It will come as no surprise to those who know me that I got distracted by other work…and that I forgot it takes me five times longer (at least) to do things with a camera pointed at me than when no one is watching. And that is why the video I promised a few weeks back on kitting out the interior of an “Anarchist’s Tool Chest” is taking a bit longer than expected. But with Wally’s help, we’re nearing the finish line. (A special thanks to its soon-to-be owner for bearing with the delays.)
The video will feature: • installing the till runners • a brief look at dovetailing the three tills (goodness knows if you’ve built this chest, you know how to cut dovetails!) • fitting the till bottoms to the runners • installing a moulding plane till at the back • making and installing a hanging hole-y rack with slots behind it for backsaws • making and installing a saw till for larger handsaws • notes on finishing the interior • tips on fitting the lid • hardware installation, including hinges, chest lifts, ring pulls and a “crab lock” • caster installation • surprisingly few cats (unless we add then in post production).
Chris plans to start editing at the end of next week, and he’s fast – so it should be available soon thereafter. Below are a few pictures I snapped during the process.
Always a good idea to make sure the saws fit before you install the rack in the chest.
The owner chose Horton Brasses forged hardware (good stuff).
Never use your hair as a glue brush. But if you do, make sure you’re using hide glue (it washes out easily).
Tills before “make pretty” and finish.
Bean and Wally know that I keep treats in my tool chest. Could there be some in this chest, too? (Nope – sorry boys.)
FIG. 56. All-purpose woodwork bench. Karja. After a drawing by A. Toomessalu., KV 78, 64.
The following is excerpted from “Woodworking in Estonia,” by Ants Viires; translation by Mart Aru.
It’s one of Roy Underhill’s three favorite woodworking books, but you can’t buy a copy of it for love or money. Translated into English without the author’s permission in the late 1960s, “Woodworking in Estonia” has been a cult classic ever since it first surfaced.
It is, according to Underhill, “one of the best books on folk woodworking ever” and covers the entire woodworking history of this small Northern European nation from pre-historical times through occupation by the Germans and Soviets up through Estonian independence.
The author, Ants Viires, devoted his life to recording the hand-tool folkways of his country without a shred of romanticism. Viires combined personal interviews and direct observation of work habits with archaeological evidence and a thorough scouring of the literature in his country and surrounding nations.
If all this sounds like a dry treatise, it’s not. “Woodworking in Estonia” is an important piece of evidence in understanding how our ancestors worked wood and understood it more intimately than we do. Viires records in great detail everything from the superstitions surrounding the harvesting of wood (should you whistle in the forest?) to detailed descriptions of how the Estonians dried the wood, bent it, steamed it and even buried it in horse dung to shape it for their needs.
Lost Art Press spent more than two years bringing this book back to life. We contacted the author before his death in 2015 to secure rights for the first authorized English translation. Using the 1996 Estonian edition of the Estonian book, we commissioned a new English translation.
We also obtained the rights to the original photos and drawings. The 1969 unauthorized translation used poorly reproduced images, likely mimeographs, which were murky and dark. This edition contains more than 240 crisp, original photos and line drawings.
The use of the plane presumes a base on which the item being planed is fastened. For a long time a simple low working bench, in Avinurme, “tööjärg” (Fig. 56) served for this and on which also other woodwork was done. In places such benches are still used, particularly in Avinurme or elsewhere where home industry has persevered. The older generation throughout the country still remembers planing on the simple bench. The typical Avinurme workbench has two holes at one of its ends, and the board to be planed is fastened either against or between pegs driven in these holes, so that the person planing sits astride on the bench (Fig. 57). In other places there is often only one stick at the end of the bench. Mostly there are two holes next to each other near the middle of the bench and the board is fastened on the bench so it is possible to plane the edge of the board (Fig. 58). Sometimes there is a square hole in the center for the inverted wedge when holding the plane steady and jointing the edge of a board (see Fig. 94).
FIGS 57 & 58. Such simple workbenches were still usual for Russian home-industry workers at the beginning of the past century. It also appears from representations of Nuremberg cabinetmakers from 1398 and 1444 that they, too, have used identical benches. Only in German drawings of the 16th century do we see higher and wider benches, although still simpler and more primitive than the benches known today. But in the 18th century, benches as represented in drawings and lithographs bear resemblance to the present-day bench.
