I found a new workout - woodworking

(Scott) #1

I have been exploring hand tool wood working and am partway through a Moravian workbench build. I did use power to mill the boards for the top but after that I am the power. First I had to flatten the top with a hand plane which to my surprise is a total body sweating workout. Then came hand saw cutting the joinery. I kept thing of the old joke “I just flew in from…and boy are my arms tired.” More planing on the tenons which need to fit in the hand chiseled mortices. The Top itself is 100 lbs. And the leg assemblies have some weight too. All the holes are drilled with a brace and bit hand drill. I am amazed at how many times I need to whack a chisel only to flip the piece and have a go from the other side. It takes me almost an hour of this activity to complete one mortice and tenon joint and this workbench has twenty of them.

Just thought I would share that my muscles are tired when I go to bed and that’s a good thing. My power tools think I am crazy but I would have never felt this way if I hadn’t tried this build the old school way.

(KCKO, KCFO) #2

Enjoyed reading this. An interesting pandemic activity. Sounds like a great bench you are building.

(Bob M) #3

I’ve been doing many home projects, and I have to say a lot of them are quite intensive. I’m putting up 2 inches of sheet/rigid foam on my concrete basement walls, for instance. Some of it is physically demanding, like getting on my knees and cutting through sheet foam using a blade. It’s much tougher than it looks. And then drilling through the foam and into the concrete is a bear. (You put plastic “nails” through the foam and into the concrete, which hold the foam until glue dries.)

You have a better project, though, as you get something totally cool afterwards. I get a warmer basement. :wink:

(Robin) #4

This is a joy to hear. My dad was an old fashioned wood worker. Any time we use our bare hands, with wood, with dirt… it’s good for the soul. Sore muscles are a bonus. Goon on ya!