My blog at Popular Woodworking- The Case Against Tail VisesIf workbenches were like automobiles, then I’d consider the tail vise to be like the heated seats in a car. They’re an option, of course, but they are by no means standard equipment, like tires. Out of economic necessity, my first three workbenches didn’t have tail vises, and so I was thrilled when I was assigned to review a full-size European workbench with […]
- The Galbert Caliper and my PigheadednessI don’t care for gizmos, jigs and silly accessories. So even though I spend a fair amount of time on the lathe, I resisted purchasing the Galbert Caliper for many years. In its place, I used go/no-go gauges, box wrenches and traditional turning calipers (which are the worst). But while at Handworks this year, I broke down and gave Peter $60 for a Galbert Cal […]
- Be Seated: The Benchcrafted Swing-away SeatSitting at your workbench does not make you lazy. Many times it makes you smart. Chopping out the waste between dovetails requires endurance and patience – especially when building a large piece of casework with drawers. If you sit while chopping, you conserve energy and your eyes are closer to your chisel, improving accuracy. The same goes for mortising whe […]
- Taking Credit, Giving Credit and Stealing itOn the way back from Handworks, editor Megan Fitzpatrick asked me a question I get a lot: “Does it irk you when people build your furniture designs and fail to credit you when they post them on social media?” Answer: Not at all. For me, the reward isn’t that someone praises my design. The reward is that they were inspired enough to pick up the tools and buil […]
- The Case Against Tail Vises
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![We call assemblies onglet [mitered] when the woodwork is decorated [augmented] with mouldings. You extend the cut-out [errazement] of the tenon on the side of the moulding, the same width of this moulding, which Joiners call growing a beard. The distance from the cut-outs to the end of the lengthened beard is mitered, that is to say, at a 45° angle, Fig. 8.
When the work is of considerable esteem and consequently you wish to assemble it more cleanly, you cut not only the moulding at an angle but also the upright, so that the end wood does not show at either side, and is what we call that assembly on grain. This assembly is made by mortise or by forking, as is necessary, Figs. 9 & 10. — from “With All the Precision Possible” by André-Jacob Roubo; translation by Donald C. Williams, Michele Pietryka-Pagán & Philippe Lafargue
#Roubo_on_Furniture_Making](https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s640x640/sh0.08/e35/c29.0.657.657/19367786_111915416018736_1652549131685593088_n.jpg "We call assemblies onglet [mitered] when the woodwork is decorated [augmented] with mouldings. You extend the cut-out [errazement] of the tenon on the side of the moulding, the same width of this moulding, which Joiners call growing a beard. The distance from the cut-outs to the end of the lengthened beard is mitered, that is to say, at a 45° angle, Fig. 8.
When the work is of considerable esteem and consequently you wish to assemble it more cleanly, you cut not only the moulding at an angle but also the upright, so that the end wood does not show at either side, and is what we call that assembly on grain. This assembly is made by mortise or by forking, as is necessary, Figs. 9 & 10. — from “With All the Precision Possible” by André-Jacob Roubo; translation by Donald C. Williams, Michele Pietryka-Pagán & Philippe Lafargue
#Roubo_on_Furniture_Making")
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Roman Workbenches. Why?
When I got to inspect the two Roman workbenches at the Saalburg fort outside Frankfurt, Germany, my hands shook so much that I had to take a break. Close contact with ancient woodworking technology unsettles me. Why do I become … Continue reading
Posted in Roman Workbenches, Uncategorized
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Essential Reading: ‘The Art & Craft of Cabinet-Making’
We don’t know much about David Denning except that he wrote four books about woodworking in the late 19th century, was traditionally trained and had strong opinions about the craft. After reading his 1891 classic “The Art & Craft of … Continue reading
Posted in Personal Favorites, Uncategorized
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Announcements About the Lie-Nielsen Open House
I’ve been asked to make the keynote address at the Lie-Nielsen Open House on July 7-8 and also will give a lecture and demonstration on “Finishing With Fire” and showing how to do it with furniture components. For the keynote, … Continue reading
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The Rhythm of Work
“The man nowadays who is able to do a job at his own pace is one of the fortunate ones. Then to one he’ll either be a craftsman with a small workshop of his own or a man working at … Continue reading
Posted in Honest Labour, Uncategorized
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The Best Job I Ever Had (A Stolen Headline, But True)
In March, Chris wrote a post titled “The Best Job I Ever Had.” He joined Popular Woodworking Magazine in 1996 as managing editor. I joined the magazine in 2001 as assistant editor, and then moved up to associate editor and, … Continue reading
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Morality and Craftsmanship
“I try to live right. I always try to adhere to what I think is right, and that, to me, is the most important part of creative work. So much of me goes into each piece that I make that … Continue reading
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Woodworking on a Grand Scale
“The completion of the new altar canopy in St. Paul’s Cathedral in May of this year [1958] was an event of considerable importance in the world of woodwork. This great structure is 54 ft. high by 26 ft. wide and … Continue reading
Posted in Honest Labour, Uncategorized
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