Getting started in handwork doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. For many years, woodworker Mike Siemsen has been teaching new woodworkers how to get up and running with a basic set of tools, sawbenches and a workbench that can be built in just two days.
We are huge fans of Mike and his no-bullpucky approach to the craft.
So this winter, John Hoffman and I traveled to Minnesota to film our first full-length DVD for Lost Art Press. It is, I think, unlike anything out there. Here are basics.
It starts with a 5-gallon bucket and roll of $20 bills. We took that bucket to a regional tool-swap meet of the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association and bought almost every tool you need to get started. I filmed Mike as he picked through the piles of tools and he discussed what he looks for when buying these key tools. I also filmed him haggling with the dealers – fun stuff.
Once we bought the tools and put them in the bucket, we drove to Mike’s shop and started making the tools usable. Mike demonstrated how to sharpen and tune the chisels, planes and saws with dirt-cheap equipment. And we also tuned up the braces, hand drills and layout tools so everything was nice.
The next morning, Mike built a sawbench using the tools, wood from the home center and two 5-gallon buckets that worked as proto-sawbenches. After lunch, Mike built a Nicholson-style workbench using home-center wood and five doses of cleverness. No machines. No difficult joinery. It’s a great bench, and it is designed to work without any metal vises.
The DVD documents the entire process, from sorting through rust piles of tools to boring the final holdfast holes in the bench and putting it to use.
What is most amazing about the project is how you can get started for little money. Mike kept careful track of every purchase of tools and wood and has documented them in a spreadsheet (which will be included with the DVD, as well as a detailed SketchUp model of the workbench). This spreadsheet shows how you can collect the necessary tools and build the sawbench and workbench for a little more than $571.
That number includes everything, including the glue, screws and bolts.
I am editing the digital video now and we expect this DVD to be released in July.
In the next few days, I’m going to turn over the discussion of this project to Mike, who will tell you a bit about the theory behind the workbench and discuss how to buy the user-grade hand tools you need.
Oh, and why is the DVD called “The Naked Woodworker?” Because it’s about how to get get started in woodworking if you have nothing (yup, a pair of pants is included in Mike’s spreadsheet).
There is no nudity on the DVD – thank goodness.
— Christopher Schwarz
FUN and an excellent idea. Why am I surprised !
PBS should really pick this up as it could really interest younger woodworkers. It combines a material source they can find and scrounging for tools you need at a very reasonable cost.
Great Job!
got huge grin on my face when i saw this post. i’m a guy that’s just starting out and i have little interest in running any power tools in my “shop”, for a number of reasons… so this DVD is perfect for me and can’t be released soon enough. does Lost Art Press do pre-sales of DVDs? take my money!
When I see this (as well as the Ikea bench) it makes me regret having so many months finishing a “proper” workbench which I could have spent actually building furniture. Most of it is my fault, I built a small bench to fit where I was and now I’ve realized its too small, so I’m going to have to rebuilt it anyways (yes, The Schwarz rule of 6-8′ minimum good, I didn’t follow it, I’m slow sometimes). I think I’m going to pick this one up, maybe power through a new bench and start building some furniture of necessity.
I would challenge you to make the same film anywhere west of the Continental Divide. There are no swap meets here where one could purchase any usable tools. I think you boys are too comfortable in your beautiful hardwood forests and antique stores that actually have antiques.
There are plenty of used tool dealers, like Patrick Leach for example, who will help you secure “users” for very reasonable amounts. Not to mention eBay,
The bench is softwood – Doug fir. So that’s available everywhere (even in Alaska….).
As to getting old tools, I know a lot of people who have flown to the Midwest or East Coast for a tool meet. They saved money (even counting the plane ride).
Also, there are tool meets out West. Best of the West in Oregon:
http://www.tooltimer.com/PNTC.htm
There are also several in Southern California. Maybe someone could chime in with a link to that one. My brain is not working.
Anderson Plywood in Culver City (LA westside) hosts a quarterly tool swap meet. I outfitted my shop there for cheap!: http://www.andersonplywood.com/swapmeet.htm
San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association also has regular meets, see here:
http://www.sdfwa.org/old-tool-swap-meet/
There were also meets in Orange County and in Pasadena as of a few years ago, but the old umbrella website which listed everything (toolswapusa.com) seems to be down, so you will have to dig a little deeper.
Thanks John!
There’s also a yearly swap in Seattle at the Wood Technology Center (part of Seattle Central Community College).
You could always take up rock sculpture and sand art…
*rimshot*
Etsy, Ebay, bananza . com are all great alternative sources of older hand tools.
Wallet vampire, wallet vampire, wallet vampire.
The closing pic? I snorted.
As if a real “The Naked Woodworker” sign in the background was not enough. 1st pic.
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2014/04/11/animal-locomotion/
Draw me like one of your French workbenches.
I’ve been woodworking for 30+ years. When I started I bought power tools and thought I was a woodworker. For the last 10 years I’ve discovered hand tools. I wish this would have been available when I started
Sounds like a great DVD for experienced woodworkers to buy for gifts
Hey, any chance there’s a release date for this? I assume no, or you would have said…but do you have a date when you’ll have a date?
We don’t have a date. I’ve finished the rough edit, which Mike will get tonight. After he makes his edits we send it out for audio cleaning. Then mastering and printing. My guess is early- to mid-July.
Very timely for my purposes. After finishing ATC, I quickly put together my shopping list and hit eBay for all the good deals. Except there were none. Most of it is overpriced or in disrepair. I’m a recent grad with every incentive to keep costs low and It’s become apparent that not only will I need to spend more time restoring my “vintage” (this word makes me shudder for some reason, reminds me of a woodworking hipster) tools, but I’m going to be spending just as much time at local estates, flea markets, etc. finding the damn tools I need.
I’m as virgin as they come to woodworking. It’s become apparent that I’ll need to be very knowledgeable so as to not be being taken advantage of by all of these big bad new and used tool dealers. Looking forward to this DVD.