So the carpenter’s bench (“höövlipink,” also “kruupink, tisleripink, puusepa pink”) as we know it today is no older that two or three centuries. It became known in the village later still, and its actual appearance can be placed within living memory of the older generation, i.e. at the end of the 19th century. Of course, there may have been estate carpenters who had acquired benches somewhat earlier, even a century or more. The rapid development of village cabinetmaking in the second half of the 19th century brought the bench into the village. The story of carpenter Juhan Kaseoks (born 1866) of Keila is characteristic:
“I didn’t have a carpenter’s bench earlier. About 30 years later [1910] there was a little more. Ikmelt Jaan’s father, whose name was Prits, he made the first one. His father was as a very good carpenter. He even started to sell them. Masters bought them from him. I was working at the manor, I naturally had one too. My father-in-law, Maerus, did that work, and he had one too. But households didn’t have them. There was a bench instead of it.”
FIG. 59. Carpenter’s bench. Püha. After drawing by J. Võerahansu. EJ 61:70.
FIG. 60. Carpenter’s bench, Original unknown. ERM A 386:236.
After the example of carpenter’s benches people from villages started to build at first simpler benches. So, for example, people remember how they provided an end screw to an ordinary low bench. An old-style carpentry product, a planing bench now preserved at the Estonian National Museum (Fig. 60), uses natural branches of the tree skillfully applied in critical functions. Also a bench with screws represented a certain stage of development. Kusta Sinijärv (born 1866) of Karja remembers: “In my childhood we already had a real carpenter’s bench with a screw. At first it had one screw, with one screw at one end. But now the bench has two screws, with one screw also at the side. The side screw came there about 50 years ago [ca. 1900]. An older planing bench (with a side screw) but without a lower drawer has been shown in Fig. 59.
So the carpenter’s bench developed into a generally obligatory carpentry tool. Only the Avinurme woodworkers who make wooden containers still use the old benches. Chairmaking joiners in Avinurme, however, use the up-to-date joiner’s bench.
I am delighted to report that, late on Monday, I sent Jögge Sundqvist’s latest book, “Karvsnitt: Carving, Pattern & Color in the Slöjd Tradition,” off for pre-press and proofing. (It should be available in around 7-8 weeks, and will likely be less than $50.)
Below is a sneak peek at just a few of my favorite spreads (the whole book is a gorgeous riot of color and pattern). We’ll post an excerpt when we get closer to having the book available.
– Fitz
“To me, contemplating what pattern to cut on an object — on a box, spoon or knife handle — feels like I’m being served dessert. I want to enjoy the process, allow the sketching the time it needs to create a unique and ideal pattern: a decoration that I can cut at my leisure, safe in the knowledge that it will stand the test of time for many years to come. This is the feeling and experience I want to share with you.” – from the Introduction
“The ideal is when the color catches the light and, in an almost magical way, lends a resonance to both the carved surface and the decoration. For me, that’s argument enough.” – from the chapter on Painting
“A slöjd object with a consistent expression and a purpose connected to the context in which it is used tends to last longer in terms of design. When patterns and symbols align with function, the different parts are bound together into a whole by the subtext — a certain unity to which they all contribute.” – from the chapter on Pattern Construction
“The desire to communicate through signs and symbols goes back eons. In 2018, the earliest known artistic creation by a prehistoric people was discovered in South Africa’s Blombos Cave. A flat stone with nine lines of chalk is believed to be the world’s oldest work of visual art made by humans. About 73,000 years ago, this chalk drawing with an abstract motif could be understood by others. Even then, humans were able to use symbols and store information outside our brains.” – from the chapter on Symbols & Magical Signs
It is, above all, succinct, easy to understand and perfectly suited for the furniture-maker. As important as what is in its 160 pages is what is not. It’s not a detailed analysis of cell growth. It is not a heap of tables and equations for figuring truss loads in residential construction. It is decidedly not a scientist’s approach to the material.
