The Basics of Woodworking with Stone Age Tools

Are you a woodworker who likes to use old tools?  You know, hand planes from the mid 19th century? Reproductions chisels from the 18th century?

That’s not old…

Try knapping a piece of flint to use as a plane and then tell us about old woodworking tools.

Torjus Gaaren of primitiveways.com takes readers on an adventure into really-old-school (up to 2.5 million years ago) woodworking with stone and antler tools for splitting, hewing, sawing, carving and planing wood.  While it may seem like a crazy thing to even consider with today’s modern steel tools, the write up is fascinating and can give you a unique look into the history of our craft.

###

Hinge Dummy

When you need to build a set of cabinets and you need to install some doors, the choice of hinges can make or break your design. Do you need the hinges to make a design statement or do you need them hidden? Simple or high tech? Adjustable or locked into place?

Confused?  Don’t be. Hinge Dummy may have your answers. This site, run by D. Lawless Hardware, gives readers the low-down on hinge history, the choices available and tips on how to measure and installation pointers.

On each page, there are little nuggets of information.  For instance, I discovered that the Romans had a goddess of hinges named Cardea.

If hinges are in your future, Hinge Dummy should be a first stop.

Cooperage – Making of a Wine Barrel

It’s a skill that was critical wherever people lived. Coopering, the craft of building barrels, was in demand for a wide variety of daily functions.  Carrying dry goods, liquids, construction materials … whatever needed to be contained.

Today, plastics and metals tend to fill the need that barrels once filled.  Now, the greatest demand for barrels is with distillers, brewers and vintners. This site, run by Maryland woodworker Tom Crowl, shows the step-by-step process of how to make a wooden barrel, helps define the specialized parts of the barrel and offers numerous links to additional barrel-making websites.

If you ever wondered how these beautifully-crafted workhorses were made, this is a good place to start your exploration.

Woody Bicycles

It’s not often that a blog post just reaches up and slaps me in the face, but that’s exactly what happened on the seawall in Cape May last week. On my way back from the candy store to lay in a supply of famous saltwater taffy, I saw this chained to a fence:

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is… it’s a bicycle with a wooden frame. Local carpenter Max Samuelson, owner of Woody Bicycles, had a vision of a bike made out of wood.  Between jobs in his shop one day, he took some choice wood scraps and put together his first prototype bike frame.

Customers can choose from oak, mahogany, ash, birch, walnut, bubinga, purple heart and others upon request, and each frame is built to order.

It’s a very unique design and an interesting story. Definitely worth a look.

Historic Cold Spring Village

If you are looking to immerse yourself in the history of the craft of woodworking, there are few alternatives better than visiting a historical recreated village. Sure, some of the big ones such as Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg are world-renowned, don’t be too hasty to pass on a look in your backyard.

In Cape May County, New Jersey, you can find Cold Spring Village. This 30 acre site houses 24 buildings from the late 18th century, each staffed with interpreters who give visitors an insight into the ways of life in that time. You can find potters, blacksmiths, carpet weavers and – most interestingly – a cart wright working at the Douglass Carriage House.

Remember to keep your eyes open for treasures such as this one… you never know when you will have an opportunity to see history come alive.

North Bennet Street School

Located in the city of Boston’s North End, North Bennet is one of the preeminent schools of craft in the country.

Students enrolling in the school can pursue a number of disciplines, including bookbinding, locksmithing, instrument building, preservation carpentry and furniture building.

The furniture building course of study is an intensive two-year long program that focuses on developing both the modern and traditional skills that must be mastered to produce high quality product.

Even if you have no interest in enrolling in the program, a listing of alumni websites will give you insight into the quality of the training and work successful students can turn out.

Dornob.com’s Creative Custom Wood Benches and Chairs

A chair is a chair… A bench is a bench…  right?

Right…

This site, Dornob.com, features a wild selection of designs from up and coming artists.  Architecture, interiors, kitchen wares and other important  elements of the home are considered and designed with flair. And, the furniture.  Well… Wow…

The piece featured here comes from the bench and seating collection. Woodworker Pablo Reinoso is well known for taking functional pieces – like this bench – and moving from the expected to the wildly out of control. This bench gives the illusion of a comfortable place to sit near an ivy-covered wall.

Take a look at some of the other stunning work featured on this site.  I guarantee you will be inspired…