Microbevel on a chisel is no good for bevel down work

[Derek Cohen]

cheers Charlie

Regards from Perth

Derek

[wmickley]

We should probably laugh at ourselves -- guys in their 50s and 60s well past physical prime talking about edge life of tools when we couldn't plane for 30 minutes without popping a nitroglycerine tablet.  The need to hone has probably prevented more than a few infarctions.

I could still plane for eight hours in a day when I was 60. I have been tapering down or interspersing other work since that time.

I never had a job where I just sat at a desk.

[CStan]

It was a joke Warren.

[Handplanesandmore]

For the record, in a recent interview (quercus magazine --- a UK handtool magazine), Paul Sellers -- 70 something --- says he still works 8 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week despite his age and long term medical conditions. By 8, I suppose he means with breaks. Still that's impressive. We know he mostly stands, not sits, in front of the camera. I m much young than him, and I prefer to work 4 or 5 hours a day and several days in a row than 3 straight days of 8 hours each. For me, long hours can sometimes take away some of my focus, resulting in errors or less than prestine results.

Simon

[bandit571]

I'm 68, will be 69 next May.  Spinal Stenosis Lumbar ( from all those decades of driving forklifts) puts a limit on length of shoptime....before the back and right leg decide it is quitting time....lately it has been 2-4 hours.....I could IF need be, do that every day....but usually  just work every other day.   However, I also will sit on my shop stool and do joinery work...

   

   

About the only times I would stay standing would be milling grooves and raising panels to fit in those grooves...all with hand planes...

But, then again...this is NOT a "Job"....this is a Hobby...just something to do, and keep me out of the local Taverns. 


Long gone are the days of opening up the shop at 0800 on a Saturday morning....with all the wood sitting in the shop, and at 2000 hrs, have a 5 drawer Chest of Drawers standing there...awaiting a finish the next day.    And, that was EVERY weekend...to the tune of over 130 such Chest of Drawers...SOLD!  All the while working at my "Day Job" during the week.  Got to be a bit...much.

Now?   IF I want to go to the shop, I can.....IF I want a few days "off" from the shop..no biggie.    Except for Laundry Detail....then, as long as I am already down there, might as well putter around, waiting on the clothes to get done.

[CStan]

 


cheers Charlie

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hope all is well with you and yours...

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Charles. I have a couple of weeks break from the practice. It summer, but some days too hot to be in the shed.

It's a crazy world right now, and we need all the humour we can get. Thanks!

I trust you are well and staying safe.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Handplanesandmore]

But, then again...this is NOT a "Job"....this is a Hobby...just something to do, and keep me out of the local Taverns. 

For Sellers, it's a job, a job that brings good money. He wouldn't call it a job though cuz he loves what he's doing, the same reason why he wants to spend so many hours at the bench (& in front of the camera and computer (blogging)). For every project, he does a prototype first, and then does it again for his channel. Good exercise for sure when you do everything twice.

As a hobbyist, I love getting into the shop now and then, but not crazily busy.....I'd hate doing woodworking as a job though many young folks might think woodworking a romantic adventure. As soon as I had to do a piece for money, it wouldn't be a hobby for me.

As for sharpening, it's like changing motor oil for my car......essential but not the reason I enjoy driving. Overthinking costs time, money and fun.

Simon

[CStan]

Before metal plow planes... how did they make grooves like along the bottom of a drawer or box?  Seems a little narrow/long for the saw/chisel method I've seen suggested for dadoes.  Did they just have/use dedicated wood body plow planes, similar to the vintage molding planes I've seen around?

Thanks Charles. I have a couple of weeks break from the practice. It summer, but some days too hot to be in the shed.

It's a crazy world right now, and we need all the humour we can get. Thanks!

I trust you are well and staying safe.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Doing OK. Cold as it can be here, today, but supposed to warm up a little. We had a high of close to 80* the other day, and then snow less than 14 hours later. Wild!

[bandit571]

Despite a rack full along the back of my bench...

   
I do have quite a few "Vintage" chisels to use....and sharpen..

   
And a few "Bigs"

   
None have any "Micro Bevels"...most have a single 25 degree bevel....works just fine...