Core77, a website for industrial designers, just published the first part of an interview with me on my research methods for my designs plus about 100 other little topics.
If you’re wondering what the next book in the “Anarchist” series is, that’s in the interview. My favorite museum? Yup. What breed of goat I prefer….
The interview was conducted by Senior Editor N. Rain Noe, and in the second half of the interview we’ll dive into the questions of anarchism, consumerism and the designer.
Core77 is a great place for woodworkers to wander about because it’s about the built world and filled with little tidbits such as this piece on vault lights. Definitely a better place to spend your lunch hour than that blog on sausage-making you’ve been reading.
— Christopher Schwarz
it’s a great interview… and it also looks like you’re implying that you’re better than Stradivari!
That would be a misread.
Being “open” or “closed” is neither “good” nor “bad.” The value judgment is in the mind of the reader.
Example: I suspect most readers of this blog would be happy that I am “closed” about my genital warts. But my doctor would think otherwise.
I appreciate your discretion… but some warts would be a small price to pay for the wonderful stuff you’re giving away for free.
Here’s a neat video from 2013 NBSS + PBS Craft in America showing how the Violin and Cello making program is using traditional methods and exploring/experimenting with getting close (fractions of a MM) to the Stradivari molds etc. (The MRI scans of a violin playing have haunted my subconscious and thought of it when I saw that mention in this article)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdrFpltYaDk
Beyond my woodworking, as an Open Source software engineer for a living (@RedHat) I love that you are open source with yours designs. It has been neat to see in recent years ‘Open Source’ being used well beyond software and into things like 3D printing, typefaces, cloth designs, prosthetics etc.
For folks not super familiar with Open Source they have a nice recap here:
https://opensource.com/open-source-way
And from that same site here’s a short post I did for them on making my own Open Source electronics workbench for feeding my other hobby of electronics and 3D printing (as there was a need and I didn’t see anything other than over priced high end electronics benches and card tables at the two extremes):
https://opensource.com/life/16/8/how-build-your-own-maker-workbench
Yep, I apparently had too much caffeine this morning, sorry for the long comment 🙂
Hey now, nothing wrong with sausage making blogs. If I won the lottery you better believe I’d be studying with a salumiere.
Great interview. When will the rest be available?
I am really looking forward to your latest book and its nice to know someone is willing to wrestle them greasy gators and drain the swamp on finishing. As one of my favorite movie characters would say ” May the Swartz be with you.”
Dude your like up to 11! Great interview, can’t wait for the next part!
Excited to hear you’ll be taking a look at finishing in the next of the Anarchist series! As someone who teaches chemistry to pre-med students, it warms my heart to see someone looking forward to devoting big chunks of life to the subject!
Really good interview Chris, and I’m glad you included the link to the other article as well. A large percentage of the cool stuff I have learned about over the past few years has been due to you bringing it up in your blog posts. For example, I have gone down the rabbit hole over Albrecht Durer. Thanks a million for all the cool stuff!
Jon
thank ya…don’t know how I have not stumbled across core77 yet, but it fills the void. There are only 4 web pages I visit regularly (this one included) and now I can round off to an odd five.
The Anarchist’s Cauldron… grab an apron and join Professor Schwarz in the horse barn.
Second part is already online:
http://www.core77.com/posts/72950/An-Interview-with-Christopher-Schwarz-Part-2-The-Anarchist-Toolmaker?utm_source=public_sidebar
a small part of this article struck me and I have decided to let the cat of my bag. craftsmen seem to of forgotten and you may already know of this finish. Ammonia and oak finish carpenters would be done with all their wood in a storefront or where ever seal off all the air leaks in a room pour ammonia into the equivalent of a large cookie sheet that is elevated far enough off the ground for a lit candle (tealight) placed underneath to warm the liquid till burn out. the next day all of the oak work weather white, red,… whatever became more or less the same color. Fuming as it were. I have seen it described in one other book. the process penetrates deeply into the wood and looks great maybe there are other benefits? try if you haven’t already and don’t tell any furniture manufacturers.
Sincerely,
Skip
Studio Filliquist