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Neanderthal vs. neo-neader vs. mixed shop vs. oh, nevermind....
Will the real hand tool woodworker please stand up?
Is he the old-world luthier, the blogging hobbyist, the amish man, the period reproductionist, the advanced master of all tools, the African laborer, or the traditional village craftsman?
I recently posted in this blog asking about the number of hand tool woodworkers in the world. Basically, I framed the question in as strict a manner as possible without excluding myself. (Excluding myself would be really dumb, now wouldn't it?)
It seems that the number is certifiably small, but quite unknowable. My guess was as few as one thousand worldwide as I defined the question. There are two groups I didn't take into account that could inflate the numbers considerably. First those who may practice hand tool woodworking for reasons of community/religious constraints such as the Mennonites and Amish. Also, in certain European, and Asian countries, there may also be a significant number of non-english speakers who continue old woodworking traditions apart from European and American traditions.
Frankly, the question is interesting, but somewhat pointless. We aren't talking about politics, religion, or your mother here. This is woodworking, and not even a livelihood any more for most of us. It is a hobby, therapy, pass time, what have you, but not something most of us have any reason to be dogmatic about. If you want to argue, then there is always the history of woodworking or the merits of a particular wood or tool steel.
What I would like to point out through this site is not that hand tool woodworking is inherently superior to power tool woodworking. I just want to point out the merits of hand tool woodworking as a hobby and why it is appropriate for a lot of people today. I want to lower the bar of entry and expose more people to the craft of hand tool woodworking.
How you set up your shop and what tools you use is up to you. Here's hoping you make better informed decisions regarding your shop because of this site and the sites it links to.
Most of my work is done by hand tools. But why? Several reasons:
1. Most of my work is done either on the weekends with my kids in the 'shop - they are 5 and 3 and power tools and kids don't mix
2. The 'shop is located right under the kids' bedrooms - sleep and power tools also don't mix.
3. As well as being noisy, power tools tend to be dusty - vaucuums and dust extractors make more noise again.
4. Usually my projects are modest in scale, so hand tools are often quicker.
5. Usually I don't have a major deadline for my projects, so if hand tools take lionger, it's not a problem.
6. I often feel that I have put more of me into the project if I have used more hand tools.
That said, I find a table saw and a drill press very useful and sometimes I prefer a router to a plough plane, especially if there are a lot of trenches (dadoes) to cut. If I am finishing with lacquer, I spray using a spary gun.
Some of my preferences are "irrational" - it prefer to use a Yankee spiral ratchet screwdriver to an electic screwdriver - it just works for me.
Sometimes I use an 'old' tool in a new way - not a tool, but I use hide glue, but I have an electric coffee pot warmer plate to put under the glue pot to keep it "just right".
So my shop is 'mixed' - I burn electrons quite often, but I tend to use hand tools more than what appears to be the average. But, if I had a jointer and a planer, I would use them too.
However, if you were to categorise my work, most people would say I used hand tools.
I don't think that I am atypical to most of the hand tool users in the Western world.
May I put my hand up as a hand tool woodworker.
Luke, I'd like to interject something about the Amish and handtools. They do use power tools but they do not use electricity—they use diesel generators to operate hydraulic pumps. I have seen Amish men buying power tools (circular saws in particular) at auction.
Thanks for all of the handtool sites you link. This is my source for handtool users' blogs.
Jeremy,
Your list of reasons for using hand tools is along similar lines to mine.
I think a lot people are in a similar position, but are stuck using only power tools or feel they can't do woodworking at all because of their current circumstances.
Luke
VC,
I haven't been in "Amish country" for a while, but now that I think about it, you are probably right about them not using hand tools so much in most (all?) communities. Even Lehman's hardly lists any hand tools and most of the ones they do have are new additions.
I'm glad you find the blog links useful. I've been able to add several lately. It seems that more and more people are blogging about hand tools, and that is as it should be, IMO.
Luke
Luke,
I for one have chosen to use hand tools only as that is what was available in the mid nineteenth century, the time period I am interested in studying.
(I was trained in the 20th century so I do know how to use power tools, but don't tell anyone.) I also got a lot of training using hand tools as that was crucial to get the work finished.
I am not saying that hand tools are better than power tools, which are just more expensive and noisy, (that may make them better).
The most prized and valued pieces of furniture (antiques) are those made before the introduction of most power tools.
I think having knowledge of hand tools can contribute to the finished product (what we make), even if part of it is done with power tools.
I also believe when people start using hand tools they see that certain things they did with power tools are easier and faster to accomplish with hand tools.
And with the modern tool manufacturers making more traditional hand tools, see that it is an expanding market place, good for us.
Stephen
Stephen,
Well said.
As a hobby woodworker, if I had a shop full of power tools to do every job, I would probably never take the time to learn proper hand tool techniques such as how to saw or how to plane. Thereby, I would be doing myself a disservice, IMO.
On the other hand, there are times when a planer or bandsaw or drill press would be right handy.
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