There’s current discussion going on about speed with hand tools. Reading thru the string tonight, especially near the end (blacksmith’s skills) it suddenly occurred to me that there’s another aspect to this topic.
I’ve always argued that the ability to bust nice stuff out of rough timber is a native skill. A bit like being good with languages. You’re born with it. A good carpenter or joiner (or even cabinetmaker) can be made, but some of us are born with a ‘native skill’ and hardly need to be taught.
I count myself in this group. Never been taught. Have never seen a timber craftsman at work, let alone worked with one. Quite competent (have won national awards). How to explain that? Genetics. Luck. Native skill?
By the way – this has nothing to do with merit, value or joy.
At the risk of sounding … what? Many people work wood, and benefit enormously, and produce items of value that give pleasure – make a living even, regardless of their ‘native skill’.
How does this link to the ‘speed’ discussion?
I believe that speed is a factor of native skill. If it comes natural, if you can think and picture in 3D, then ‘joinery’ is a short straight line from reaching for the wood, to the finished product.
How’s that for a Friday night provocation!?
Malcolm (www.macpherson.co.nz)
Edited 3/11/2005 2:23 am ET by kiwimac
Edited 3/11/2005 2:27 am ET by kiwimac
Replies
I agree, and count myself as having an inborn ability to make furniture. I believe though, while I may have an innate ability to see how do the hundreds of steps it takes to make a piece of furniture, it is the desire, that really gets things done. Given little natural ability, but a strong desire and some direction, be it here on this forum, reading, taking classes, or just going out in the shop and doing every thing wrong, that can be done wrong, but learning from it, anyone who can hold a tool, could make furniture. I often tell people, woodworking is sawing, chiseling or planing to a line, after a while how hard can that be.
Carving is one area that I think this philosophy comes up short, free flowing carving is artistic, and artist are born not made (I'm certainly not artistic, not even a little). Cabinetmakers are born but they can also be made.
Rob Millard
> carving is artistic, and artist are born not made <
So if we're happy to agree with this (and I guess we probably are - where are the art teachers), it makes my point. There are 'native' skills, and the ability to work wood is one of them - just as is the ability to paint/sculpt/carve.
MNew Zealand | New Thinking
It seems to me that "native skill", in most endevors, woodworking, athletics, education, music, etc, is enough to get you to a "B" level without too much effort. In all of the listed fields, I don't know anyone who ever achieved absolute top flight achievement without a lot of hard work and effort. I'm not saying that such people don't exist, but I'd wager that they are very rare. I've known some people who claimed they achieved high level performance without much practice or effort, but to an idividual, they've all fallen into two classes: those that were modest about effort expended and those that had an artifically inflated opinion of themselves. Like I said, I don't doubt that some people do possess some sort of 'native skill' sufficent to achieve high level performance, but I've never run into them.
I believe what you describe is inherent in everyone. The question is, how many of us recognize this ability and tap into it. If you need proof of this, just look at kids. All little ones pick up a crayon or marker and go at it. Some stop at a certain age and others (few) carry on. And if you want to research deeper we could look at chimps! ; )
I, on the other hand, have the inborn ability to make sawdust. :-)Sorry, I'm not going to engage in the Friday night "trolling"... Nothing against it, just don't want to think too much.All I can say is that I was exposed to woodworking at 8-9 years old. My dad made trophy bases out of walnut (yes they used to use walnut not plastic for trophy bases). He paid me a penny a hole to sit at the drill press and drill them. I suspect that being around this stuff most of my life has had some influence on my abilities...Is that what happened with you???Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
22452.4 in reply to 22452.3
I, on the other hand, have the inborn ability to make sawdust. :-)
LOL .......heard that one loud and clear!
FE
Good point, Malcolm.
I'm one of those that learn it, as opposed to those that can do it with minimal or no instruction.
Still, it fills the odd empty hour, eh?
Hey Mac,
I used to be pals with a virtuoso musician who was often "complimented" on his "gift". It use to drive him crazy that his hours of hard work, practice and woodshedding could so easily be dismissed as a "gift". No one gave it to him, he earned his ability through hard work and study.
By attributing his talent as "gift" (native skill?), people could pull him down to their own level of inadequacy.
Perhaps his gift was that he loved what he did for a living.
Tom
Edited 3/11/2005 11:36 pm ET by tms
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled