads, get a thread box, adjust it, etc. I would like to build one of these for my workshop but it's going to probably happen right after I find the cure for male pattern baldness. One of the comments stated that that Robert Wearing had a screw/bolt/handle solution in his book "Making Woodwork Aids & Devices". So I dug up my copy but I couldn't find that referral on the page he said it was on. Mine copy has it listed on another page. Just might stop me from buying veneer press screws for my bench. I got the thread box but I don't have a lathe so this was the route I am looking at taking.
The reason I am writing this blog entry is because I found a piece of paper in the middle of the book with 7 entries typed on it (with a commodore 64 computer). This helps me date when I wrote this (middle 80's) and it's kind of neat to re-examine what I was thinking of at that time. The page number, R Wearing's number of the project, and the project name are all laid out for my perusal. Of the seven projects I know that I only completed/attempted one and that was the F style "guitar marker cramps" Page 32 - project #43. The clamps didn't last because I did not have the skill, patience, or time to do the job right. I stumbled and fell an awful lot of the time while I was in the Navy. By time I mean I was always in a hurry and always thinking ahead, not paying attention to what I was doing at that specific moment. As a result I made a ton of frustrating mistakes but I kept plugging away it. (Took me a long to realize I was doing this)
My cramps were made from all wood and his called for aluminum bar stock. His cramps, he is mostly likely still using. Mine didn't last a long time and are in a landfill in Groton, Ct. I was in my got to have a 100 clamps before I can build anything phase. My cramps were loose, difficult to adjust, and I had to make the cam clamping pad several times. I eventually went to Sears and bought Jorgensen f style clamps. While I was in the service Sears was my go to store. I had the card and no matter where the Navy sent me, I knew I could find a Sears somewhere close by. I now have an boat load of F styles ranging from 12" up to 36"
Of the remainder I didn't make any of them. 5 were some type of shooting board and one was a cramp for planing end grain. Page 72, project #93, Light board Cramps. This last one here I am interested in. I don't have a problem planing end grain, I have a problem devising a way to clamp a board to prevent blow out and still have the clamp out of the way. This is an elegant looking solution and a homemade tool.
Going through this book was a nice blast from the past. I was able to look back at where I was and where I am now. I will say that being self taught overall sucks. It would have been nice to hear someone say or encourage me to do something differently. Being the personality that I am I needed a guiding hand and a focus. A slap upside the head to get my attention back now and then and who knows what could have been.
I have learned a lot by myself and I will say that this was definitely accelerated in the past few years by the internet. The deluge of information about anything from fascinating faces in toe nail clippings to 10 new ways to use belly button lint is phenomenal. So my teachers have been many and varied and although I get no feedback no matter how times I watch the video I see and hear something I hadn't heard or seen previously.
I am not grousing about my path of woodworking. Sure it could have been better but to me just having a shop and making something with my hands is satisfaction enough. I am not trying to build furniture like the old masters. Rather I am content with my skill level and what I have made to this point. The upside is I am improving with each passing day. I don't make the same mistakes I did before over and over again. I make new ones that a better technique and knowledge have given me. So the evolution on the learning curve is like a roller coaster ride where it could be fast and furious or struggle to get up the hill. Makes life interesting for me and gives me an itch to get back in the shop.
accidental woodworker
I left off my blog reading with the entry on the Moxon vise that Sir Chris built and everyone is commenting on how difficult it is to cut wooden threads, get a thread box, adjust it, etc. I would like to build one of these for my workshop but it's going to probably happen right after I find the cure for male pattern baldness. One of the comments stated that that Robert Wearing had a screw/bolt/handle solution in his book "Making Woodwork Aids & Devices". So I dug up my copy but I couldn't find that referral on the page he said it was on. Mine copy has it listed on another page. Just might stop me from buying veneer press screws for my bench. I got the thread box but I don't have a lathe so this was the route I am looking at taking.
The reason I am writing this blog entry is because I found a piece of paper in the middle of the book with 7 entries typed on it (with a commodore 64 computer). This helps me date when I wrote this (middle 80's) and it's kind of neat to re-examine what I was thinking of at that time. The page number, R Wearing's number of the project, and the project name are all laid out for my perusal. Of the seven projects I know that I only completed/attempted one and that was the F style "guitar marker cramps" Page 32 - project #43. The clamps didn't last because I did not have the skill, patience, or time to do the job right. I stumbled and fell an awful lot of the time while I was in the Navy. By time I mean I was always in a hurry and always thinking ahead, not paying attention to what I was doing at that specific moment. As a result I made a ton of frustrating mistakes but I kept plugging away it. (Took me a long to realize I was doing this)
My cramps were made from all wood and his called for aluminum bar stock. His cramps, he is mostly likely still using. Mine didn't last a long time and are in a landfill in Groton, Ct. I was in my got to have a 100 clamps before I can build anything phase. My cramps were loose, difficult to adjust, and I had to make the cam clamping pad several times. I eventually went to Sears and bought Jorgensen f style clamps. While I was in the service Sears was my go to store. I had the card and no matter where the Navy sent me, I knew I could find a Sears somewhere close by. I now have an boat load of F styles ranging from 12" up to 36"
Of the remainder I didn't make any of them. 5 were some type of shooting board and one was a cramp for planing end grain. Page 72, project #93, Light board Cramps. This last one here I am interested in. I don't have a problem planing end grain, I have a problem devising a way to clamp a board to prevent blow out and still have the clamp out of the way. This is an elegant looking solution and a homemade tool.
