30 comments on this post:

1. John, Thanks for taking my eye to different places. I saw the world through a 18th Century Highboy until I expeienced classes with you and Michael Fortune at MASW. While my eye still goes back there, I have found an appreciation of modern style and the craftsmanship that goes into the design and fabrication. Watching the video from Bernhard design brought a great deal of envy, watching the precision on the bandsaw as I stink, but I will master this skill. As modern goes, I really enjoy the Vita Collection at Thomas Moser, but still try to understand Wendell Castle.

   Best, Bob

2. Bob-
   All of us have filters and I am trying my best to rid myself of mine, an ongoing and never ending process. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

   – John

3. Hi John, I now check this space way too often looking forward to your next nugget and free tools, thanks for these great leads, we all benefit from diverse design awareness. I’ve been having a Jean Prouve Jones lately; not much wood, but definitely a free-thinker with a quirky design sense who knew how stuff got made. I got to see his Maison Tropicale at the Hammer museum in LA after a nutcase Prouve fanatic dug it out of the jungle in Congo (as I recall), full of bullet holes and monkey poo, and restored it better than new. My turn to be the bunghole pedant: tenet.

4. These videos of Ghisalo making wooden bicycle rims are pretty inspiring, and make the freehand roundover in the Bernhardt movie look almost OSHA-approved:
   http://wheelfanatyk.blogspot.com/2010/12/video-visit-to-ghisallo.html

5. Gary,
   Cool videos. I have made about 60 rims way back when. Cut the scarfs on a spindle shaper instead of the table saw but everything else is almost identical. Thanks for sharing.
   -John

6. John,

   Thank you very much. Like Bob, I was very impressed with the bandsaw skills as well as just the overall gorgeous design. I noticed at least three machines in there that I greatly envy but until I reach a much higher level, would be wasted on me. NO side comments from the peanut gallery say as in Peter or Rutager. :O

   Fred

7. Thanks for those, John. I agree with Gary that I look forward to your little inspirational hand grenades too. You never know when they’re going to explode. I was quite impressed with the machinery involved in making that chair – I’ve never seen most of those machines before. I guess they make more than one or two chairs a year…

   I wonder how much convergent evolution goes on in design. When I met Sam Maloof and commented on how much his lines reminded me of Danish Modern, he scoffed and said “I never copied anyone – I just came up with my own designs.” I think that was a bit disingenuous – you never really know what your inspiration comes from – it’s pieces of everything you’ve ever seen.

   But the real trick is taking all that information, and then stepping sideways. I’ve spent some time recently thinking about a way of viewing the planktonic ecosystem that a clever guy came up with about 40 years ago. It was largely a result of a new technology. But it suddenly occurred to me a few days ago that maybe there were other even more revealing ways of viewing the structure of the ecosystem. Unfortunately we don’t have the tools to make the measurements that the view would require, but I still think it’s worth developing a new vision, in anticipation of the tools being invented.

   So I guess it’s part synthesis, part appreciation and recognition of the synthesis, and part using that synthesis to move in a different direction. One that you might not have recognized if you hadn’t made the synthesis. We all see far because we stand on the shoulders of giants.

   – Peter

8. Hard to believe that there were tools there that you don’t have, Fred!

   Actually, I was thinking that the bandsaw guy crossed his line quite a few times. He must have a lot of wood to play with – he didn’t even bother to stay on one side of the line!

   – Peter

9. Fred,

   I also noticed a light switch in the video and I think someday your skills may advance to a level that you will be able to operate it!!!!!!!

   John,

   Thanks for sharing this and all the inspirational stuff over the years. I have never built a chair, but think about it often; such a simple piece of furniture on the surface, but a huge design challenge with all the negative space and form having to follow function to be successful.

   -Rutager

10. John,
    Thanks for the post. Will you tell us where you see the values of our time in their work or others?

11. Charles,

    Well, there may be no value. And certainly I can do a better job of describing videos and other links so one can make a more informed decision before committing their time, and I will try to do just that.

    That said, I can’t imagine being a chef and eating my own creations exclusively. I can’t imagine being a composer and listening to only my music. And I can’t imagine being a writer and the only thing I read are my own words.

    Everything we do has roots outside of our own little petrie dish.

    Speaking only for myself, without the creative work of others I
    become diminished in so many ways.

    I think it is fun when new/exciting/inspirational efforts cross my desk and I get excited to share them.

    -John

12. John,

    I think Charles was refering to your comment about how Shaker and Mission style types of furniture were once mondern and influenced by the TIME PERIOD in which they were made and was wondering what parts of the designs you’re showing here reflect our current TIMES, not that you’re wasting our time!

    -Rutager

13. Wow… John you shouldn’t be so cynical. Rutager is right. I was just trying to tease out a your thoughts on modern design. And maybe get you to give a mini lesson from one of your design workshops…

    I agree with you about seeing others ideas… feeding on them. It’s one of the reasons I read your blog.

