Rant

[Fred Washam]

I was in the shop all day today, mostly just cleaning up, getting ready for the next project. Not the most fun for sure, but necessary none the less. I have just finished up a dining table to go with the chairs I built last winter. Better late than never I suppose! Anyway, as I swept up the shavings and sharpened my tools, I had plenty of time to think about the way I work and the tools I use. The table I had built was a perfect example of why I much prefer to use hand tools whenever I feel it is practical, and sometimes when it probably isn't. If you are like me then I am sure you have had to defend your choice of hand tools vs machines many times. I have been doing this for 30 years, and truthfully it gets more than a little tiresome to explain why you had rather plane a six foot joint straight and true, than run your boards through a machine built for that purpose. And why would anyone chop mortices with a chisel and mallet when there is a perfectly good router sitting there on the shelf? And so on......and on. The answer is both simple and complex, as most of you already know. I don't even bother with the fact that hand tools are often the most efficient way to do the job, only the people who have done it themselves will believe that one and they need no convincing. More satisfying? Of course it is! I truly believe that men and women were put on this earth to use thier minds AND THIER HANDS! However, we as a society have come to the conclusion that work,(I am talking about real work here, the kind that makes you sweat), is only for those of us who are not smart enough to do anything else. Too bad. You and I both know what they are missing. Oh yeah, and while your at it, ask them how they would cut tenons on the ends of those six foot table aprons and watch them squirm! Whew, at least I feel better now. Thanks for listening.

[harry strasil]

My Reply is, "Because I can, can you. What happens if the power goes out for a week, can you keep busy, I can."

[Greg Crawford]

Sometimes it's just plain faster, sometimes it's better quality, sometimes it's practicing to achieve the previous two, sometimes it's just more rewarding. Besides, what kind of tools did the world's most famous carpenter use? Boy, wouldn't you like to see some of His work?

[Brian Kent]

While I appreciate the accuracy of some power tool work, I got into this hobby to work with my hands. I like the sound of the wood and hand tools as I use them. I like learning techniques one at a time that let me extend the use of my hands and what I can do. If somebody finds that joy with loud noises, more power to them (pun not intended) but i find it the more I work quietly.

[Richard Goodwin]

I have mostly used power tools untill quite recently, but got to the point where I "needed" a table saw, jointer, thicknesser and band saw. However I couldn't justify the cost and didn't have the space. It then occured to me that for hundreds of years people used nothing but hand tools and produced some of the most exquisit furniture ever made. While power tools and machinary might save time (some might debate this), I only do woodwork as a hobby and if a project takes a year or two, so what! Over the last 6 months I've aquired a set of Stanley planes (No's 7, 51/2, 4, 92 and a small Anant block plane). I have built a traditional style bench, and have overhauled the planes and learned how to sharpen things properly with waterstones. I have spent a bit of money (probably about NZ$1000, but I can now do some nice work wityh my new (old) tools. And I love it! Much less dust and noise, and the wonderful feel and sound of shavings peeling off a plane blade is very satisfying. I'm definitly a convert. I still use my compound mitre saw and router from time to time, and I'm not a total luddite, but using hand tools is so much more satisfying and safer to boot. I still have a few more toos to buy (I just bought a Stanley No 40 scrub plane on the local auction site), and I need a decent set of chisels), but apart from that I don't think I need much else. One thing I would like adviseon, what are people uising fro breaking down timber and roughly sizing. I use a Disston cross cut saw, but its slow. Any suggestions?