Going through this book was a nice blast from the past. I was able to look back at where I was and where I am now. I will say that being self taught overall sucks. It would have been nice to hear someone say or encourage me to do something differently. Being the personality that I am I needed a guiding hand and a focus. A slap upside the head to get my attention back now and then and who knows what could have been.
I have learned a lot by myself and I will say that this was definitely accelerated in the past few years by the internet. The deluge of information about anything from fascinating faces in toe nail clippings to 10 new ways to use belly button lint is phenomenal. So my teachers have been many and varied and although I get no feedback no matter how times I watch the video I see and hear something I hadn't heard or seen previously.
I am not grousing about my path of woodworking. Sure it could have been better but to me just having a shop and making something with my hands is satisfaction enough. I am not trying to build furniture like the old masters. Rather I am content with my skill level and what I have made to this point. The upside is I am improving with each passing day. I don't make the same mistakes I did before over and over again. I make new ones that a better technique and knowledge have given me. So the evolution on the learning curve is like a roller coaster ride where it could be fast and furious or struggle to get up the hill. Makes life interesting for me and gives me an itch to get back in the shop.
accidental woodworker
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
porosity of the brain
I am looking back (into the mists of time) trying to remember the first woodworking magazine I ever bought. Some of the ones I get now I've been getting for longer than I can remember and I can remember a few that are now defunct. The reason for my deliberate attempt to get a migraine is because I made a comment on a blog and now I am not sure I got the right brain bucket location for the information on the comment.
The first woodworking magazine I ever got was the Woodworker's Journal. I really liked that magazine and I made a ton of projects from it's pages. The directions where always (in my mind) easy to decipher and follow and not overly extending of my abilities at that time. This magazine was bought by Hands On and they changed the whole orientation of WJ such that I canceled the subscription. It was brutal in the way it went from being WJ to Hands On with the WJ title with just one issue. Too much of a shock for me to swallow at the time. Just as well they ceased publication of this blending a short time later.
I don't recall the order I got these but these are the ones I got next and still subscribe to: Fine Woodworking, Wood Magazine, American Woodworker, Woodsmith, Shopnotes, and Popular Woodworking. I did get the mag put out by Woodcraft but I let the subscription lapse.
I started getting Fine Woodworking at issue #57 and I bought the the first 9 books of compilations that Taunton printed to fill in from #1 to #56. This is a very glossy, slick magazine with good writing and pictures but in my opinion doesn't really dispense a lot of step by step how to. It's a keeper in spite of this. I used to get the sister pub Fine Homebuilder but I get that now from the newsstand only when the front page catches my eye.
I started getting Woodsmith at issue #2 when I first saw it in the exchange at the Norfolk Navy Base. Started the subscription at issue #10 (because the exchange sold out before I got one) and I got a Shopnotes subscription when they started printing that one. These are my favorite magazines and would give all the others away to keep these two. I think either of these would a good choice for someone starting out to buy first.
What can I say about the last three: Wood, American Woodworker, and Popular Woodworking. The way the internet is so invasive in our lives now, I am still amazed that they are still printed. I know I have been getting these three for years but when I started I don't know or really care. Of these three I think PW has the best internet site hands down.
In addition to all these rags I have 43 lineal feet of book shelving devoted exclusively to woodoworking books (I measured it a month ago or so). The first book I added was the Woodwrights 's Shop by Roy Underhill. Been adding them every since that day and lately I've adding a lot of the old print stuff that Sir Chris has been peddling.
I have a lot of resources at my finger tips and what I thought was a pretty good memory. I may not be able to recall the author, issue, or date, but I could serve up a good synopsis of the article etc., etc..... I take a lot of pride in this aspect of my memory and yesterday it failed me with flying colors. I have a book on Japanese woodworking joints that I got in a yard sale. It was missing the front cover but I bought it because of the pictures and descriptions of the various joints (and the price). These are just incredible joints all done by hand and held together without glue or pegs. The fit and and intricacy of the mating parts are just unreal. A lot of the joints are for the timber frame trade but a few where for cabinet making and just as intricate. They show an interlocking joint for leg and rail that is basically held together with a short square peg.
It was on this issue my brain bucket went south. I know now that I confused articles from the rags with ones I had read in my books and had serious attack of diarrhea of the mouth (or diarrhea of typing). The Japanese joint book mentions rice glue but that's it. Doesn't explain it's use in any of the joint making steps and I made a comment on rice glue being used in eastern cabinet making and eating the leftovers. Close, but not close enough.
I'm glad I'm going to be home for a while. Even though I can't go to the shop there isn't anything stopping me from indulging 24/7 in my blogs and my books. I'm calling it a refresher course on WW101. Might even take notes for the test.
accidental woodworker
The first woodworking magazine I ever got was the Woodworker's Journal. I really liked that magazine and I made a ton of projects from it's pages. The directions where always (in my mind) easy to decipher and follow and not overly extending of my abilities at that time. This magazine was bought by Hands On and they changed the whole orientation of WJ such that I canceled the subscription. It was brutal in the way it went from being WJ to Hands On with the WJ title with just one issue. Too much of a shock for me to swallow at the time. Just as well they ceased publication of this blending a short time later.
I don't recall the order I got these but these are the ones I got next and still subscribe to: Fine Woodworking, Wood Magazine, American Woodworker, Woodsmith, Shopnotes, and Popular Woodworking. I did get the mag put out by Woodcraft but I let the subscription lapse.
I started getting Fine Woodworking at issue #57 and I bought the the first 9 books of compilations that Taunton printed to fill in from #1 to #56. This is a very glossy, slick magazine with good writing and pictures but in my opinion doesn't really dispense a lot of step by step how to. It's a keeper in spite of this. I used to get the sister pub Fine Homebuilder but I get that now from the newsstand only when the front page catches my eye.
I started getting Woodsmith at issue #2 when I first saw it in the exchange at the Norfolk Navy Base. Started the subscription at issue #10 (because the exchange sold out before I got one) and I got a Shopnotes subscription when they started printing that one. These are my favorite magazines and would give all the others away to keep these two. I think either of these would a good choice for someone starting out to buy first.
What can I say about the last three: Wood, American Woodworker, and Popular Woodworking. The way the internet is so invasive in our lives now, I am still amazed that they are still printed. I know I have been getting these three for years but when I started I don't know or really care. Of these three I think PW has the best internet site hands down.
In addition to all these rags I have 43 lineal feet of book shelving devoted exclusively to woodoworking books (I measured it a month ago or so). The first book I added was the Woodwrights 's Shop by Roy Underhill. Been adding them every since that day and lately I've adding a lot of the old print stuff that Sir Chris has been peddling.
I have a lot of resources at my finger tips and what I thought was a pretty good memory. I may not be able to recall the author, issue, or date, but I could serve up a good synopsis of the article etc., etc..... I take a lot of pride in this aspect of my memory and yesterday it failed me with flying colors. I have a book on Japanese woodworking joints that I got in a yard sale. It was missing the front cover but I bought it because of the pictures and descriptions of the various joints (and the price). These are just incredible joints all done by hand and held together without glue or pegs. The fit and and intricacy of the mating parts are just unreal. A lot of the joints are for the timber frame trade but a few where for cabinet making and just as intricate. They show an interlocking joint for leg and rail that is basically held together with a short square peg.
It was on this issue my brain bucket went south. I know now that I confused articles from the rags with ones I had read in my books and had serious attack of diarrhea of the mouth (or diarrhea of typing). The Japanese joint book mentions rice glue but that's it. Doesn't explain it's use in any of the joint making steps and I made a comment on rice glue being used in eastern cabinet making and eating the leftovers. Close, but not close enough.
I'm glad I'm going to be home for a while. Even though I can't go to the shop there isn't anything stopping me from indulging 24/7 in my blogs and my books. I'm calling it a refresher course on WW101. Might even take notes for the test.
accidental woodworker
Saturday, January 15, 2011
finally home
Got home from the hospital yesterday and I can look forward to about 12 weeks at home. I don't think a lot of it is going to spent in the shop though. I currently feel a lot older then my actual age and having to learn how to the simple things in life (like walking) all over again is going to a challenge. Enough of this and on to the reason for a speedy recovery and here it is.
I didn't think I would do this as I have a huge mental block about it. What is it you ask? Buying a tool sight unseen and and old tool to boot. I bit the bullet as the guy selling it (Patrick Leach@supertool.com) is someone I've been following for months now. He struck as someone who isn't trying to sell a ten dollar old tool as a heirloom 300 dollar gotta have. As I am not a collector and patina and having 90% of the japanning intact has the same value as a bucket of prop wash to me, I broke down and bought the 271 router he had listed.
It looks as good in the picture as it does holding it in your hand. Someone either took very good care of this tool or the opposite occurred and someone did a decent job of cleaning this one up. It is obvious that someone lapped the the bottom as you can still see the marks. The blade also is sharp and has a secondary bevel on it.
This design is above average to my mind anyway. LN sells a similar small plane (blades aren't interchangeable) that is closed mouth. This plane is both open and closed, something that dawned on me when I took these pictures. Duh, why didn't I realize this the first time I looked it over?
I haven't used this yet but I am itching to try it out. I have seen way too instances on the blogs I read where I this type of router was used to cut gains and all sorts of other things. I think I am going to use it for small hinges and lock sets (for boxes, what could be finer?).
I had ordered this router and I also ordered the large router from LN before I went into the hospital ( my work bonus money). Haven't gotten it yet as LN hasn't started production on it (hopefully it will be soon). I ordered the lrg router because my first hand tool project is going to be the saw bench Sir Chris has in his new book on workbenches and a large router plane is used a lot. I think getting the saws are going to be a problem as every time I find one I would buy I am too late. I keep searching the Bad Axe and hyperkitten sites but there is no joy in Mudville yet.
As you can see the iron in this picture is skewed a little to one side. It is there on both sides (open and closed throat) of the router so I would thing the problem is the blade? The iron looks square but I am not 100% sure on this. I would much rather rely on a small square than my eyeballing of it. Since my wife, given the choice of getting me a left handed metric screwdriver, a square, or a hammer would bring back to me a frozen dinner from the freezer, it's going to have to wait a bit. My bride is a saint and she oohs and aahs at the appropriate times; she unfortunately doesn't have a clue when it comes to my tool collection.
I have absolutely no experience with this type of tool (looking forward to it though). But as I am looking at and visually picturing myself using it, I'm thinking the "skewedness" strikes me as not being a problem. I would think that you're going to utilize this to get a consistent depth in the field and would use some other means to clean/square the edges. You can easily compensate for the "skewedness" by how you position the router itself. I couldn't find anything on this in my plane craft book so I will have to do some more research. Time is something I have an abundance of now and this is an immensely enjoyable subject for me.
accidental woodworker
I didn't think I would do this as I have a huge mental block about it. What is it you ask? Buying a tool sight unseen and and old tool to boot. I bit the bullet as the guy selling it (Patrick Leach@supertool.com) is someone I've been following for months now. He struck as someone who isn't trying to sell a ten dollar old tool as a heirloom 300 dollar gotta have. As I am not a collector and patina and having 90% of the japanning intact has the same value as a bucket of prop wash to me, I broke down and bought the 271 router he had listed.
 |
| Stanley #271 router |
 | |
| bottom view of the #271 |
I haven't used this yet but I am itching to try it out. I have seen way too instances on the blogs I read where I this type of router was used to cut gains and all sorts of other things. I think I am going to use it for small hinges and lock sets (for boxes, what could be finer?).
I had ordered this router and I also ordered the large router from LN before I went into the hospital ( my work bonus money). Haven't gotten it yet as LN hasn't started production on it (hopefully it will be soon). I ordered the lrg router because my first hand tool project is going to be the saw bench Sir Chris has in his new book on workbenches and a large router plane is used a lot. I think getting the saws are going to be a problem as every time I find one I would buy I am too late. I keep searching the Bad Axe and hyperkitten sites but there is no joy in Mudville yet.
 |
| skewed iron? |
I have absolutely no experience with this type of tool (looking forward to it though). But as I am looking at and visually picturing myself using it, I'm thinking the "skewedness" strikes me as not being a problem. I would think that you're going to utilize this to get a consistent depth in the field and would use some other means to clean/square the edges. You can easily compensate for the "skewedness" by how you position the router itself. I couldn't find anything on this in my plane craft book so I will have to do some more research. Time is something I have an abundance of now and this is an immensely enjoyable subject for me.
accidental woodworker
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Last project for a while...
This is the last project I will be working on for a while. I'm scheduled for surgery on Tuesday and that will lay me up for about a month or so. No shop time even though I'll just be upstairs. It's a box (feeding my habit) for my branding iron. It's made of plywood and I'm in the process of covering the edges, starting with the top. I used plywood because one: I make most of my workshop boxes of plywood and two: I had a lot of it leftover (wife's filing cabinet). I had watched Normie make dovetail boxes of plywood (Leigh dovetail jig) so I thought I would try it. It doesn't or didn't work anywhere as well for me as it did for him. I even backed up and the front and back of each one with sacrificial wood. Chipped out like crazy (all three layers). I wonder what kind of ply Normie used and if he got it from some guy named Jack who also sells beans.
The top view looking down into the box. I'm gluing my strips on the top one at time. They cover and over hang the edge so that they'll cover the edge of the strip I'll put at the top and bottom on all the sides. The block of wood by the pencil is where the branding iron rests.
I've been using shooting boards for a while now (6 months or so) and I like my results. This is a shooting board I bought from EvenFalls Studio. It has all the most common angles from 90 to 60 and the in betweeners. It's different from the ones I made in that this one you can adjust/tweak the angle. (mine are fixed angles) I've been practicing in using a marking knife of which I am still buttered fingered about. I'm having trouble keeping the knife against what I'm marking and having the line come clean and straight. My sawing is getting better which is a plus. Most of my crosscuts are square, the mitered cuts I don't care so much about. After all that's what the shooting board is for.These shop boxes let me practice and hone my skills but more importantly I am doing something with wood in my shop. To me it's not so much the project, it's spending time in the shop making anything.
While doing a trial fit of the branding iron, I noticed that although the branding iron was secure fore to aft, it was free to float if it was so inclined. After a little thinking and a few aspirin for the headache, I came up with this.
I threaded a hole with a 1/4-20 tap and used a nylon screw, wing nut, and bolt combo to hold the top of the block down (couldn't find a nylon thumb bolt at Lowe's). The side movement is contained by a dovetailed sliding connection. This is the first time I've cut threads in popular (done lots in maple). I don't think I'll have any concerns with it as I'm using a nylon rather than a metal screw/bolt. Now the branding iron won't become airborne when I pick the box up.
I've got the top strips glued on (walnut) and I am now gluing strips all around the sides. I save all my cut off strips for this very purpose. I found some little butt hinges I can use for the lid but I don't have any screws for them. I have a ton of no-mortise hinges but they are all too big to use on this. I think I might try making them out of wood. Been meaning to try it and this might be the right one to do it on.
accidental woodworker
While doing a trial fit of the branding iron, I noticed that although the branding iron was secure fore to aft, it was free to float if it was so inclined. After a little thinking and a few aspirin for the headache, I came up with this.
