In this online video class, Fundamentals of Hand Tools, Tom Caspar shows you the key fundamentals of using seven important woodworking hand tools while building a simple jewelry box. You’ll watch, practice and learn while Tom demonstrates how to use these key woodworking tools:
a #4 bench plane
a Japanese pull saw
two types of block planes
a firmer chisel
a spokeshave
a scraper
and a rabbet plane
Tom’s interest in hand tools goes way back. “Forty years ago, I apprenticed in a shop where every piece of wood was planed or scraped by hand before assembly,” said Tom. “Doing the same task over and over was the best type of woodworking instruction I could get. It was hard work, but I loved it!”
Learning about hand tools takes you beyond what machines can do, Tom says. “Planes, chisels and hand saws don’t replace power tools in my shop. They’re a complement.” To build what you really want to build, he believes, you should master both hand and power tools. This online class will help you do just that.
Tom has been teaching “The Unplugged Workshop,” a course on hand tools for beginners, for the last 25 years. “My goal is to take the mystery out of hand work. This box is a great introduction to what hand tools can do.”
This woodworking project is more than just a teaching exercise, however. You can easily build several in a weekend, making it a perfect gift for your whole family.
By the way, you don’t really need hand tools to build it. They just make spending time in the shop more fun!
In addition to the video instruction that you’ll enjoy in the Fundamentals of Hand Tools class, you’ll also be able to access a printable PDF drawing of the jewelry box, as well as a Class Resource PDF that notes the tools and supplies used in the class.
NOTE: This Class video instruction is also available for purchase in DVD form. If you prefer to own a physical copy, you can purchase the Class DVD here.
Class Sessions
Session 1: Getting Started
3:09
Meet your instructor, furniture maker and author Tom Caspar. Get an overview of Fundamentals of Hand Tools, and take a look at the tools that will be used throughout the Class.
Session 2: Thicknessing and Joinery
8:34
Tom uses a table saw and a dado set to cut the only woodworking joint required for the project. He hand planes the sides of the box for a perfect fit into the dados made on the table saw.
Session 3: Cut to Length and Clean Up the End Grain
6:46
To cut the angled ends of the box, Tom uses his Japanese pull saw and a simple guide. He cleans up the saw marks using a block plane. Sandpaper can't make it smoother!
Session 4: Angles and Curves
16:12
The ends of the box have a subtle detail: a miter that tapers from top to bottom. Hard to do? Nope—Tom unveils a foolproof method to create these miters with a block plane. The bottom edge of the box is a graceful arch, which Tom makes using a pull saw, chisel and a specially modified spokeshave.
Session 5: Make the Bottom and Align the Joints
21:13
Fitting the bottom involves some careful measuring, but after the bottom is cut the box is ready to glue together. Tom demonstrates how to use a plane to make the top edges perfectly even after gluing.
Session 6: Make the Lid and Apply Finish
1:10:46
Tom cuts rabbets around the underside of the lid using a router table, then cleans up the marks left by the router bit using a rabbet plane. He planes a chamfer around the top of the lid using a smooth plane guided by a unique shop-made jig. Lastly, Tom shows you his favorite wipe-on finish to make the wood glow.
Session 7: Class Summary
0:45
Tom wraps up this Class with a reminder to practice the tips and techniques you learned in making this jewelry box, and apply your new hand tool skills to create a variety of projects in your shop.
Your Instructor
Tom Caspar
Tom Caspar, a Minneapolis-based furniture maker, boasts nearly four decades of experience since apprenticing to a Swedish cabinetmaker. Formerly an esteemed editor for <em>Woodwork</em> and <em>American Woodworker</em> magazines, Tom's expertise shines through in his extensive portfolio of articles covering a wide range of techniques and projects, alongside informative tool test reports. For an impressive 25 years, he has been a dedicated instructor of "The Unplugged Woodshop," a 12-week introductory course on hand tools.
Bonus Material
Printable Class Guide PDF
Download and print this PDF Guide to complement your Class instruction. It’ll be a nice reference for you to keep.
Class Supplement PDF
See this detailed drawing of the Class jewelry box project, including a Cut List.
Class Resource PDF
See this list of tools and supplies that are used in this Class.
Instructor Insights
Download this short video to hear your instructor talk about this Class.
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.
FAQs
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