    Then again maybe you should be more cynical.

14. Hey Peter,
    I am very intrigued by your reference to viewing planktonic ecosystems. Please feel free to email atmo@verizon.net if you think it’s too far off the DSN path.

    Gary

15. If there are three words I can’t live with, it must be “Rutager is right”. Actually, after re-reading this little blip, it brings to the forefront how easy it is to misinterpret email and other brief forms of communication–particularly after one decides to visit his blog after crashing his favorite helicopter on a Sunday afternoon….

    Anyway, back on track here, and Charles, “our time” is complex. It can reflect the state of the economy, new materials, rethinking new uses for old materials, global supply considerations (the early colonies made wooden geared clocks due to an English imposed brass embargo), affordable technology (lasers and plasma cutters for example) an incredible talent or two, politics, an array of social influences, and the list goes on. History determines whether or not “our time” has any kind of lasting significance–so you and I have no idea at the moment of our long-term relevance. And for those with teenage children, you don’t even have short-term relevance… 🙂

    The value of visiting current work (for me) transcends curiosity, and leans more towards an unsuppressed desire to have my vector bumped in new directions. In my creativity classes, we try to re-awaken the 12 year old in us, so we can again see the world in terms of possibilities as opposed to the easier route of judgmentalism. I hope that makes sense.

    Later this week, I am going to post a video of what may be significant after we are all gone, and reflects the changing of social/economic values over the past decade. It will be fun to talk about it.

    –John

    “Rutager is right”. How many more times am I going to have to hear THAT?

16. Well John, been a customer for a few years but this is the first time I feel like commenting on your blog. Thanks for the video, as someone who is outside the US and has no access to classes, workshops or even an experienced woodworker locally I always learn something from videos like this.

    As to the off topic side track. Does the relevance of what we do really matter? We are not in the best position to judge, time will tell. What I gain from seeing other people’s work is inspiration, maybe gleam a new technique, and most of all, the desire to create. Being handed a check for something you made is a nice compliment, but what I think most of us search for is the reaction when people go “Wow, that is beautiful” and cannot wait to touch the piece. History may never know what you made, but in that moment, your work is relevant.. :-))

17. Jorge;

    “…and most of all, the desire to create.”

    This is my definition of living.

    Thanks for the post-I think most here will agree wholeheartedly.

    -John

18. Beautiful post, Jorge. Great to have you among the DSN.

    I think that the awakening of our inner 12 year old is an ability (or impetus, either internal or external) to stop, take stock of what we “know”, and wonder if there might be another way of seeing it. Building on your preconceptions, but throwing them away at the same time. The trick is in recognizing the preconceptions that are limiting your vision, and those that are necessary to your vision. The fundamentals are essential, but are just building blocks to help you go places that you haven’t been before.

    – Peter

    P.S. Having met Rutager, I think he might be right more often than we give him credit for. Now Fred, on the other hand…

19. Gents,

    Heh, heh, you can bust on Rutager all day; but he just bought himself a new helicopter and it’s impossible to rain on that parade!

    Just remember, being right might be a happy coincidence.

    The written word is a funny thing; I once sent a girl a card asking her out on a date. Well she sent me an nice email declining, so I responded back that I understood, but was disappointed. I kind of thought my reply sounded a bit “dickish,” but it really didn’t matter at that point. Suprise, suprise, 5 minutes later she sends an email saying that I seem like a nice guy and would I like to walk around the lake with her!

    -Rutager

20. I notice you’re not going out with her anymore. Did she make it all the way around the lake? Where’d you hide the body?

    – Peter

21. Peter, thank you for the kind welcome.

    You stated something very important, at least in my opinion. You wrote:

    “The trick is in recognizing the preconceptions that are limiting your vision”

    I think what you are talking about is the old “why didn’t I think of that?” Both in design and execution.We all have the same tools, how come some find the way to create something different and some of us don’t?

    I am a neophyte at this, I have been woodworking for 3 years, and when I saw John’s video I had to laugh at myself a bit. About half way through the video you see them put together the chair and do the final shaping and detailing with the chair put together. As a beginner there is nothing more discouraging than putting your project together and having many of the joints look like crap. Unlike the projects in magazines and books where they always have things come together perfect.

    So this video reminded me of something I should have thought of on execution. As for design, well it was refreshing to see how they did something that was other than squared arts and crafts furniture.

    Say what you will about John and BCT, the one common denominator is that he always solves a “problem” for woodworkers with an out of the box thinking solution. I remember a few years back when he was raked over the coals for charging too much for the kerf maker. While I did not get involved in the discussion, I wanted to post, “well, how come YOU did not think of it? He is not charging for the few bits and pieces of metal put together, he is charging for the idea and execution.”

    As they say, there is nothing new under the sun, but to me the only way to stimulate my creativity is by seeing what others are doing.