I've got the top strips glued on (walnut) and I am now gluing strips all around the sides. I save all my cut off strips for this very purpose. I found some little butt hinges I can use for the lid but I don't have any screws for them. I have a ton of no-mortise hinges but they are all too big to use on this. I think I might try making them out of wood. Been meaning to try it and this might be the right one to do it on.
accidental woodworker
Friday, January 7, 2011
Things could be better.....
My new chisel box is still unfinished. I still need to put the finish (only a seal coat so far) on it and I have yet to receive the latch I ordered yesterday. Go figure, I still haven't gotten it. Don't they know they are holding me up? Anyway, I realized that after I was done with the basic box, it was a tad too big. No it isn't a tad, it's the leviathan of chisel boxes. It takes up an awful lot of real estate when its on the bench. Being that I don't like being crowded, this box crowds way to much. I don't need much of an excuse to get rid of it.
I was indulging in one of my favorite pastimes of reading blogs (on my lunchtime) when I came upon the reason for my angst. On the WKfinetool site I was reading the entry shop fun with Scott - "A Tale of 5 chisels"- and I knew that this is what I should have done in the first place. It has a picture of box that opens up like a book and on each side are the chisels. It is not even half the size of my box. If I read the article right, Scott was restoring this box of chisels for someone whose original owner was that person's grandfather. They were socket chisels and one looks like it is an awl, not a chisel. My grandfather (paternal) was a soldier so I didn't get any tools when he passed. I didn't know my maternal grandfather as he died before I was born, but he was a cabinetmaker, so my mother told me. My mother also told me that my uncle (I never met him) got his tools and that was last time she saw them. However I digress ......
So I am going to change my current chisel box into something else. I will use it for now until I make the new one. Maybe a little prior planning would have averted this faux pas, but I don't mind the extra work. I have got a ton of things I want to do but realistically speaking, this new chisel box is at the top of the to do list. Just about everything else requires more money than I can expend at this time. Is anyone familiar with the 7 P's?
I don't need an excuse to feed my box habit and I'm sure I'll find another use for it. Now I get to make a new one and I have some cherry I bought a couple years ago that should be seasoned about now. Shouldn't have any problems making another chisel box. Solid cherry sides with solid cherry top and bottom, already looking better than the original one.
accidental woodworker
I was indulging in one of my favorite pastimes of reading blogs (on my lunchtime) when I came upon the reason for my angst. On the WKfinetool site I was reading the entry shop fun with Scott - "A Tale of 5 chisels"- and I knew that this is what I should have done in the first place. It has a picture of box that opens up like a book and on each side are the chisels. It is not even half the size of my box. If I read the article right, Scott was restoring this box of chisels for someone whose original owner was that person's grandfather. They were socket chisels and one looks like it is an awl, not a chisel. My grandfather (paternal) was a soldier so I didn't get any tools when he passed. I didn't know my maternal grandfather as he died before I was born, but he was a cabinetmaker, so my mother told me. My mother also told me that my uncle (I never met him) got his tools and that was last time she saw them. However I digress ......
So I am going to change my current chisel box into something else. I will use it for now until I make the new one. Maybe a little prior planning would have averted this faux pas, but I don't mind the extra work. I have got a ton of things I want to do but realistically speaking, this new chisel box is at the top of the to do list. Just about everything else requires more money than I can expend at this time. Is anyone familiar with the 7 P's?
I don't need an excuse to feed my box habit and I'm sure I'll find another use for it. Now I get to make a new one and I have some cherry I bought a couple years ago that should be seasoned about now. Shouldn't have any problems making another chisel box. Solid cherry sides with solid cherry top and bottom, already looking better than the original one.
accidental woodworker
Thursday, January 6, 2011
What a haul.....
Xmas has come and gone, the new year is few days old now and so I thought it was a good blog topic to show you some of what good little boys get from Santa et al.
This rip saw from LN was a present to me from my bride. She had actually bought it while we were at LN in Warren Maine and I was buying something else. The saw I knew about (I picked it out), she really did surprise me with other stuff she bought from LN. I also got the calender and tool maintenance kit. The calender will adorn my tool cabinet in the shop. Nothing wrong with a little eye candy, eh?
I was supposed to act real surprised when I opened it. I don't think that I was very convincing. So I now have a dovetail and rip saw and all I lack for is a carcass saw which I hope to order this weekend. I have other dovetail saws (now I know they're crap) that after using this saw they are to be used for rough cut off work. The smoothness of the sawing with the LN is something I have never experienced before. The effort to move the saw through the wood is like a warm knife slicing through butter. The word silky comes to mind in describing the overall action. It reminds me of the aah -aah I got with my sharpening habits. I have no excuse and no more whining allowed about cutting dovetails. Practice, practice, and more practice, or maybe more realistically, the first 5-10 minutes every time I go to the shop.
This is what I bought for myself for being a good boy all year long.
First off let me say that I am not a spokesperson for LN nor am I getting any kind of money for this. This is just my opinion on this smoother. Hopefully I won't come off too rabid and start foaming at the mouth.
I was going to do a comparison between the LN and my Record smoother but in good conscience I couldn't. It would be like comparing a go kart to a Cadillac STS; both have four wheels but you can't really compare much else.
