Woodwork by raking light
October 8, 2015 8:09 PM Subscribe
Oh, porn! The best kind of porn!
I wish I had even 1 millionth of the skill in that guy's hands.
Thanks for this.
posted by pjern at 9:25 PM on October 8, 2015
I wish I had even 1 millionth of the skill in that guy's hands.
Thanks for this.
posted by pjern at 9:25 PM on October 8, 2015
Oh, scroll saw. I get it now...
posted by TheCoug at 9:27 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by TheCoug at 9:27 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
That was awesome -- thanks for posting! I lost count of the different tools he used.
Additionally, I would have doubly appreciated if there was commentary, a la this video.
posted by klausman at 9:51 PM on October 8, 2015
Additionally, I would have doubly appreciated if there was commentary, a la this video.
posted by klausman at 9:51 PM on October 8, 2015
Fuck. And I was all planning to go to sleep, then this beautiful thing happened.
posted by asavage at 10:17 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by asavage at 10:17 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've been working 40 years to get edges that sharp and I cannot do it. That's what makes me the bitter fool I am.
posted by carping demon at 10:59 PM on October 8, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by carping demon at 10:59 PM on October 8, 2015 [5 favorites]
I wasn't planning on spending a half-hour watching a guy make a violin, but I'm glad I did. Thanks, bonobothegreat.
Then again, I'm a sucker for woodworking videos like this one of a four-way mortised joint.
posted by ob1quixote at 11:21 PM on October 8, 2015
Then again, I'm a sucker for woodworking videos like this one of a four-way mortised joint.
posted by ob1quixote at 11:21 PM on October 8, 2015
Those tiny clamps he uses on the bass bar are so adorable.
posted by daniel_charms at 2:36 AM on October 9, 2015
posted by daniel_charms at 2:36 AM on October 9, 2015
Fun tidbit: Google Image Search of the guy's name turns up mostly pictures of his hands...
posted by Harald74 at 3:58 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Harald74 at 3:58 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've been working 40 years to get edges that sharp and I cannot do it. That's what makes me the bitter fool I am.
Actually… how are such odd-shaped blades sharpened? And: how much time is spent sharpening, with respect to building?
posted by progosk at 7:01 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Actually… how are such odd-shaped blades sharpened? And: how much time is spent sharpening, with respect to building?
posted by progosk at 7:01 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
That was great, thanks! There's a lot of skill in the video too, and it manages to show so much of the important detail without ever getting bogged down in the details. Which is why narration isn't necessary. If you need an explanation, why not get a couple of pieces of wood and a sharp knife and get a feel for what's going on?
I wish I had even 1 millionth of the skill in that guy's hands.
How do you know you don't? I sincerely believe it's 99% practice, and the other 1% is the sand on the beach.
posted by sneebler at 7:05 AM on October 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I wish I had even 1 millionth of the skill in that guy's hands.
How do you know you don't? I sincerely believe it's 99% practice, and the other 1% is the sand on the beach.
posted by sneebler at 7:05 AM on October 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Hey carping demon, allow Paul Sellers to lift the burden of ignorance from your shoulders. There's a plane blade video on his channel too. I wasted a lot of time with a hand crank wheel and Japanese water stones over the years without much confidence. Seller's method really turned me around. Everything is sharp now and stays sharp. You don't need the fancy metal stones, the cheaper Eze-Laps work just as well for all but the small chisels.
Progosk, there's an outside gouge version on his site but you need to join to see it. Joining is free and there's a ton more videos behind a monthly subscription paywall. Sharpening inside gouges requires sandpaper around dowels.
There are some simple principles in working wood. For instance, imagine it as a bundle of straw, like a broom. Alway cut INTO the broom and not off the edge, or you'll rip the last few fibres away from the main bunch.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:20 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Progosk, there's an outside gouge version on his site but you need to join to see it. Joining is free and there's a ton more videos behind a monthly subscription paywall. Sharpening inside gouges requires sandpaper around dowels.
There are some simple principles in working wood. For instance, imagine it as a bundle of straw, like a broom. Alway cut INTO the broom and not off the edge, or you'll rip the last few fibres away from the main bunch.
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:20 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
how are such odd-shaped blades sharpened?
The carving gouges? Like this.
how much time is spent sharpening, with respect to building?
Depends on what you're carving and how hard the steel of the tool is. For softer woods and very hard tool steel, in my experience it's maybe 10-25% sharpening (other people will be faster than I am). It tends toward the lower end for chisels and gouges because you can take a quick pass on a strop every so often rather than going through the full sharpening process. For tools like planes you have to take the blade out to sharpen it, so it ends up being more of a production.
Sharpening a hand saw is a giant hassle, but it only has to be done rarely. Rarely enough, in fact, that it's often simpler to send them off to a sharpening service once a year or so.
posted by jedicus at 7:23 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
The carving gouges? Like this.
how much time is spent sharpening, with respect to building?
Depends on what you're carving and how hard the steel of the tool is. For softer woods and very hard tool steel, in my experience it's maybe 10-25% sharpening (other people will be faster than I am). It tends toward the lower end for chisels and gouges because you can take a quick pass on a strop every so often rather than going through the full sharpening process. For tools like planes you have to take the blade out to sharpen it, so it ends up being more of a production.
Sharpening a hand saw is a giant hassle, but it only has to be done rarely. Rarely enough, in fact, that it's often simpler to send them off to a sharpening service once a year or so.
posted by jedicus at 7:23 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hey judicus, Paul's got you covered. I've found that rip filing is easy and covers 90% of my sawing needs. I just work from one side of the saw and only take off a bit with each pass, jointing lightly between each pass. The jointing keeps the job in order.
(I didn't intend to turn this thread into a Paul Sellers advert. His vids got me over some important hurdles, so I like to pass links along whenever I get the opportunity. Signing off now)
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2015
(I didn't intend to turn this thread into a Paul Sellers advert. His vids got me over some important hurdles, so I like to pass links along whenever I get the opportunity. Signing off now)
posted by bonobothegreat at 7:59 AM on October 9, 2015
I found this very relaxing to watch… except that as he get farther along, I keep thinking the price for an “oops” is greater and greater. Amazing control and precision. I wonder how many it takes to get proficient?
posted by ecorrocio at 8:49 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ecorrocio at 8:49 AM on October 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you need an explanation, why not get a couple of pieces of wood and a sharp knife and get a feel for what's going on?
and don't forget a LOT of gauze pads!
posted by any major dude at 11:42 AM on October 9, 2015
and don't forget a LOT of gauze pads!
posted by any major dude at 11:42 AM on October 9, 2015
It's so easy to just go with the flow on this video. The rhythm of his tools is the proper sound track. Also, I too was aware of the increasing cost of any error as he progresses. It occurred to me that this is a good skill to have to kill time while you wait for the electricity to come back on.
One of the old coots I jam with makes fiddles. One afternoon he brought a half dozen of the fiddle backs he'd been working on. He says he usually has a dozen or so fiddles in progress at any given time. Anyhow, he was discussing how to make the join on the back pieces; he claims the trick is to get the pith and grain to match by cutting the line of pith in half on either piece. Since the pith on his backs was probably about 1/64th inch, I figure he's blowing smoke up my butt. On the other hand, I couldn't actually see the join. When he plays one of his fiddles it makes the hair stand up on my arms and my tongue turns upside down.
posted by mule98J at 8:37 AM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of the old coots I jam with makes fiddles. One afternoon he brought a half dozen of the fiddle backs he'd been working on. He says he usually has a dozen or so fiddles in progress at any given time. Anyhow, he was discussing how to make the join on the back pieces; he claims the trick is to get the pith and grain to match by cutting the line of pith in half on either piece. Since the pith on his backs was probably about 1/64th inch, I figure he's blowing smoke up my butt. On the other hand, I couldn't actually see the join. When he plays one of his fiddles it makes the hair stand up on my arms and my tongue turns upside down.
posted by mule98J at 8:37 AM on October 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by Thorzdad at 8:57 PM on October 8, 2015