1. Name (and nick names):
Wm. Jason Tuinstra
2. Age/DOB:
35
3. Location (present and previous):
Hanford, California (for the last 1 ¾ years) via St. John, Indiana (10 years) via Jenison, Michigan (hometown growing up)
4. Tell us about your family:
I have been married for 14 years and have 5 children.
5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations.
I am a pastor in the United Reformed Churches of North America. I sell some of my furniture, but most of it is given away or kept for the homestead.
6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other):
At the center of the shop is my Delta Unisaw. Other than this, most of my tools are hobbyist level. I have an open stand JET 6” jointer and a JET 12” bandsaw. I have the old DeWalt 12 ½” planer. They are not the best, but I’m comfortable with them and their limitations and would rather spend money on wood right now. To help out with flattening tabletops I have a 16/32 Performax drum sander. Within the last year I started to buying FESTOOL equipment and can’t say enough about their quality. Regarding hand tools, I have an assortment of chisels – nothing noteworthy. I have a small assortment of Veritas hand planes and a Lie Nielsen dovetail saw. Beyond this, I have the standard assortment of routers, sanders, bits and pieces that go into making quality furniture.
7. Describe your shop:
I have a two stall garage shop. Most of the tools are on wheels so that I can push everything out of the way when I’m done with a project to allow for some parking.
8. Tell us about the hand planes you own, and your favorite one(s) to use:
My favorite plane has been my low-angle jack plane. It leaves a beautiful finish and is a joy to use.
9. Your favorite chisels:
Which everyone is sharp and good enough for the job at hand. I use my 1/8” chisel the most with the hand cut dovetails I’m trying to master along with the 1/8” pegs that I like to use on my furniture.
10. Your favorite handsaw(s):
I have but one, so the process of elimination isn’t that hard – L.N. dovetail saw. Very comfortable fit in the hand and a beauty to behold.
11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use:
I’ve not been exposed to Japanese tools and thus, have no opinion on the matter.
12. Do you have a woodworking home page:
I post pictures of my furniture to a picture hosting website. Nothing professional. http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/curc@sbcglobal.net/my_photos
13. Do you have any influences in your work? Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer:
I prefer the simplicity of the Shaker style and have built most of my furniture in this style. Thos. Moser, Christian Becksvoort, Ian Ingersoll, and Kerry Pierce are a few that have inspired me along the way.
14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration?
My grandfather was the head upholster for Hendredon Furniture when they were in Grand Rapids and has worked privately for such clients as President Ford. I attribute my love for fine furniture to his influence on our family. It was my grandfather who gave me the money for my first table saw when I was a struggling student.
15. What is your favorite neander project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why:
I would call myself and aspiring neander. Most of my tools still have tails. But I have been trying more and more to be liberated from them where it makes a difference in the quality and look of the piece.
16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with hand tools:
No, I do not – or at least not to the exclusion of other areas of woodworking. I believe that working with hand tools requires a greater skill set than exclusively working with power tools. But for me, the joy of woodworking is in the creation of something that previously was not. The whole process, electronically powered or not, is that of turning a rough medium into something that can be called “fine.” Woodworking as a whole has been in so many ways a metaphor for my life as a Christian – something rough and twisted being refined and made right.
17. How much of your work is done by hand tools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use hand tools even when they are less efficient: I believe that efficiency needs to be counterbalanced with quality and beauty. For example, it may take longer to cut dovetails by hand and be less efficient, at least in my case, but it adds a look of craftsmanship that is worth the effort. I try to keep that balance in mind and thus, wouldn’t use a tool just because it is hand tool.
18. What is your single most favorite tool, and why.
I think my ½” chisel is the single most used tool in my shop. From getting slivers out, trimming joints, to cleaning up the perennial glue in the corner, I can’t imagine life without my handy ½” chisel. My least favorite tool, by the way, is my square. Argh!!! Curse it’s honesty!
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Originally Posted by Martin Shupe