One big difference between the LN and Record smoother is the weight. The LN could be used as a boat anchor compared to the Record. The LN has a definite presence and I haven't use it enough to say whether or not the weight is a problem. The whole frog ass'y is beefier and it would probably take three Record plane blades to equal the thickness of the LN plane blade. One annoying factor of the Record that the LN doesn't share - the handle is tight and doesn't wiggle. Every Record plane I have ( I have 3) their handles are loose and wiggle. No matter how much I try to tighten the screws, I get nothing. After so many years I am used to it but it is nice to use a plane that doesn't exhibit that trait.
I bought the 55 degree frog with this plane because I intend to use this only as smoother for the final finishing. You can buy other frogs i.e. 45 and 50 degree if needed. As I plan on getting other LN planes I don't think this will be necessary. As long as I get another plane with the same blade width I'll be able to swap out the frogs between the planes. Something to put into the brain bucket for future reference.
Do I think this plane is worth it's cost? Yes I do. I know that it's expensive but it's american made and the quality is superb. Would I buy other LN planes? Yes I plan on getting the jack, jointer, and the new shooting board plane. In fact throw a couple thousand dollars my way and it'll be gone in a New York minute.
This being said I own Lee Valley planes too. I have the low angle jack, scrub, and bull nose plane. I got the jack and scrub from LV only because they LV jack hasa wider width blade then LN does and the scrub plane is longer. I got the bull nose from LV because LN doesn't offer one for sale. LN stopped all production of theirs after LV started selling one. I for one would like to see what that LN bull nose looked like.
The fit, finish, yadda yadda yadda between the LN and LV planes to me is about the same. The big difference between them to me is this: ergonomics. You either like the style or you don't. I am not fond of the look of the LV tools. I like the more traditional look of the totes and knobs on the LN planes. The LV planes lack the curvy work of the traditional totes. It is, however, a good tool to use and I have nothing but praise for how it works.
One other thing I should mention about both LN and LV is that both of them flatten the back of their plane blades (chisels too!) and they are ready to use out of the box. I mean what I write here: take it out of the box, set the blade, and start planing and nice thin curly shavings are your reward. I did this very thing with both of my LV and LN planes.This to me is what it should be like when you spend this kind of money for a tool. You should not have spend untold hours "tuning" a tool before you get to use it. Of course if you are anal retentive, by all means hone the blade and put on a secondary bevel before use.
I have seen and held in my hands the new stanley planes and I have read the couple of blogs Sir Chris wrote about them (I agree with him) and they are not in the same league with LN and LV planes. They are cheaper money wise .... in fact they look a little like the LV planes to me. I haven't yet seen the new Woodcraft line of planes. The local Woodcraft here stopped selling LN (a while ago) and starting selling the new stanley planes. They still haven't gotten their shipment of the Woodcraft brand planes. The rough cut host uses them but Woodcraft is the corporate sponsor too. The only planes I haven't seen yet is the clifton planes. From what I've read about them they supposed to be as good as LN and LV.
accidental woodworker
I was supposed to act real surprised when I opened it. I don't think that I was very convincing. So I now have a dovetail and rip saw and all I lack for is a carcass saw which I hope to order this weekend. I have other dovetail saws (now I know they're crap) that after using this saw they are to be used for rough cut off work. The smoothness of the sawing with the LN is something I have never experienced before. The effort to move the saw through the wood is like a warm knife slicing through butter. The word silky comes to mind in describing the overall action. It reminds me of the aah -aah I got with my sharpening habits. I have no excuse and no more whining allowed about cutting dovetails. Practice, practice, and more practice, or maybe more realistically, the first 5-10 minutes every time I go to the shop.
This is what I bought for myself for being a good boy all year long.
 | ||
| #4 1/2 LN 55 degree High Angle Frog Smoother |
 | |
| Back view as good as the side |
I was going to do a comparison between the LN and my Record smoother but in good conscience I couldn't. It would be like comparing a go kart to a Cadillac STS; both have four wheels but you can't really compare much else.
 |
| LN 4 1/2 and Record #6 |
I bought the 55 degree frog with this plane because I intend to use this only as smoother for the final finishing. You can buy other frogs i.e. 45 and 50 degree if needed. As I plan on getting other LN planes I don't think this will be necessary. As long as I get another plane with the same blade width I'll be able to swap out the frogs between the planes. Something to put into the brain bucket for future reference.
Do I think this plane is worth it's cost? Yes I do. I know that it's expensive but it's american made and the quality is superb. Would I buy other LN planes? Yes I plan on getting the jack, jointer, and the new shooting board plane. In fact throw a couple thousand dollars my way and it'll be gone in a New York minute.
This being said I own Lee Valley planes too. I have the low angle jack, scrub, and bull nose plane. I got the jack and scrub from LV only because they LV jack hasa wider width blade then LN does and the scrub plane is longer. I got the bull nose from LV because LN doesn't offer one for sale. LN stopped all production of theirs after LV started selling one. I for one would like to see what that LN bull nose looked like.
The fit, finish, yadda yadda yadda between the LN and LV planes to me is about the same. The big difference between them to me is this: ergonomics. You either like the style or you don't. I am not fond of the look of the LV tools. I like the more traditional look of the totes and knobs on the LN planes. The LV planes lack the curvy work of the traditional totes. It is, however, a good tool to use and I have nothing but praise for how it works.
