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Daniel Rode
03-14-2016, 9:27 AM
I while back I read an article (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/gottshall-block-complete-and-ready-to-grade) on Popular Woodworking's site about an exercise in Franklin Gottshall's book Making Antique Furniture Reproductions. It's a 3" x 7" x 3/4" block with various joinery throughout. The idea is to form the block and all the example joinery as accurately as possible using basic hand tools (saw, chisel, plane). Careful layout is critical.

At the time I thought it was something I wanted to do but I didn't yet have enough skill. I ran across the article again this week and decided to give it a try. You can find a copy of the diagram here. (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/editors-blog/one-old-exercise-for-growing-skills) Bob Lang created a SketchUp model (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/franklin-gottshall-practice-block-sketchup-model), which I used instead becasue it was easier to read and print but they are the same block.

I'm only about 1/3 done but it's been great practice so far. I'm using the simplest tools for each operation. For example, a I formed the dado with a chisel only. I could have used a router plane but I took the approach that require more skill.

I'll post some picture's when I'm done.

Andrew Pitonyak
03-14-2016, 11:45 AM
This looks familiar....

How do you cut the concave curve?

Daniel Rode
03-14-2016, 12:58 PM
Part of the challenge is to figure out how to do each portion. A coping saw and a rasp and file is one option but I think it can be done with a chisel alone.

Brent Cutshall
03-14-2016, 8:06 PM
I'm related to that guy somewhere down the line, distant more Germanic cousin maybe. Man, I need to make one of them. Wait! No dovetail? Nooooo! Hafta add one.

Bob Lang
03-15-2016, 10:02 AM
The magazine article was actually a condensed version of several articles I wrote for the Popular Woodworking Editor's blog, now called the "Shop Blog". If you search there, the original blog posts are still available online. I tried to follow Gottshall's lead as he detailed it in the book, and used a minimal number of tools. Here is what I said in the last blog post:

"There is also a matter of the tools I used, all the cuts were made with a saw and a chisel. I own a couple dozen tools whose main purpose is to shave off that last tiny bit left by the saw and chisel to reduce the work down to the line. It was interesting to see how close I could come without using them, and while I think I did pretty good, this isn’t perfect, or even close."

The big lesson for me in this exercise is that practice with the simplest tools trumps owning every tool available.

Bob Lang

Hilton Ralphs
03-15-2016, 10:13 AM
This reminds me of an article in Fine Woodworking back in 2006 (or so) where Gary Rogowski shows readers how to warm up in the shop each day by cutting an over-sized dovetail.

Daniel Rode
03-16-2016, 11:29 PM
I had a little time tonight to finish up the block. It's far from perfect but not awful either. This piece of poplar worked more like maple than poplar. Not a good or bad thing, just unexpected. Anyway, I used hand planes to form the block and then a back saw and chisels for everything else.

I have a few misplaced layout lines. I struggled most with the curves. I was able to form the convex curve easily with a chisel but I wasn't able to smooth the facets as much as I'd wanted. The concave curve went well at first. I made about 8 stop cuts about 1/16" above my line, then I use a chisel bevel down to make a smooth curve from each side and meeting at the bottom. I just couldn't get the sides to meet neatly. Eventually I overshot the line and it all went wonky pretty fast. I eventually cheated and used a card scraper to try to smooth it the mess. I think I need more practice with simple curves.

I'm sure I'll make more of these. It's darned good practice and it doesn't take long or require much in the way of tools.

333947333946

Chuck Nickerson
03-17-2016, 1:12 PM
Nicely done!
Once you've cut a few, the next exercise is to make the mating piece.
I'm aware of no plan for it, so it's also a design lesson.

Daniel Rode
03-17-2016, 1:58 PM
:eek: That would multiply the difficulty.


Nicely done!
Once you've cut a few, the next exercise is to make the mating piece.
I'm aware of no plan for it, so it's also a design lesson.

Jim Belair
03-17-2016, 2:49 PM
I'm sure I'll make more of these. It's darned good practice and it doesn't take long or require much in the way of tools.



Looks good and good on you for tackling it. I wish I was so diligent.