My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop. As I
sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart vendor in
New York City.
Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're retired,
you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels for
very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that I've
got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached. But
Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
Tom Flyer
"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message...
> If it gets to the point where I can't push a smoothing plane or
> saw, then I'll probably just devote my time to carving, or just sit on
> the porch and become an old grouch before I wither away. ;-)
Strange, you used future tense for the 'old grouch' bit.
:-)
Since I've got your attention Chuck, what is your experience with wooden
palm planes, I am having a little trouble getting mine just right. There's a
woodshow here soon and I can get Terry Gordon to walk me through it but I
thought I'd ask.
cheers,
Greg
"NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
> always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
If you do slip up with a powah tool, it will likely be a lot worse
than a bruise or a little cut.
Chuck (Tenfingers) Vance
Morris Dovey <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis]
>
> Issues worth bringing up. Just how much time do we have - and how
> shall we use it? Shall we use it to create? If so, what shall we
> create? Should we create to honor the past - or to improve the
> future? Can we do both at once? Sometimes it helps to slow down
> (to slower than 3600 RPM) to consider this kind of question.
>
> My very favorite helpers are Mr. Aleve and Mr. Laziness. Aleve
> keeps the aches under control and laziness leads me to create
> tools, fixtures, etc that require less physical strength and
> exertion.
>
> There are worse things than physical pain (try "worthless" on for
> size and I think you'll agree). When I can't push a plane any
> longer, I think I'll be ready to push daisies.
My feelings exactly. And while I'm not as old as some of you
wreckers, I'm nearing a half-century, so I'm no kid. And frankly,
since moving to the Roy clan, my hands, wrists, forearms, etc. are all
in better shape than they've been since I was in my twenties.
If it gets to the point where I can't push a smoothing plane or
saw, then I'll probably just devote my time to carving, or just sit on
the porch and become an old grouch before I wither away. ;-)
Chuck Vance
"Greg Millen" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Conan The Librarian" wrote in message ...
> > If you do slip up with a powah tool, it will likely be a lot worse
> > than a bruise or a little cut.
>
> I know what you mean Chuck, but hey - ever slipped with a really sharp
> chisel? Never chop when holding something in your lap (WW Safety 101).
Ewwww ... I don't like the sound of that.
The worst I've ever done was to take a divot out of my finger when
using my Record 044 (cute little plough plane, Jeff). I inadvertantly
shifted my grip when steadying the plane and the next thing I knew I
had made solid contact with the exposed iron. (And the irons on those
planes are *totally* exposed.)
> 'course, pow-whirr tools raise the stakes dramatically.
As O'Deen says, even I am smart enough to figure out when I'm
cutting myself with a chisel or saw and stop before I amputate a limb.
Chuck Vance
On Sun, 23 May 2004 17:48:05 GMT, "NoOne N Particular"
<[email protected]> brought forth from the murky depths:
>The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
>always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
Anyone who works with their hands gets cuts, scrapes, and/or bruises
on them all the time if they're working honestly. It's the nature of
the beast.
==========================================================
I drank WHAT? + http://www.diversify.com
--Socrates + Web Application Programming
Roy is fun to watch, and even more fun to listen too. Lot of showmanship,
and, I might add, one hell of a great book on same _Khruschev's Shoe_ shows
his scholarship as well.
You're probably fairly new to the hobby? Hand tools allow your
family/friends to gift you with useful items for years, and the more you
have, the more you'll find yourself using them. This is a "good enough"
hobby, in spite of micrometers and machine setup anxiety often discussed
here.
"--={Flyer}=--" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop.
I wonder how many people actually continue this
> woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart
vendor in
> New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
> people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're
retired,
> you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels
for
> very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that
I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached.
But
> Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
>
> Tom Flyer
>
>
I doubt it.
"Conan The Librarian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> If it gets to the point where I can't push a smoothing plane or
> saw, then I'll probably just devote my time to carving, or just sit on
> the porch and become an old grouch before I wither away. ;-)
>
>
> Chuck Vance
If you stay at it and become an accomplished woodworker give us a post in a
couple of years relating to how you feel about hand tools then.
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"--={Flyer}=--" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop.
As I
> sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
> different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
> woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart
vendor in
> New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
> people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're
retired,
> you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels
for
> very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that
I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached.
But
> Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
>
> Tom Flyer
>
>
"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message ...
> If you do slip up with a powah tool, it will likely be a lot worse
> than a bruise or a little cut.
I know what you mean Chuck, but hey - ever slipped with a really sharp
chisel? Never chop when holding something in your lap (WW Safety 101).
'course, pow-whirr tools raise the stakes dramatically.
--
Greg
thanks Chuck. I'll give it a go using the same technique. There's a pic of
the plane at ftp://woodworking.homeip.net/Planes/ tulipwood palm plane.jpg
The shoulder plane works like a dream.