One other thing I should mention about both LN and LV is that both of them flatten the back of their plane blades (chisels too!) and they are ready to use out of the box. I mean what I write here: take it out of the box, set the blade, and start planing and nice thin curly shavings are your reward. I did this very thing with both of my LV and LN planes.This to me is what it should be like when you spend this kind of money for a tool. You should not have spend untold hours "tuning" a tool before you get to use it. Of course if you are anal retentive, by all means hone the blade and put on a secondary bevel before use.
I have seen and held in my hands the new stanley planes and I have read the couple of blogs Sir Chris wrote about them (I agree with him) and they are not in the same league with LN and LV planes. They are cheaper money wise .... in fact they look a little like the LV planes to me. I haven't yet seen the new Woodcraft line of planes. The local Woodcraft here stopped selling LN (a while ago) and starting selling the new stanley planes. They still haven't gotten their shipment of the Woodcraft brand planes. The rough cut host uses them but Woodcraft is the corporate sponsor too. The only planes I haven't seen yet is the clifton planes. From what I've read about them they supposed to be as good as LN and LV.
accidental woodworker
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
first new year dribble
As I sit here in agony because I can not make a decision about what direction to take next in my woodworking, I can find no easy answers to my questions in any of my books, DVDs, or you tube videos. I would like to do more hand work and less of the power machine work. However, I've been thinking a lot about exactly what kind/type of hand work I want to do.
Do I want to make an entire dresser with hand tools? Yes/Maybe. Do I want to make all the kitchen cabinets (for my kitchen remodel) by hand? Do I use solid wood and not ply? Don't know. What I do know for sure is that I want to be able to make dovetails by hand. I have a Leigh jig and although it is easy to use and the dovetails are adjustable they lack the personal look of being cut by hand. Hand cut dovetails have an unmistakable look and no jig can duplicate it.
I like to make boxes of all sizes. I just have a thing for them. I like to put whatever gadget or things that need proper storage in them. I am not talking about the artsy boxes that look like sculpture or a faux pretty wrapped present box. I am talking an honest hard working box that belongs in the workshop. My hand tool wanna be skills come down to this. I want to be able to pick wood from the scrap pile and mark, cut, chop,saw, and put together a dovetailed box. I would like to make the grooves for the lid or bottom with a plough plane. Maybe my skills would allow me cut these grooves with a saw and chisel ala Sir Chris.
Of all the hand tool woodworking skills this is the one I covet the most. I came to this realization after watching a video from the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship up in Warren Maine. The instructor was demonstrating tips on cutting half blind dovetails and it dawned on me. For some reason I had the idea that cutting dovetails by hand involved just you, your tools, and the wood. The instructor showed a very simple way to make sure that the edge on the pin board is nice and crisp and straight. This video dovetails (clever phrasing, eh?) in with the one the VC did. Simply a matter of sawing to a line and removing what you don't want to be there.
Now that I think I have a goal or at least a very definite maybe goal, I can plot my next move. I got a performance bonus (unexpected) from my job, so I have a few extra dollars that I didn't have or know of yesterday. Since I can't count or do math that doesn't involve taking my shoes and socks for extra counting digits, I don't know how much the bonus is. The state and feds still get to feast on it first and I get what is leftover. I'm leaning toward a cross cut saw. I have a dovetail saw and I got rip saw for Xmas and this crosscut will give me at least a good starter set. (all from LN)
Technology has a way of marching forward and leaving a lot of debris in it's wake. I remember using a slide rule in high school and then spending 50 bucks for a calculator that did square roots. This was 1976 and I still remember that calculator (casio) fondly. My daughter has a slide rule painted on the walls outside her chemistry class and had no idea what it was or what it was used for. (I informed her) Technology has beaten the living snot out of the hand tool world. Machines allow you to do it faster, cheaper, and quicker. Isn't this the goal of technology to allow us more time to pursue what leisure activities we want? Gee, why not hand tools and the nostalgia of the by gone era.
Even Sir Chris still uses power tools. In building his Roubo bench he gave up on hand sawing the top and used a band saw to complete a cut. I think it is going to be too expensive for me to go wholly hand tools. I am not satisfied with just one. I need to feel that I have all situations covered and the proper tool to use in each situation. I priced out what I thought was good hand saw starter kit from Wenloz and I stopped after the total was up to 1200 large ones (panel saw start around 250 or so). So for now at least, I'm going to concentrate on dovetailing and just what I need to do them. Once I am proficient in that, I can then look to something else to master hand tool wise.
accidental woodworker
Do I want to make an entire dresser with hand tools? Yes/Maybe. Do I want to make all the kitchen cabinets (for my kitchen remodel) by hand? Do I use solid wood and not ply? Don't know. What I do know for sure is that I want to be able to make dovetails by hand. I have a Leigh jig and although it is easy to use and the dovetails are adjustable they lack the personal look of being cut by hand. Hand cut dovetails have an unmistakable look and no jig can duplicate it.
