Barn finds are the best finds.Last week on the Daily Dispatch, I put up a video comparing several saw totes, from an oddball old Disston D-8 thumbhole crosscut (?!) saw to a brand-new Spear & Jackson crosscut that is less than graceful in form (as most new hand saws are, sadly). I also shared an interesting tote I hadn’t seen before – it was found in a bucket of rusty tools in a friend’s barn. This handle has similarities to the Disston thumbhole tote, suggesting that it is intended for ripping. (A note about that idiosyncratic thumbhole crosscut saw – the Disstonian Institute website notes that “The thumbhole handle was also offered on 28" and 30" crosscut saws for a...
We all have epiphanies. If I were to list the few most significant “aha” moments in my woodworking career, the use of wooden bench planes would be at the top of the stack. I’ve argued elsewhere for the benefits of wooden planes, and I won’t take the time to rehearse it all now, but suffice it to say, investing a few hours in learning to use wooden planes radically changed my woodworking. And I don’t use that word lightly – I mean it changed my work at the root level. So, I’ve been posting at the Daily Dispatch quite a bit about wooden planes lately. I filmed a video examination of a pile of wooden smoothers, and I’ve been making a...
If you’re a survivor of the American education system, you probably remember the famous scene from Mark Twain’s 1876 novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. By pretending that the drudgery of whitewashing a fence is, in fact, deeply fun and deeply enviable, Tom hoodwinks his buds into doing his work for him while he kicks back and polishes off an apple. What you may not remember, though, are Tom’s observations after the trick: “Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it -- namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make...
While clearing out storage recently, we came up with a goodly handful of hand-stamped wax-sealed trade cards that came affixed to previous issues of M&T. In an effort to move them along to better homes, we’ve decided to put them up for sale. There’s a finite number of these cards left – only a small handful of some of the designs. But we also ordered several hundred trade cards for Issues 9, 10, and 11 and wax sealed them for those who would like them. Those last three issues did not originally come with sealed cards due to the increased volume of subscriptions we now fulfill. So, this will be the first time these cards have been available outside the 1-10 Boxed Sets. $5 each. You...
On this continent, the full moon of November is traditionally known as the Beaver Moon – a nod to one of the craftiest woodworkers in the North Woods. During this time of year, these semi-aquatic rodents (Castor canadensis) are hard at work stocking up on food supplies for winter. Their time is limited, because once the ponds and lakes freeze over there are no more opportunities to bring in fresh limbs. Beavers don’t eat wood – they eat the cambium layer of trees and branches, just beneath the bark. That’s where all the calories are. To stockpile for winter, they take down trees, buck them to length, trim branches to usable sizes, and sink these in the mud at the...
It’s that time of year again. Time to save big by spending big. Time to buy piles of stuff to show how much you care for your loved ones. After rolling out of bed having stuffed yourself all Thursday, you can stand in lines awaiting the latest gadgets. Or maybe you’re not a people person and prefer instead the privacy and convenience of online shopping. Either way, it’s time to consume. Or not. We at M&T would like to remind you that you could choose to gift something else. You could finally try your hand at spoon carving this year. Or make a stack of live-edge cutting boards for your in-laws. Shrink pots also make great gifts. This is the...
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...
“When this old world starts getting me down, And people are just too much for me to face— I climb way up to the top of the [ladder] And all my cares just drift right into space ...” Our seasonal work schedule here at M&T somehow makes use of the most pleasant and comfortable times of the year for decidedly indoor tasks, like seeking image permissions from European museums or copy-editing articles. We have limited open slots on the calendar to pursue the lengthy list of construction projects going on – restoring sash windows, beginning work on the House Project, taking down and saving some random barn that was in danger of falling over. For whatever reason, it seems like...
Our latest YouTube video is up. Mike explains the difference between rip and crosscut in the clearest way I’ve heard it to date. Usually there’s a bundle of straws or a broom but showing a chisel on wood drives the point home.
This video is actually take 2. Earlier this morning I posted the first attempt on the Dispatch – Mike rediscovered an ancient ripping technique we now call “sriving.”
Too funny.
– Joshua
Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” His point was that kids usually come to a place when the confidence they have in their ability to draw or create dwindles. This usually coincides with the end of the grammar stage, when the ability to compare work critically emerges. The joy of creating can become a frustrating endeavor as the desire to reach a perceived standard bumps up against skill limits. If artistic growth is not fostered, that spark can be extinguished in a child. We must fight against this trend. Intentionally engaging in handcraft with children offers tremendous positive benefit for everyone. It’s been said that if...
