Adventures of an Imperfect Man In Search of a Handmade Life
Here are a couple of photos of the one I still think of as the "new horse." It is made up of mostly recycled and scrap wood that I was hoarding for just such a project. More than ten years later, I am still quite happy with the size and design of this one. It … Continue reading My Favorite Working Pony
For bow makers and other wood crafters...A shaving horse is an invaluable tool if you create or work with odd-shaped objects that are otherwise difficult to clamp or need to constantly move around. I don't know how I would get half my projects done without one. A horse, in combination with a small bench or … Continue reading Shaving Horses and Portable Woodworking
A pictorial step-by-step of the bow-making process. This quick look isn't intended to replace the one-on-one learning of a real teacher or to cover all aspects of the art that come from years of practice. Expect both success and failure and don't let either one dominate your learning. Education is a process, not an instance. … Continue reading Making a Self-Bow
Reposted from 2008; what a different life it seems now. Here is one of my favorite old shave horses. It is made from a plank chainsawed from an enormous pin-oak limb that came down during a storm years ago. It weighs quite a bit but the weight means more stability when using it as a … Continue reading Shaving Horse
A Saw horse or a full-size workbench, for Hobbits? Living where I do, without a proper workshop, I have moved to a more portable setup. Along with this, I have pared down by letting go a number of cumbersome tools. However, a flat, solid surface is sorely missed. I find myself working on the seat … Continue reading Weekend Sawbench
Tools and work benches always create lots of discussion and bring out opinions. I am re-posting a couple pictures that feature my bodger horse as it has created a few new comments. This horse has been slightly modified over the years but is essentially the same as when it was made 5 or 6 years … Continue reading Looking Back at the Horse
Here is a couple of photos of the new horse. It is made up of mostly recycled and scrap wood. If I am lucky enough to find time from work, I intend to put it to work on some bow staves and spoons later this fall. The horse is made of pine and fir dimensional … Continue reading A New Horse
Here are more shaving (work) horses. I wish I had photos of my first horse. I liked it well enough but I made it short to fit cross-ways in a narrow truck. These are some better and later models... A shiny new horse. Hickory arm and head, poplar cross-stretchers. Adjustable tilt table. Another new horse. … Continue reading More Work Horses
Here is an old set of plans I made for myself a long time ago. These are meant for dimensional lumber. This plan is for a short horse. If you are tall or don't mind the extra length to transport, an extra 6 inches is a good idea. You can see from the other horses … Continue reading Shaving Horse Plan
Preindustrial Craftsmanship 