Instead, “With the Grain” contains the facts you need to know at the lumberyard, in the woodlot and in the shop. It gives you enough science so you understand how trees grow. It explains the handful of formulas you have to know as a furniture-maker. And it gives you a hearty dose of specific information about North American species that will inspire you. Becksvoort encourages you to use the trees in your neighborhood and makes the case that just because you cannot find catalpa at the lumberyard doesn’t mean it’s not a good furniture wood.
You’ll learn to identify the trees around you from their silhouette, leaves and shoots. And you’ll learn about how these species work in the shop – both their advantages and pitfalls.
Becksvoort then takes you into a detailed discussion of how wood reacts to it environment – the heart of the book. You’ll learn how to calculate and accommodate wood movement with confidence and precision. And you’ll learn how to design furniture assemblies – casework, drawers, doors and moulding – so they will move with the seasons without cracking.
Numerous considerations influence the air drying of lumber, among them:
Climatic conditions. Generally speaking, very little drying of lumber is possible during the winter, particularly in those areas where the temperature remains below freezing. Moisture close to the surface can evaporate by the process of sublimation, whereby the water goes from a solid state (ice) directly to a gaseous state (vapor) without becoming a liquid. In areas where winter temperatures are relatively mild, some drying will occur, as long as rainfall and humidity are not excessive. Drying rates are variable and often very localized. The location of the drying pile and even its orientation to the sun and prevailing wind all influence the rate of evaporation.
Species. The wood species makes quite a difference when it comes to length of drying time. Specific gravity is a fairly good general indicator of drying rate. The lower the specific gravity, the faster the drying time. The softwoods and lighter species of hardwoods dry faster under favorable conditions. The percentage of sapwood and heartwood also plays a part. For example, sugar maple dries faster than Northern red oak with roughly the same specific gravity, but sugar maple has more sapwood. Figure 4-11 lists the approximate air-drying times of some native woods.
Thickness. The old rule of thumb “one year of drying for each inch of thickness” has no basis in fact. First, it does not take species into account. Second, drying time is a function of the square of the thickness. This means that 8/4, or 2″ (5 cm) stock takes four times as long as 4/4, or 1″ (2.5 cm) stock. In fact, for some species the drying time is even longer than the square of the thickness. This is one reason (along with the differential between radial and tangential shrinkage, described in Chapter 5) why it is next to impossible to dry entire logs without serious cracking or checking.
Grain orientation. Quartersawn wood is slower to dry than plain-sawn wood. The ray cells aid in drying, and although they appear more prominent on quartersawn wood, not nearly as many are exposed on the face of the board.
Pile construction and foundation. The actual method of stacking the wood has a lot to do with the drying rate. Adequate space left around each board aids in drying. Many smaller piles dry faster than one large pile. The pile foundation should be well off the ground to allow for free air movement underneath. Weeds and debris should not obstruct the air flow. Finally, the ground should be well drained, with no standing water.
PREPARATION OF THE WOOD The proper preparation for drying wood can yield much higher returns in sound wood, and in some cases can prevent near total loss due to checking and warping. Whenever possible, the pith of the tree should be cut out and discarded because as boards containing pith usually check. Large planks or timbers will check no matter how carefully they are dried (Fig. 4-12). Any heavy timbers or carving blocks should have the pith removed if they are expected to dry without serious checking.
Fig. 4-12. Kiln-dried cherry plank with pith and stress check.
Because exposed pores or tracheids on the end-grain surfaces promote too-rapid drying and result in checks (Fig. 4-13), it is wise to coat the ends of boards to slow the moisture loss from the end grain. Almost any impervious material will do. Wet wood can receive a primer of acrylic latex paint first. Aluminum paint, oil paint even melted paraffin will seal the wood. Coat the ends as soon as possible after sawing to minimize end checks. In woods such as beech, checking can begin in a matter of hours. Oak is also quite susceptible (Fig 4-14). Once checking occurs, the damage is done.
Fig. 4-13. End checking in beech.
Fig. 4-14. Surface checking in oak.
