Mind numbing enjoyment

Hello All

Perhaps I'm the only one here who does this, but in preparation of my build 'proper' I've just spent a tranquil 2 or 3 hours in my shed workshop, sharpening & checking my planes, ready for cutting scarfes.

When I told my wife what I'd done (when she asked) I could see her eyes glazing over before I'd finished the sentence ....

I know many people like power tools and power planes, power sanders and the like, but for me there is a certain enjoyment in building a hand built boat - as much as possible - with hand tools.

They're nothing special, certainly not Lie-Nielsen or Veritas or suchlike, just Stanley/Record planes : Block, No. 3 & No. 5

I know its not strictly boat building - but it is in preparation of it ...... I just wondered if anyone else found a certain enjoyment in caring for, indeed 'loving', their old fashioned woodworking tools


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RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

I do, especially if I can do it wth my boats around me in the shop.

Totally understand,

Laszlo

 

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

I ordered my kit the first week they announced the fall sale. I have spent the time waiting for its arrival by preparing my shop. 1st thing was to build a new pair of saw-horse's. Then a bit of desperately needed re-wiring. Found a great deal on both a new shop vac and a new heater at Costco. I have 2 shops at my disposal, my garage shop and my fathers old shop. When he passed away I inherited all his equipment. I went to his shop and gathered up every small clamp I could find. Adding his to mine I now believe I have enough to get the job done. The only thing left is to get my hands on a new sander. I'm hoping I can get in on a good holiday deal soon.

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

Some of the best fun I've had while building my dory is learning more about hand tools -- especially learning how to sharpen my hand tools. Sharpening chisels, and planes, and saws, and knives -- I'm trying to learn more about it all.

I just recently bought a 36" crosscut saw so that I can start cutting more of my winter firewood with hand tools.   

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

   There's something theraputic about sharpening tools. I was recently given a whole bunch of stuff from a friend who is moving back to the UK and in amongst the stuff was 4 chisels. I spent a most enjoyable few hours getting them in shape for sharpening (I think most of their use had been opening paint cans) then sharpened them the next morning. 

Sharpening blades was a skill I had to learn properly when I started making boats.  It's never time wasted and of course, sharp tools make work easier and more enjoyable. 

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

Tony-nic if it weren't for forums like this one you'd be more likely really to be alone with that feeling of contentment & anticipation of the work anticipated than not.

I trust most of us know that feeling well, may be part of what inspires us to take on these non-trivial pursuits. There's great satisfaction in doing things with care & attention with our hands; where woodworking is the focus, that pleasure extends into caring for the tools we use. Little else contributes to a job well done more than care in properly preparing for the tasks involved!

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

And as for your spouse?

Mine reacts with a yawn if I get too detailed attempting to explain what I'm doing....

Yet she's a talented artist in her own right, puts me to shame with what she can do with paper & pencil, watercolors, pastels, charcoal... even yarn since she took up knitting six or seven years ago.

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

Birch 2 said: "I just recently bought a 36" crosscut saw so that I can start cutting more of my winter firewood with hand tools."

Your heart will thank you for that, trust me!

Just start slow until you get yourself conditioned to extended cutting sessions.

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

   What makes you think power tools don't need to be sharp?  ....or be sharpened?

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

Apologies Grumpy - peace :)

I never intended to allude or insinuate that power tools needn't be sharpened. But for me sharpening the micro-bevelled blade of a rotating Bosch planer doesn't quiet have the same sense of achievment or enjoyment as sharpening a traditional bench plane.

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

Thank you all for your replies - its lovely to know that there are others like me :)

I occasionally look on eBay for old tools, there are some good finds occasionally

Most router users in the UK use plunge routers but for delicate work I like those that many of you in the States will have - indeed my router came from an eBay seller in Texas. It is a Dewalt DW618, which is not available here in the UK.

Thankfully, the 'power difference' is easily resolved. Whereas our UK domestic supply is 240VAC,  all mains powered tools on UK construction sites is 110VAC via a transformer.

This has an added benefit when 'friends' want to borrow ones tools ..... !!

spclark ....... your wife must be very good at painting. I do it occasionally. In the summer I painted a dog, a cow and a sheep - trouble is, they all look the same !

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

 >>In the summer I painted a dog, a cow and a sheep

How did you get them to hold still? Usually as soon as the brush touches them they run away. Did you warm the paint first?

Laszlo

 

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

>>How did you get them to hold still? Usually as soon as the brush touches them they run away. Did you warm the paint first?

Laszlo

 

Fortunately Lazlo, I live in an area called Saddleworth, which if you look on a map of the UK is in the Pennine hill range between Manchester & Leeds, right in the middle of the UK

Sheep are not a problem due to the local saying of "Saddleworth ...... where Men are Men .... and where sheep are nervous" :) :)

Additionally, the 6 fingers per hand imbued by generations of local selective breeding (and inbreeding) allows us to take a firmer hold so things don't run away ....

Duelling Banjo's -- eat yer heart out  :)

RE: Mind numbing enjoyment

I nominate Lazlo as the "King of Words." Of course, you can't build your dory just with words . . . but if you could . . . ?   

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