Less dovetails, more workbenches
· 2 min read
In September the light changes, and so does the work. Hand tools are slower, quieter and strangely calming. Good furniture should last longer than the person who made it. The small things matter less than the habit of paying attention.
Before and after
The joint fit on the third attempt, which is about average. The trick, if there is one, is to leave enough room for mistakes. It is easy to overthink planing boards. It is harder to just start. Between planing boards and designing a chair, the second one taught me more.
Some of this will be self-evident; some of it took me years. None of this is new, and that is partly why it works. There is a version of this that is much more complicated. This is not that version. I design on paper first, then let the wood change my mind. A sharp chisel is safer than a dull one, and much more pleasant.
Nothing here requires a block plane, though it does make things easier. I altered my mind about dovetails twice while writing this. Oil finishes are forgiving, easy to repair and age beautifully. There is no single right way to approach designing a chair, but some ways are kinder than others. There is no single right way to approach planing boards, but some ways are kinder than others.
Why it matters
I keep a short list of things to try next; cutting dovetails is near the top. The workbench is the first project and never the last. The result is not perfect, but it is truthful. Somewhere between the timber yard and home, the notion finally made sense.
drawers