A Preview of By Hand & Eye

By Hand & Eye by George Walker and Jim Tolpin is a unique book in the world of modern woodworking literature.  The typical fare today consists of very straightforward how to do this or that woodworking projects.  By Hand & Eye addresses the 'why' of woodworking through the eyes of design.

Design is one of the ephemeral concepts that is different to each person.  I call BS.  Actually, George and Jim, call BS.  The foundations of all design are the same and come to us from antiquity.  By Hand & Eye is a short course on shattering the common belief that designing original projects is hard, or impossible.  Sure, aesthetics in design are as varied as people are, but this book teaches you to find those foundational geometric elements of a piece and the proportions that bind them together.

I still find it hard to describe the book and don't want to turn anyone away from the title because of my dimwitted ranting.  So, I have to state that there are ten woodworking projects detailed in the book.  Even if you never read the design chapters, you get your money's worth in projects alone.  Some woodworkers only ever want to build from someone else's plan and there is nothing wrong with that.  The vast majority of us are hobbyists and want the most satisfaction possible from our recreational pursuits.

I can't call this posting a review because I still haven't finished the book.  I have started over three times and still have not read the projects at the end of the book, though I did leaf through them a couple times.  By Hand & Eye is not the kind of book you run through in a few hours and throw on the shelf for your friends to admire.  The book is closer to a textbook than recreational pulp fiction.  OK, that last sentence was a softball.  The book IS a textbook.  There is a ton of information packed in the 200 or so short pages of By Hand & Eye.  You can literally spend hours making up exercises to convince yourself of the validity of the information.  Or you can ingest a broad overview to help you evaluate the work of others.  Don't forget about the projects at the end of the book.

Everything considered, By Hand & Eye has something for every woodworker in it.

I'm surprised nobody has created a bundle with the book, dividers, sketchbook, and quality mechanical pencils.

I'm spending so much time on this book because of the blog.  I feel I need to come up with original projects so I can get into more detail here.  When I build someone else's project, I'm limited by copyright laws as to the level of detail I can post.  There is also the question fair play; publishers spend money to generate original content so they can make more money.  The Pragmatic Woodworker blog is a labor of love and it is a supreme jerk move (aka King Richard) to devalue publisher's original content by posting it here for 'free'.  I'm sure there will be more from By Hand & Eye on the blog in the future.  For now, please accept this preview as an endorsement of the work.

Complex Becomes Commonplace

Rough Joinery Complete

I'm working on a 15th century bench, but don't tell anyone.  I got a metric butt load of wood from a fellow church parishioner.  The wood is Northern White Cedar from a barn that stood for 90 years.  I'm building the bench as a surprise thank you for the wood.

The picture above is the completed joinery on all major components except the seat.  The tenons on top are in a V shape and are compressed with clamps immediately before placing in the mating mortise.  The expanded wood completes the piece and locks everything in place.  That last step is a one shot deal.

The cross members are held to the legs with a bridle joint.  Put both of your hands up with your pointy and angry fingers in the air (the classic victory sign).  Then put your hands together with the V shape interlocking (a finger of the opposite hand should be tickling your palm).  That is a bridle joint, but I'm not sure the above description is any more clear to anyone who doesn't already know what a bridle joint is.

The top tenons necessarily prevent the table saw blade from reaching the full depth of the saddle joint on the bench legs.  I used the dado stack, Band saw, hand saw, rasp and chisels to create the saddles in each piece.

The dado stack made short work of the saddles in the cross members.  On the left side of the picture behind the bench leg you can see the fence I screwed to the miter sled.  My first sacrificial fence several years ago was quite the production.  I checked, rechecked, and checked again everything on the fence to make sure disaster wouldn't happen.  Move forward to now and it is just a stupid sacrificial fence that took maybe a minute to size, cut, affix and run over the dado stack.  I've remarked before about reaching woodworking milestones, so this post is no different in that regard.  Complex actions  become commonplace and even comfortable with time and repetition.  Obligatory warning against familiarity breeding contempt when it comes to safe practices:  NEWSFLASH:  table saw blades cut without a conscience, including the Sawstop line of saws.

