My first book report in 22 years

So it is 11:14 pm and i just finished Christopher Schwarz's book "The Anarchist Tool Chest". Now I am sitting down to write my own review for a blog that has no followers and probably no hits. In a phrase it is pretty much just for me. I liked it- duh, it is about tools. I agree with some of his politic that he has thrown in. I prefer to buy from farmer's markets and knowledgeable sales people where I can touch things rather than amazon. I hate even looking at furniture (other than to get ideas) because I know how cheaply made it is. I live very near "Amish country". Here "Amish made" is a buzzword for food, quilts, furniture, and house construction. It often means "new age sweatshops". the furniture varies from WOW to pocket screw joinery samplers. Enough about the politics.

The book has a lot of things I have wanted to find and hope to find more of in Shannon Rogers Hand Tool School. A large portion of the book is a list of the essential hand tools and the almost essential. He is careful to discuss what to look for as you pick out yours without naming specific manufacturers. No endorsements, he tries hard to keep it honest and bias free. He also gives some insight in how these tools are used and cared for. As I've mentioned before I have fumbled around with things like sharpening myself. He gives many opinions on... well everything. But they are generally useful. He has had unique opportunities to play with a lot of tools, and see a lot of techniques so it behooves me to take what I can from him. I don't feel I have become a Schwarzian disciple. There are a number of things he put in his book that I'll quietly disagree with. No fire & brimstone letter writing or anything. I 'll play around and maybe learn, "yup, he was right" or find I like another way. We'll see.

The last third of his book is about building a tool chest to hold his essential kit. that has a lot of appeal, since I was already planning on doing something like that. I took a short woodworking class this spring. many of the people there had their meager collection of tools in sheet metal boxes. the sound just mad me friggin cringe. My toolkit was no better, but there was a warmth to the simple handmade tote I used for my tools. I was anxious my tote may seem pretentious compared to other tool boxes. That wasn't the goal. Just to have a bit of character in it. I have sought out ideas for a user, practical tool box with character and that traditional look. Roy Underhill made one last season on his TV show and it was featured in the cover of Popular Woodworking magazine. Now I have another source to pillage some ideas from.

Part of the afterward has another idea I plan to steal. My nephew has decided that he wants to make something this summer. Maybe he will follow me as I dabble with hand powered woodworking. He has struggled finding something that is uniquely his own. His brother excels at sports, but maybe this is something that Gabe will get into. The point that I am stealing here is that with fewer and fewer real craftsman doing all hand woodworking, to carry on some of this truly efficient ways of working hobbyists like myself working with my nephew will be one of the best ways for it to be carried on.

An another thing about the book, Chris has a very entertaining way writing. He delves off on the strangest tangents. many I followed (Klaatu ....) others, well... it kept me turning pages.

Thanks Chris. I expect this book to be a value to me for a long time. Even if I still need to find my own way, and my own path. I suppose otherwise I wouldn't have a chance at being an anarchist

May the Schwarz be with you.

A little while back I was able to read the intro and a portion of the first chapter of the Anarchist Tool chest, by Christopher Schwarz. I was intrigued by this as I had been Tolpin's New Traditional Woodworker. Today the book arrived. I am curious to see how this goes. Another book about doing more with less. Do we need the entire catalogue of tools from Lie Neilson, Lee Valley, Delta, Bosch, etc. Do I need the newest & latest and greatest to do it well? Do I need to be a woodworker or a consumer? I am curious how to get into the meat and potatoes of this book. I'll let you know how it works out.

The work bench plan

So the early chapters of this blog will be about setting up my shop. Projects to come will be a joiners chest, an set of drawers for layout & measuring tools, and a sharpening station. If I am doing hand tool woodoworking, which is well suited to smaller spaces, then an essential element is a good workbench. I've done lots of thinking about this project. I've done a bit of reading from some popular workbench books. I've decided that I will definately have a beautiful ash or hard maple continental work bench-someday. For now I am looking for a simple ans inexpensive design that will be just something i can work on. What do I need? Just the obvious, a small, solid work surface with a face & end vise of some sort  and some dog holes on the top. A recurring theme for me also is cheap.  I have 2 vises that I can use. One is a wimpy little thing and another larger heavier quick release. I waffle back & forth often which will be a face & which will be an end vise.

As far as construction, well this will be largely done with power tools and econonimical matierials. It will be similar to this bench from an old Fine Woodworking article without the pocket screws. http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=29507. It will have a pseudo mortise & tennon joint. The frame will be 3 or 4 laminations or 3/4" birch ply with 3 or 4 plys of MDF for the top. MDF is great for a top because it is flat, smooth, and heavy. Unfortunately the edges of MDF are a bit crumbly so I will need to wrap the edges in hardwood. I have a stash of red oak, so red oak it will be. The oak skirt around the top will be dovetailed at the corners. This is for practice, apearance, and strength. I also have debated some kind of of groove in the back of the skirt which will match a slightly oversized layer of the mdf top. The hope is it may tie the 2 parts together. There will be a couple of stretchers of plywood laminations with a threaded rod in the center to pull the 2 side leg assemblies together. I plan on one low shelf and a possible 2nd shelf just under the top since i will not include a tool tray. The top will be about 48"wide, 20" deep and the top will be about 29" high.

One of my fears is that the bench will not be heavy enough. If I am sawing or planing I don't want the table shaking or moving, or walking across the floor. Maybe my bottom shelf will be a 2 layer shelf with a hollow place I can fill with bricks? Not too sure yet. As my usual for me & my projects, there is no plan or drawings. This is just a nebulous and everchanging image in my head. This may be a good opportunity to learn sketchup... naw. If planned right though, this should be an easy cut list at the table saw, then some glue and assembly time to creat the base.

What do I have to blog about?

So what in the world do I have to blog about? Who needs another blog? Who in the world is gonna end up reading this anyway?

My intention here is to keep a journal of mostly hand powered woodworking. I have done a variety of powered woodworking for a while. I can't say I'm good, but I've got a clue. Recently I moved into a space that has little room for my table saw, miter stand, radial arm saw, router table, etc... What I may be able to do is set up a small work bench and start doing some more interesting work by hand.

Even before I had a change of space I was making a change in my woodworking anyway. Initially I assumed that anything that needed done was able to be done with power tools, or at least the right jig with a power tool. I had been learning that it takes a lot of time and energy to set up a cut on the table saw, make test cuts, & tune it up to get good fits. If only it was like watching Norm. Every joint fit perfectly the first time. More practical for many projects is hybrid working. Power to get the major work done, but hand tools to refine and tune the joints(planes and chisels etc). The biggest obstacle has been sharpening. I won't say that is past, but I am getting some of the job done. There have been a few other motivating/influencing factors. first is Roy Underhill of the UNC TV show the Woodwright's Shop. It is silly and hokey, at times, but neat to see "meat powered" work. Then I discovered the Renaissance Woodworker website with Shannan Rogers, and his Hand Tool School. Last is "The New Traditional Woodworker" by Jim Tolpin. I am also curious about the new book from Lost Art Press by Christopher Schwarz, "The Anarchist Tool Chest". I have that one on order. The point of many of these things is that my woodworking at home will be more about the journey, not the destination.

This is enough for now. I'll try to journal the projects I do, and my thoughts about them as I go. This will be for me as much or more than anyone else. The first project will not be hand done, but I will have to have a good workbench first of all. So I will write about that next.

I may even figure out stuff like adding links too...let's not be silly though.