As I move more and more of my woodworking to using hand tools, I have to try and experiment with different elements and techniques of hand tool applications. My latest attempt is re-sawing boards which is most commonly done with band saws.
I have an increasing collection of saws. I have a bow saw that I [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Training’
Re-sawing by hand
Dovetail practice
Just a quick post. In addition to the mortise and tenons, I have continued on with my dovetail practice. I hope I’m reaching a significant milestone because I cut one of my best dovetails yet. It was tight (except for one small corner) in all places. A joint like that would be one that I [...]
Mortise and Tenon
I decided that I should mix some Mortise and Tenon practice amidst my dovetail practice. The real reason, is that I have done machine cut mortise and tenon but not very well. Since this was a different technique given that I’m cutting them by hand, I was hopeful that I could do much better.
I used [...]
More dovetail practice – oak
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have taken a path to practice hand cut dovetails. In the first round, I worked with poplar.
Now, I’m down the path of using oak. My first attempt (back before Thanksgiving) was a disaster. I had forgotten how easy it is to split oak and I did split the [...]
Dovetail Practice – an update
OK, I’ve been practicing…and practicing…and practicing…and…
Here are some of my test samples:
I’ve tried both tails first and pins first. Pins first is frustrating. I find that I make many more errors with pins probably due to assumptions and skipping steps. For instance, when I make tails first, I mark the waste before I cut. I [...]
Off to Port Townsend
Today and Tomorrow Lie-Nielsen Toolworks is at Edensaw Woods in Port Townsend. They are supposed to be showing attendies how to use and tune our tools to make us better woodworkers.
I own a few Lie-Nielsen tools so I felt it was worth the long drive time (and a ferry ride too) to see what I [...]
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event
I just received an invitation to the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Hand Tool Event in Port Townsend, WA.
I suspect that this could be a selling event more than a learning event but if the schedule (at least the one they show for Saturday), is accurate then maybe it is a significant learning event. Lie-Nielsen seems to be [...]
Katz Roadshow
Tomorrow, I’m attending the Katz Roadshow at the local Dunn Lumber. The 1 day class covers finish carpentry and my main interest in it is that there are supposedly tips and tricks using Festool Tools (probably the circular saw and rail system).
While, as I’ve indicated in previous posts, I’m including more and more hand tool [...]
Handcut Dovetail Hope Chest – Wrap Up
See my previous posts giving updates from my Handcut Dovetail Hope Chest from last week (I did 5 daily updates). This post is to give you some progress pictures and show you what happened.
Here is Gary, the owner and teacher of our class at Northwest Woodworking Studio:
Here are a series of shots that show [...]
Quick Update: Dovetail Chest – Day 5 (last day)
OK, this was the last day. With all the work to do, I didn’t truly expect to get finished. I didn’t get to the following:
Put a coat of finish on the outside (this would have been the last step and would have been done an hour before leaving).
Put the hinges on the top (almost got [...]
Quick Update: Dovetail Chest – Day 4
It was a big day.
We prepped our pieces (cleaned up the interior for pre-finishing) and taped off the glue joints so that finish didn’t cancel out the glue.
We adjusted a dado (for the top and bottom) so that the pieces didn’t need a hammer to go in.
We pre- finished our pieces – specifically the interior [...]
Quick Update: Dovetail Chest – Day 3
Today, I finished all the dovetails. According to Gary (instructor and owner of school) “it looks good, except that it doesn’t.” He’s a funny guy and makes many “smart” remarks throughout any day. From this statement, I read that it’s good that I have the dovetails done but that there is a lot of work [...]
Quick Update: Dovetail chest – day 2
Today, I finished cutting the tail boards and started on the pins. This is easily the most frustrating part. Getting it to fit tight seems impossible to my current skill level. I get it to fit but the examples the instructor, Gary, does are impossibly tight. Also, he and his assistant have good eyes and [...]
Quick update: Dovetail Chest – Day 1
I just got back to the hotel. It’s after 5:30p and it’s over 100 degrees outside. The class is in an old, non-AC’d, warehouse. Did I mention it’s over 100 degrees outside?
The class was great. Gary, owner/teacher of the Northwest Woodworking Studio, first started out with the notion that before you [...]
DVD Reviews
As I get more into using hand tools, I continue to train myself in all means necessary. I am attending a class on building a mini-hope chest entirely by hand. I practice a few techniques on scraps or small projects. Lastly, I occasionally rent or buy a DVD to watch and learn from. Recently, I [...]
