Three days ago he'd never picked up a hand-tool.........

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

MikeG.

Established Member
Joined
24 Aug 2008
Messages
10,163
Reaction score
691
Location
Essex/ Suffolk border
Three days ago, my son in law had never used a handtool on wood. Ever, at all. His only chisel had been used for taking the lid off paint tins. The DIY he had done was all done with power tools, and almost none of it with timber (he's Spanish, and they tend to make everything out of concrete and blocks over there).

We started off 3 days ago, beginning with sharpening, then onto some mortise and tenons and a dovetail. Now take a look at what a complete novice can achieve in 3 days, all with hand tools, and including stock preparation (he'd never picked up a plane in his life):

McN79Qp.jpg


ra8VwVG.jpg


xlcAYGP.jpg


This is a bathroom cabinet, just dry fitted (lots to do yet). I did the other end as the demonstrations, and he did this end. The through tenons will be wedged, so we'll open out the mortises a little. How many woodworkers have even done a housed out and through-tenoned shelf, let alone by hand? It just goes to show what a little patience and enthusiasm can achieve.
 
Enthusiasm can take you a long way. The thing I've learned about teaching in that short time is to leave him alone as much as possible to discover the issues, and then only deal with the most important stuff. Nobody wants someone peering over their shoulder at every stroke of the mallet!
 
that's very good considering, he might be a natural, the dovetails look tight and tenons very clean, can't see any obvious gaps, that's an outstanding first effort =D>
 
Superb! If only more people could get the tuition that would allow them to climb the learning curve at a similarly rapid speed.
 
It's amazing what you can achieve with one to one tuition and all the tools and advice you need :)
 
I'm also on the border of Suffolk...


... the border with Norfolk.


But I'm up for lessons if you're willing. :D


.
 
A great example of what can be achieved with hand tools and good tuition. Thankyou for posting.
 
ScaredyCat":19up9i37 said:
I'm also on the border of Suffolk...


... the border with Norfolk.


But I'm up for lessons if you're willing. :D


.

Oof, Nearly into bandit country there.

On another note, that's Impressive work after just three days
 
I've been at this off and on for about three years and am still nowhere near that good... :(
 
I reckon this was roughly 25 to 30 hours work. 80% is my SiL's efforts (the rest my demonstrations):

NDhHtE4.jpg


NayOeOl.jpg


Note the dovetail and mortice & tenon dry joints he's taking home, in the drawer, to inform his practice. This was a 100% hand tool project, other than drilling the holes for the hanging thingamejigs:

m8F5gT9.jpg


These (below) were a bridge too far, hence the simpler drawer above:

RuYQ7NF.jpg


It isn't perfect, and it's for painting, but a week ago he'd never picked up a hand-tool. There is a lovely wrong-side-of-the-line classic above the top shelf:

MJ6dBaA.jpg


He rushed on with more enthusiasm than thought (I was making a cup of tea at the time), as we've all done, and what he calls his "signature" will always remind him to slow down and take a second look before starting to cut. The design was his, based on one in his other bathroom, but sized to fit in his suitcase to take home. They'll pick knobs/ handles for the drawers back in Spain.
 
That's a great first effort; the wood looks like parana pine which isn't the easiest of stuff to work with, so more power to his elbow :D - Rob
 
I think it's exactly that, Rob. It's from the old treads of the 1960s staircase I pulled out of my house 3 years or so ago.
 
MikeG.":sg4hnjc5 said:
I think it's exactly that, Rob. It's from the old treads of the 1960s staircase I pulled out of my house 3 years or so ago.
Sounds about right Mike. You don't see much parana pine around these days (at least not in Salisbury) but it used to be fairly common; used to warp nicely as well if memory serves - Rob
 
Back
Top