Beginning Projects

Chief instructor Tim Lee mentioned yesterday morning that we would have some time after our 3 weeks of lofting to finish up our beginning projects, but that it was important for all of us to loft together. (Lofting is the process of drawing a boat full size on the floor to later pick up templates for cutting actual boat parts. More on this later.) In the process of learning the basics, I actually forgot that i came here to build boats.

We have spent the first month and a half learning to use hand tools: Japanese pull-saws, or "Dozuki" saws, chisels, planes, draw knives, flat and round bottomed spokeshaves, files, Japanese water stones for sharpening, grinders, and an assortment of measuring and marking tools.

In the process of learning these basic, but extremely difficult hand skills, we have produced a series of janky-ass joinery: half-laps, mitered half laps, bridle joints, carlin joints, and the mystical dovetail. (The good news with all this butchered pine is that i burn all of these useless joints in my wood stove at night.)

We then used these skills to make our own mallets (for driving chisels) as well as our own toolboxes. We were also being lectured daily on power tools, such as routers, table saws, lathes, planers, jointers, band saws, and various cutting jigs for all these machines. Upon demonstrating our prowess with these machines, (by holding up both hands with all 10 fingers upon completion of each cut) we were "checked out" on the power tools and given free reign to get on with our projects, or dismember ourselves as we saw fit.

I went to the local exotic lumber dealer/sawmill and bought a cant of cherry, re-sawed it, planed it to 3/8" and built a swanky tray for the top of my toolbox. I then realized that there was not enough "meat" at the top of the handle, and that it would probably break at some point in the near future. Tim then mentioned that i could use brass strapping to reinforce it. I asked him if this wouldn't be a bit masturbatory. He said "of course, just don't do it in public." The attached pictures say it all. No one prepared me for the nearly spiritual fulfillment that i experienced when loading my own hand dovetailed toolbox down with my beautiful, ridiculously expensive hand tools. I think some of my classmates want to shiv me in the alley between the wood shops; the brass might have been a bit much.

Another instructor wandered by while i was staring at it. For like, 5 minutes. He said, "What are you looking at?" I just turned and looked at him blankly.
"I cant believe i made this."
"yeah. Its pretty cool. I remember the first time i made my first beautiful boat. There not all beautiful, but man, you'll never forget the first beautiful one."

Oh yeah. I forgot i was here to build boats. But first, we have to learn to draw them.