PTSWW ATC Class Summer 2024 by Megan Fitzpatrick

 I just signed up to take a class at the Port Townsend School of Woodworking in the summer of 2024.  I will be taking the Anarchist Tool Chest class from Megan Fitzpatrick in Jun.  I am very very excited about this.  To understand why is a bit of a backstory.

Firstly, it was a combination of the ATC book and Paul Sellers videos back in 2013/2014 that convinced me I wanted to woodwork with hand tools.  I had just remodeled my garage and was saving up to buy machines.  Naively (or sleep deprived from my young child), I though the ATC would help me understand what machines I needed. to buy.  As such, that tool chest book and that tool chest in particular has had a warm spot in my hard.  So much so, that in Dec 2019, I had signed up to take the ATC class from Megan Fitzpatrick in the summer of 2020.  We all know how 2020 turned out.  To PTSWW credit, they were excellent at making a refund (wish I could say the same for the airline we had purchased tickets from in Dec 2019 to go to Italy in fall of 2020).  

I did make it to PTSWW summer 2022 (Laura Mays small dovetailed boxes) but I still wanted to take the ATC class.  In fact, shortly after I signed up for ATC class, I made a mid-sized Japanese carpenters tool box to take own tools for the class.  Wasn't really necessary to do as PTSWW provides all the tools.  Yet, I wanted to use my own tools.  In fact, I ended up making later on a mini-ATC (half size dimensions approx from what book uses) just to make an ATC of some kind.  I like the mini-ATC I made but it's a little tight for tools so the one I will be making at PTSWW will be bigger and better suited for traveling.  I can't wait.

If you are on the fence of going yourselves, the Port Townsend School of Woodworking and the town of Port Townsend itself are absolutely amazing places.  I used to live in WA state 2000-2004 and made many trips to Port Townsend because I liked it so much there.  There is a very good chance I may retire there; having a woodworking school where I can take classes/maybe work part time is just icing on the cake.

Preliminary Feedback on Vintage Tools and Raised Bench

 I've been using my 41" high bench and vintage tools for about two months.  Still a very short time and not ready to make any long term conclusions.  I do like the height on the workbench for layout, breaking down stock, and housing dados.  I have found the height to require more effort for my hand planes which isn't surprising given I can't get as much lower body into.  I do like my vintage chisels.  I can't tell you if they hold the edge as long as my Lie Nielsens do because I tend to sharpen frequently as a matter of habit.  I do like my No 5 vintage hand plane.  The No 3 vintage hasn't worked as well and I think I have the mouth too tight so I will get around to adjusting that.  The large vintage saws are noticeably heavier than my Lie Nielsen hand saws - don't like this as of now but need to spend more time using them.  Haven't used the vintage dovetail saw yet so how I really feel about that remains to be seen.

Long term, I will likely get another bench in the shop that is lower around 36" (target will be 4 hand spans).  Jim Toplin and Geroge Walker talk a lot about hand spans as a measuring tool and I really think they are correct.  In fact, Toplin has an awesome YouTube video on the topic https://youtu.be/bBS5-AV81lg?si=pHLwEbHWH4s2IQ0O  Toplin talks about 4, 5, 6 hand spans as the three ideal heights to have.  Four hand spans for hand planing stock; 5 hand spans for layout and much of the joinery work, and 6 hand spans for dovetails and really fine work.

My current workbench turns out to be 5 handspans (which I was happy to see).  I have a kit for a Moxon vise and that will get me to 6 hand spans.  Thus, I need another bench to be 4 hand spans.  Could either take my current bench off of its elevations or make a shorter bench.  Not sure when I will get around to making that bench.  As for the moxon vise, I have the hardware and will likely make the vise in about 2 to 3 months.  The current Becksvoort's 15 drawer chest will require lots of dovetail work so it makes sense to make it for that project.  Just need to decide what wood to use.  A good problem.  Poplar is a likely choice.  I will go to my lumber store and see what they have and see what else I can get for the same price as poplar and then make a decision.  All good problem.s

Finally Using My Lie Nielsen No 98 & 99 Housing Dado End Grain Trimmers

 I bought these two specialty planes 4 or 5 years ago at a Lie Nielsen tool event.  In that time, I've had used them twice.  Given Lie Nielsen had stopped production, they had risen to about $600 for the pair on the used market.  I was tempted to sell them as I rarely used them.  However, I thought they might come in handy at some point because I do make a fair bit of housing dados by hand.  As such, I kept them.  Well, Becksvoort's 15 drawer chest is the project where they have come in really handy.  I have total of 30 housing dados I need to make for this project - long ones about 12" each.  

Each piece needs to be fitted into these housing dados.  They were all too tight after cutting the dado so I had to either trim the dado or slightly chamfer the end of the board going into the housing dado.  Normally, I just put the slight chamfer on the piece.  For this project, after doing what I normally do, I broke out the LN 98 and 99.  It worked well and I felt I had more control on sneaking up to a tight fit vs. the other method I typically use.  I will be using these planes more.  Still a specialty tool but handy when needed.

The only challenge is that if the brass shoe makes contact with the wood surface, it mars it.  That's why I didn't use them initially.  If I raise the shoe up, I can get a mar free surface which is important on a cabinet where the inside face can be seen.  On this piece, the inside will never really be seen as there are drawers.  As such, I've mostly left the shoe down.  All good problems.  Hopefully this weekend or next I will have all the dados done so I can move onto the dovetails for the top.  We shall see.  Trying to do more than just woodwork all the time.  Won't stress either way on the progress if it is slow.  This is a hobby and it is supposed to be enjoyable.