22. Peter,

    It’s not a hiding place if you tell people! That was the only date we had, but I do see her at mutual friends parties.

    Jorge,

    Great insight and prespective. I took John’s class on tool making and it was an eye opener on what it takes in labor and materials to turn out quality stuff.

    Make sure you check out the forum for other great ideas.

    -Rutager

23. Thank you Rutager, I have visited the forum on previous occasions and I am just not in your league, so I just keep my mouth shut :-). That inlay edge bead is amazing and it is a perfect example for “thinking out of the box.” I am saving my pennies for a JMP, one of the things I want to make is inlay bands and I feel it is just too dangerous to do with a TS.

24. You’re right, Jorge: it’s the old “Why didn’t I think of that?” Or, even more commonly, “Well that’s obvious – everybody knows that!”

    I’ve discovered over the years that any time I see an idea and think “Well that’s obvious, everybody knows that” it means the idea is a particularly good and clever one. It’s surprising what we THINK we know, that we don’t actually KNOW. Think about it: how many things can you list in, say, 2 minutes that you think you KNOW, but when you really think about it, you realize that you don’t. You’re just repeating something you’ve been told. It made sense at the time. Everybody else “knows” it to be true.

    I’ve discovered that you can learn a lot by questioning the common wisdom. For example, if I were going to invent an anti-gravity machine, the first thing I would do would be to question our understanding of gravity. Why is there a universal gravitational constant? Is there some interesting exception hidden in there? Do masses always attract? Why? Sure, our understanding of gravity is supported by lots of empirical evidence. But have we actually done the right experiments?

    I think that applying this kind of open-eyed thinking to our everyday lives can be quite enriching (though apparently annoying to others). I like this joint, but do I have to do it at 90 degrees? What if I round this part over – will it reveal some interesting grain?

    This is the sort of thing that John is a master at. It must be very noisy inside his head. But we’re so lucky to be the beneficiaries of his genius (and I’m not using that word lightly). And that fact that he takes the time to try to teach us to do the same is a wonderful thing.

    – Peter

25. To me this entire subject ties in with two very important points. John’s admonition that we should free the 12 year old within us and your idea that we should recognize those conventions that are hodling us back because we have come to accept them as universal truths, pretty much like your example of the anti gravity invention.

    I think a more relevant example for us would be the ever present hand cut dovetail. Not a week goes by that someone does not put out a new video or article on how to cut dovetails, an entire industry revolves on this. Aside from the tails or pins first arguments there are a myriad of rules and techniques, cut them with a band saw, if you use soft woods use this angle, for hard woods use this angle, blah, blah, blah. The adult in us drives us to buy the DVDs and read all the articles in search of the magic bullet.

    What we should realize is that a young person would not be given all these rule he would be simply told, here are the marks, cut that line. After all the trails and tribulations this is what I realized, the secret to cut perfect dovetails is being able to cut to a straight line. If you are a late comer (like me) and do not have the muscle memory to cut to a straight line, buy a set of training wheels (a guide) and be done with it, forget all the DVDs, articles etc.

    While most great ideas start with a simple question, for example, how can I make perfect cuts? Some people like John have a knack for dismissing conventional wisdom and create a different approach. Lets take the JMP for example. I imagine most of us, if we had tried to “invent·” something like it, we would have looked at a way to secure the wood and move the cutting edge on top of it, much like a miter box. Simply because this is what we do by hand. John instead figured out a way to hold the cutting edge stationary and have the piece of wood move over it, definitely out of the box thinking..no?

    IMO, this is the common denominator with all BCT tools, simple clever ideas that save you time and make things a lot easier for you. Worht every penny to me.

26. You’ve got it exactly, Jorge. Now if we could only invent a 12″ wide stationary plane that you could move the wood over…

    – Peter

27. Peter;

    The plane you reference has been invented and produced by the Japanese. It is actually a phenomenally quiet and accurate tool. Uses some power, but a stationary knife.

    I have seen one up close, you can vary the attack angle of the knife as it sits in a rotary housing. Imagine the size of the honing guide…

    –John

28. If I could have a supersurfacer and a Barnes treadle saw I would be like a pig in you know what 🙂

29. Wow, John. And again, WOW! That planer is wild. It’s not so much the knife, which must be awesome. It’s the feeder. Can you imagine how much power it takes to stop and reverse a log like that? It must weigh close to 100 lbs, and it looks like a little stick going back and forth there.

    It’s not nearly as pretty as a JMP. Or anything else BCTW makes.

    – Peter

30. I’d be thrilled to live in a society that valued luminous planed surfaces on timber-framed buildings (that’s not to say I’d be thrilled to live in Tokyo). I know too many paint-grade “looks good from my house”, yuk, yuk, professional carpenters.

    There’s a lot of wood passing over that blade; anybody know what steel that is or how it gets resharpened?

    Gary