Blog — Harry Bryan RSS

Mike just reminded me that back in 2019 we took video footage of Harry Bryan’s human-powered bandsaw in action. Just the other day, we posted an excerpt from his article in Issue Eight, in which he describes this arrangement and how he’s used it in his off-grid boatshop for many years. The above is a compilation of few clips of Harry at work. He swears by the simplicity of clever, human-powered equipment applied in just the right ways, and this saw is a great example of just that. I’ve not had a bandsaw in my shop for several years now, but Harry’s rig looks like a blast to build and use. Maybe someday I’ll have to tinker with such an...

“Intermediate Technology in the Shop” – Harry Bryan   The classic Small is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher has been an inspiring read for generations who have sought a human-scale approach to economics. The concepts of wise, sustainable consumption of resources and an appropriate use of technology for the benefit of everyone hold broad appeal – but how might we apply these ideals in the workshop?