Hand Tool School Semester 3
Semester 3 is all about slowing down on the new techniques and spending some time cementing the basics covered in semesters 1 and 2 by building. There may be some shop aid type projects that will pop up but this is about getting serious and building some furniture.
The strongest focus is on workbenches. How to design for your needs and how to build something this massive by hand. A good workbench is the most valuable tool in the hand tool shop and is a very personal item that needs to be built with only your own work in mind and not what anyone else says. Monster workbenches don’t work for everyone and we cover scaling your design to your space. While I build my Joinery Bench the lesson will cover more general workbench topics for the woodworker looking to build their first bench or their 5th bench. I wrap up this lesson with talk of what I call the Apartment Workbench that combines many features into a very small footprint.
From there it is on to build 2 smaller projects that emphasize basic joinery skills with a strong attention to detail that goes with creating fine furniture
Lesson 1: Fixing Joinery
Now I know that all of you cut perfect joints every time, but I thought it would be good to take a close look at how one fixes those joints that you cut and just don’t line up square or in the same plane. How do we salvage them without having to start all over. Embrace your crookedness and learn to fix it!
Lesson 2: Sawing Stroke Analysis
This lesson will get into detail on things to look for in your own sawing and help you to be the type of sawyer that can split a line and dramatically speed up your work. Accurate sawing is paramount when working with large timbers like we will see in building a workbench. I will meet via video to video Skype call and do a one on one consultation with 4 members. I’ll help them analyze how their sawing technique can be improved and publish the results in a video that will allow everyone to apply the exercise to their own sawing.
Lesson 3: Scalable Workbench Design
You always hear that your workbench should suit the type of work you do. The problem is you don’t know or can’t possibly guess at the type of work you will be doing in 10 years? A strong design with a “blank slate” chassis will allow you to adopt your bench to any type of work in the future. I have created a worksheet of sorts to help you identify the best bench for your style. This addresses some of the following:
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Running through this workbench “worksheet” exercise will get your ready to design your perfect bench…at least for now.
Project 1: The Joinery Bench
Workbenches are on everyone’s mind and not a day goes by that a member doesn’t ask about a bench project. Since I already have a bench in my small shop I have been resistant to building another one due to lack of space and frankly time and money required to build it. The joinery bench idea has been rattling around my head for a few years and now is the perfect time to tackle it. Many of us have small shops or no shop at all. This bench is the perfect solution for those with little space and those who prefer only to hand cut joinery and leave the milling to the machines. During this build we will talk about workbenches in general and building one by hand in case some of you would rather build a full sized version. I even will add some cool accessories like a planing beam that will turn this into the perfect solution for the apartment dweller.
- Part One: Design, Selecting Stock and Prep
- Part Two: Making the top
- Part Three: Moxon Style Vise Installation
- Part Four: Leg Construction
- Part Five: Creature Comforts, Finish, Accessories
Lesson 4: Dealing With Large Pieces
Flattening a board or sawing square is one thing when your parts are all 4/4, under 8″ wide and 36″ long. When you build large pieces like a workbench the game changes. This lesson addresses techniques for dealing with long boards and thick timbers in the hand tool shop.
Lesson 5: The Through Double Dovetail Joint
This joint was present on the original Roubo bench drawing and has become an almost iconic bench building joint. This lesson will show you how to do it by hand, possibly the only way short of an industrial sized shop.
Lesson 6: Boring Straight and True
Whether you are pegging tenons or creating precision holes for vises and joinery, knowing how to bore a hole by hand is essential. This will be a quick lesson but one whose principles will come into play in almost every project we tackle.
Shaker Clock
One of the most requested styles by Hand Tool School members is the Shaker style. When I queried you all about desires for a small project, this wall clock was mentioned 9 out of 10 times. It will be a fun and quick project that reinforces a lot of fundamentals
- Part One: Stock Selection & Carcass Construction
- Part Two: Door Construction & Fitting, Glass Fitting
- Part Three: Back Panels & Mouldings
- Part Four: Hardware & Finishing
Lesson 7: Preparing Your Projects For Finishing
The hand tool shop NEVER uses sandpaper right? Wrong! Even 18th century woodworkers has some form of sandpaper in their shops. The beauty of hand tools means that we need very little sandpaper and smoothing planes and scrapers can prepare most surfaces for finish. This lesson will go into detail how to prepare your surfaces for the perfect finish.
Lesson 8: Frame and Panel Construction
This construction technique is a great way to accommodate wood movement in your furniture. It can be made using “normal” width stock too which makes it a more affordable method. This lesson covers the variety of ways to join the frame and several ways to create and fit raised panels.
Project Three: Hanging Corner Cabinet
When I saw this piece hanging in the corner of the Shoemaker’s Shop in Colonial Williamsburg I immediately knew I would be adding it to a future semester. This piece will cover a lot of basics while adding in some bevels and a great raised panel door. The design can be varied a lot from the one pictured as this piece offers plenty of opportunity to add your own style.
- Part One: Stock Selection, Design, Carcass Construction
- Part Two: Frame and raised panel door
- Part Three: Mouldings and Hardware
- Part Four: Finishing
Semester 3 Price: $150