STACKING THE PILE When constructing the lumber pile, select a clear, relatively flat and well-drained site. Construct a foundation of cinder blocks, bricks, fieldstones or very heavy timbers. Timbers are also useful on top of the foundation to raise the pile further off the ground and to help level the foundation. Foundation blocks, posts or rows should be about 24″ to 36″ (61-91 cm) apart, and a minimum of 12″ (30 cm) off the ground. Figure 4-15 shows the proper construction of a pile of lumber for air drying. The width of the pile may vary, although 3′ to 4′ (.9-1.2 m) is ideal. Piles much narrower become tippy, and piles wider than 4′ (1.2 m) not only become hard to stack, but begin to retard ventilation, and should have a space or flue left in the center for additional circulation. As long as the pile is stable, there is no restriction on the height. In mill yards they are often stacked with a forklift to 35′ (10.7 m).
Fig. 4-15. Properly stacked pile for air drying.
Place the first layer of boards about 1″ (2.5 cm) apart, with the ends of the boards even with the ends of the pile. Several shorter boards can be staggered to fill a row. Lay strips, or stickers, at right angles across the boards directly above the foundation planks. The stickers must be of equal thickness to provide equal support between the layers. They should also be dry to prevent sticker staining. Add layers until the desired height is reached with all stickers stacked above the foundation supports. Several heavy planks or cinder blocks can be placed on top for extra weight to prevent warping. Finally, add corrugated metal or plywood on top as a cover. Overhang is desired on all sides for shade.
Air drying is not without risk because the weather cannot be controlled. If drying takes place to rapidly, especially in full sun, surface and end checking may occur. On the other hand, if drying is too slow, mildew and fungal staining may result. Following these rules closely will increase the chances of success: high, well-ventilated foundation, dry stickers, proper spacing of boards, sealed end grain and weighted cover with good overhang (Fig. 4-16).
Fig. 4-16. Stacked pile in field with painted ends and cover.
Those who dry wood regularly sometimes prefer to build a drying shed. A very simple shed consists of four posts and a roof, and takes little time and materials to construct. A lean-to behind a barn or shop also serves the purpose. An ideal drying shed would be oriented toward the prevailing wind, and have large doors on either end. These would be open during dry weather, and closed during inclement weather.
Fig. 4-17. Shed with wood drying, some in sawn order.
Figure 4-17 shows a lean-to with a few piles of wood stacked and ready for end coating. Some of the wood is stacked in sawn order. This makes it easier to select wood from the same tree, and facilitates color- and book-matching. Under the best of conditions, outdoor air drying will yield an equilibrium moisture content of 12 percent to 18 percent. At this point, the wood should be moved indoors to an area of artificial heat for further drying: a loft, shop, warm attic or basement. A look back at Figure 4-9 will enable review of the necessary temperature and humidity levels for wood to reach the desired equilibrium moisture content.
Ideally, this last drying step to reach the intended indoor EMC should utilize existing space and heat sources to avoid any additional costs. The biggest advantage to air drying is the low cost because there is no need for fancy equipment or energy.
Anyone can air dry wood, with most of the energy supplied by the sun and wind.
CALCULATING MOISTURE CONTENT The woodworker must always be aware of the moisture content of the material, especially during the drying process. Careful monitoring of the rate of drying will determine when the wood reaches the EMC for a given location and climate. The wood can then be moved to an area of lower humidity or higher temperature, so the moisture content can be further reduced. When the wood finally reaches the desired level of moisture, it will be ready for use.
Several methods can be used to determine moisture content. A rough, yet simple procedure for tracing moisture content (by way of EMC), is by weight. A few pieces of wood are designated as samples, are weighed and recorded when green, and then weighed again every few weeks thereafter. Depending on the size of the sample, weighing can be done on a bathroom, baby or food scale. The samples should have the same drying treatment as the rest of the wood. Weights are recorded as a graph to give a visual representation of the moisture loss and the approximate point at which the wood reaches its EMC with its surroundings. At that point, the sample will no longer lose weight under the present conditions. Figure 4-18 charts the weight loss of a large ash board over a period of almost two years.
Fig. 4-18. Moisture (weight) loss of wood over time.
