Woodworking with Hand Tools

(Page 4 of 4)

Oct. 16, 2008
By Troy Griepentrog 
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What types of projects are you working on for the Woodright’s Shop?

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The new season starts with the governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley, making a little walnut side table. It shows that everyone has woodworking in his or her blood. It’s a part of all of us. That’s what our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years, so we’re all descendants of people who worked wood by hand.

Some of the craftsmen from Colonial Williamsburg will show carving and high-end veneer work. We also feature a man doing lumberjack fan carving. He takes one piece of wood and works it, splits it and spreads it out to form a wooden fan — out of one piece of wood! It’s a wonderful folk craft.

And we have an interesting story on Berea, Ky., and the woodworking craft that’s grown up around this college and craft community.

You can watch episodes from the current season at www.pbs.org.

What’s your next project?

I’m starting a woodworking school in Pittsboro, N.C. I’m looking forward to teaching again. That will open in 2009. I sincerely believe in making things with our hands and using old methods to accomplish quality work. And it’s a force for good, not just in the individual, but good in society. Like a seed bank, we need a technology bank that preserves these old things.

If you’re interested in hand tools, read Best Low-Tech Tools and Choosing Chisels.

What’s your philosophy on using hand or power tools? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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  • Ron Duft 4/23/2009 10:27:17 AM

    Excellent article I have watched the Woodwright’s shop since it started.
    My Family has their share of talents. My grandfather was a worker of leather from jackets with intricate bead work to harness and saddle craft. My father a cabinet maker, my sister a painter and sculptor. All use their hands and hand tools. I make Stone Age tools and learned to blacksmith from my great uncle and have a Bsc in Electronics. I have always believed we need to keep the old crafts alive with the younger generations. We have lost so much with our “progress “ the loss of these craftsmen saddens me.
    I wish Roy Underhill all the best and look forward to hearing about his teaching endeavors.

  • Charlie G. 4/7/2009 5:55:29 PM

    This was a great article to find at the top of my first news letter. Roy Underhill has long been one of my heroes, and I grieved greatly when our local PBS stations dropped the Woodwright's Shop. It's good to discover that I can see episodes on-line.

    I've always loved working with hand tools, and can highly recommend it. Quieter, generally cheaper, safer, and much more connected with the wood and the final product. Better exercise than a gym. There still is a thrill for me when a sharp chisel leaves a crisp, clean edge on a piece of wood...especially a piece that I have "rescued" myself.

  • Stuart Home 1/8/2009 8:57:00 PM

    Nice to read about someone still using traditional and old-fashioned tools. that's how I learned at the hands and under the guidance of my Grandfather.

    I certainly hope that this story encourages otehrs to follow suit.

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