A few words on technique

Hi there! Welcome to my first “blog” post! Here you’ll find random thoughts (hence the page title) I have about woodworking and furniture. Some may be educational, some may simply be brain vomit! I hope that you enjoy. As they say, on with the show!

Technique - technical skill; ability to apply procedures or methods so as to effect a desired result.

Now that we have the definition out of the way, let’s dive into this a bit. As I mention on my About page, I consider myself a student first. As such, I sometimes pass time by watching YouTube videos of other woodworkers, or reading articles or forums. I’ve noticed something as of late: there are a lot of woodworkers out there who approach joinery with a much different mindset than I do. In short, they use different techniques. This isn’t a bad thing. I don’t want you to think I’m here to bash them, because I’m not. Some of them make some beautiful pieces and the techniques they choose work for them. I’m just here to voice my thoughts on the matter.

Many of the aforementioned craftsmen use power tools that enable them to create joints in a relatively short amount of time. From a financial perspective this is a great thing! They spend less time on joinery (possibly increasing their profit margin), the customer pays less for the labor, everyone wins. Overall the joints are fairly sound. But one question I have is will they last? What will those joints look like after some rowdy toddlers, or teenagers for that matter, have at that furniture? What will they look like in 15 years? Wood glue is very strong stuff! But it also has to be applied correctly to the appropriate parts of the wood. Additionally, wood glue alone is no match for wood glue plus a mechanical joint. Metal fasteners are great too. As long as a wood screw with some stress on it doesn’t begin stripping the threads it cut into the wood as it was initially sunk.

I was trained in a “style” that the Wood Whisperer, Marc Spagnuolo, has dubbed hybrid woodworking. That is, I do a lot of work with power tools and I do a lot of work with hand tools. I enjoy the artistry and challenge of more traditional joinery techniques like dovetailing and dowel joints and bridle joints. Many of these joints are started on power tools and finished by hand. In contrast to the approach discussed in the previous paragraph, these techniques take more time. Which can shrink profit margins, and increase overall cost to the client. However, these traditional techniques are solid and very strong! They are called traditional for a reason. They’ve been used for thousands of years! Take a look at some of the furniture on display in art museums. Some of those pieces are hundreds of years old and the joints are still holding. I find a particular beauty in the joinery of wood and see it as a tell-tale sign of the craftsman’s level of competence and expertise. It may not be cheap, but few worthwhile things are.

Personally, I prefer the quality over the speed. But it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. Different flavors. If you’re a woodworker, you have to decide which is best for you. If you’re a customer, you also have to decide if the extra cost is worth it for you. I can’t tell you what the best option is because it’s each individual’s personal opinion.

Have a happy and safe New Year everyone!