I like to make boxes of all sizes. I just have a thing for them. I like to put whatever gadget or things that need proper storage in them. I am not talking about the artsy boxes that look like sculpture or a faux pretty wrapped present box. I am talking an honest hard working box that belongs in the workshop. My hand tool wanna be skills come down to this. I want to be able to pick wood from the scrap pile and mark, cut, chop,saw, and put together a dovetailed box. I would like to make the grooves for the lid or bottom with a plough plane. Maybe my skills would allow me cut these grooves with a saw and chisel ala Sir Chris.
Of all the hand tool woodworking skills this is the one I covet the most. I came to this realization after watching a video from the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship up in Warren Maine. The instructor was demonstrating tips on cutting half blind dovetails and it dawned on me. For some reason I had the idea that cutting dovetails by hand involved just you, your tools, and the wood. The instructor showed a very simple way to make sure that the edge on the pin board is nice and crisp and straight. This video dovetails (clever phrasing, eh?) in with the one the VC did. Simply a matter of sawing to a line and removing what you don't want to be there.
Now that I think I have a goal or at least a very definite maybe goal, I can plot my next move. I got a performance bonus (unexpected) from my job, so I have a few extra dollars that I didn't have or know of yesterday. Since I can't count or do math that doesn't involve taking my shoes and socks for extra counting digits, I don't know how much the bonus is. The state and feds still get to feast on it first and I get what is leftover. I'm leaning toward a cross cut saw. I have a dovetail saw and I got rip saw for Xmas and this crosscut will give me at least a good starter set. (all from LN)
Technology has a way of marching forward and leaving a lot of debris in it's wake. I remember using a slide rule in high school and then spending 50 bucks for a calculator that did square roots. This was 1976 and I still remember that calculator (casio) fondly. My daughter has a slide rule painted on the walls outside her chemistry class and had no idea what it was or what it was used for. (I informed her) Technology has beaten the living snot out of the hand tool world. Machines allow you to do it faster, cheaper, and quicker. Isn't this the goal of technology to allow us more time to pursue what leisure activities we want? Gee, why not hand tools and the nostalgia of the by gone era.
Even Sir Chris still uses power tools. In building his Roubo bench he gave up on hand sawing the top and used a band saw to complete a cut. I think it is going to be too expensive for me to go wholly hand tools. I am not satisfied with just one. I need to feel that I have all situations covered and the proper tool to use in each situation. I priced out what I thought was good hand saw starter kit from Wenloz and I stopped after the total was up to 1200 large ones (panel saw start around 250 or so). So for now at least, I'm going to concentrate on dovetailing and just what I need to do them. Once I am proficient in that, I can then look to something else to master hand tool wise.
accidental woodworker
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Project #2 of the new year
The frame for the top lid is dry clamped to check it for square (it is) and fit of the tenons and to get the measurements for the panel insert.
My next project is going to have to be a box to store my branding iron. I have already tried the bounce test with the temperature controller and got lucky (it bounced). I've got to get this stowed somehow before I lose the bounce test with my branding iron.
accidental woodworker
Saturday, January 1, 2011
first of the new year
About twenty minutes ago I finished a project that I'm calling the first of the new year. In actuality this is a left over from last year. It had started life as a simple utilitarian plywood wood that morphed into this. I learned a few tricks in making it and I got to practice at using my shooting board.
This is what I needed to call this done. I got this 1" foam at walmart (pkg of 2 pieces). It was too thick because I wanted 1/2" but I was surprised wally world even had this. The fabric store was closed today because of the new year and being impatient I bought this. I remember Ed from the furniture guys saying the best thing to cut foam with is an electric knife, of which I don't have one. So I used a razor knife blade for an utility knife. It isn't easy to cut this stuff plumb. My cut was terrible and slanted from the start to the end (it really ran out towards the end).
I put the foam into the recess on the top lid and tried to close it. I could do it but I had to use some force. I was right and guessing that I needed 1/2" thick foam. The lid recess is a little less than 1/2" so I rested the razor blade on the edge of lid and ran it all along all four sides cutting into the foam. It didn't cut all the way through so I cut it open like I was butterflying a chicken breast. It doesn't look pretty, ragged and divot-ed, but you don't see it the nice smooth machined side faces out.
I got the foam inserted and that little bow you see in it is caused by a cutoff piece I put in the lid recess first. It bulges just enough to keep the straight edge from moving and rattling around. It's a friction fit on the foam insert as I don't know of or what type of adhesive I could use to glue it in. Just as well as I also don't know how the foam will do being sealed up like this. I am not sure how it will react with the straight edge and the wood. This is a tool I use only when I am sharpening to check to ensure my water stones are flat. I use the Charlesworth pencil trick but I like doing this check too.
This is the new home for it. I keep my shooting and planing board jigs topside and up till now this bottom shelf has just been collecting dust. This little "bench" was originally made and used to hold my computer. I don't have that computer anymore and now the bench has a new purpose in life. I am almost done on another project that I also started last year and I will post on that later. Happy New Year.
accidental woodworker
I put the foam into the recess on the top lid and tried to close it. I could do it but I had to use some force. I was right and guessing that I needed 1/2" thick foam. The lid recess is a little less than 1/2" so I rested the razor blade on the edge of lid and ran it all along all four sides cutting into the foam. It didn't cut all the way through so I cut it open like I was butterflying a chicken breast. It doesn't look pretty, ragged and divot-ed, but you don't see it the nice smooth machined side faces out.
accidental woodworker
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