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Musician
The Zen of whittling spindles (or how to drive a 12p nail in 3 strokes)
Becoming a master means doing it yourself, of course.
I’m whittling spindles for several Windsor chairs. A friend of mine says to me, “why don’t you just buy those spindles? Why waste your time making them?” I thought about his question for a moment. It was reasonable. It made sense. I mean, at my age, I shouldn’t be wasting time on unimportant things. Right? Ah…not wrong, but definitely, not right.
Show me a carpenter who has not challenged his mates to a nail driving contest and I’ll show you a guy who probably has a lot of “pulls and re-starts.” Some people think of repetitious tasks as being boring, perhaps to the point of deadening the creative spirit. Well, I’m here to tell you that is a bunch of baloney. Watch a master craftsman at his trade. Certainly, intelligence, talent and desire help to make him a master. But it is the act of doing something time after time, learning…
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Introducing the Diamond Frame Safety Bicycle
1891 Style
Sharpening
“It’s often said that skill fixes everything … in woodworking, sharp fixes a heck of a lot.” This says a lot.
Time to get some sharpening done.
My geek side gets interested in sharpening, and I want to experiment with different methods. Currently I’m using a sheet abrasive system. The abrasive sheets I purchased from Tools for Working Wood here.
I purchased the glass locally, and glued them to ¾” MDF. Left to right, the abrasives are .3 micron, 5 micron, and 15 micron. It does make my blades VERY sharp.
It’s often said that skill fixes everything. Well in woodworking, sharp fixes a heck of a lot.
If you’re curious about the Shaker Step Stool project, I’m still getting my boards set to final dimensions. I’ve got one more rip cut to make, and then I’ll prep all the surfaces for finishing now, before I actually cut any dovetails. This way all my 1st class saw cuts will be made on the final dimensions of the pieces (look for…
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A Master at Work
It is awe-inspiring to see a master of anything at work, making their creation seem almost effortless. Many thousands of hours, or even thousands of days, really show at a high level of work. This isn’t to say that repetitive tasks are always fulfilling or require lot’s of mental exercise but that is often the route to real craftsmanship. This short film is a great thing to watch.
Winter Wonderland
Even on the Southern High Plains of New Mexico, we get some snow. Real winter seldom lasts for more than a couple weeks here but it can become extreme at times. With occasional swings of 60 degrees Fahrenheit up or down in a matter of a couple hours, the inconsistency makes it difficult to plan. Unseasonable warmth has now turned to single digit temperatures at night and 6-10 inches of snow around the property.
A little snow on the wagon this morning as we head into Twelfth Night and back to the work grind next week.
On Attachment
“I have no desire for wealth or possessions, and so I have nothing. I do not experience the initial suffering of having to accumulate possessions, the intermediate suffering of having to guard and keep up possessions, nor the final suffering of losing the possessions. This is a wonderful thing.”
Milarepa from Ten Teachings from the Songs of Milarepa
The Safety Bicycle
Some advice from 1890…
How things change.
Lister’s Workbench 1889
Nice and sturdy bench and clamp set-up. From an article in Work magazine July 22, 1889.
Butcher block counter top.
Wise and thoughtful words for Makers. It’s the thoughtfulness that a hand-craftsman puts into his project, not the speed or even cost that makes something worth making in the first place.
“If you remain insensitive to the individual characteristics of the material you are working with and cut regardless to a predetermined, exact measurement, then the finished piece will lack a certain wholeness and be little better than something you could have bought from a factory.” – Graham Blackburn
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 