The mating saddle on the bench legs was a bit more difficult.  My dado stack is an 8 inch.  A lot of folks say the six inch dado stack is all you'll ever need.  However, sometimes you might be working on a saddle joint right next to a tenon.  The 8" dado stack at full height was able to engage the saddle for about a half inch on the legs.  I did this right after the cross members to guarantee a correctly sized saddle mate.  The rest of the saddle was cleared with a hand saw and band saw.  The hand saw was used to complete the end cuts.  To save time, I used the band saw to knock out most of the waste.  Rasps and chisels were used to clean up the cuts in all eight saddles.

All that is remaining is to cut the mortises in the seat and complete the decorative profiles on the cross members and legs.

Elf Planes Are Far From Magic

For years I have used microplanes and files instead of rasps.  The microplanes are cheap--both in quality and price, but they cut wood like the dickens when used correctly.  The problem is they easily cut more than needed.  Furthermore the rasps generally available today suck.  Yes, they suck the joy out of woodworking because they don't actually do much to the wood.  I could not afford product from the likes of Auriou in the past

I suppose a definition of 'elf plane' is in order.  The term came about as I was explaining how they work to my kids.  I showed them a jack plane and explained that each little piece on the microplane was like a little elf holding one.  So, naturally, it was christened the elf plane.  Now I have Jack, Block, Smoother, Jointer, and Elf planes.

Getting back on track.

Highland woodworking had a sale on Iwasaki files a while back and I picked up my first two.  Though they are billed as files, these things are really rasps.  Good rasps.

Above is a picture of my latest microplane and the Iwasaki flat rile/rasp.  The mortise being worked on is for a replica of a 15th century bench.  Note for a second the 'V' nature of the tenons.  The mortise they go into is the same size as the base.  The tenon is compressed with clamps and inserted into the mortise; the expansion of the wood then holds the bench together.

The rasp fits tight spaces like this far better than the microplane.  The rasp also has a true flat surface to reference itself against; the microplane has a slight curve across it's face.

Here is a closeup of one of the stretcher mortises.  The work with the tool is almost complete in this photo.  The clamp is on with the barest of pressure due to it's job being prevention of breaking the narrow strip of wood on the outside.  I probably could have worded that better, but it is late.

EDIT:  I really must have been tired last night as I left off the whole last paragraph somehow.

I am now convinced of the superiority of a quality rasp after my experience with the Iwasaki files.  The cut of the wood is more controlled.  The durability of the medium and flexibility of the thinner profile enable a wider variety of uses at various stages of a project.  I am not getting rid of the elf plane as they are just too darn useful for hogging off wood.  Besides, you just never know when you may need some grated cheese or lemon zest while working in the wood shop.

Book Review: Chisel, Mallet, Plane and Saw by Tony Konovaloff

This book can be summed up as another Cabinet Maker's Notebook.  Tony and James Krenov have history together so it is understandable that the author would want to follow in his mentor's footsteps.

I'll get the negative out of the way first.  Tony chose to self-publish the book.  In doing so he apparently forewent the professional services a seasoned publisher gives an author.  The prose, topic organization, and design are not quite where I think they should be.  The book still reads well and is chock full of good woodworking advice.  While reading, you soon understand how Tony's character and temperament drove his choice to self-publish Chisel, Mallet, Plane and Saw.

Tony works exclusively with hand tools.  The audience of Chisel, Mallet, Plane and Saw is the power, or blended tool woodworker that has some experience under his/her belt.  Tony talks a little bit about all aspects of a hand tool only workshop going back and forth between a high altitude view and the nitty gritty details like sawing, or using a chisel.  The idea is to give the reader a sense of the whole hand tool only experience, and instruct in the way Tony sees as his best way.  The author's own words say it best: "What I have tried to do with this book is tell you how I do things without leading you by the handtool".

The book is less than 150 pages yet contains a lot of information to digest.  Less than 70 pages separate how to use a chisel and a discussion on design.  Interspersed throughout the book are woodworking philosophical tidbits like sometimes the wood is best left in the tree, and re-sawing sucks; buy S2S lumber from the mill in the correct dimensions you need.  The book is roughly organized into three sections (defined by the reviewer, not the author):  How to use and sharpen the tools, joinery and construction of furniture basics, and the larger aspects of running a woodworking business.  I would post the table of contents, but I do not have (nor did I seek) permission to do so.

