for some work, cut nails don’t cut it

nail comparison

There’s lots of talk about nails these days. For me, the most easily available “old-timey” nail is just awful – the cut nails marketed today as approximating a blacksmith-made “wrought” nail. They are made in Massachusetts, here is the description for these nails:

“Decorative Wrought Head Black Oxide Finish   Designed to simulate the hand-forged nails of the late 1700′s, the head is three-sided and the nail has a black oxide coating.”

For the 17th-century work I do, the only choice is an actual wrought nail. These are the only type you would find on an original piece of furniture from that period.

Here’s one of the factory-made nails.

In this view, you can see the heavy, thick head these things have. The photo at the top of the page shows the bulge in the center of the shank. This results from how the nail is held to shape the head…the nail gets pinched in such a way that you end up with a bump in the midst of the shank. This is a true cut nail that is altered to mimic a wrought nail. I often compare it to using a router to cut dovetails, versus cutting them with a saw and chisel. Both are dovetails, but one is an imitation of the other. If you need 10,000 nails, these are clearly the way to go. If you need a few  dozen nails, or even a few hundred, you can do way better.

On the right is a hand-made nail, by my friend Mark Atchison. I know I’m comparing a large and small nail, but disregard the scale. The manufacturing process is the same regardless of size.  Notice the very slight, slender shank on Mark’s nail. Pointed tip, not a blunt tip like the cut nail beside it. Very thin head. Here’s the view of the hand-made nail’s head. Four hammer blows to make the head.

faceted head wrought nail

right and wrong nails

Some smiths these days rework these cut nails/wrought nail items…thinning out the heads and removing the bulge. That’s a good way to approach it if you are clapboarding a house. But as I said, if it’s a few nails you need – a blacksmith who knows what’s what is the way to go.

Period wrought nails are usually rectangular in their shank, the hand-made ones shown here are more square. That was at my request, I was using these with students last month at CFC in Rockport, ME.  The rectangular shanks just require a little more care in lining up the nails with the grain in the wood. Not a big deal..

Where do you get ‘em? Your not-even-local blacksmith of course. Nowadays, you can sit right at home & get connected to a first-rate smith. Here’s three I know.

I’ve written before about the work Mark Atchison does http://pfollansbee.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/2253/  Sometimes you can cajole Mark into making you some nails, just don’t cut in front of me!

Another great choice is Peter Ross http://peterrossblacksmith.com/ Peter made the nails (and hinges) when I taught carved boxes at Roy Underhill’s Woodwright’s School last spring. Drop Peter a note – he’s interested in making small quantities so that people can experience a real nail…

Another smith I have had the pleasure of working with over the years is Tom Latane – not sure if Tom is interested in making nails, but you have to see his work anyway… http://www.spaco.org/latane/TCLatane.htm

I have paid up to $1.50 per nail. A perfectly reasonable price for a hand-made nail. Many of my carved boxes have 2 dozen nails in them, so just under $40 for the nails. If you’ve used the fake-cut-nail-as-wrought-nails, do yourself a favor – splurge for a special project & use some real wrought nails. You’ll be glad you did.

nails in oak

 

some boxes finished

I know it’s hotter elsewhere, but for southeastern New England, it’s been pretty hot & humid. That’s what has slowed down my blog. But I have done some woodworking now & then. After returning from the class at CFC, I finished a couple of carved boxes.

carved box, July 2012

This one I had in the class with me, although that pattern is a bit ambitious for students at first. One student tacked it this spring at Roy Underhill’s class, but he just carved, didn’t make a box….

Here’s the side view, showing the carving, wooden hinge, and pine lid:

wooden hinge

I was moving stuff around in my shop the other day & found parts for two small boxes. So I finished them up last week. Here’s one:

 

It’s small, about 9 1/2″ x 15 1/2″ x 5″ high. A handy size around the house.

