I didnt want to hijack the Woodworker's Block thread, so I'm posting this separately.
Patrick Chase comments briefly on Zach Dillinger's book. (Zach posts here sometimes, but I wasnt aware of his book.) So I just went to Amazon and read the sample they have posted. It was easy to read and fascinating in content. What caught my attention was a couple paragraphs in the intro. They explain that hand tools can be as fast or faster than machines, if used in the way they were a couple hundred years ago. For example, surfaces, joinery, etc were only as perfect as they needed to be - they weren't the perfection that I strive for throughout a piece today (ala Krenov). It says that to use them otherwise is "a misuse of the technology".
I don't know anything about period furniture, so I can't intelligently comment on that statement. But it was a fascinating idea to me, for sure. Fascinating enough that I'll order a copy today.
Anybody read it? Have thoughts to share?
Fred