Mark Stutz
05-11-2006, 10:33 PM
Well, it’s finally done! I have often referred to this cabinet in many of my “how to” questions, which all of you more experienced galoots always answered in great detail, and without laughing, at least out loud!
A couple of years ago, I “discovered” Internet woodworking, and discovered that the various forums all had Hand Tool sections. Now I had always known that people collected old planes, but I had NO IDEA that some crazy people actually used them.! About this time I realized my mother had a small bedside table made by a long lost cousin’s great-grandfather, or something like that. I became intrigued when I figured out it was obviously hand made. I decided that I wanted to duplicate that table, and of course it should be made by hand!
So with me teetering on the edge of the slope, I made that first fateful journey to New England and Dave Anderson’s shop. And he promptly pushed me down the slope! I have always blamed him for this addict…errrr, afflictions, and I’m sticking to that story! As I acquired more tools, I built a plane till, but still needed more space. I decided a small wall cabinet behind the workbench would be just the thing for chisels, braces, marking gauges, etc., and since it was for hand tools, it should be by hand. I set about the task of learning the proper skills.
There hasn’t been much come out of my shop the last many months except lots of shavings and practice boards with lots of poor dovetails,tenons, mortices, etc. Fortunately for me, this is all about the journey, not necessarily the destination, or how long it takes, and frankly, the journey is just as much fun
The cabinet is mahogany. Everything was done by hand, starting with rough lumber. I had never used a scrub plane or jointer plane before I started this project. I had never ripped a board by hand. I learned how to thickness a board, and get the second one to match. I learned how to plane a square edge. I made a bench hook and shooting board and learned how to use them. My definition of sharp changed several times as my skills got better, and I suspect will continue to change. I did not get around to sharpening a saw, since Mike W does such a great job. I really never knew how to read wood grain before. A hand plane teaches you that very quickly! I learned that I need a new bench, too!
This was a great learning experience and I would encourage everyone starting out with hand tools to try it. I would suggest a little less ambitious project, though. Maybe a dovetailed box for that #45 or #55. More than once the project stalled due to frustration, and I took more time to practice or learn a new skill, but in the end I accomplished my goal Now you won’t see my TS, BS, and jointer listed for sale, since I really don’t care if I rip anything longer than a foot in the future, but future projects will definitely be more hand oriented, and undoubtedly become faster as well.
Project details…mahogany, finished with garnet shellac and wax. I still have to make the plugs to cover the screw heads at the top of the cabinet, and turn some pulls. I have some nice scraps of African Blackwood that will do nicely. I'm posting this now, though, since I don't have a treadle lathe, and wanted to say I did it all without electrons!:D ;)
A couple of years ago, I “discovered” Internet woodworking, and discovered that the various forums all had Hand Tool sections. Now I had always known that people collected old planes, but I had NO IDEA that some crazy people actually used them.! About this time I realized my mother had a small bedside table made by a long lost cousin’s great-grandfather, or something like that. I became intrigued when I figured out it was obviously hand made. I decided that I wanted to duplicate that table, and of course it should be made by hand!
So with me teetering on the edge of the slope, I made that first fateful journey to New England and Dave Anderson’s shop. And he promptly pushed me down the slope! I have always blamed him for this addict…errrr, afflictions, and I’m sticking to that story! As I acquired more tools, I built a plane till, but still needed more space. I decided a small wall cabinet behind the workbench would be just the thing for chisels, braces, marking gauges, etc., and since it was for hand tools, it should be by hand. I set about the task of learning the proper skills.
There hasn’t been much come out of my shop the last many months except lots of shavings and practice boards with lots of poor dovetails,tenons, mortices, etc. Fortunately for me, this is all about the journey, not necessarily the destination, or how long it takes, and frankly, the journey is just as much fun
The cabinet is mahogany. Everything was done by hand, starting with rough lumber. I had never used a scrub plane or jointer plane before I started this project. I had never ripped a board by hand. I learned how to thickness a board, and get the second one to match. I learned how to plane a square edge. I made a bench hook and shooting board and learned how to use them. My definition of sharp changed several times as my skills got better, and I suspect will continue to change. I did not get around to sharpening a saw, since Mike W does such a great job. I really never knew how to read wood grain before. A hand plane teaches you that very quickly! I learned that I need a new bench, too!
This was a great learning experience and I would encourage everyone starting out with hand tools to try it. I would suggest a little less ambitious project, though. Maybe a dovetailed box for that #45 or #55. More than once the project stalled due to frustration, and I took more time to practice or learn a new skill, but in the end I accomplished my goal Now you won’t see my TS, BS, and jointer listed for sale, since I really don’t care if I rip anything longer than a foot in the future, but future projects will definitely be more hand oriented, and undoubtedly become faster as well.
Project details…mahogany, finished with garnet shellac and wax. I still have to make the plugs to cover the screw heads at the top of the cabinet, and turn some pulls. I have some nice scraps of African Blackwood that will do nicely. I'm posting this now, though, since I don't have a treadle lathe, and wanted to say I did it all without electrons!:D ;)