Hello there,
I am a very enthusiastic beginner with still a lot of questions.
I try to practice woodworking the old way, without powertools and machines, if possible.
Till now, I bought my wood in a diy-shop. That wood was already planed, so I could start right away practicing joinery.
Now I want to buy my stock at the sawmill, so I can resaw and plane it myself.
Is all this possible by hand or do I need some machines, like a bandsaw.
Thanks,
Replies
Tonyd,
Welcome, there are several hand tool only people here who will respond to your questions. Recently we touched upon this topic "bandaw vs jointer" thread under tools. You might want to take a look at that and the bow saw links.
I'm a newbie also but have not gone the sawmill route yet do to space constraints. A good hardwood supplier will provide well dried stock in rough form to get you started. If you don't have a good solid workbench with good vises that should be one of your first projects.
You don't ever need any machine. It's just a matter of what you'd rather do with your time. And in some case, the machine won't even save you much time. See the posting today about scrub planes.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages/?msg=11364.1
As far as resawing, there was a thread here in the last few days that discussed resawing with a bow saw.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages/?msg=11286.15
Just want to encourage you to keep working with hand tools and develop those skills before you even look at a power tool. This way, you'll learn a lot more about wood and joinery and craftsmanship than you will pushing a board through a machine. ( No, I'm not a purist. I'd say I use 65-70% power tools and 30-35% hand tools.)
Hand tools force you to slow down, think, examine the wood and learn about its ways. Their use also makes your work more careful and deliberate, and challenges you to do your very best. (It's easy to get sloppy with machines because they make it so easy to do things over.)
So many of us learned wood working by using machinery and in doing so failed to learn a lot of essentially skills, which we had to learn at a later time. Wouldn't matter so much if it weren't for the fact that some of the time hand tools are faster than power equipment and will do a much better job.
Also, consider that hand tools cost less (especially if you can find good used ones), aren't noisy, won't throw chips in your eyes or boards into your torso. While not impossible, hand tools aren't as big a risk in the amputated finger department either. Good luck!
Jeff
Jeff,
You're right: the widest iron for the Stanley is all of about an inch. Also, because of its mechanics (so I'm told) it won't make some of the profiles that a Clico, for example, will make.
I have a panel raising plane. I picked that up at a local swap meet back in upstate NY--it's beautiful tiger maple with a good heavy iron. I don't know who made it. It works well--except there's no cross grain nicker. That's not really a big deal though. Because the iron is tough to sharpen, because it has three facets, I remove all the wood I can with other tools before I use the panel raiser. I use my multi-plane to define the interior and outside shoulders, so when I use the panel raiser the grain has already been cut.
For big moldings I use a variety of tools. For a large cove, for example, I remove as much as I can with the multi-plane or whatever other plane or spokeshave that seems to work. Then, depending on how big it is, the profile, and so on, I use files, scratch stocks, sandpaper, and anything else I can think of. I know it sounds tedious, but I don't find it so. It's fun figuring out how to do things with the minimum.
Alan
Alan,
Are you familiar with Clark and Williams? A bit too pricey for my wallet, but very beautiful planes, including molding planes.
http://www.planemaker.com/
Jeff
Jeff,
I don't have a C&W or ever used one. But everyone I know who has one loves it. You're right--they certainly are priced like a top quality tool.
Alan
tonyd,
I'm a near purist--I still use an electric drill--other than that I use only hand tools. I didn't start out that way. I began with a host of power tools. The more power tools I used the less I enjoyed woodworking. Nowadays I don't need to wear ear muffs or safety glasses, I don't need a dust collection system, and all my tools now take up less room than any two of my gone, but not missed, power tools.
Apparently hand tool use is staging a come back. There are many more high quality hand tools available than there were even twenty years ago. Manufacturers are again making virtually every hand tool anyone would need. It seems there are also many more places to find good quality used tools. The really good news is that with careful shopping you don't have to spend a fortune to get started.
One thing more: if you don't already have them, spend a few of your tool dollars and get all five of Roy Underhill's books. He is an inspiration, and will teach you much of what you will need to know to thoroughly enjoy woodworking with hand tools. If reading Saint Roy leaves you thirsting for more, pick up Graham Blackburn's Traditional Woodworking Handtools [sic].
Alan
Edited 3/25/2003 7:15:44 PM ET by Alan
Alan,
Have you managed to find a source for reasonably priced molding planes? I know I saw a website somewhere, but their prices seemed outrageously high. Not really crazy about trying to find them on EBay, especially since many applications require a matched set.
Jeff
Jeff,
My only molding plane is a Stanley 12-250 combination-plane. I bought it at a widow's sale for obscenely few dollars; I believe a new one goes for around two-hundred and fifty dollars. That, along with my Lie-Nielsen beading tool and home-made scratch stocks are all I've ever needed.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that the Stanley 12-250 is the new version of the venerable #45; the available irons look to be twins of the #45's irons. The widow had all the 12-250's twenty-five available irons. There is an assortment of beads and coves of different sizes; there is also a sash iron, one half of which cuts a pretty nice--if a little small--ovolo; along with lots of tongue and groove irons, grooving irons, and what not. I like the tool a great deal. Every iron I've used worked well, and it required a minimum of fussing. I believe Garrett-Wade, Woodcraft, and probably others, carry the Stanley.
I got several blade blanks for my beading tool. When I want a smallish profile it's very easy to shape a blank with files. For larger profiles I make a scratch stock out of old saw blades or scrapers.
Since I was inspired by St. Roy, I've found alternatives to my old forked tail screamer. My simple tools will do anything for which I used to use a router--but cheaper, quieter, with less dust (if any) and certainly a lot safer.
Alan (wondering if I was helpful)
Edited 3/25/2003 7:17:51 PM ET by Alan
Yes, Garrtt Wade sells the Stanley. Woodcraft sells the Clifton - it's $700. Yikes. Here's the link if you're curious.
http://shop.woodcraft.com/Woodcraft/product_family.asp?family%5Fid=4139&gift=False&Gift=false&mscssid=003A4F55EA731049DFB0D9ED73BEDF62
What do you use for making raised panels, cove molding etc. Am I mistaken in thinking that combination planes are too small for that sort of work?
Thanks for your advice!
Jeff
A couple of suggestions for books I have found very useful.
1. The Complete Woodworker edited by Bernard Jones; Ten Speed Press, 1980.
2. The Practical Woodworker edited by Bernard Jones; Ten Speed Press, 2000.
I bought mine from Barnes and Noble, but I imagine they're available anywhere. Nice volumes because they're both reprints written before the dawn of electrified shops.
You may also want to check with Lee Valley, and Dover Press. They've both reprinted quite a number of woodworking classics which are available for reasonable prices. (I should mention, however, that I've found many of Dover Press's volumes of designs lacking because of the small size of the measured drawings and sometimes poor quality of their printing.)
Best of luck, Jeff
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