Today, Phil Lowe set up a jig to waste out the front
side of the bridle joint that the leg sleeves over in our demilune tables, and a
niggling thought crept in to my head. Did I really keep the screws out
of the leg locations when bricking the rim? I think I did, but… The
last thing I wanted to do was hit a screw and set off the Saw Stop. For
one thing, the Marc Adams School of Woodworking has only the one dado
stack at the moment, and I didn’t want to keep anyone else in the class
from getting their work accomplished. And it would be really
embarrassing.
Just in case, I moved to the end of the line. I figured if I did set it
off, I could handle the embarrassment – as long as I didn’t hold anyone
else up. But as I waited, I decided I’d best chop out the waste by
hand. The longer I stood there, the more I convinced myself that I’d
misplaced a screw. But my handsaw skills are, shall we say, in the
developmental stage. So at Phil’s suggestion, I clamped a guide block
along my scribed line, and kept the saw blade pressed flat to that
"training wheel" as I cut down to the shoulders at each location. Then I
chiseled out the waste and flattened the bottom with a shoulder plane.
Of course, there was nary a screw in sight.
This was the first time I’d used a chisel for precision work other than
dovetails. Dovetails are small. This joint is not. I’ve struggled with
getting things flat and even, and squaring the shoulders (among other
things). Phil makes it look so easy.
I knew coming into this class that I was jumping into the deep end. In
theory, I know why the blade is cambered in a smooth plane, and how to
use that plane. I’ve read reams on how to hold and use a handsaw. I’ve
watched editor Christopher Schwarz demonstrate plane us, and the three
classes of saw cuts – more than once. (Chris makes it look easy, too).
Heck – Chris has even stuck a plane in my hand and given me a lesson on
its use. But I didn’t pick up the plane again until this class. Using
these tools with purpose is very different than reading about it,
watching someone do it, or taking a few desultory swipes at a board –
no matter how good the instructor. Use it or lose it.
My table might approach mediocrity. My cuts aren’t great, my tenons are
loose, and I got so excited about my plane shavings that I was
overzealous – the ankles on my tapered table legs are very delicate
indeed. But it will be the best darn demilune table I’ve ever built.
The next one will be even better – and will use no screws at all.
— Megan Fitzpatrick
Read Part 1 of this series here. And Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here.