Spending too much on tools?

[David Somers]

Hey everyone!

I had to chuckle reading the posts the last few days about lathes powered by electric drills and folks saying they spent too much on tools? (the folks at my local Woodcraft and I are on a first name basis and exchange homemade cookies when I make it to their island. A bad sign.)

You may remember a few months ago I had shared some photos of the work my friend John does in American Samoa carving bowls by hand in the traditional Samoan style and using traditional techniques and tools?

Well....his wife, Epi, just sent me a few photos of John at work making a bowl. For those of you patiently using drill powered lathes and or purposefully thumbing through a well worn copy of your favorite turning catalog preparing to buy yet another tool....these 3 shots are for you! (ahem...us....pardon the slip)

Thought you all might enjoy these! If you want to backtrack to the original postings about John and his work here is the link.

http://www.woodturner.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=1984&highlight=Samoa


Hope all is well out there!

Dave

 

[Jude]

Thanks

Yes I am the one tha uses a drill powered lathe. I am glad you posted those pics. You work with what you have. I bought my little lathe because I did now know of I would like turning or not. Well as it turns out,no pun intended, I love it and when my wife came out to watch me last sunday she realy injoyed watching the turning process. But just as I was getting into one of my coustmers pens the drill moter started smoking. I did finish the pens and wen inside and ordered my new lathe 😀 .
I'm shure your freind realy enjoys how he does his work and would not change. He works with what he has and is greatfull 😀
Just wanted to put my 1 1/2 cents in
Jude

 

[MichaelMouse]

Hand adze, scorp and scraper will do it all right, but I'd find something made of other than flesh to hold things steady. No matter the skill level, it seems everyone finds their hand or even body in front of the gouge once in a while. I teach and use a two-hand grip on the gouge as a way of ensuring both are in the clear.

I have a feeling I don't want to find out how he holds the blank for chainsawing.

 

[Griesbach]

Chainsawing??? Michael, what makes you think he uses a chain saw? 😀

 

[Mark Mandell]

Chainsawing??? Michael, what makes you think he uses a chain saw? 😀

1. Gas can

2. Saw kerfs

Follow-up question: Where's Waldo? 😀

 

[Griesbach]

Well...yes I did wonder about the gas can and what appeared to be saw kerfs but what with him using hand tools and all??? 😀

 

[Wilford Bickel]

Thanks David!

I have really enjoyed the posts about John and his work. Seeing these pictures really makes the point that tools do not make a craftsman!! His work is amazing and becomes even more so when you realize the tools he is using. I'll admit to being a tool junkie, I enjoy tools and love obtaining new ones - just wonder what John could do with a full lathe set up and modern tools with his talent!!

Please keep us updated on his work as you get more pictures to share!

Wilford

 

[Bill Boehme]

I figured that the hand tools were gasoline powered. After all, he does hold the gas powered tool in his hands. I don't want to know how he holds the bowl steady during that part of the process.

Bill

 

[David Somers]

I've never seen him rough out the bowl with the saw so I don't know how he holds it. You've got me worried though now that you mention it!!! He did ask me to try and scrape up a used 24 inch saw the next time I am on the mainland. He couldn't possibly be hand holding wood and using a 24 inch bar could he??? <grimace>

I will definately post interesting photos of his work as I get them. I think in the original posts I mentioned that there was little to no interest among younger folks in American Samoa when it comes to learning traditional carving? The economy is fairly good and there is little incentive to make it a trade, while in John's home of Western Samoa the economy is fairly poor and the young folks are eager to learn carving.

The good news is that a church in his village has gotten a good sized group of teens together who want to learn! So at some point this summer he is going to start teaching them. Epi promised she would get me some photos of that to share with everyone. I thought the folks in the recent Symposium who worked so hard in the youth turning room might really enjoy seeing another related craft/art being passed on to kids.

I'm glad everyone enjoyed these photos!

And to Jude!! Although I would love to have John's skill with those hand tools I dearly love my lathe and have a ball using it. I hope that new lathe is a delight to you when it arrives!

Dave

 

[DeanGThomas]

Chain Saws and hand work

My guess is that this is an end grain bowl he was crafting. Either end grain or side grain, the chainsaw work could well have been done before the blank was removed from the log, right? VERY safe that way. At least so far as small chunks of wood and chainsaws...

 

[eganfire1]

Chain Saws and hand work

Chain saw to start the thing or not , to finish it with an adze and scraper ... it is very nice work.

 

[Wilford Bickel]

Archive to Tips and Techniques

A question for Jeff and Steve - would it be appropriate to combine the 2 threads on the Samoan bowl work and shift them to the Tips and Techniques forum. It definitely is a different technique! This would keep them form getting lost in the crowd and make it easier to reference and route other people to view.

Wilford