[kipp yeakel]

I was in the shop all day today, mostly just cleaning up, getting ready for the next project. Not the most fun for sure, but necessary none the less. I have just finished up a dining table to go with the chairs I built last winter. Better late than never I suppose! Anyway, as I swept up the shavings and sharpened my tools, I had plenty of time to think about the way I work and the tools I use. The table I had built was a perfect example of why I much prefer to use hand tools whenever I feel it is practical, and sometimes when it probably isn't. If you are like me then I am sure you have had to defend your choice of hand tools vs machines many times. I have been doing this for 30 years, and truthfully it gets more than a little tiresome to explain why you had rather plane a six foot joint straight and true, than run your boards through a machine built for that purpose. And why would anyone chop mortices with a chisel and mallet when there is a perfectly good router sitting there on the shelf? And so on......and on. The answer is both simple and complex, as most of you already know. I don't even bother with the fact that hand tools are often the most efficient way to do the job, only the people who have done it themselves will believe that one and they need no convincing. More satisfying? Of course it is! I truly believe that men and women were put on this earth to use thier minds AND THIER HANDS! However, we as a society have come to the conclusion that work,(I am talking about real work here, the kind that makes you sweat), is only for those of us who are not smart enough to do anything else. Too bad. You and I both know what they are missing. Oh yeah, and while your at it, ask them how they would cut tenons on the ends of those six foot table aprons and watch them squirm! Whew, at least I feel better now. Thanks for listening.

I must be reading this differently than everyone else, sounds to me like Fred's rant is pro-hand tool but the comments that follow seem to have taken it as pro-power tool.:)

Kipp

[harry strasil]

Sorry, I just stated how I answer the Normites questions about why I use hand tools almost exclusively.

[Don Pierson]

I do not like the noise of the power tools and enjoy the hand tools. The logical end to for the argument for power tools is get in your car and drive to the store and buy the thing...no noise, no sawdust, no joy! The power tools I do have I use only as a second choice to hand tools.

[Jim Becker]

As a primarily non-Neander, I will add that I happen to enjoy using the hand tools I have and use them more and more. Most of my future tool purchases will be hand tools, too. What's most important is that we each find a balance that works for us.

Tailed-tools are a requirement for me to ever get any projects done because of my work and family obligations...my shop time is limited, yet my project list is long and growing longer. I use my hand tools for finesse and fitting as well as for exploring new techniques (for me) for doing certain kinds of joinery, etc. And the more I learn, the easier it is to use hand tools more without compromising on my time constraints. And there are always some projects that cry out for hand tool techniques and they get them...

[Charlie Mastro]

To me it is purely the joy I feel when I cut and fit a joint that I did entirely by hand. Just knowing I can do that is a thrill to me.

[David Weaver]

For me, it isn't a matter of thinking that it's "better" than power tools. I do it because it just "feels good", and I understand basically how things work with hand tools better than with power tools. I will use power tools for basic stock preparation, but I have never been able to edge joint something nearly as well (as accurately) with a joiner - even one with a very long bed, as I can with a LN #8 (or a well tuned bailey, etc).

I can't cut mortise and tenons as well or as fast (in multiples) as a multi-router can, but even a multi-router will not leave squared edges (though it can create some impossibly tight joints).

In some instances, where accuracy is paramount until my skills are up to par, I like using something like a multi-router to get some elements of joinery and then finishing everything with hand tools.

[Ryan Hovis]

Power tools have no soul IMO, and there are many jobs you just can't do with a power tool.

I hand-planed a piece of walnut as a sample to fix a floor for my dad, he proclaimed hand-planed like it was some sort of magic trick.

[Marcus Ward]

I like a mix of power and hand tools. Really the end result is what counts, not how you get there, although sometimes the journey is more enjoyable than the destination. A man in a store yesterday made an observation that working with hand tools felt more like you were making something. Tom Hanks in "Castaway" when he finally got the fire lit and he stands up and proclaims "I HAVE MADE FIRE!" That's sort of what using hand tools is. For me anyhow.

[James Davis]

Sometimes it's just plain faster, sometimes it's better quality, sometimes it's practicing to achieve the previous two, sometimes it's just more rewarding. Besides, what kind of tools did the world's most famous carpenter use? Boy, wouldn't you like to see some of His work?


I see His work every day.

[Mark Stutz]

although sometimes the journey is more enjoyable than the destination.


That is exactly why I'm more and more gravitating to hand tools. I'm still learning, and therefore a bit slower, but it's not a race.:D

Mark