A Whale Tail Stool

[Charlie Mastro]

I wonder how many of you saw the back cover of the current FWW #191. There was an article on Kintaro Yazawa from Japan and whose work I was already familiar with but had no idea how he did it. Well after reading the article I felt challenged to try his technique myself. I have been making dovetail stools for 25 years and needed a piece to show in the Wallowa County Arts Festival here in Joseph on June 1 so this seemed like a good time to try it. I wonder if I might be the first person in the states to try this.
Turned out to be quite a process as I must have made every mistake possible and I learned a lot of things I’ll do different next time but in the end I was able to save it and it turned out about as good as I could have expected after all the repairs I had to do.

I hope we will have a video uploaded tonight and I will post a link it.

[Charlie Mastro]

More pics.

[Howie French]

Charlie, very very impressive !
Will you continue to do more of this ?

I saw that article too, really neat work, I had never seen this before.

Howie

[Mark Stutz]

Not only is the stool itself stunning, but the joinery is astonishing. I saw the article in FWW, but am still amazed...and a long way from trying that myself. I better stick to the plain ones for a while. Thanks for posting these.

If this isn't Best of Show then the judges need to be replaced.

Mark

[David Tiell]

Simply Beautiful!! I saw the FWW back cover and accompanying article, but have definitely not gotten up the nerve to try it. Great work, and thanks for sharing!

[Charlie Mastro]

Charlie, very very impressive !
Will you continue to do more of this ?

I saw that article too, really neat work, I had never seen this before.

Howie

I already have some cherry for the second one and I will make more. Got to make up for the time it took me to do the first one. I have a gallery in Walla Walla WA. that is carrying my work, so they will go there if it doesn't sell at the art show.

[Charlie Mastro]

It's being shown on the web site of the folks who made it. They did a wonderful job but my internet connection is so slow I can't download it. Lucky I have my copy looping on my TV right now.

http://feister-dills-images.com/samples.html

[Ron Brese]

That is cool stuff Charlie.

Ron Brese

[Dave Ray]

Charlie, thats neat. I admire the way you attacked this and turned out a beautiful piece. I have seen this before, but can't remember where. Maybe it was in Japan, just not sure. Thanks for sharing the video.

[Chuck Hamman]

Charlie,
That bench is unreal. I too read the article in FWW, it made my head hurt trying to visualize it all. You on the other hand have mastered the technique. Excellent video too.

-Chuck

[Pam Niedermayer]

Kintaro-san's work, http://www.eurus.dti.ne.jp/~k-yazawa/english.html, has long been known in the Japanese tool using community, very cool stuff.

Pam

[Dave Anderson NH]

Wonderful job. Perhaps the best thing is that some of the yahoos won't be asking you if it was done with a dovetail jig.:D

[Jim Becker]

Outstanding work, Charlie!!! I found that same article quite interesting...so much so, I pointed it out to Professor Dr. SWMBO who was deeply involved with an Algebra book next to me. (really...) She's not always "impressed" in the same way I am with techniques, but had a very positive response. I'm glad to see that you were able to capitalize on the technique! And you did so wonderfully!

BTW, I like that wood block you have on your hold-down...I hope you don't mind if I copy you on it one of these days.

[Charlie Mastro]

BTW, I like that wood block you have on your hold-down...I hope you don't mind if I copy you on it one of these days.[/QUOTE]

I found that in some mag in the tips section. Wonder way I didn't think of it sooner. No looking around for a block of wood.

[James Mittlefehldt]

Wonderful job. Perhaps the best thing is that some of the yahoos won't be asking you if it was done with a dovetail jig.:D


LOL I just about fell off my chair when I read that Dave. Very nice Charley I think I will check out FWW's site and see what I can find.

[Charlie Mastro]

Here's the link

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/dtSearch/searchResults.aspx?page=1&query=Kintaro&index=All+FineWoodWorking.com&channel=All%20FineWoodWorking.com