jpdorn Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 draw the line, cut the line was kind of an 'ah ha!' concept for me. freedom from the jiggery (lol, shannon..) was pretty much the selling point that got me to spend a lot of time, effort and money on this whole hand tool thing. specifically, i thought, 'sweet! i can spend a couple of months building the skills to cut to a line and i'll be set.' for the most part i was right. with good tools and techniques, it's not that hard to cut to a line fairly consistently. the gotcha (for me anyway) is the first part of the saying. 'draw the line' sounds innocuous. who can't pick up a pencil and draw a line? lol.. i've come to learn that it's really the more difficult half of the equation. drawing the line is what gets screwed up when we vacillate between the 10 different techniques we've learned to dovetail a set of drawers or lay out a mortise and tenon. so now that i've gotten pretty good with the saw, i'm ready to move on to what i suspect may be the toughest tool of all. the pencil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLowery Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 I still havn't found a pencil with a tip strong enough to cut wood. Until then, I'll stick with a knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhl.verona Posted May 27, 2011 Report Share Posted May 27, 2011 First the knife, then the pencil. I can't see the knife line, and a pencil is good for marking the waste. DAMHIKT. As with all wood working tools, first sharpen the knife and the pencil . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 I have found my go to tool in the shop is not a saw or plane, but my Swiss Army knife, from Victorinox. It sharpens pencils and marks lines, tightens loose screws, and illuminates the ground when I drop the small screws off the bench. I happen to have this one, but I had the Midnight Manager at one time, and like that one slightly better. (It contains it's own ball point pen, which is not decent on oak. Experience.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onboard Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 I have found my go to tool in the shop is not a saw or plane, but my Swiss Army knife, from Victorinox. It sharpens pencils and marks lines, tightens loose screws, and illuminates the ground when I drop the small screws off the bench. I happen to have this one, but I had the Midnight Manager at one time, and like that one slightly better. (It contains it's own ball point pen, which is not decent on oak. Experience.) The Swiss Lite looks like a nice knife. However, I'm surprised you didn't purchase this one instead. Some woodworkers seem to like this pencil, but as John has said, keep it sharp. It does have a built in lead sharpener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texfire Posted May 28, 2011 Report Share Posted May 28, 2011 I have the version that has a built in 4Gb flash drive. here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermont Carpentry Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 JP, I started building houses and rough framing using the wide carpenters pencils. As I refined my building skills, the old number 2 lead pencil used in grade schools has been my staple. Keep it sharpened! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 The Swiss Lite looks like a nice knife. However, I'm surprised you didn't purchase this one instead. I believe that version takes a 4" circular saw blade. I think the biggest necessity to cut to a line is CONFIDENCE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdorn Posted June 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 that's funny. i wasn't really referring to the pencil in my original post. i was trying to say i find layout more difficult than the cutting. pencil vs. knife, whatever.. laying out each side of a mortise and tenon to cut by hand is very different than how i'd previously done it with power tools and it bit me a few times before i gave it the attention it requires. the first time i saw frank klausz demonstrate how to lay out a mortise/tenon i was like, 'psh.. that's complicated. i'll figure it out when i get there.' then i watched the video again (while flogging myself with the beautiful firewood i'd created..) and understood.. 'the essential woodworker' has a great walk through on mortise/tenons btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhl.verona Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 A swiss army knife with USB memory card? Now I've seen everything. I suppose you store your sketchup drawings in it. Can the knife read the drawing? Now that would be useful. ... I think the biggest necessity to cut to a line is CONFIDENCE. Oh yes. But you can't buy that at Lee Valley unfortunately. ... 'the essential woodworker' has a great walk through on mortise/tenons btw. Indeed, and dovetailing. British text book, out of print, republished by Christopher Schwarz. Had to buy it though Lee Valley, the postage cost more than the book, and took 6 weeks to arrive! Very worth while purchase though. As the intro says "While I am sure many readers will enjoy the book in an armchair by the fire, its real place is propped up on the bench like a music score, and if it eventually falls to pieces there it will have achieved its purpose." With an intro like that, you've got to love it - and it's book size (not magazine size) too. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flairwoodworks Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 A swiss army knife with USB memory card? Now I've seen everything. I suppose you store your sketchup drawings in it. Can the knife read the drawing? Now that would be useful. While we're dreaming, how about a "run" button that commands the knife to cut out your Sketchup drawing for you? Oh yes. But you can't buy that at Lee Valley unfortunately. What about seminars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.