Do more woodworking without power tools

I have an interest in woodworking, but the noise, size, and price of power tools or machines are not appealing to me at all. It also seems like you need so many different machines for what seem like minute differences (from a novice’s perspective). I would really like to become skilled in the use of hand tools and learn about what types of projects could be done with hand tools alone, for the most part. Instructional websites, videos, and TV shows seem to jump right over to the power tools even when it is a video or article for ‘beginners’. I understand that power tools make a project much easier and/or quicker, but would like to find projects that are geared towards beginners with minimal power tools. I would appreciate any suggestions and look forward to reading others goals.

Going to make a shaving horse for my class in August.

Two, actually, though one incompletely. I’m making a bench hook (used for hand-sawing small pieces of wood, called such because it hooks against one’s workbench). After that, I’ll get back to my DVD case project.

I want to improve my carpentry skills

After having burned (and detempered) a plane blade, I decided I wasn’t going to use a grinder any more. I was about to do EVERYTHING by hand when it occurred to me that there was another solution: a Tormek.

It’s an expensive system, but it’s a water-cooled grinding wheel that spins slowly enough that you can hold your finger against it and not get burned.

Now I’m actually looking forward to sharpening all my planes (and yes, I have amassed quite a few).

One of the first things you learn in a handtool class is how to sharpen. Unfortunately, this turns a lot of people off.

Instead, our teacher asks for experienced volunteers, who come in and sharpen some of the school’s planes, then the newbies get to start with a tuned plane. Great idea!

Anyhow, my planes still aren’t sharp, but at least I have the success of having learned to flatten (and having flattened) one side of a board.

We did lose one student, who decided to go over to a power tools class. He could not understand why anyone would pay the money for a Lie-Nielsen plane (and god forbid he should learn about any of the modern infill planemaker’s prices), nor could he understand why anyone (::cough:: Anant ::cough::) would ship planes that were miserably unflat.

Thus, a lot of the drudgery of getting one’s tools in shape was distinctly unappealing to him. While I sympathize, it’s something you need to do only once, really.

I’ve got my tool bag all packed and everything.

Dang, it’s heavy.

I’ve got this old jointer plane my late father gave me, but never had the chance to teach me how to use. I want to learn how to sharpen the steel and adjust it to get the most out of it. I did build a box for the plane, at least.