--
Greg
"Conan the Librarian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I don't specifically have any experience with "palm" planes, but I
> have a few wooden smoothers and others. I usually just set the plane on
> a flat surface, and place the iron in so it sits straight, push the
> wedge in and give it a light tap to lock it. Then with my fingers
> underneath the mouth I lift the plane and feel for lateral adjustment
> (carefully) with the pads of my fingers. If it feels good I give the
> wedge a firmer tap and try it on a baord.
>
> If not, I tap either side for lateral adjustment and/or tap the heel
> to retract the iron slightly or the iron to increase the cut. After any
> adjustments, I always fisnih with a couple of firm taps on the wedge.
>
> (In practice, the adjustment takes less time than it does to write
> about it.)
Thus quoth --={Flyer}=-- <[email protected]> in
news:[email protected]:
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed
> that I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs
> attached. But Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better!
> :)
Don't feel ashamed, but don't ignore the hand tools, either. They were the
foundation of the hobby, and are still used by many today, both master
craftmen (e.g. Ian Kirby) and amateur journeymen. If the power ever gets
too expensive to buy, we'll have to fall back on such, and so it's best to
become familiar with hand tools and use them occasionally. I suspect
pulling a smoothing or jack plane down a board to help it to square can be
more satisfying, if more work, than just slapping it on a jointer and
pushing (grin).
Incidentally, read Norm's *Measure Twice, Cut Once* to find out what he
really thinks about hand tools. You might be surprised at what the Master
Router has to say about things as simple as a block plane and a plumb bob.
--
Bruce -- Harper Blue
Wielder of the Hole-y Serving Spoon of Antioch
"She's terrific. I can't stand her."
-- From a subtitle in an unknown Hong Kong "kung fu special"
=====
Remove Tolkien to mail me
Check out the Karma of Literature....
http://www.bookcrossing.com/friend/harperbruce
Feel ashamed??? Feel lucky. It still takes skill and
forethought to use the next generation of tools,
just different ones.
--={Flyer}=-- wrote:
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop. As I
> sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
> different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
> woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart vendor in
> New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
> people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're retired,
> you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels for
> very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached. But
> Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
>
> Tom Flyer
>
>
Greg Millen wrote:
> Strange, you used future tense for the 'old grouch' bit.
>
> :-)
Bite me, Greg. :-)
> Since I've got your attention Chuck, what is your experience with wooden
> palm planes, I am having a little trouble getting mine just right. There's a
> woodshow here soon and I can get Terry Gordon to walk me through it but I
> thought I'd ask.
I don't specifically have any experience with "palm" planes, but I
have a few wooden smoothers and others. I usually just set the plane on
a flat surface, and place the iron in so it sits straight, push the
wedge in and give it a light tap to lock it. Then with my fingers
underneath the mouth I lift the plane and feel for lateral adjustment
(carefully) with the pads of my fingers. If it feels good I give the
wedge a firmer tap and try it on a baord.
If not, I tap either side for lateral adjustment and/or tap the heel
to retract the iron slightly or the iron to increase the cut. After any
adjustments, I always fisnih with a couple of firm taps on the wedge.
(In practice, the adjustment takes less time than it does to write
about it.)
Chuck Vance
On 25 May 2004 07:21:18 -0700, [email protected] (Conan The Librarian)
brought forth from the murky depths:
>"NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>> The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
>> always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
>
> If you do slip up with a powah tool, it will likely be a lot worse
>than a bruise or a little cut.
I've been making it a point to dust in front of the bench and tools
before starting work. The blowgun is a constant fixture in the air
hose nowadays and a 3-second burst cleans the tool and area. I'd
simply -hate- to fall into a TS or BS blade, or slip with a plane
and find my work stuck through my esophagus, KWIM,V?
I'm heading down to Medford tomorrow to pick up a gallon of ammonia.
Pacific Survey Supply carries the 29.7% strength for $7.50/gallon.
Now if the DHS doesn't pick me up for buying it, I may have a fumed
oak dictionary stand shortly. (I decided that I'd wait for white oak
for that ent. center which I'd look at every day in case the red turns
too green. ;)
> Chuck (Tenfingers) Vance
Larry (10-finger) Jaques
--
Life's a Frisbee: When you die, your soul goes up on the roof.
----
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development
"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
> On Sun, 23 May 2004 17:48:05 GMT, "NoOne N Particular"
> brought forth from the murky depths:
>
> >The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
> >always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
>
> Anyone who works with their hands gets cuts, scrapes, and/or bruises
> on them all the time if they're working honestly. It's the nature of
> the beast.
Bingo! I worked my way through college, and for a while when I got out of
the service, shoeing horses and doing general blacksmith work, besides
playing music ... always a resigned guess as to which finger/hand/foot/toe
was not going to be readily available the next week due to a
cut/burn/stomp/rip.
