Saws like the one on the bottom were best used to saw firewood.
Member
Saws like the one on the bottom were best used to saw firewood.
Contributor
The mill's saw blade ( where the guys were working on a bearing) is the "small" saw blade. In the long view of the mill, look towards the wagon in the background. Leaning against the wagon is the large blade...at least a five footer, maybe larger.
Mill is now a permament set up, at the West Liberty, OH Lions Park. The "original, belt drive" saw.
Contributor
The only one I know of is Warren Mickley. I believe Dave Weaver told us that about 18 mos ago.Originally Posted by Simon MacGowen
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
Contributor
I love watching that show. It's one of the few clean shows left on TV. Plus they don't waste a lot of time with tools that don't plug into an outlet.
Member
Stupid: assuming there is a one-size-fits-all answer to whether you should process rough lumber by hand. For example, if you only have 8 hours to process 200 bdf, it would indeed be stupid to try to do that by hand. On the other hand…
Not stupid: processing 200 bdf or rough lumber by hand because (a) you have the time; or (b) you enjoy it; or (c) you want the considerable skill-building effect that hand-dimensioning confers; or (d) you could use the exercise; or (e) you want to experience what it was like to make furniture before machines were available; or (f) other reasons I haven't thought of but probably exist.
I've dimensioned a lot of lumber by hand. When I'm on the clock, I use a mix of power and hand tools. When I'm working for pleasure only, I use hand tools. If that makes me Stoopid, then someone please send me a stoopid hat. Please mark clearly which side faces forward, so I'll know how to put it on.
Last edited by Steve Voigt; 09-14-2016 at 11:09 PM.
"For me, chairs and chairmaking are a means to an end. My real goal is to spend my days in a quiet, dustless shop doing hand work on an object that is beautiful, useful and fun to make." --Peter Galbert
Contributor
Steve, I think that CS is arguing about efficiency. I certainly am. This has little to do with necessity or preference - one may be about cost and the other about personal use of time.
Personally, if I need to thickness or joint a couple of smaller boards, I will just do it by hand. That is fun, and woodworking is a hobby. However, if I was short of time, working on weekends and just trying to prioritise where I need to spent my time a project, then I comfortably use my machine if that is the efficient method.
Horses for courses, and all that. No shame in either method. Having stated this, one of the pleasures is that of developing skills, which is something I believe is shared among many handtool users. We need to remember that not everyone shares a go for it attitude.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
I've become 99% hand tool focused in the past few years. I did not intend to be, however, with 4 kids, and 2 full-time jobs, my shop time is limited to midnight to 2am in close proximity to neighbors who would certainly have an issue with my running machines. I may get 1-2 hours on a weekend where I can fire up one of my many stationary power tools (and sometimes I do) but I usually opt for a hand tool route. Prime example, I picked up 75bf of mahogany this past weekend. Instead of waiting until Saturday to run it through a planer, I milled the boards by hand and already cut the dovetails for the carcass. Project is underway and I got some exercise in the process.
[OP]
Member
I'm 100% hand tool Simon!I love just using hand tools, I hand plane, hand saw, hand drill, hand carve, and do hand moldings. I'll tell you what, working with my hands (especially carving) has improved my hand-eye coordination, the grip in hands is to where I can crush a soup can and some cases a tail pipe in my hand, and a bee can't sting through the skin/callus on my hands. That said, a lot of people that I look up to and acquire ideas from are power tool users, I just take what they do and do it with hand tools. When I started out, I didn't have power tools or teachers, so I taught myself to use my granddad's hand tools, went from there, and I learned to love it.
I was once a woodworker, I still am I'm just saying that I once was.
Chop your own wood, it will warm you twice. -Henry Ford
Contributor
My suggestion is similar to Steve's comment, you learn quite a bit in understanding how to prep lumber by hand. I'd argue that being able to work by hand would actually make you a better machine tool user, understanding much more intuitively exactly what you are trying to accomplish with a jointer and planer.
After having witnessed experienced users make a banana on the jointer, I would think that some insight is necessary and if intuition is formed by first using hand tools until successful then all the more reason to use them.
Also, when you've used hand tools to that extreme when you step up to slab that you want (need) to flatten by hand because it's larger than all your machine tools can handle....you've got all the tools you need sitting on your shelf and the ability to use them.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
Member
Brian: I can't help wondering how experienced(but experience does not always = skill!)they are if they make a banana on the jointer.
Contributor
Banana on a jointer? I'm intrigued. How does one do that?
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Member
The blades are not aligned with the outfeed table. BT,DT!
Moderator
It's one thing to say you love working by hand. It's another to imply someone else isn't a real 'man' because they don't do things by hand.
I am more fearful of the judgment that woodworkers feel for their method of work than I am by some guys who do more with power tools than I prefer to.
Contributor
I had a similar wonder, lol.
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
Member
Agreed on all points except machine made dovetails, "real men" saw and chop their DT's
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