 

open

There was a larger one that I just finished, this time with an oak lid. Two boards, edge-jointed & glued.  Iron hinges.

carved box, oak lid. Aug 2012

 

There’s more. These will all appear on the static pages of the blog here when I get around to them.

Meanwhile, my friends at Lie-Nielsen need to tighten up security, it seems.

the thief

 

 

 

 

the carved box class at CFC

Here’s a few more photos from the recent box class at Center for Furniture Craftsmanship (CFC)

We had split sections of riven oak to start with, these needed hewing before planing. Here is Jim, one half of a lefty-husband and wife duo.  My hewing hatchets are righties, so Jim & Mary both used the Hans Karlsson double-bevel hatchet. Worked fine.

the students made lots of oak boards, riving, hewing & planing on & on.

Fred in motion

Proof. one of many barrels-full.

one of umpteen

Then to break their minds instead of their bodies, I gave them carving practice. They really took to it.

Raking light is great for this work.

I always stress body position; motions that steady & support the tool are helpful. Here’s Jim again, carving at his bench. Sorry for the garish color.

lefty carving too

Then I forgot my camera one day, and we cut the boards, finished the carving. Made rabbet joints, and pinned them together.

Patrick pinning his box

We used plain ol’ modern glue, and pinned the joints with square wooden pins. Then nailed bottoms on. (more about nails soon)

Here is a detail of a box with its cleats test-fitted, ready to make & install the lid. but we were out of time. Agghhhh,

 

That’s it for carved box classes for me this year (I’m out of vacation-time at work). We’ll see where I end up next year. It’s a busy but fun week making these things. Seems like a little project, til you factor in making all the hardwood stock from the log. I’ve been on a box-making frenzy since I got back. Will shoot some photos soon.

 

riving brakes boxes etc

Here is a simple riving brake we used in the box class at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. It’s the first kind I learned on, a forked section of a tree, supported by crossed poles. Works fine. Price is right.

riving brake

A pine tree fell in a storm this spring. My riving brake took the hit. Crushed & mangled.

I used a borrowed one for months, til I finally got around to remaking it. This is the new one.  I prefer this over the forked tree brake, because it puts the riving stock in an easier position to get at…

 

I have been un-packing, sorting and generally getting settled back in the shop after a hectic July. I finished the sample box that I took with me to Maine. I got the bottom on during my demos at the class, but I didn’t get around to the lid. So I finished it in the shop on Monday. It’s extremely white pine, so I think I might stain it with iron oxide/linseed oil.

New box, July 2012

Here you see the wooden pintle hinge arrangement.

 

open

 

The pin(tle) is a continuation of the back board’s rabbets; it requires some careful planning. Then the cleat that fits under the lid has a hole bored in its rear section. This cleat fits over the pintle and when all goes well, you have a hinge. It’s one I have found in a couple of variations in period boxes; but all in all, pretty rare. I use it a lot, folks like the idea of a wooden hinge. I have another version that I am going to use on a very small box coming up next.

 

I’m also shifting around here at home, working with a new computer. So some desk shuffle. I will have more posts about the CFC class. And then some new boxes.
Another batch of spoons for sale in a day or two.

I hope you got to see the stuff the Riven Word folks posted about pitsawing the other day. It’s the tip of the iceberg. Have a look http://blogs.plimoth.org/rivenword/?p=3855

 

 

 

 

patience with box lids

One picture, one note. It’s about patience.

brand new, & 10 years old

When I make boxes and chests for use here at home or for sale, I usually use oak for the carcass and white pine for the bottoms and lids. People often ask why I mix the woods that way. One simple reason is that I find period examples from New England done that way. I  can make lids from single wide boards in pine, where oak lids would need to be glued-up from a few narrower boards. (2 boards for a box lid, 3 or 4 for a chest lid).

It also saves the oak for the next carved piece. Pine is lighter in weight, which puts less strain on hinges over time.

