Unintended Reward of Hand Sawing

[Jim Koepke]

When my shoulder feels up to it I have been rip cutting some ash lumber in lengths of 8 - 10'.

This has been going on over the past two or three months off and on.

I do not know if this is all due to the stepped up effort in the shop…

My blood pressure is down.

My stamina is up.

My blood sugar also seems to be benefitting.

My weight is also down by more than 20 lbs.

jtk

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

One of my favorite bits of hand-wood-working. When I can't (or, I suppose, don't) bike in the winter, a lot of hand-surfacing and ripping helps keep me in in something resembling "in shape".

[Paul Saffold]

Congratulations, Jim. I's not often enough that something good for us is fun too.

[Bill Houghton]

Congratulations, Jim. I's not often enough that something good for us is fun too.
Well, gosh, I can think of one thing; but I can't talk about it here.

[Jacob Nothstine]

You need a foot powered lathe to work out your legs. If you can turn wood on the lathe and saw at the same time it would be a great workout.

[Zach Dillinger]

You need a foot powered lathe to work out your legs. If you can turn wood on the lathe and saw at the same time it would be a great workout.

Just think of all the weight you'd lose when you accidentally saw your arm off... what does an arm weigh, anyway... 15 pounds?

I play copious amounts of tennis to keep in shape, but hand tool stock preparation is certainly up there... and is easier on the body.

[lowell holmes]

Ripping 10' boards by hand is fun? ? ? :)

[Jim Neeley]

Congratulations, Jim! Incorporating exercise you love into your life; it doesn't get any better than that!! :)

[Zach Dillinger]

Ripping 10' boards by hand is fun? ? ? :)

Yup! Thickness planing is too!

[Jim Matthews]

So, is sawdust is a natural appetite suppressant?

Or is it because we don't keep a fridge in the shop?

[Trevor Walsh]

After Thanksgiving I suggest making 1/4" square sticks out of rail road ties, either by sawing or hand planing.

[Doug Bowman]

When I can't (or, I suppose, don't) bike in the winter


This has been a great winter for riding - just get on and pedal!

[Ken Whitney]

I see an opportunity for a TV show:

"Woodworkers Weight Loss - With Jim Koepke"

Please, no spandex.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Seems like you could jump start the next fitness trend, and save money. Instead of buying some power tools to do the heavy lifting, you get gullible people to pay *you* for the privilege of doing that work!

[Tom Stenzel]

A weight loss was a guarantee - if you're ripping 10' boards by hand you only have about a 1/2 hour every other day to eat!

-Tom Stenzel

[Justin Green]

I don't remember seeing any of Roubo's drawings that featured pleasantly plump carpenters...

[Joey Chavez]

My company requires talking to a health coach once a quarter in order to get discounts on the premiums. This week I got the call and when asked what I've been doing for exercise I told her I've been doing a lot of hand planing. She didn't really know what to say, even after I explained it to her.

[Jon Toebbe]

I can imagine the fine folks at Lee Valley having some fun with this idea for next year's April Fool's Tool. But somehow the image of a Bowflex tricked out with chisels, plane irons and saw blades sounds more terrifying than amusing...

[Bill White]

Imagine what you could do with a large, two man saw in the NW woods and a large redwood tree.

(Those loggers must have been some beasty boys.)
Bill

[Jim Matthews]

I see an opportunity for a TV show:"Woodworkers Weight Loss - With Jim Koepke"Please, no spandex.

Oh come on, JK in the Full Fonda - complete with leg warmers and Norm Abram suspenders? Just the cover art work would sell the video...

[Jim Matthews]

I can imagine the fine folks at Lee Valley having some fun with this idea for next year's April Fool's Tool. But somehow the image of a Bowflex tricked out with chisels, plane irons and saw blades sounds more terrifying than amusing...

Isn't that how a treadle lathe works? I might come up with my first YouTube script, yet!

[daniel lane]

Well, gosh, I can think of one thing; but I can't talk about it here.

Why not? I love growing vegetables in the back yard, too! :D

Jim, what you've indicated here is one of the things I love about neander work. It's like a second benefit to all the sounds, smells, etc. that come with sawing or planing. I'm really happy that you've got quantitative results, I've only ever hoped for qualitative, but it inspires me to do more of this. Note in my earlier thread on the step stool for my son that I had the first chance to use my Disston D8 xcut saw - I *really* was upset when I was done, it was so nice to use the tool and a pleasant job to boot!

Best wishes on the improved health via woodworking. Let's see some journal articles!



daniel

[harry strasil]

The Ladies are the ones who are always worrying about losing weight. Now just tell your other half that you are going to go full out on an exercise program for her! Your going to convert to a complete Neander Shop and she gets to power all the old tools with the exercise cycle converted to a Line Shaft operated shop. And that's how the ride in the ambulance came about and all the blood on the walls, floor and ceiling of the shop.

[Bill Bukovec]

What kind of saw do you use? I have often wondered if anybody ripped logs by hand.

bill

[Matthew N. Masail]

A weight loss was a guarantee - if you're ripping 10' boards by hand you only have about a 1/2 hour every other day to eat!

-Tom Stenzel

Lol! Jim I'm happy for you, nothing feels better than being in good\better shape (Bill I know what your thinking... )

[Bryan Schwerer]

I certainly prefer working in my shop compared to the different sort of Neanderthal you usually come across in the gym. I have a treadle lathe, the only problem is my balance is only good on one foot, using the other foot I am a complete mess and would probably end up hurting myself. So I would have one gigantic leg and one skinny leg.

[Shawn Albe]

One of my favorite bits of hand-wood-working. When I can't (or, I suppose, don't) bike in the winter, a lot of hand-surfacing and ripping helps keep me in in something resembling "in shape".
Hey, even without much hand tool work or exercise, I'm in shape: "round" is a shape!