Material Exploration: Wood and Metal — .

Material Exploration: Wood and Metal

Two Materials, Different Process

An intensive exploration of two different processes to understand the qualities, challenge their limitations, and modify solid blocks of material of walnut wood and stainless steel.

Tools used: Template, Scribes, Hand Planar, Block Planar, Chisels, Japanese Carving Clay Block, Sand Paper, Steel Wool, Oil Finish

Through my woodworking journey, I learned about glue-ups and the importance of taking care of tools, sharpening them with meticulous attention. This trial-and-error learning process taught me the nuances of working with hand tools, such as the hand plane. I discovered that the relationship between the blade and myself was crucial: exerting too much force while trying to shave wood from the block resulted in removing more material than intended.

With practice, patience, and time, it was just like riding a bike. I learned to navigate the subtleties of hand tool usage. Key questions arose during this process:

When is the significant force necessary, and when should I exercise restraint? How do I determine when to resharpen the blade? When I start to see a rough texture along the wood grain. How can I ensure a consistent radius all around? I found that creating a template helped control and visualize the material that needed to be removed. How many coats of finish should I apply? 4 coats. Do I want this disc to be semi-glossy, or very glossy? Glossy. I’m sanding and the disc keeps slipping away from me, what do I do to keep it in place? I made space holders that matched the disc’s curves, securing it in place. I have used sandpaper, but small fibers are sticking up. How do I get rid of the fibers? I discovered that wiping the surface with a damp towel and using steel wool, repeating the process, yielded the best finish.

Tools used: Files, Scribe, Dykem 80300 Steel Blue Layout Fluid, Countersink Drills, Clearance Drills, Counterbore Drills, Drilling and Tapping Machine

Metal was quite the opposite of wood. As I transformed a stainless steel block into a chamfered piece with a curved edge and various drilled holes, I learned valuable lessons about precision and patience. Removing material from a file required meticulous attention, as the process allowed me to only take away small amounts at a time. Unlike wood, where excess material could be easily remedied with glue, mistakes in metalwork are often permanent, especially in this introduction class to metalworking. Even the slightest error or scratch becomes visible. Through trial and error, I developed an appreciation for accuracy in measurements and careful handling of tools. I remeasured 2-3 times to ensure everything was precise. This experience taught me the critical importance of tolerance, as I realized that every part is inherently different.

From this exploration, I came away with several takeaways:

keen attention to detail.

measure multiple times.

tool maintenance.

force application.

patience.

While wood offers a degree of forgiveness, metal demands a more disciplined approach. Ultimately, I gained invaluable insights through my mistakes, reinforcing the idea that each challenge is an opportunity for growth and learning.

Deconstructed Stanley