the humble house workshop #6: Cheap saws bad, cheap planes good

Speed comes with practice and the type of wood you are using as well as having sharp tools of high quality. I spent a year teaching a group of (shall we say) disadvantaged youth how to hand cut mortises. I started out with sx and ended up with one. The others moved away or became long term guests of the state.
The two boys with the most interest and the highest skill level one liked to watch things burn. The other liked to inhale.
I spent my own money to get some good quality tools for them to use but except for using them myself, it was wasted. I promised my last student that I would help him patch all of the holes in the wall of his mother’s house if he would just learn to cut one mortise…never happened.

-- jstegall

I stopped inhaling years ago and the only thing I burn is BBQ, hope you still enjoy your tools.

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

You did alot in 2-1/2hrs – mortises & dovetails.
I seldom use chisel to make mortises, coz never got it straight & square.
The hand tools that I use most are hand plane and hand saw. They quietly work with me.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

for 2.5 hours that is a very good accomplishment.

as far as quality tools- yes you are correct, not only handplanes should be of good quality. (PS. stanley plances are good quality – I wouldn’t underestimate them, nor have plans to replace them too soon, if ever). the thing that gets handplanes into the “headlines” is the fact that unlike a dosuki saw that you buy – and use (no real maintenance/tuning/etc) handplanes have many parts and preparations and tuning that can be done (and should be) on them – the soles, the throat, the frog, the chip breaker, and the blade are just the more common ones… so a whole cult is formed around them. and since you put so much effort and work into finessing them, they become a bit more ‘special’ in a way. but as you mentioned – you can get a board perfectly flat , but unless you have quality tools to take it into the next step – you are nothing but a board maker… lol

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

You’ve done a lot considering the lack of power tools you have . I’m so impressed with you and others and the work you do with no shop and limited tools.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

You are doing an excellent job with hand tools.
Learning correct hand tool techniques is the best way to build a strong foundation to further build your woodworking skills upon. I learned to use had tools when I was a little kid and it certainly gives you a different outlook on woodworking than someone who has only used power tools.
I have a friend who is a carpenter and has been successfully building and renovating houses for many years…but he doesn’t know how to use fine hand tools, he doesn’t own a hand plane and his only chisels would make a furniyure builder cry.

-- Each and Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. Greg Little

Kiwi,
Nice work, I’ll probably spend the whole day doing your two and a half hours work. Your Joinery is Sharp.

Reading your blog entry, one thing comes to mind: The contemporary woodworker, the post-Industralization craftsmen have lost the most esential skill he has ever had: Toolmaking.

Most of the times we work with tools we found available from toolmakers, but no necesarily those are the right tools for us. For instance, we use clothing we find in stores, but a completelly different thing is going with a Tailor.

I think every Galoot,MUST build his/her own tools.

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

If you continue to use hand tools and you know how to tune and maintain them it won’t be so long before you love them. There are many instances when a hand tool can do the job quicker and better, especially if you are making one-off things. A lot of time can be used in setting up machines and making test cuts and often it isn’t worth it for just one piece. But if you are enjoying working with your machines at this point, what could be better. And it looks like you are getting the job done pretty darn well.

-- Mike, American in Norway

I’ll put in a plug for the Gyokucho brand ryoba saws at www.japanwoodworker.com, the price and performance couldn’t be better (get the hardwood blade and a replacement). A dozuki is a great joinery saw to have on hand as well. Chisel-wise I love my Sorby chisels. Hmm…feel like I’ve written this before. Oh and a real nice upgrade that won’t cost much is a good wooden or brass mallet, deadblows make for extra work. Not sure if you drill out the majority of the waste in your mortises, but that also cuts waaaaaaay down on the amount of effort involved.

-- Ooo, er.

Thanks everyone for the positive comments. I,m seriously enjoying my woodworking again after all those years in factories and learning all this new/old stuff is a wonderful change.

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand