I have seen some awesome decorative woodwork created with power tools, but a cousin says better detail, for trims and such, can be realized when using hand tools. Which is better?
It probably depend on the skill of the craftsman or hobbyist. My grandfather used hand tools even after he was given power tools as a gift. He preferred the leasurely nature of doing his woodworking by hand. I bet it was good therapy for him.
Just so, not to ever knock power tools because they are very useful, but there is something "organic" in the feel of using hand tools, don't you think?
I think I know what you mean, heretoday. And I think that you could ultimately get more detail from hand tools. For example, I'm thinking of a kind of woodworking... I think it was called wood cutting where images are cut into the wood to complete pictures. Maybe I don't have the right term, but I think it was a popular art form before photography. Do you know the process I'm talking about?
I've been a powertool junkie since getting into woodworking about 5 years ago ... but have recently seen the light & "power" in handtools. I don't think I want to go to the extreme of handtools-only, but they have their place in the shop and probably moreso than I had originally thought. Though both the powertool and handtool would probably do a fine job, I can see how the handtool would good for this purpose & enjoyable to use (assuming you don't have to do 10,000 linear feet!)
I agree. It does depend highly on the craftsman. Some people are very skilled at hand work. However, many people can't do hand work to save their lives. I personally, like power tools over hand tools any day.
I think hand tools will produce a better effect, especially in the case of a woodworker who loves his/her job. Using hand tools to create furniture is somehow more "artistic" than using power tools.
I love the detail that a good craftsman can get from a hand tool. However, at best I would consider myself an amateur. However, I continue to practice with hand tools, hoping one day to be as good as my father was.
I don't think I would attempt hand tools for that type of detail as I am a rank ameteur. I will have to practice quite a bit before I ever consider myself good enough to even have a go at it.
The crispness of the detail you get from a well sharpened hand tool can't be easily matched by a power tool. At first glance you won't see the difference but when you look at it closely and feel it, you will be able to tell the difference. Just like a surface smoothed by a hand plane will look better somehow than one smoothed by sandpaper.
That's a tough question but I think it's all in the woodcrafter's skill. You can give incredible detail with power tools if you're really skilled. Hand tools are easier and more spiritual for the artisan who revels in wood transformation.
There's something kind of special about imagining the moods and emotions the carver might have experienced during the creative process. For some reason, a hand carved item seems to carry more history with it than machine created pieces. This assumes, of course, that one can tel the difference, or the history of a piece is explained.
As an inexperienced woodworker, I think I'd feel more comfortable working with a hand tool. Power tools don't seem to allow for much of a margin for error.
I agree that hand-carved pieces have more heart. It's nice to be able to run your hand over something and know a real artisan made it. Not to say that good results cannot be gotten using power tools - they certainly can. But there's something so satisfying about a hand-carved piece.
I think that you can make good artisan pieces with power tools too, not just hand tools. You just have to find the right power tool and know how to use it. For instance - some of my favorite pieces are those animals made out of wood. I have watched people take a piece of wood (tree or whatever) and use a chainsaw and make something beautiful. Using a chainsaw (power tool) is much quicker and the work is amazing.
