Like the title! I want to cultivate some helpful skills but do so gradually, as a hobbyist. Tempted to get into lockpicking, haha.

  • vovchik_ilich [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    5·
    4 days ago

    Been making a low Roman workbench and getting informed about low-cost, low-tech workholding. Above is a system of holes on a bench, together with pegs and wedges, that can be used for holding boards in different positions for planing and for working on the edges. Got the idea from the “Ingenious Mechanicks” book that Rex Krueger recommended on his “workholding on the Roman workbench” video, where it’s described as a traditional Estonian carpenter workholding system; and also from a YT channel called “DW Woodworks” who has a video called something like “workholding on the Roman workbench part 2”.

    The pegs are made out of branches of a local tree they cut down that I partially got home, and the wedges from a reclaimed board I found on my street lmao. Woodworking is FUN. Highly recommend the “woodwork for humans” series of videos by Rex Krueger following your “poor man’s carpenter” idea

    • WoodScientist [she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
      4·
      4 days ago

      Actually I’m quite familiar with Rex! I think he is who introduced me to the term “country carpenter” IIRC. Woodworking is great. You obviously can get really fancy with it, but there is a continuum from true 0-budget “reclaimed tools and materials” all the way to “10 million dollar production shop.” And money spent doesn’t map directly to quality of work.

      Woodworking can be very approachable, even with a very limited budget. Really, the greatest barrier to entry isn’t money, but space. Sawdust is a pain to deal with, and you really don’t want to do woodworking in your living room. Though I have definitely seen videos of people who do woodworking even in apartments. They’ll dedicate a spare bedroom to the hobby, do their work entirely outdoors under the sky, or have a little tiny micro workbench in a closet. Even with zero space you could at least do some basic carving or whittling on your kitchen table. And that’s before you consider options like shared community shop and maker spaces.

      My setup has gotten pretty elaborate at this point. But I have the funds for it, and I’ve been building up my capabilities for several years at this point. You obviously can get quite elaborate with woodworking equipment, and I certainly have. But I got started with just a miter saw and a card table.

      • vovchik_ilich [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        Wow, that is one nice workshop. The hello kitty bandsaw is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while tbh, gives the shop a lot of personality.

        Yeah, regarding space for woodworking, I’m currently making 3 Roman workbenches with removable legs, which will be used for an upcoming project in which I’ll teach some buddies how to make a bow out of a (preselected) wooden plank. Ever got into bowmaking?

        • WoodScientist [she/her]@hexbear.netEnglish
          2·
          3 days ago

          Thanks! Yeah the bandsaw is an old secondhand one I got and did some refurb on. I’ve been slowly trying to add more color to the shop, as can be seen in the painted air ducts and the bandsaw. And no, I haven’t tried bowmaking yet. Sounds fun!