A recent acquisition has fixed my attention. After unsuccessfully digging through online archives for high-res images from Edward Hazen’s 1839 The Panorama of Professions and Trades; or Every Man’s Book, I finally caved and purchase a copy from the rare book market. I don’t typically purchase too many antique woodworking books as they can be quite pricey and I can usually get the one image I need from an institution who has it in the collection. (Not at all free, mind you…) This book, however, has a number of delightful engravings of various trades that I couldn’t get anywhere else. I wanted large, crisp scans to bring out all the details. Having this book in hand, I am transfixed. These...
My son Eden and I spent many hours on the road yesterday picking up some antiques I purchased at an auction. I got an assortment of goodies: a pine stand-up desk, and small tavern table, and a pair of beautifully painted kubbestols (Swedish stump chairs). It’s been fun exploring these pieces, trying to discern the story of how these things came to be and how they seem to have been used throughout their lives. The layout lines, patina, ink spills, green paint remnants, empty nail holes, and pencil marks each tell the attuned inquirer something new. You can expect to see more about these fascinating pieces in the future. For now, here are a few shots from my phone: As...
We’ve all experienced those ironic moments when a website tries to confirm that we are in fact human beings, rather than some kind of mischievous robot. Obviously, anyone looking at me knows that I’m a real person, but computers aren’t that smart. They want me to identify fire hydrants instead. Or, to take the inimitably human action of checking a box that says, “I’m not a robot.” CAPTCHAs, as they’re known, were first developed around 20 years ago to prevent bots from accessing more sensitive parts of websites, whether blogs or payment gateways. The acronym is short for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart," about as clear an explanation as you’d like. But more and...
In this new episode, Joshua and Mike talk about how there’s no hope of ever coming to the end of this rabbit hole. As it turns out, handcraft is a bottomless pursuit. There are so many skills, so many trades all involved in the making of furniture. And, for the relentlessly curious, there is a lifetime ahead of exploration. No matter what your career, what your interest, there is so much to celebrate in the world.
Show Notes:
M&T Apprenticeship Program
Joshua’s Bitstock article
Carpenters Without Borders’ Blacksmith Shop Build
Nevan Carling’s Loom Project
Last week’s opening of registration for the second term of our Apprenticeship program vastly exceeded our expectations. What took two days last time took only four hours this go around. We could not believe our eyes to see the list filling that quick. We are excited about this term. These look like some enthusiastic people. But… if you weren’t quick enough on the draw, we have good news: We decided to add a few more slots to enable additional folks to sign up. There are a handful of open spaces as I write this, and with the frenzy now died down, you’ve got a window to get in. But seriously, do not delay. It’s open now, but I have...
Whaaat in the world, y’all!?? We woke up this morning to find that we’ve been getting messages all night from people desperate to sign up for the Apprenticeship winter term. And then the minute it opened at 8:00 a.m. somehow several people signed up. We hadn’t even sent the email campaign announcing it.
And as soon as we sent the email out, people have been lining up like crazy.
So, I don’t know what time you’ll be reading this blog post, but at this rate… I don’t know if there will be any openings left by tonight.
If there are slots available as you read this, sign up now!
– Joshua
Some conifers are content to grow as their neighbors, dutifully straight to the sky, branches creating an arrow profile as they march upwards in symmetrical ranks. Often, this predictable pattern of growth ends eventually in the death of the tree – it simply can’t innovate to reach farther than its limited pattern allows and soak in the sunlight needed to thrive within a crowded forest. These trees just put their heads down, stick to the rulebook, and soon die from a lack of captured solar energy. But the Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) suffers no such compunctions. This tree takes risks, sometimes serious risks, in the effort to grab a patch of sunlight. It will send limbs out at often ridiculous angles...
There is always a little hubbub around the label “viking,” as many people think vikings were a people, which is not true. Viking is a verb, not a noun. The adventurers were Norse people, some of whom went raiding by sea, an activity referred to as viking. The Viking Age could more accurately be thought of as the Raiding Age of the Norse people. However, to call this a viking chest might not be entirely incorrect. There are theories that these chests were brought on longships to both serve as storage and seating for oarsmen and that the trapezoidal construction provided stability against both tipping and racking while traversing rough seas. As with most theories about the Viking Age, with...
This installment of the Setting Up Shop video series focuses on the big, beefy rip handsaw. Too many woodworkers are intimidated by the idea of ripping by hand, but there is no reason for it. Get yourself a properly set up tool and let ‘er rip. It’s good to get the blood pumping.
– Joshua
This morning, our students in the Apprenticeship program turned in the last of their assignments – they’ve posted pictures of their shellac and milk paint projects and shared their essays of reflection on the past eight weeks of dedicated craft work. We’ve watched these folks go from green and a little nervous on day one to steady growth in confidence and skill over two months. They’ve taken these challenges head on, working through freehand sharpening, stock prep with hand tools, mortise-and-tenon joinery, dovetails (through and half-blind), rabbets, dadoes, green woodworking, and shellac and milk paint finishing. It has been an exhilarating term. Mike and I spent countless days this year creating an online hand-tool woodworking educational program that offered personal...