If the prevailing temperature and humidity are known, a glance at Figure 4-9 will give a rough idea of the moisture content. For example, if the weight has remained more or less constant for the previous 8-10 weeks, the temperature has been averaging 60°F (16°C), and the humidity about 80 percent, then the moisture content would be about 16 percent.
A more precise method of moisture detection involves the use of an accurate scale and an oven. A lab oven, kitchen oven or toaster oven with accurate temperature control will work. Cut and weigh a sample small enough to fit into the oven. Place the sample in the oven at 212° to 220° F (100° to 104° C), and remove every hour for re-weighing, until no more weight is lost. At that point all the moisture has been driven off and the moisture content reduced to 0% (oven dry). The moisture content of the sample can be determined before baking with the following formula:
MC = Initial weight – oven-dry weight x 100 Oven-dry weight
Other samples can be baked at any time, their weights used in the formula to determine their current MC.
Weight and moisture content are directly proportional. The wood material never changes weight, it merely takes on or releases moisture, which accounts for the weight change. This relationship allows for the use of a graph for determining the approximate MC of identical samples. The samples should be from the same board, and the same size and weight. To do this, bake the first sample and record both its initial and oven dry weights, as shown in Figure 4-19. Draw a straight line between the two points. For example, if the initial weight of the samples is 48 ounces (1.36 kg), and at a later date the weight of a partially dry sample is 40 ounces (1.13 kg), then the current moisture content of that sample is 52 percent.
Fig. 4-19. Weight to moisture content relationship.
The fastest and easiest method of determining moisture content is with an electric moisture meter. Two types are most commonly available. The first, dielectric meters, generate a radio frequency that penetrates to a predetermined depth when placed against the wood. The power loss is translated and read as a moisture content percentage on the meter. The second type, pin type, is an ohm meter that measures the resistance of wood to an electric current. Wood is an insulator, and water a conductor, so the resistance to passage of electricity is a function of moisture present in the wood. Damp wood offers a better path for electric current and gives a higher reading than drier wood, which offers more resistance and yields a lower reading. A deflecting needle shows the MC on a scale. Most meters read between 6 percent and 30 percent (Fig. 4-20).
Fig. 4-20. Moisture meter in use.
Using the instrument is fairly simple. The electrodes are pushed or driven into the wood so that the current flows parallel to the grain, a button is pushed and the needle shows a reading of MC. A chart is included that allows for different electrical properties of various species, as well as temperature. Several readings should be taken at various points, and averaged for greatest accuracy. Moisture meters are useful not only when wood is being dried, but also during the process of building furniture. The meter gives a clue as to the amount of expansion or contraction to be expected in backs, doors, panels and drawers (see Chapter 5). Any serious woodworker should have a moisture meter.
We were simply overwhelmed by your generosity of so many donations in Nancy Hiller’s name to support The Ranch Cat Rescue – a rescue in Nancy’s adopted hometown of Bloomington, Ind. (and that Nancy continues to support in perpetuity with 10 percent of net sales of her book “Shop Tails”). It’s enough to make me well up (which usually happens only when someone accidentally hits me with a hammer). To everyone who donated: You’re so very kind; thank you. Today, I’m mailing a cashier’s check – for $8,770.85!!! – to the rescue’s director/resident human Alison Zook. The raffle winner of Carol Russell‘s fiddleback Tasmanian blackwood cat (I’ll miss this gorgeous little carving!) is Melinda in California; the winner of the book we used as “cover art” for the audio version of “Shop Tails” is Jay in Virginia (both have been notified via email).
Alison asked me to share the paragraph below –
Y’all. To say I don’t have words for this generosity is an understatement. These last few weeks I’ve been thinking I want to do something permanent with these funds, something that really honors Nancy. So I had an idea. While some of your donations will go toward medical care, food and supplies, I’m putting a portion aside and starting the Hiller Fund (working title). This will specifically be used for building projects and improvements made at The Ranch Cat Rescue, with a focus on empowering women and girls to pick up tools and get some sawdust in their hair. While these projects won’t hold a candle to Nancy’s woodworking skills, I know that she would have loved to be a part of them. This way she always can be. Thank you, new friends, for being the beginning of this.
As soon as Alison schedules that first building project, I’m clearing my schedule. I’ll be there.
