Hand tool theory

[gwyneth]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but in the process of trying to find another plan to make a mortise gauge I discovered several interesting sites. (I also found out that a British company sells its mortise gauge for --sit down--235 pounds. Makes L-N look like HF.)

This site not only has plans for several gauges, it has lots of information about mortise gauge and marking knife theory, and very detailed stuff about the principles of working with hand tools:

http://www.amgron.clara.net/index.htm

A Woodwork Notebook - Jeff Gorman

Here's an extremely detailed article, with both theory and how-to, by Ian Kirby about marking with gauges (shares perfection spirit with Rod, maybe they are related):

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/articles/markingtools.cfm

Woodworker's Journal Marking Tools

This site has probably been mentioned here several times but here it is anyway. Lots of sources of hand tools and info about them:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/%7Ealf/en/en.html

The Electronic Neanderthal Woodworker

[docrowan]

Gwyneth,

Thanks for posting these. I hope I'll have time to study them more later, very detailed information.

I agree, Ian Kirby (author) and our own Rod Kirby must be related.

I wonder if we really do have any author's subscribed to this site.

Chris

[gwyneth]

Ever since I read Ian Kirby's table saw book seven or eight years ago, I have been amazed at the depth of his information. If he didn't provide so much theoretical stuff, and therefore the logic behind his and other methods, I expect he'd be really annoying (I've always wondered how his students feel about him).

But...one of the problems with some woodworking information is that it either ignores or doesn't explain the science/theory behind techniques that work. (In another life I wrote and edited cookbooks and this is even more true about food info.)

If we know the theory, we can work much more effectively and predictably. That's what I thought was so great about Jeff Gorman's site--instead of just passing on traditional methods, he tested and improved them, and explains why something works and why something wouldn't.

[radhak]

Good links.

Thanks Gwyneth.

And yes, we do have authors here - at least one that I can recall right-away : Tom Hintz. Check his site out.

Not to forget the many (many) sites 'authored' by various other members that great to browse thru.

Maybe we need to have a thread with all such 'member owned' websites...

[Tom Miller]

But...one of the problems with some woodworking information is that it either ignores or doesn't explain the science/theory behind techniques that work. (In another life I wrote and edited cookbooks and this is even more true about food info.)

I bet you either have, or would like, the book On Food and Cooking, by Harold McGee.

When it comes to sharpening, the Leonard Lee book is a good analogy, and plays into the hand tool subject.

Regards,
Tom