I just went thru Paul Jensen’s web-site and read his “How To” re- write. You know, we’re not perfect creatures and can’t please everyone…but I liked the way Paul says things about his work and purpose. In the end he leaves it up to you, the taker of information, to decide for yourself what’s best for you. Karma Mojo.
I think it’s something about crafting something 100% out of wood.
Kind of requires a certain mentality be it surfboards, fine furniture, or musical instruments.
The eye, the touch and feel almost a religious experience of sorts…
Paul, Richard, John Cherry their stuff will always bring a smile to any face
Oh ya and even you Roy… That’s something special what you’re doing as well.
Like my new lams say…
Wood is Good!
Wood has soul! Very few other materials do.
People who haven’t worked with it in a least mediumly stressed applications don’t understand that statement. An many perosnality types are unable to.
But when you build a stressed, all-wood object you find that statement is true. You develop a special instinct. And break a lot of wood 
-doug
Thos who saw the board I made for my old man know that wood is a medium I love. At the end of the day there is nothing better as an amatuer timber worker than taking the raw element and turning it into a thing of beauty. Trying to gauge the timber’s worth by running your hand along it and envisioning the finished product is the best part. Yeah, the end result may not always be what you imagined but who’s fault is that? Certainly not the timber.
I think that is where the amatuer differs from the professional, they have done it so many times that they are used to the product and the transformation, I still get stoked!!
BTW his birthday is this weekend so I’ll give him the board then. Stay tuned for photos!!
"…wood is a medium I love…
… At the end of the day there is nothing better … Trying to … by running your hand along it …is the best part. Yeah, the end result may not always be what you imagined but who’s fault is that?
…I think that is where the amatuer differs from the professional, they have done it so many times…
apart from my ‘prawn’ being 5" longer!! "
…INTERESTING …tell me more , Paul !
I bet YOUR deck isn’t as big as Roy’s, though , IS it ! …his is “17” , don’t you know ?!
[they grow them bigger in N.Z. ]
ben
Glad to hear there’s a fellow wood enthusiast on here 
IMHO working with wood is always like that - you never turn out with exactly what you initially thought. Even the “professionals” don’t. Modern cabinetmakers, etc don’t really use timber. They use MDF, particleboard and plywood. They chew wood up into bits and then put it back together with glue. To make it more homogenous - taking the soul out of it.
-doug
Quote:
Even the “professionals” don’t. Modern cabinetmakers, etc don’t really use timber. They use MDF, particleboard and plywood. They chew wood up into bits and then put it back together with glue. To make it more homogenous - taking the soul out of it.
And I think thats their point Doug. Remove the uncertainty by shredding it into a stable, known element that isn’t going to react any different time after time. As you’ve said - takes the soul out of it. And to their credit a good cabinet maker can turn out a lovely VENEERED peice time after time, but it’s still not the same. I don’t profess to be woodworker of any note, just a hobbyist who stuffs up his fair share of great timber with his poor technique!!
It’s surprising to find that those who carve waves have a divine passion for carving wood. My passions for surfing and the ocean are some of my greatest qualities, but woodworking is my electric obsession; It defines me more than any thing else. A lot can be told by the way people manipulate wood, a worthy project can give direct incite into the soul of the carpenter.
All of you guys are artisans, but those who sculpt wood are a little more.
Cheers,
Austin
I am wood butcher ;}
hahahahaha!
-A
I built an acoustic guitar from timber i milled myself
it was flame red beach out of a river
spruce top and i got some of the wood from the dump off an old stuffed piano
it had a great sound but alas taken by my exgirlfriend
its amazingly sad how many beautful hand made pianos are killed for firewood in this country.
keep it up guys , those wooden boards are works of art
Paul, do you remember how the Lions club in NZ used to run piano smashing meetings as fundraisers?
only moved here from aussie 7 years ago
dont tell me that
ive never witnessed that one thankfully
cd players have a lot to answer for in my opinion
Quote:
Glad to hear there’s a fellow wood enthusiast on here
IMHO working with wood is always like that - you never turn out with exactly what you initially thought. Even the “professionals” don’t. Modern cabinetmakers, etc don’t really use timber. They use MDF, particleboard and plywood. They chew wood up into bits and then put it back together with glue. To make it more homogenous - taking the soul out of it.
-doug
You obviously don’t know squat about modern cabinet making! How in the hell dare you say that we take the soul out of a piece of wood? You should only see some of the work that myself and other “modern cabinetmakers” have done. I wish I had a website with my work on it, instead go to Richard McCormick’s website and then try and say that “modern cabinetmakers” take the soul out of a piece of wood!!!
Here is a photo of something I have done.
All solid wood, no ply, MDF or any of that garbage, can you honestly tell me that I have taken the soul out of the wood?
