Yesterday was the first session of the hand tool woodworking class I'm teaching at WoodItIs. Not sure who was happier to see all five class members complete a couple of dovetails successfully --- me or them! Here are four of them with their completed practice joints:
Even if you're not familiar with woodworking joints, you've probably seen a dovetail joint on the side of a drawer. It's a joint that's been traced back to ancient Egypt and found in furniture and burial vaults from that time and they're still holding tight! Here's a sketch of what they look like:
The next class session will be tomorrow, Sept. 8 from 11am to 2pm. This class meets every Tuesday and Thursday for the next three weeks. It's going to be fun to see how they apply this practice dovetail to the project. This joint is completely done by hand with chisels, mallets, and a dovetail saw. It's a great exercise in learning how your body mechanics control what the tool in your hand does. Frustrating at times but rewarding just the same!
No comments:
Post a Comment