Why I like green woodworking
My name is Dave Old and I have been an active member of SAWS for about five years. Originally, I was focused on general furniture making. Like most people starting out, the budget was limited, so if you needed a cabinet you built one. Forty years of woodworking is littered with trials and errors.
SAWS has expanded my knowledge immensely, the opportunity to share experiences with some true masters has been enlightening. That coupled with the camaraderie and socializing with like minded woodworkers. The one lesson I learned long ago, you get out of it what you put in. By getting involved, you reap what you sow.
Green Woodworking
So a few years ago, I camperized a van. I needed something to keep my hands entertained as I am not one to sit around and do nothing and have had some experience in carving. The tools required work well for camping, as they are mainly smaller hand tools that are easy to pack along and the shavings make great kindling. On occasion so does the piece you're working on!
Green woodworking is very much trial and error. It comes with no detailed plans, only an eye for form. Some knowledge of structure helps as well as something such as a spoon does not follow the form you would find in a metal one. Also, if you want to make a living at it, good luck. It is a labour of love.
Tools
Tools fall into two categories, essentials and nice-to-haves. Let's start with essentials:
Shaving horse: As I needed one that was easy to pack with me, I had to develop one that folded up. As the image shows, you sit on the back end to support it and push on the clamp with your feet. The clamp folds up for storage. The horse acts as a third hand, holding the piece so that you not only have two hands to work with, but both hands are behind the tool.
Safety gloves: Lee Valley sells an inexpensive pair that not only protect your hands, but provide a better grip. Highly recommend them.
Hatchet: I like to grind the bevel to one side to keep from digging too far into the piece. If you're right handed, you want a more gradual bevel on the left side of the hatchet.
Drawknives: They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but essential for shaping, or removing excess wood.
Sharp knife: Smaller, but good steel that holds an edge.
Chisels: These fall into both essentials and nice to haves. Depending on the project at least one good bent gouge.
Sandpaper: A good selection with a variety of grits, starting with 60 grit, finishing with 220. I keep a bundle cut into quarters.
Adze: Nice to have. Usually too big for a spoon, but allows for speedy removal of wood in bowls.
Chisels: Nice to have. So many to choose from. Wait until you see what you need before spending a lot of money.
Hook knives: Nice to have. Another tool for hollow out spoons and bowls.
Sourcing material
As the saying goes, it is where you find it. Here in Alberta, good hardwoods are hard to find. Softer woods do not yield a smooth finish, nor is there the character in the wood. I sometimes feel like a lawyer chasing ambulances, only I am chasing arborists instead. One lesson I have learned the hard way is don't go chasing around the neighbourhood every time you think you hear a chainsaw. All too often I arrive to find a stinkin’ leaf blower.