Woodworking is wuss's work by comparison, to the point that I rarely notice
the splinters and minor cuts ... unless blood stains a good piece of qswo.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/15/04
--={Flyer}=-- wrote:
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop. As I
> sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
> different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
> woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
More than you might guess. There are a lot of woodworkers in the
world who simply can't afford to buy power tools; and a fair
number of woodworkers where there isn't any electric power.
Of the woodworkers I've known, the best seem to be comfortable
with both neandertools and normitools. My own feeling (and BTW,
I'm /not/ anywhere near being one of the best) is that learning
to use a neandertool well implies learning about how different
kinds of wood behave when a cutting or smoothing tool is applied.
That information seems most easily acquired when the tool is
applied at human speed rather than at speeds where the woodworker
can't see anything except the aftermath.
Much that is learned at low speed has relevence to planning and
executing at high speed. Have difficulty understanding why you're
having tearout? Try that same operation using a chisel or a
routing plane - it's an enriching experience.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart vendor in
> New York City.
So? If he's comfortable and safe, what matter? As the saying
goes: "Everybody's a bit strange except, of course, you and I -
and I'm not altogether sure about /you/." (-:
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
> people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're retired,
> you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels for
> very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
Issues worth bringing up. Just how much time do we have - and how
shall we use it? Shall we use it to create? If so, what shall we
create? Should we create to honor the past - or to improve the
future? Can we do both at once? Sometimes it helps to slow down
(to slower than 3600 RPM) to consider this kind of question.
My very favorite helpers are Mr. Aleve and Mr. Laziness. Aleve
keeps the aches under control and laziness leads me to create
tools, fixtures, etc that require less physical strength and
exertion.
There are worse things than physical pain (try "worthless" on for
size and I think you'll agree). When I can't push a plane any
longer, I think I'll be ready to push daisies.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached. But
> Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
I don't think it's the tool that's important - I think it's what
the woodworker makes with the tool that'll matter most.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop. As I
>sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
>different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
>woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart vendor in
>New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
>people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're retired,
>you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels for
>very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that I've
>got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached. But
>Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
More than once I've wanted to take young Roy out behind the woodshed.
I know it would help my testosterone flow and that would elevate my
arthritis.
==
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to
you when you have forgotten the words.
> --={Flyer}=-- wrote:
>
> > My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's
Shop. As I
> > sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and
20
> > different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue
this
> > woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
I enjoy using my power tools. Amazing what they can do. What give me the
most satisfaction? Using a plane or chisel to tweak the wood get a perfect
fit on mating parts.
I'm not about to rip 12/4 maple by hand, but neander tools have a definite
place in the shop.
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
Wayne
"--={Flyer}=--" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop.
As I
> sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
> different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
> woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart
vendor in
> New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
> people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're
retired,
> you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels
for
> very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that
I've
> got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached.
But
> Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
>
> Tom Flyer
>
>
On Sun, 23 May 2004 05:40:31 -0500, --={Flyer}=-- <[email protected]> wrote:
> My local PBS station has recently begun to air The Woodwright's Shop. As I
>sit there watching good ol' Roy hack away with his saws and chisels and 20
>different kinds of planes, I wonder how many people actually continue this
>woodworking process. Traditional? Hmmm.
> Geeze. Roy even dresses like a turn-of-the-last-century pushcart vendor in
>New York City.
> Hey - I truly admire his skill and ambition, but I don't think a lot of
>people have the time to create objects like his these days. If you're retired,
>you're probably not going to be physically able to push planes and chisels for
>very long before Mr. Arthritis or Tendonitis makes everything hurt.
> After watching his show, I feel tired, but also a little ashamed that I've
>got routers, a planer, and a shaper and other toys with plugs attached. But
>Norm is on right afterwards, and I feel a lot better! :)
>
>Tom Flyer
>
Our local PBS has them in the reverse order - Norm then Roy. But, that's neither here nor there.
I've got the tailed toys, too. But, also a pretty good set of the manual cutting tools as well. I've found that I enjoy the journey
in woodworking as much and maybe more than arriving at the destination. Using hand tools gives me more time to enjoy that journey.
Running a board through the planer a few times is too noisy, messy, and is over too soon. (No wise cracks!) There is something
almost erotic in the sound, smell, and feel of shaping a piece of wood with a sharp hand tool, whether it be plane, chisel, saw, or
whatever.
We all remain in this avocation because of the pleasure it gives us. It matters not whether you use electrically powered or muscle
powered tools. All that matters is what you take with you when you leave the shop, It may be a completed project that will never be
part of a museum's collection (or maybe it will), or it may simply be the pleasure of the process.
Nothing to be ashamed of. Tools is tools. Use whatever gives the results that pleases you most. Would you like to bet that the
woodworker of yore would not have let his planes gather dust while he made heavy use of an electrically powered jointer and planer
had they been available?
Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS USA
My hands are always bruised and cut. I'm a professional machinist.
"NoOne N Particular" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The thing I find amusing about Roy boy is looking at his hands. They are
> always bruised and cut. Based on that, gimme my power tools. :-)
>
> Wayne