Is this the most complicated way to cut a dado joint?
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7 July 2014 at 4:44 pm #59171
I ran into this video the other day on Youtube. In it, he is showing you how to make a simple wall shelf, but specifically on cutting dado joints using an electric router. Watch the video and tell me you aren’t flabbergasted as I am. Look at the size of the jig he uses to do that!
Thanks Paul for showing us a better way. I’m so glad I found your videos teaching real woodworking.
7 July 2014 at 6:25 pm #59178thats why i chose hand tools that shelf unit with a couple more shelves would be great for somewhere to keep all the hand planes and free up some bench space .
I like watching the wood whispers videos. He is very confident in front of the camera and explains thoroughly how he approaches each aspect of a project. With that said, I’d go broke trying to keep up with the amount of power tools he had in his shop. Used hand tools can accomplish anything he is trying to do at a fraction of the cost, not to mention space. Worst of all is the amount of dust the power tools create. I like having clear lungs, but don’t have the room or budget for a dedicated dust collection system. I have some power tools that I’m not ashamed for using, but the more confident I become with hand tools, the less I rely on power tools.
8 July 2014 at 12:39 am #59183I bought his book on Hybrid woodworking when I was first looking at moving to hand tools. The approach seemed to be to have a shop full of expensive power tools (24 inch band saw!) and a few hand tools for tuning joints. In other words, the same thing Norm Abrams used to do.
You could probably cut all three housing joints by hand in the time it took to set up the jig for the first one. Using hand tools, the “weekend shelf” would turn into the “afternoon shelf”.
8 July 2014 at 1:30 am #59184I too like the whisperer and there is something to be said for that type of woodworking. I have all the power tools jointer planner table saw and the list goes on. I have been woodworking for many years when I was young I did it because I couldn’t afford to buy furniture and I could make it for half the price. I have been hand tool wood working for about six months and have to say I am hooked for all the reasons you guys stated. I am still building my tool collection and don’t really see an end in sight but that is part of the fun. I love all types of tools so I don’t think I am selling the table saw just yet.
8 July 2014 at 4:32 am #59186People use machinery because they’re hand tool skills aren’t up there to do any reasoanble quality work, and sometimes using machinery for laborous tasks like thicknessing and resawing will save you a heck of a lot of work time. So I guess you need to use some logic or common sense here, for simple operations like 95% of the joints out there can be performed by hand for time consuming tasks like those mentioned above machinery would be a better option.
8 July 2014 at 2:54 pm #59188The whole power tool thing completely leaves us apartment dwellers behind. That’s why I started with hand tools. I do think the majority of people think of woodworking as power tools. At least I did. The use of power tools gets promoted by home remodel shows on tv. Working on ones home is often the gateway into woodworking. I happened to recently see some of the prices of table saws and similar equipment. It is so expensive. Unless you are mass producing, I don’t think it makes financial or practical sense. Many people probably have seen Ron Herman’s saw sharpening videos or have read about him. He has a company that does home repair and remodel with period tools. I wish there was a video of one of his job sites, so people could see that things can be done with out a power cord.
8 July 2014 at 3:08 pm #59189I’ve never heard of this guy before I will have to look him up. Thanks for the post.
21 July 2014 at 8:45 am #59611I have followed Marc Spagnuolou, The Wood Whisperer for many years, not long after he started to post YouTube vids. He, more than anyone, was unknowingly instrumental in my taking up woodwork via the power tool route, something I am now reviewing. His dado jig was, I think developed to cut dados in sheet goods and ply for workshop cabinets and large units and for this purpose is perfectly valid. I don’t regret a minute watching his work, he shows all the passion and care for the subject that Paul does and is a terrific motivator and exemplar. Let’s not fall into the trap of the “Us & Them” woodwork snobbery.
21 July 2014 at 9:08 am #59612Yes there is a lot of that when it comes to hand tools vs power tools, unfortunately I have been equally guilty of this but I’ve been uitilising the benefits of both in my shop. In this modern age with fierce mass competition of low priced low quality goods coming from China, Mexico, Vietnam but I cannot include Indonesia as these people have produced hand made, hand carved period furniture out beautiful Mahogany that is of the utmost highest quality in craftsmanship. It is very sad though how their work is exploited by the west but without getting off the topic it is impossible to work purely using hand tools in this day and age. Unless your willing to work for a dollar an hour like they do in Indonesia you just cannot earn enough to pay the bills.
I’ve always said I utilise my bandsaw and thickness planer for the laborous task of thicknessing timber and obviously my scroll saw but thats about it I really don’t any of the other power tools I have but I just can’t bring myself around to sell them. They cost alot to acquire and I’m sure I cannot get my money back if I sold them.
Marc obviously knows quite a bit about working wood with power tools but to me they are unconventional methods and only valid in mass production work. The question is can you learn anything by watching these power tool guys work of course you can. It is alwys about the general construction see how it’s put together and do the rest with hand tools.
Man this is an ever ending story. Hand tools, power tools, or both all are fine with me use whatever is best for the way you work.
I use hand tools, because I want to learn the skills, and that’s the way I have chosen to work. It’s a full time hobby and if I had a band saw and thickness planner I would surely use them.
What I hate to see is guys knocking the way others work simply because it’s not the way they do things. Let people work the way they want, and just enjoy making whatever you’re making, whatever way you chose to make it.
If you want to make a living making furniture, you will never do it with hand tools only, not unless you can charge thousands of pounds for your work. You talk about the amount of time it takes to make gigs, well if it was for a one off project you would be right, but the jigs these guys make are used over and over every day, and save an endless amount of time in the long run.
Bottom line, do what you want to do, and let others do the same.
Just enjoy your woodworking, enjoy the new skills Paul has given us, and get on with it. 😉 -
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