“But the color…” they ask. When the box is new, like the one in the top of this pair, the pine is nearly white. Even with a couple of coats of linseed oil. Sometimes it’s yellow instead of white. In either case, it’s different in color from the oak when new. But wait…the box on the bottom of this pairing is the same format, oak carcass and pine lid & bottom. It’s about 10 years old, and has just seen ordinary use here at home all that time.

So if you are patient, the colors of the woods sort of mute together in time.

Or you can pay extra, (or work more if you make the box) and have an oak lid.

 

carved box class, July 23-27

one done one started

July is a great time to come “down” to Maine – so why not get over to the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship’s website & sign up for making a carved oak box? You can’t find a better place to be, and we’ll have some fun with red oak… http://www.woodschool.org/furniture-making/17th-century-carved-box

This is the last box class I’m scheduled for this year.  Maine is one of my favorite spots, this will be my first time teaching at CFC. I visited there earlier this year, it looks like quite a place… here’s a set of photos from that visit:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.444969838865640.115456.181880515174575&type=1

busting open an oak at CFC

We’ll have some oak to learn riving with, but the boards for the boxes themselves have been split out and are drying a bit…so we’ll plane those, do a series of carving exercises, then dive in & carve the panels for the box.  Rabbets, wooden pins, hand-wrought nails, all that kind of stuff. I’m going to bring some Atlantic white cedar scraps, this class might be the one that we include a till inside the box. I often make the sides & bottoms of the tills with cedar. Oak till lids.

Here’s my latest box, oak with white pine lid, cedar bottom. This one features wooden hinges, this is what we’ll do during the class.

carved oak box, July 2012

Here’s the hinge:

wooden hinge

The more students I get means I get to do more teaching – so if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the time. See you in Rockport, ME July 23-27.

 

 

my next workshop, July 23-27 at Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

It’s about five weeks-plus until my next workshop. This one is making a carved box, this time up in Maine at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockland.

Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

Dates are July 23-27, the website is here: http://www.woodschool.org/furniture-making/17th-century-carved-box

I got a bit of a tour when I was at Lie-Nielsen in May, and it looks like quite a spot. Lots of space, and plenty of windows. I split open a log during that visit, and it will become the stock for our boxes.

 

Here’s some photos of that visit http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.444969838865640.115456.181880515174575&type=1

Browsing through the school’s website, I am thrilled to be included in such a list of instructors. This will be my first time at CFC and I am really looking forward to it, & to being back in Maine again.

carved box 2011

 

The boxes will be oak, with pine lids and bottoms. Iron nails, wooden pins – all period techniques. I’ll have some of my boxes with me as examples, and a slew of carving tools, mallets, axes, planes, carved samples, study photos, etc. It should be great fun. If you are inclined, get over & sign up now. Birding was great in May, July will be slower, but should still see some stuff. See you in Maine, I hope.

 

the Woodwright Experience

the Woodwright's Shop

look where I was last week.

I have had very good fortune in my woodworking career – great teachers, friends, projects. All I could ask for…

One of the top highlights has been the chance for the past 10+ years to work on occasion with Roy Underhill. Roy saw my shop at Plimoth one day on a scouting trip he made through New England, looking for ideas for his show. I remember getting a phone message at work – “Roy Underhill called you” …”yea, sure” says me.

It’s hard to express the impact Roy’s books and shows have had on my work. I remember being in my early 20s, having just met Alexander & Langsner – and the green woodworking world was pretty small. Having found a television show about it was astounding…I remember watching the first couple of seasons on my lunch breaks at my part-time picture-framing job. I used to go to the local pizza joint & change the channel to see the show.

Years later, I ended up working in the living history museum field – and lo & behold, one of the books that addresses some of the challenges in that work is also by Roy – Krushchev’s Shoe: and Other Ways to Captivate an Audience of 1 to 1,000  (http://www.amazon.com/Khrushchevs-Shoe-Other-Captivate-Audience/dp/0738206725/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1335301008&sr=8-3)

So whenever I’m at a symposium, lecture, woodworking shows, etc where Roy is also on the bill, I try to make sure I get to see what he’s up to. It’s always worth seeing. Great teacher, presenter, lecturer, also can do woodwork – except he hasn’t finished a project in 32 years! Still worth it.

