This blog
is supposed to be about “woodworking on a less than infinite budget,” but so
far I've been neglecting what I think is the real heart of frugal woodworking:
using hand tools. In fact, I would guess that the most lavish thousand-dollar
shop possible would be an all hand tool shop equipped with used (and some
vintage) gear.
I was
thinking about this last Saturday as I taught my hand-cut dovetails class at
Highland Woodworking. You don't need much gear to cut dovetails, and the
difference between mediocre and Krenov-quality dovetails has far more to do
with technique and practice than equipment. What do you need to cut dovetails?
Some marking tools, a saw, a hammer and a couple of chisels. Throw in a way to
hold the work still and a place with decent light to work in, and you're all
set. Even if you think you'll do most of your woodworking with power tools, you
need all those anyway, with the possible exception of the dovetail saw.
Sharp saw,
sharp chisels, sharp eye, and practice: these are what it takes. How do you
practice? Mark a knife line, split it with the saw, and remove the waste.
That's all of woodworking in a nutshell, isn't it? Mark a knife line, split the
knife line, remove the waste.
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