What Defines Fine Woodworking?

[JoeyGee]

Yes, the C-Man has posted a few pics of past projects. IIRC (and someone correct me if I am wrong), we have seen his very fine first projects--the 1970's era lamps as well as an impressive 1980's era built-in wall set.

I am waiting anxiously for the 90's and 00's updates...

I, for one, have no issue bestowing the term "Fine Woodworker" on our Cabinetman.

[sparkeyjames]

Tis a loaded question you ask us to answer. One that trips upon that a thing which we all have. A thing known as subjective opinion. I have seen people look at a piece of wood work and proclaim that it was beautiful yet my eye said that it was not well made or poorly designed. Who am I to judge another persons opinion of beauty. I can only compare their version against mine and note the difference.

Now on the other hand if your talking about pure technique then that stuff is fairly easy to spot. All it takes is a little grounding in the wood working arts and you can tell whether a piece is well designed and well made. As an aside to what I said above it can be well made yet still to my eye be ugly as sin in my opinion.

[Uncle Cracker]

Tis a loaded question you ask us to answer. One that trips upon that a thing which we all have. A thing known as subjective opinion. I have seen people look at a piece of wood work and proclaim that it was beautiful yet my eye said that it was not well made or poorly designed. Who am I to judge another persons opinion of beauty. I can only compare their version against mine and note the difference.

But that's just it... Beauty and craftsmanship exist within the eye of the beholder. Without this "subjective opinion", there is little substantive meaning. Few artists ever do work they don't want to be seen by anyone (unless it's really bad... ).

[JimD]

It is very subjective IMHO. I subscribe to FWW and there are a lot of projects that at least look simple (like a bench or table built of a slab cut from a tree) but are in the magazine presumably because the editor finds them artistic. Most projects employ at least hardwood and sometimes exotic woods or ivory or other expensive materials. They have technique pieces on how to fix problems with poorly cut joints.

If the end result is pleasing to you and others that see it, it is fine enough for me. To get to this result requires pleasing proportions, careful craftsmanship, and appropriate materials. I do not subscribe to the avoidance of mechanical fasteners but I do not want to see them. I use mortise and tenon and dovetails (machine cut) because it makes a strong final product and I enjoy cutting them. I use pocket screws and regular screws where they will not show (or in shop projects where I don't care). It's pretty hard not to attach a table top, for instance, without screws. But up under an apron, who sees them?

Jim

[luteman]

Boatbuilding and luthiery come to my mind as examples of "fine woodworking"

[Hoover]

The use of wood and or veneers to produce the best aesthic of composition and balance.
The ability to let the piece stand on its own. The pleasing work that is easy on the eye, and that can be apreciated by not only the maker but by the viewer.