Hand tools

Paradox?

wilbur

>I love using hand planes, yet one of my favorite things to do is flatten wood on my powered jointer.

Go figure.

Sounds like my homemade lathe.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: Hand tools

Moses Yoder in White Pigeon, MI

>I intensely dislike using screaming tools. When a tool starts screaming at you, that is a good sign that a) it is past time to sharpen or otherwise maintain it or b) you are using it incorrectly, whether that tool is a band saw or a hand plane. Although I do not always work, for example right now I am wasting time, but I also intensely dislike wasting time while I am working. Occasionally using a dull hand saw instead of just taking the time to sharpen it infuriates me. Last year I traded a bow for an old Powermatic 66 table saw; when I am done with that saw it will be making very sweet music. I will really enjoy using it. For me learning and developing a high level of skill keeps me interested in woodworking. I don't expect to ever get through learning, so I don't expect to ever get "burned out". So when I look at a board in the rough to me it is important to have the ability to build something out of it without using power tools; but on the other hand, I think once that skill is aquired it might be time to move on to tools that require a little more knowledge to use correctly, thereby improving the quantity of the work dramatically without decreasing the quality of it. Like others have said, for me the end product is the goal but the road along the way must be filled with music.

rhetorical?

dave brown

>This is a rhetorical question, right?

I can't imagine anyone using machines because they enjoy it. Surely the only reason to use them is to get a job done quicker.

me sometimes

Bill Tindal, E.TN

>It is satisfying seeing a weathered walnut board going into the planer and who knows what may come out. I love watching lumber exit a planer. But I agree that mostly a machine is a means to an end. Well actually I like using my grinder to sharpen too.And I like painting, so I am obviously not normal.

I love using my bandsaw...

John in New Mexico

>but then bandsaws are pretty friendly and quiet on the whole. I'd much rather put up with routers even than "apprentices". Experience has shown me that I get a lot less done when I have to supervise too.

John

Re: me sometimes

dave brown

>There definitely is satisfaction in "getting it done" when using some power tools.

It means I can get back to using the tools I really enjoy. ;-)

Re: Early Hand tools

Greg B�tit, Vergennes VT

>Very interesting topic. I've got a lot to learn. Now I want to get some sinew. Even though I've butchered quite a few animals, I'm not sure I understand exactly what/how best to go about getting the sinew for such use. For the time being I can use the waxed lacing we use for bundling wires around here, often marketed as artificial sinew.

Back to your original question. Someone else's comment about screaming tools reminded me that my conversion to almost complete neanderthal woodworking was started by my dog. She would cringe when she saw me reach for a power tool, and whine while it was running. If it ran long enough she'd go to the door asking to leave. I found myself reaching for hand tools to maintain peace in the shop for her benefit. Now that she's gone, I often think of her when I reach for a tool, and feel grateful to her that this horizon was opened for me.

greg

greg

Oh, don't use...

Stephen Shepherd in the State of Deseret

>artificial large dentil floss, I refuse to call the plastic petroleum distillate based crap as sinew. It is not! Not your fault everyone calles it that. (Personal rant)

Even silk thread is better on arrows than AS but does indicate post contact and is found on a few old arrows.

You can get real sinew from a variety of animals just do a search on the web for 'real sinew'. It is not terribly expensive and one or two pieces will do hundreds of arrows.

Stephen

That's really good

Kokomo Ron

>

Brought a tear to my eye

Neal in San Jose

>My hand tool journey started in earnest due to my cat. He loved to come out to the shop and "supervise", but he didn't like power tools much. When I turned on the dust collector, he'd get this concerned look on his face, and when I fired up the table saw or whatever the dust collector was on for, he'd make a bee line for the cat door. I started using hand tools so he'd stick around, and discovered that for many operations, I prefer it that way. I put a blanket on top of the table saw, and he'd take naps there. Kinda slowed down progress, but I sure learned a lot about hand tools.

Now that he's gone, I still do things that way, and think of him many times a day when I use a plane instead of the thicknesser, or a cross cut saw instead of the table saw.

So I'm not the only softie here...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond CA

>I too put a blanket on the TS, or sometimes the drill press table for my shop cat to nap on while I quietly worked away.

Still he (passed on also) and now she, still get a bit nervous when the band saw comes on.

Planer too (for now)...

John in New Mexico

>I just finished re-tuning it and its working very well. Something about old machines is as pleasing to me as hand tools are in their own way.

Stephen mentioned on the other side (skewing the survey post) about how most builders like me should put an asterisk next to "hand made". I'd rather do that than put an asterisk next to "built by". I guess it all comes down to which hair you want to split :)

John

Paradox?------WebKitFormBoundaryT+hpiQvr79M0GY8B

wilbur

>I love using hand planes, yet one of my favorite things to do is flatten wood on my powered jointer.

Go figure.