New page added to my website

[Sawduster]

Over at Woodnet a fella just starting out in woodworking asked about the value of starting out using only handtools. In responding I found myself delving into my personal history in woodworking and getting a little philosophical as is often the case. Anyway, by the time I got finished waxing on, I had a pretty long post (like I'm not long winded at times, huh?). Anyway, I copied my post and used it as the basis for a new page on my site. Just in case someone might be interested, here's link. I know there are schools of thought either way and this is only my opinion and my own experience.

http://home.austin.rr.com/sawduster/Hand%20v%20power/handvmac.htm

[Jondale]

Good writeup there.

I grew up enthralled with computers and I earn my living as such now. So you can imagine what my beliefs were when I decided to get into woodworking as a hobby.

I regret buying all those big machines at the beginning. I would have spent less money and had better tools if I had bought hand tools and then purchased power tools to compliment them instead of vise versa. I feel I also would have learned more. Better late than never though I guess.

I've not the experience nor the ability that you have I'm sure so my perspective comes from someone relatively new to the woodworking game.

[HotFlash]

Jerry,

I just read your little treatise on hand tool use - very well stated! You do a great service to all woodworkers and would-be woodworkers when you put forth such well-reasoned observations. It's all too easy to fall into the Normite vs. Neanderthal, black and white kind of thinking, but it really makes no sense to completely divorce one method from the other, thus creating the Great Divide of Woodworking.

There may be a time when one would want to take a project from start to finish entirely with hand tools - but it would be for reasons other than pure practicality.

In the little project I've been working on, I've used hand tools to a great extent, because a big part of my goal with this project was to build my hand tool skills. Furthermore, I wanted to experience, to the extent it was reasonable, how the Shakers would have solved their joinery challenges 150 years ago.

But I also used power tools - table saw and thickness planer - because it made sense to do so. I could have made all of my rip cuts by hand, I suppose - it would have taken much longer and required a great deal more work touching up edges with the hand plane. But it would have served no practical purpose. I've become reasonably proficient with hand saws, but I saw no value in spending countless hours proving it. With the smaller pieces, I used a hand saw for many of the rip cuts - because it was faster and easier than setting up the table saw. I also used hand saws for all my crosscuts, for the same reason.

I think there is a balance there - as there is in all pursuits. Some folks are going to be more comfortable leaning to one direction, some the other. Doesn't make either way right or wrong, though.

To identify oneself purely as either a "Normite" or "Neanderthal" serves only to deprive oneself of options that make the hobby more enjoyable. And that, as you pointed out, is what it's all about.



Erin

"How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself."
- Anais Nin (1903-1977)

[BigDaddy]

cool writeup there Jerry :)

I don't think I'd ever want to be an apprentice :)

[Kendemp]

Nice article, Jerry.

Couldn't help but notice this at the end "They simply take the piece a bit further beyond the norm. " Pun intended? LOL

Good job.

Ken

[Dario]

Very nice article there Jerry.

We really need to take advantage of the things that both world can offer. And for majority of hobbyists...the trip is mostly as important as getting there.

Dario :)
Innovate or Stagnate
"I count my blessings more than my misfortunes"

[Sawduster]

I thought about that when I was writing it, and almost went back and capitalized the "n". Might have made it a bit too obvious, though.

[Sawduster]

Thanks for all the kind words.

A post today at the net sorta brought out the fact that even on the neander forum there, most of the folks rely on electrons to one extent or the other and I think that makes them the better woodworkers when compared to those on the machine forum who can not see the advantages of handtools. Any number of times one or the other person from the handtool forum has responded to a how-to question on a process with a safer and quicker handtool method only to be completely ignored at best, or chastised by some for even thinking something could be done better by hand. But, on the other hand, I think the practicality and intelligence of those posts have done a lot toward bringing some of the machine heads down into the basement and in getting them to advance their own knowledge and ability by looking at using the tried and true tools of the ages to better their own abilities and, more important, their projects.

[dcarter636]

Thanks putting that into words Jerry. You obviously thought about this for a while; much of what you wrote is very familiar.

I think most of us eventually come to realize that the machines are not always the quickest or the best way to get a job done. Having the machinery gives me the confidence to try the handwork; you can usually go back to the machines to salvage a botched handmade cut. My machines aren't going anywhere either but they don't get to howl as often as they did.

[Don Butler]

TO: Jerry and all the others who posted on this thread,

I'm almost completely self taught in woodworking, although I read most of what is written about it. So what I say is just me.

I have lots of 'electon burners' in my shop. Wouldn't do without 'em. At my age time is an important asset.

I also have 'neander' tools, which refine some of the cuts made by my 'norm' tools. Wouldn't do without THEM either.

I guess that makes me a 'neandernorm", eh?

There shouldn't be a division between hand tools and motor driven ones, in my humble opinion.

And, by the way, while time is certainly an important comodity for me, I try NEVER to be in a hurry in my shop. When I do something like that I almost always wind up wasting both wood and time.

Regards,

Don

Septuagenarian living in a 200 year old house.

[Sawduster]

One of the things I meant to mention in that article on my page was that I seem to have read something written by one of the big names in woodworking that he considers the power tools as the replacement for apprentices. Uses the power tools to perform what used to be the grunt work, dimensioning and foursquaring rough stock, etc, then using hand tools for the fine joinery work and finishing touches.

[HotFlash]

I seem to have read something written by one
>of the big names in woodworking that he considers the power
>tools as the replacement for apprentices.

Also known as "tailed apprentices" by the galoots on the Old Tool list. :)

One of the great advantages of technology is that you can choose to use it or not. Once you recognize that you don't have to be a slave to it, you really can have the best of both worlds.

Erin

"How wrong it is for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself."
- Anais Nin (1903-1977)

[Sawduster]

Now if someone would give me the key to unlocking the chains of this box a rocks on my desk and get me away from it and back out into the shop.

Yep, you're right about that technology stuff. Some of it is easier to leave than others.