Last week, we had great students from many parts of the country, they had come a long ways, set aside time from their busy lives, all to let folks like Roy & I get to do what we love to do – share our ideas about furniture & woodworking.

students carving

another

learning to hew

more

many shavings

Ed Lebetkin’s store upstairs continues to swell w tools… if he doesn’t have what you’re looking for, he’ll probably end up with it soon.

tip of the iceberg

 

partial view of the whole iceberg up there. If you’re looking for something in particular, write to Ed  at edlebetkin@gmail.com

 

partial view of the whole iceberg

 Here’s a drawing my son Daniel did after watching an episode where Roy & I made spoons. To the right behind me are the finished spoons that were propped up for viewing in that episode. As well as a bunch of blocks that Roy brought in to make spoons from, behind him:

The episode is here, # 3108  http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/3100/index.html 

So if you have not yet made it to Pittsboro, NC for a class at the Woodwright’s School, put it on your list. It’s getting better all the time. http://www.woodwrightschool.com/

I feel that being a part of his Woodwright’s School is truly an honor, a real highlight in my career. Thanks for having me Roy, it means a lot to me.

BUT – here is the real kicker from the week down south: 

barred owl

 

box class coming up

nailing box bottom

OK – I have a week to get ready. I’m off to Roy Underhill’s place; the Woodwright’s School in a week or so. I have some white pine boards for box bottoms & lids; and a load of tools to sharpen, sort & pack.  http://www.woodwrightschool.com/

And a lesson plan to cook up – so I will re-read this article.  PF_box_articl  (the top banner of the blog now has a few pages from my now-deceased website, including the one that says “online publications” or something like that. That’s where this box article was recently buried…)

It might help me, I haven’t made any boxes from start to finish  this winter; so I am a little rusty.

The bar in the back of the school is no threat to me, but Ed’s shop upstairs is – I need more tools like a hole in the head, but I’m sure I’ll  go up just to see what’s there…

Then we have to come up with a television scheme or two.

And I have to get some birding in, Roy tells me the Louisiana waterthrushes are back at his place.

 

2012 classes; carving & box-making

Recently I got a couple of questions about workshops and or classes I’m teaching this year…so here goes.

there’s just a few, and one is coming up soon – in April I’m headed to the Woodwright’s School to work again with Roy Underhill. The project is making a carved box, working with riven green oak.

carved box 2011

We’ll be planing the stock, learning a number of carving designs, then assembling the box using wooden pins and some handmade nails from Peter Ross. Peter is also making some hinges for us, or students can opt for a wooden type hinge. I’ll show both methods. The dates are April 17-20 -here’s the link. http://www.woodwrightschool.com/bible-box-not-w-peter-follansb/ If you’re interested, email Roy – it will be great fun.

In May I’ll be teaching a two-day class at Lie-Nielsen in Warren, Maine. How can you go wrong? A weekend in Maine is hard to beat. This one is about carving, we’ll explore in detail numerous patterns; how to generate them then how to execute them. It will be similar to walking through the two DVDs I’ve done with them – but I’ll be sure to have lots of different patterns to study and work from.  It will be my first time teaching a class there- but I can’t wait. Here’s the link for their workshops program - http://www.lie-nielsen.com/?pg=35   If you’re coming for this class, start practicing this posture for watching the demos -

workshop posture

Then in July I’ll be back in Maine for a week-long box class, this time at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport. This is also my first time teaching there; and having looked at the classes they offer and the instructors they bring it, I’m thrilled to be included.  See their course listings here http://www.woodschool.org/furniture-making-courses-programs/workshops

Center for Furniture Craftsmanship

So let’s get moving – if I can fill these classes, then I get to teach more & more…