Really good piece here David. I started with only power tools and soon had plans to buy a jointer, planer, Mortiser, drill press, lathe, etc. etc.. After that I planned to buy better versions of all those tools over time. Then I bought a rusty old Stanley No. 5 on eBay and restored it. Nothing on the power tool side compares to using that beauty. Pretty soon I was looking to buy more planes and had kind of forgotten about the power tool side of it. I think I fall into the hybrid camp now; I do large-scale prep work with power and then finish by hand.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who grapples with these questions.
Similar ending story here. I did not have the benefit of any training growing up and embraced woodworking out of curiosity and necessity around 1994. I rented a house and the landlord was spring a table saw in the basement. I asked and he was unconcerned about my use of it, which is a testimony to him. I made a dining table for my young family. I power tool woodworker for 30 years, until I purchased my first hand tool during Covid with stimulus money. Now I consider myself a hand tool woodworker. I make a living sitting in an office (lol…work from home post Covid) so, I enjoy the escape and I enjoy it more without dust, noise or spinning danger. It’s more about the peace. I will never sell a piece, I’m not that good, but I do make nice things for my family and I enjoy the work.
A very elegant piece David - I emphasise with you on this - but having just bought a bandsaw a few weeks ago I wonder how I did without out it. Cutting would to shape or resawing is just hard work with out. More time to use those hand tools for the skilled work when I got a band saw…
I'm a fellow techie-by-day woodworker-by-night. While I still haven't spent much time with hand tools, I can definitely see the appeal. Hopefully I'll find the time to work more closely with them in the future.
Warning ⚠️ it is a rabbit hole you can disappear down 🙂 eventually you will find yourself on eBay looking for "need to have" tools you didn't know existed 12 months ago 😅
Really good piece here David. I started with only power tools and soon had plans to buy a jointer, planer, Mortiser, drill press, lathe, etc. etc.. After that I planned to buy better versions of all those tools over time. Then I bought a rusty old Stanley No. 5 on eBay and restored it. Nothing on the power tool side compares to using that beauty. Pretty soon I was looking to buy more planes and had kind of forgotten about the power tool side of it. I think I fall into the hybrid camp now; I do large-scale prep work with power and then finish by hand.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who grapples with these questions.
Similar ending story here. I did not have the benefit of any training growing up and embraced woodworking out of curiosity and necessity around 1994. I rented a house and the landlord was spring a table saw in the basement. I asked and he was unconcerned about my use of it, which is a testimony to him. I made a dining table for my young family. I power tool woodworker for 30 years, until I purchased my first hand tool during Covid with stimulus money. Now I consider myself a hand tool woodworker. I make a living sitting in an office (lol…work from home post Covid) so, I enjoy the escape and I enjoy it more without dust, noise or spinning danger. It’s more about the peace. I will never sell a piece, I’m not that good, but I do make nice things for my family and I enjoy the work.
A very elegant piece David - I emphasise with you on this - but having just bought a bandsaw a few weeks ago I wonder how I did without out it. Cutting would to shape or resawing is just hard work with out. More time to use those hand tools for the skilled work when I got a band saw…
Every time I am resawing hardwoods I dream of buying a bandsaw. Just don't know where It would fit it
I'm a fellow techie-by-day woodworker-by-night. While I still haven't spent much time with hand tools, I can definitely see the appeal. Hopefully I'll find the time to work more closely with them in the future.
Warning ⚠️ it is a rabbit hole you can disappear down 🙂 eventually you will find yourself on eBay looking for "need to have" tools you didn't know existed 12 months ago 😅