Welp… in this episode, Joshua and Mike lay their cards on the table. In case you still wondered about their thoughts on digitally meditated existence, they put it all out there, warning not only of the social implications but also of the implications for handcraft. They ponder whether we can outsource our craft and still feel a sense of ownership of the creative process? They also ask, “How can we utilize digital technologies to make real connections and grow in the craft instead of simply consuming others’ experiences?” Gather ’round, you whippersnappers, and hear how it was in the good old days in which humans were grateful to live in the “universe.” SHOW NOTES: M&T Apprenticeship – https://www.mtapprenticeship.com/apprenticeship-program M&T...
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
You might have to take a seat for this one; chairmaking, as it turns out, is quite a controversial thing. The recent issue of M&T (#11) features several authors holding up different takes on this ancient craft. How does an artisan work efficiently to be able to compete in the chair market? How does the use of a lathe open a can of worms that has led some to an industrial mentality? What does 20th-century management theory have to do with the way we pick up tools in our own shops today? All these questions and more are explored in this episode. SHOW NOTES: Issue Eleven Fredrick Taylor, Principles of Scientific Management Jögge Sundqvist in Issue Six Amy Umbel...
In this (occasionally tongue-in-cheek) episode of the podcast, Mike and Joshua talk about the great “Sedgwick Mobile Internet Crisis of 2021,” and how dependence on technology and infrastructure can become crippling when those rickety structures are knocked away. They discuss the concept of “resilience,” how broadening a “good,” broad skillset is more valuable than being “great” at just one thing, and how hand tools like the axe have value far beyond use in a zombie apocalypse.
SHOW NOTES:
Issue Eleven
The First Three Issues article on Skip Brack and the Liberty Tool Co.
The Resilient Farm and Homestead by Ben Falk
The Mortise & Tenon Apprenticeship Program
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 28 – Should Work Be Easy? This question of ends (goals) and means (methods) is an important issue in woodworking discussions. Some swear by hand tools and wouldn’t touch a table saw with a 10' pole. Others see hand tools as inherently backward and nostalgic. Many say each has a place but are fuzzy about what that place is exactly. In this episode, Mike and Joshua tackle this thorny question head on. When do they choose pre-industrial methods over modern technology? Don’t they see the irony in podcasting and blogging about hand tools? How do they see these things as coexisting? In this episode, they suggest that before examining our “means,” we would...
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 27 – A Tour of the M&T Headquarters Take a walk with Mike and Joshua around the M&T headquarters and the rest of Joshua’s property. They provide a tour of many features: the blacksmith shop, the woodshed, the outhouse, and oak logs for another workbench. Then they make their way around the pond and drop by the chickens, goats, and pigs. Joshua’s kids ran amok, and the guys drop in on Joshua’s wife who was busy milking the goats. They complete the tour with a discussion of the upcoming Klein family 1810 cape house restoration project. MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: The First Three Issues Hardbound Book Blacksmith shop project: The Another Work is Possible book...
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 26 – How Many Tools Do We Really Need? In this latest podcast episode, Joshua and Mike discuss the sweet spot between bare-knuckled minimalism and cupidinous hoarderism (also known as Tool Acquisition Disorder). Although we all can appreciate a sweet new tool, in real-life projects, the most experienced and pragmatic craftsmen tend to work with a small array of cherished tools. Joshua talks about why there is one chisel he loves. Mike echoes that one particular plane from his collection finds regular use. This simple, pragmatic approach is good food for thought for those just entering into hand-tool woodworking. Don’t buy the hype of the advertisers – you don’t need much to do...
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 25 – The Value of Batch Production In this podcast episode, Mike and Joshua discuss the value of batch production as they reflect on their recent experience building Boxed Sets for Issues 1-10. They talk about some of the tradeoffs of working on multiples but primarily focus on the positive benefits that a woodworker gains in the experience. They also provide numerous tips derived from their experience working on this project. Lastly, they discuss the diverging views of John Ruskin and David Pye on the issues of division of labor, enjoyment in work, and the value of the workman as being the designer. They talk about how these two men agreed on several important...
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 24 – Our Tools Shape Us
In this new episode of our podcast, Joshua and Mike discuss the idea that “we shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us” – the very theme that runs through Issue Ten (which is now officially in the hands of the printer). They look at several of the upcoming articles and discuss how they were impacted by them as they worked through the editorial process. Issue Ten is full of deep, thoughtful reflection on our tools and the work of our hands.
Mortise & Tenon Magazine · 23 – Blacksmithing for Woodworkers
In the latest episode of the podcast, hosts Joshua Klein and Mike Updegraff explore their early explorations into blacksmithing. They talk about their small forge setup, their struggles in the learning process, and the benefits of exploring new crafts all the same. Joshua also talks about his upcoming article in Issue 10.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Custom Tools for Woodworkers by: Joe Petrovich
