I was practicing some Scratchstock pine inlay and beading in gnarly cedar. I was expecting difficult and poor results. However, I was surprised how effective the process can be. It's not perfect but yielded some good results. With care I think perfect results can be achieved. Each photo attached is a little different to show you the results up close.
I've found if your scratchstock is not rough that a few passes over an area that looks "almost" finished, will burnish off that roughness, and give you a machined look. I feel its a case of spending as much time finishing the stock itself as the wood. Once you have a scratchstock with clean edges, it's cake. You just need to cut it down to full depth.
Splint makes a good point though, some grain is just really porous to look at, and will always leave those smallish "pits" having something with a tighter filled in appearance is job one in choosing your stock. The cedar is known for those little roughness's.
Guys .... No tear out. Just the gnarly cedar grain. I table sawed off a piece and went to it. No sanding before my testing. I deliberately used this cedar to monitor results.
That's what I figured MrRick, looked messy all the way through that section. Hope you have a plan for a big rack or storeroom for those, I can see the endless creative profiles taking over 😃
Actually.... there are plenty of articles that say hand tools are more versatile and can be used for a wider range of tasks. They are also more affordable and easier to maintain. Power tools, on the other hand, are more powerful and can be used for more heavy-duty tasks. I prefer Hand Tools.
I fully agree, another issue is size. Power tools tend to be much larger than their meat powered equivalent. Personally I'll take power tools for speed and efficiency, thinking of ripping and planing planks here, but for finish finessing, a block plane and sanding block are a relief!
SplinterGroup ... "....speed and efficiency, thinking of ripping and planing planks...." I'd agree with speed but efficiency?... and planing? I can do as good by hand as by power tools.
Yep, rip a 8/4 oak plank in under a minute or get a flat side on the same if rough sawn. For me it is breaking down the stock to manageable sizes. I could do the same with a sharp rip saw and hand plane but I'd be at it for many hours and still have to correct for my ineptness following a line and flattening a twist or other surface issue. I have no doubt that with the skills, one could do it by hand but given only maybe 10 hours a week to work, I need to be as efficient in my time as possible.
Much as I hate reading, my eyes depend on magnification and "large hard copies". When I get a new tool (or procedure), I download the PDF and if unavailable I will scan in the manual. I then print off those few relevant pages I always keep referring to and laminate them, storing them in a folder down in the workshop,
(unless it's a 1 off) and/or hang them up above/near my work for that quick reference,
or just keep it close,
... and for all the yuppies that live by their phones... a good one is not cheap and to subject them to the rigors of the workshop is verging on the brink of Philistinism. Surely you upgrade "regularly"... at the next upgrade, don't trade the old one in or bequeath it to kids/g-kids, keep that in your workshop... you don't need a SIMM for it down there.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
I took a class with Garrett Hack years ago teaching how to make a scratch block from a saw blade. I had good luck beading the edge of this pine shelf in the past. It's not a tool you grab often for sure but fun to use when setting up a power tool loses it's appeal.
Right here (above). This is where the hand tools would shine in my world. Power makes for a quick knock out of the case but the fine details that make it unique and special are fully in the hand tool world as machine setup would be far too time consuming for the variety shown. Knowing a guy with a few beading planes would be the quick solution 🤠
SplinterGroup.....I used to do alot of power tools when younger. It's fast and looks good but I never felt a personal touch of finesse. Too easy and cold if you know what I mean. There's something about the somewhat clean & quiet environment using hand tools and you sense the wood.
James Krenov philosophy for woodworking....
"Over dependence on power tools removes the "fingerprints" left on the finished piece that only handwork can leave, and alienates the craftsman from his work"
I think you are bordering on describing "making stuff from wood" and artistry. I'm in the "making stuff from wood camp" still. I try to add some personal choices in design, but nothing I'd consider real artistry.
I consider adeptness with hand tools a big part of the requirement for "artistry" as it shows the creators personality as you put it. I think the best example of hand versus power might be a carving. CNC vs chisel. One is "made from wood" and the other is artwork.
