Here is a link to a very enjoyable film of two Swedish Coopers in 1923. Looks like they're using mainly homemade tools. The different knives and shaves are particularly interesting, as is the "clog vise."
Kinda neat to think that the older man was probably born around 1855.
As always, if anyone finds links to vintage films like this, please let me know. I just love them.
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22 comments:
you know.. i've put off chair building for quite a while now cause really, who needs to sit down?
now that i've seen what an awesome jig chairs can be for sawing the rim of a bucket (7:38)?!?
fuggedaboudit..
I love these films!
Imagine how different the world was then as far as communication. Now you shoot of a blog that I read close to real time in the middle of the county then connect to a site across the ocean in minutes.
I just figured out I can hit the translate button on my browser and read the film titles in English. Wow I remember when computers just had green words;)
I have a shop full of tools and those guys kicked my butt with four of five things.......
These old films are awesome !
Thanks Kari.
These videos make me humble.
Another excellent post, I love this film. There are still people making buckets this way in the village where I live,here in Lithuania. However it should be noted they stopped wearing the clogs about 50 years ago :)
Jason, a clog vise and a chair bench/jig--woodworkers are a resourceful lot!
FC, thanks for the mentioning the translation button. I'll give it a try.
Eric, it's really something to see how fast and efficient they were. Makes me wonder if I need all my tools...
Well said, Jozef.
Mark, they use a "tennis shoe vise" these days? ; )
Gives new meaning to the term "workbench!" The two-man plane was interesting, I hadn't seen that before. I also like the controlled splitting of the sapling for the banding.
That drawknife is pretty cool, too. I like the way he grasped in his right hand and pivoted it with and underhand grip in his left.
Does anyone know why he put a bevel around the inside bottom? I assume there must be a reason, they didn't seem the type to perform a function unless it was useful.
-Harlan Barnhart
Harlan, I wondered about that, too.
I suspect it's to minimize wood splitting, remember that there's a crosscut notch for bottom panel just an inch above.
Gransfors Bruks makes a version of that drawknife.
Current price at Lee Vslley would probably be a year's pay in 1923.
I love the scratchy 'audio' but it'd be fun to select a soundtrack ... Flight of the Bumblebee ?
Thanks for sharing,Kari.
Have you seen this one:
Les outils de bois
It's about a planemaker in Switzerland, and it shows the making of a wooden jointer and a framesaw. It helps to know French, but even if you don't it's worth watching.
The speed at which the younger guy is moving in the first half makes me think of Roy when he's getting short on time.
You might like this film of clogmaking, spoonmaking and chairmaking. From Robin Wood's blog.
http://greenwood-carving.blogspot.com/2011/09/fantastic-old-swedish-woodworking-film.html
psi, at first I thought it was to reduce the footprint so the bucket would be more stable and not wobble. Then I wondered if it was purely decorative. I can't remember if the coopers a Colonial Williamsburg bevel the bottoms like that or not.
Frozen, thanks for letting me know. I love GB and have three of their axes. Wonderfully made tools.
Mary, it does need a soundtrack! Maybe a nice polka?
Wolfgang, thanks for the link. They made some nice tools in that shop. I liked that they were functional and finished but not overly gussied up. Looks like those men have been building tools for a long time.
Bubba Squirrel, thanks for the chuckle. :o)
Anon, that's the film that started me on my quest to find more vintage woodworking films. I think it's my favorite so far. Thanks for posting and for keeping your eyes out. I keep a running list on my links page
After watching these videos...
My respect for the crafts people of generations past has grown exponentially. While I have always admired the quality and detail in older pieces these clips definitely give new perspective. I was amazed at the speed in which many of these gentlemen worked. I kept reminding myself there are no special effects. Just amazing!
Kari, Thanks for these links and all the great information you bring to the online woodworking community!!!
http://svtplay.se/v/1371071/oppet_arkiv/vagnmakeri_pa_soder__utan_ljud__1932?cb,a1364145,1,f,103007/pb,a1364142,1,f,103007/pl,v,,1371069/sb,k103004,1,f,103007
this is on that same website... i love the tall bench dogs to hold something off the bench for shaping, very clever
re:clog vise
The night after watching this video I dreamed I ordered a $400 pair of Lie-Nielsen clogs. Only the finest for my workshop.
; )
I love the part in the beginning where the older man is helping plane the wide board and it slips off the bench. He picks it up too look at it and the younger guy snatches it back and puts it back down on the bench as if there's simply no time or anything to worry about... I laughed so loud!
Great video, thanks for sharing.
just found your blog tonight as my online woodworking learnings continue :)
this is a beautiful film, with a haunting french folk soundtrack, about the documenting of possibly the last traditional pirogue, built in cajun country from a single piece of 800 y.o. cypress.
enjoy!
http://www.folkstreams.net/film,188
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