Where to start?

I thought a very long time about where would be a good place to begin. I decided to recreate my path but to straighten it a bit.

If you are interested in working wood using hand tools, the first step I would recommend to you is that you go and get a copy of Hand Tools: Their Ways and Workings. Aldren A. Watson is the author of this book and created a lifetime store house of very simple yet extremely vital information for the user of hand tools. Everything from holding boards while making simple cuts to how to drill a hole precisely where you want it. It's like working along side an uncle or grandfather who has forgotten more than you know about the subject.

So, what's to be gleaned from this book? He very clearly describes how to get the best from your tools. Also, he'll tell you what tools you will get the most use out of. Do you need 17 planes? No, just two to start. How about a fancy $150 cabinet makers vise? No. They are nice but you can get by with a $30 vise and a couple of Jorgensen type clamps. He tells you how to sharpen an auger bit, how to cut a rabbet, how to clean a file, how to maintain a hand plane (do you know what points need oil?). You need to make a hole? He can help you chose between a hand drill or a bit brace. 

While the book is not that terribly old–it was published in 1982–it still seems to capture the spirit of a previous age. I promise you, you will return to this book again and again as you travel in the alternate universe of hand tools.

Woodshop

My dad is a carpenter. I grew up watching him create amazing things: wooden helicopters, chains carved from solid wood, furniture, puzzles, rooms, houses. I guess some of that snuck into me. For the last year or so I have been teaching myself woodworking. My personal interest has been to learn how to do as much work as I can with hand tools. I have many reasons for this. Firstly, budget. To fill a shop with power tools would cost more than my car. Secondly, space. I have half of a basement–about 300 square feet. Lastly, I have always had an fondness for doing things the old fashioned way. I read a book called The Seven Essentials of Woodworking by Anthony Guidice. He is a professional woodworker living–as far as I know–in the Saint Louis area. In his book he makes a very compelling argument in favor of hand tools. He says something about if you are making a few custom parts, by the time you got a machine set up and ready to go, you could be finished with the job and moving on using a hand tool. I do a lot of cooking and I have found this to be totally true in the kitchen. I can grate cheese with a fancy gizmo or a cheese grater. When you count set up, tear down, and clean up. The humble cheese grate is far more efficient.

Unfortunately, I have had to cobble together information from many separate places. Power tools are the rule of the day and, if you are interested in doing things by hand, you are kind of on your own. Hand tools are, by and large, considered novelty accessories to real tools.

Honestly, this is all fine. I'm the kind of person who likes to cook from scratch. My personal computer runs Linux. We replaced our front lawn with a native perennial flower garden. Doing things different has never bothered me much.

In the next several posts, I am going to retell how I got where I am and make recommendations for those who want to do the same. I will also connect you to the resources that I used to learn what I know and acquire the tools that I have.