My two favorite features of the book are the gallery of some of Tony's work and the tools and toolbox discussion.  I guess that is actually three favorite features.  Chisel, Mallet, Plane and Saw is not the book that will take you from initial interest to New England Highboy, but it is one of the books you need to read if you ever want to take woodworking from building tables in your spare time to putting food on the table all the time.

Stand Behind Your Craftsmanship

In the April 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking is a guest piece by Peter Franks titled A Woodworking Disorder.  Peter coined a new phrase with concomitant acronym:  Compulsive Mistake Identification (CMI).  The malady is when we show a piece to a new audience and immediately start pointing out the mistakes made during construction.

The article struck enough of a chord with me to post this blog entry.  Quite simply, Peter is right.  Woodworkers are loathe to accept kudos.  The source of disparaging our own work may come from humility, or maybe inoculating yourself against ridicule from friends, or family.

The original purpose behind the Pragmatic Woodworker blog was to share my ups and downs in woodworking.  Let's face it, most of the focus of the blog entries are on mistakes (I know nobody reads enough of the blog entries to catch the trends, so just believe me and keep reading).  Pragmatic Woodworker is indeed a digital monument to CMI.

The digital monument will stay intact, but I propose here and now that all woodworkers swear off CMI in favor of a more positive lexicon.  We all suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune in life, so why expose ourselves unnecessarily?

Instead of pointing out the loose joint, stray gouge mark, or whatever obstacle you overcame, discuss what you learned building the piece.  See what I did there?  You didn't 'mess up' (negative), you 'overcame an obstacle' (positive).  Concentrate on the positive aspects of your ham-fisted ill built wooden cartoon caricature of an heirloom when presenting the piece.  Save the self recrimination for the shop where it will make you a better artisan.

This is not supposed to be a superficial self help feel-good Dr. Phil article.  It is really about the reception of your work.  Your audience's appreciation is a reflection of your appreciation and pride in the project.  Stop for a second and reread the last sentence.  Think about how the spirit of a gift can be sabotaged with one remark about a blemish, or mistake:  "Grandpa Jack only gave us this blanket chest because of all the mistakes he made.  I bet the real one he makes...".  Ok, so that was an example of pettiness, but the goal is to really drive the point home.  Pride is infectious, enjoy it, use it wisely.

The artistry of our work is in the flaws.  How the whole comes together despite the inherit reflection of humanity is what craftsmanship is all about.

Stand with me folks.  Let's avoid CMI in favor of positive presentation.  You will help build your own esteem in the process!  Ok, I just made that last part up, because I am certainly not an expert in practicing what I'm preaching in this post.  However, I hope to be soon.

Skill Happens In Spite Of Your Best Efforts

I got to spend a couple hours in the shop this evening.  A loft bed has taken a lot of my time for far too long. Prepping the headboard posts for the last 8 mortises was the latest sub-project.  The posts are octagonal and have a bunch of leftover table saw marks from initial preparation.

Hand planing has been a very deliberate process ever since I picked up a Stanley #5 years ago.  I generally plan each stroke, or series of strokes to achieve a discrete goal.  Tonight was different.

I queued up some music and put the first post against the planing stop.  I tuned out; about 45 minutes later I tuned in to the post in front of me.  I had three planes lined up on the bench (jack, smooth, block) and 7 smooth sides of the octagon post.  I guess at some point everything clicked--at least with stock narrower than the plane.

Wood Strikes Back

Mother nature gave me a little surprise in the middle of the night.  At first glance you might think "FREE WOOD!".  However, closer inspection reveals that this once mighty oak is rotten to the core.  I have a lot of woodworking in my future.  I just didn't think it was going to be so primitive.

On the bright side, nobody was hurt, and I get to make some changes to the deck.  Though not apparent in the photo above, just under half the deck now lies under the upper boughs.

Firewood anyone?