Hand Woodworking - The Joys Of This Ancient Craft
For thousands of years our ancestors have crafted wood by hand, using the most rudimentary hand woodworking tools, and achieving amazing, intricate and artistic results.
In bygone days, especially early in the last century and the late19th century, it was an era of supreme craftsmanship.
These skilled and dedicated craftsmen built not only beautiful furniture and houses, elaborate horse-drawn carriages and functional implements, but also crafted mighty seagoing vessels with tall masts and beautiful lines - all by hand and without the aid of power tools or the fancy array of smart attachments available in today's modern world.
Hand woodworking is an age-old craft that has seen a steady revival in recent years - partly because it is an eco-friendly method of working, and partly because it is deeply satisfying to work raw wood with nothing more than the skill of your hands, the sweat of your brow, and the sharp cutting edge of a blade.
The trick to working wood by hand is to take it slowly.
Don't be in a hurry.
One thing our ancestors had in their favor was time, as the world moved at a slower pace back then.
In modern times, we have been programmed for instant gratification - we want everything "yesterday".
But if you're considering hand woodworking, you're going to have to accept that it is a slow although richly rewarding process.
Ease into working with hand tools slowly.
Take your time and don't allow yourself to get frustrated.
Start a simple project.
Get some lumber and start planing, making joints by hand, and sand and finish the project by hand.
Hand Tools The essence of working wood by hand is good quality hand tools.
You are also going to have to learn how to sharpen your tools as sharp tools are crucial to this traditional process.
Knowing how to sharpen your tools is like learning how to tune a fine musical instrument.
The skill comes with practice, over time.
The beginner hand woodworker needs a basic set of tools such as a set of high-quality chisels, a jackplane, and a good crosscut saw.
Later on, as your skills progress and you tackle more ambitious projects, you will need to add a fillister plane, a hand ripsaw, a double-toothed mortising gauge, and a good set of mortising chisels to make mortise and tenon joints.
Many, (and probably most) of these tools will not be found in your local hardware store, so you'll have to do a bit of digging around.
Some can be found in antique shops, but most can be found online.
There are a handful of companies out there specializing in manufacturing quality hand tools for traditional craftsman.
In bygone days, especially early in the last century and the late19th century, it was an era of supreme craftsmanship.
These skilled and dedicated craftsmen built not only beautiful furniture and houses, elaborate horse-drawn carriages and functional implements, but also crafted mighty seagoing vessels with tall masts and beautiful lines - all by hand and without the aid of power tools or the fancy array of smart attachments available in today's modern world.
Hand woodworking is an age-old craft that has seen a steady revival in recent years - partly because it is an eco-friendly method of working, and partly because it is deeply satisfying to work raw wood with nothing more than the skill of your hands, the sweat of your brow, and the sharp cutting edge of a blade.
The trick to working wood by hand is to take it slowly.
Don't be in a hurry.
One thing our ancestors had in their favor was time, as the world moved at a slower pace back then.
In modern times, we have been programmed for instant gratification - we want everything "yesterday".
But if you're considering hand woodworking, you're going to have to accept that it is a slow although richly rewarding process.
Ease into working with hand tools slowly.
Take your time and don't allow yourself to get frustrated.
Start a simple project.
Get some lumber and start planing, making joints by hand, and sand and finish the project by hand.
Hand Tools The essence of working wood by hand is good quality hand tools.
You are also going to have to learn how to sharpen your tools as sharp tools are crucial to this traditional process.
Knowing how to sharpen your tools is like learning how to tune a fine musical instrument.
The skill comes with practice, over time.
The beginner hand woodworker needs a basic set of tools such as a set of high-quality chisels, a jackplane, and a good crosscut saw.
Later on, as your skills progress and you tackle more ambitious projects, you will need to add a fillister plane, a hand ripsaw, a double-toothed mortising gauge, and a good set of mortising chisels to make mortise and tenon joints.
Many, (and probably most) of these tools will not be found in your local hardware store, so you'll have to do a bit of digging around.
Some can be found in antique shops, but most can be found online.
There are a handful of companies out there specializing in manufacturing quality hand tools for traditional craftsman.
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