This post is part of a blog series revealing the table of contents of upcoming Issue Seventeen. As is our custom, we’ll be discussing one article per weekday in order to give you a taste of what is to come.
The subscription window that includes Issue Seventeen is open now.
To get Issue Seventeen when it ships in early October, you can sign up for a subscription here.
If you aren’t sure about your subscription status, you can reach out to Grace at info@mortiseandtenonmag.com. Keep in mind though, if you are set to auto-renew, you never have to worry about getting the next issue of Mortise & Tenon. Issue Seventeen is coming your way soon!
Emmet Van Driesche – “Take Care”
As hand-tool woodworkers, we often feel pretty good about dodging the bullet of potential power-tool injuries. Table saws, shapers, and routers all can cause some serious trauma and keep reconstructive surgeons busy. But there are plenty of hazards in the hand-tool shop as well, and some of them lurk out of sight and out of mind. It’s best to be attentive.
In Issue Seventeen, spoon-carver and author Emmet Van Driesche looks at some of the common and not-so-common hazards of woodworking. Taking a proactive approach, he discusses how having a mindset of self-care can be instrumental in avoiding injury. Hand-tool woodworking is a very physical practice that can result in overuse or repetitive-motion injuries if we’re not careful, and these can be as inconvenient (and painful) as an accidental encounter with a sharp edge. Drawing from long experience, Van Driesche outlines stretching and strengthening routines that can be a boon to woodworkers young and old. He also addresses dealing with chronic issues, pacing your work, and varying your tasks to utilize different motions and muscle groups (especially important for stock prep). First-aid considerations are covered as well, from what kind of kit to have on hand to how to deal with unexpected injuries.
“As a professional spoon carver, I have found myself for years bumping up against the limits of what my body will tolerate.” he writes. “Because of this, it has become an obsession of mine to learn what can be usefully done to make the body stronger and more resilient without furthering inflammation or other issues that might be hounding us from overuse.” His ideas and guidance here are beneficial for all of us to put into practice.
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