Rolly
My apologies to all of the Swaylock’s community, I apologise for posting non surf related pics and I apologise for tearing off like that, but any real cabinetmaker knows that preserving the essence ( or the soul, if you will.)
of a piece of wood is the reason for doing what we do, otherwise what’s the point? That is why we sweat, bleed and cry over our work.
Apologies to you too Doug. I am really sorry, but it had to be said.
Rolly
wheels1 - Yep - that’s why. I know a few cabinetmakers and most of them don’t like wood (reasons as discussed). Tho one of the older guys absolutely loves it. Wishes it would come back into popular use. He grumbles about CAM I am also a hobbyist - broke something like eight bows before I made a shooter. I think the average time I had put in on each was something like 16 hours. Those splinters were more painful to my pride than anything else
Rhino - Yep. I’ll say one thing, and that is “loose yourself and work WITH the wood”.
TomBloke - I hate you 
silly - I would really like to see that! PM me a picture, please!
WoodMaven - No offense intended! Honestly and sincerely! I know half a dozen cabinet makers and have met some of their workmates. My generalisation was about the scores of cabinetmakers produced by tech-schools around the world. In my heart anyone who produces the work you posted is past the simple label of “cabinetmaker”. They are artisans. Reread my original post and you will see my “taking the soul out of wood” comment was about MDF and ply. And I still think that is still true. The pics you posted are beautiful. And I take no offense at all to your posting. I shouldn’t have generalised - I guess I was venting my frustration with the “plastic age” mindset. Picture meeting someone you think knows wood and getting strange looks when you mention the three dimensional nature of grain!!
-doug
Quote:
Quote:Even the “professionals” don’t. Modern cabinetmakers, etc don’t really use timber. They use MDF, particleboard and plywood. They chew wood up into bits and then put it back together with glue. To make it more homogenous - taking the soul out of it.
And I think thats their point Doug. Remove the uncertainty by shredding it into a stable, known element that isn’t going to react any different time after time. As you’ve said - takes the soul out of it. And to their credit a good cabinet maker can turn out a lovely VENEERED peice time after time, but it’s still not the same. I don’t profess to be woodworker of any note, just a hobbyist who stuffs up his fair share of great timber with his poor technique!!
Just some additional points here.
Woodworking and Cabinetmaking encompass a broad range of types of work, everything from plastic laminates, to fine solid wood work ala Mr. McCormick. The real test of skills is execution, not materials used. Not all of us have the luxury of working for ourselves w/ clientele rich enough to get us going full time. That’s the dance for the independent woodworker. I have worked in architectural shops where they provided the clients and working plans to build from. Our job was to build with skill and accuracy, and hopefully, in a timely manner.
Living in an area with soaring real estate gives me the opportunity to stay in the high priced work. It is by far, now a balance w/ design, raw material, price costs etc.
I personally leave the particle board and urea formaldehyde for others to digest, but veneered plys has big advantages with yield and consistency in visible wood with less waste. Solid woods of choice are really becomes scarce. Some have dried up completely in my lifetime. In the regions w/o raw materials, wood has become a symbol of affluence and pride with only small areas accented. All of the materials have a place, but it is the skill and responsibility of the craftsperson to do it well.
easternpacific,
Yep - I appreciate all that. The point I was trying to make was that people who truly appreciate and understand wood are few and far between.
Again, apologies to anyone I may have inadverantly offended.
-doug
doug
do you think any one wiping there ass on toilet paper made from old growth forests truly appreciate and understand wood
oops hope i didnt offend anyone
hey ill scan some piccies of some of my dodgy wood working.
and pm a few to you when i get the chance
ive made and tuned plenty of six hole flutes:
indian love flutes
wooden saxaphones
1 accoustic guitar
2 electric basses
a few drums
a few african thumb pianos
a couple of caravans (built with a friend)
a house bus roof
some bowls
numerous carvings of knotwork, dolphins ,horse heads etc
a crappy attempt at a netsuke
a 3 ton life size macrocarpa sculpture
http://www.artsunique.co.nz/sculpture.php?id=4
most were given away or sold
but i gave up cuz i nearly chopped off all my fingers on one hand with an arbotech
anyone ever met an arbotech before
there not very friendly to wood or fingers.
i not really into power tools any more (planers chainsaws.bandsaws skilsaws etc)
i prefer my japanese hansaw and blockplane and a chisel
but the angle grinder still gets a bit of bash every now and then
LOL! My point exactly (re loo paper)!
To clarify - I do not want to tar everyone with the same brush. Using plywood or MDF does NOT exclude woodworking ability and the artistic side of working with timber. I’ve used both myself from time to time - right material for the job, no problem.
But I do get miffed at so-called “cabinetmakers” and “carpenters” (note quotes PLEASE!) that haven’t touched a peice of timber since they got their certificates. They have no interest in wood at all and just give me strange looks when, for example, I talk about the relative merits of quarter sawn vs plain sawn timber.
-doug
PS. Try doing this with MDF or plywood!
