Notes on Shavings
· 2 min read
It took me twelve attempts to see the pattern. A marking gauge helps, but it is not the point. Most of the work happens before any cutting starts. I design on paper first, then let the wood change my mind.
A few details
Good furniture should last longer than the person who made it. There is no single right way to approach milling lumber, but some ways are kinder than others. The joint fit on the third attempt, which is about average. Somewhere between the sawmill and home, the thought finally made sense. A workbench helps, but it is not the point.
Odds and ends
The difference showed up bit by bit, then all at once. The workbench is the first project and never the last. Hand tools are slower, quieter and strangely calming.
I wrote most of this on a quiet Friday morning. The best advice I got was just to slow down. The result is not perfect, but it is honest. I would rather do one thing with care than five things fast. The quarter-sawn part is hardly ever the hard part; consistency is.
You can get unexpectedly far with a block plane and some patience. I keep a short list of things to try next; sharpening is near the top. I wrote most of this on a quiet Wednesday morning. The oiled part is hardly ever the hard part; consistency is.
Looking ahead
Thanks for reading, and for the gentle observations that keep arriving. You can get unexpectedly far with a workbench and some patience. There is a version of this that is much more complicated. This is not that version. I tested the sturdy version first. It did not last.
Most of what I know about shavings came from getting it wrong first. Between planing boards and designing a chair, the second one taught me more. Good chairs is mainly a series of small, unglamorous decisions.
- Keep a chisel set within reach
- Revisit sharpening after a week
- Budget twice the time you expect
- Note the date and the weather
- Leave room for solid mistakes
Before and after
The specifics matter less than the habit of paying attention. Between sharpening and milling lumber, the second one taught me more. Good hand planes is mainly a series of small, unglamorous decisions.