nicole Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 While this is not entirely metalworking, I thought I would share. I just got back this past week from two classes taken up in Michigan at Tillers International. (great place) The courses were coopering tools and white coopering. The pace was seriously fast and to get things done I did not try to make the tools pretty..the goal was to make them work for the next class, which they did. The steel for the scorp and hollowing knife was O1; we used 1095 for the croze's cutter. Coopering a bucket (piggin) was a chance to learn some challenging handwork; our only measurements were made using the gauges shown and some calipers. The wood was red cedar split from fence rails, I used a flat drawknife and hollowing knife to shape the staves, and then used a floor standing jointer plane to create the beveled side of the tapered stave. The straps are riveted steel sheet metal bands. When I get a chance I need to clean up the piggin a bit, but after a good soak it held water :) I will be making myself a drawknife soon..I see a homemade slacktub in the future.. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Very nice work, if that is what you do while rushed, then your standard products will be absolutely beautiful. TI is one of the schools that I have heard about, but never known anyone who went there. Please, do tell us more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EtownAndrew Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 Neat. I could use a nice wood slack tub too. A 55 gallon barrel that I was using froze this past winter and the bottom busted out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 I really like the look of your hollowing knife! I would have beveled it on the convex side of the curve, however. I have not had much luck with the small one handed scorps such as the one pictured. The problem has been excessive chatter. I would suggest a heavier stiffer blade and arms to minimize chatter. Looks like real FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 That's pretty neat. Looks like fun. A spoke shave is on my list of tools to try and build this summer at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Great Job Nicole - the bucket would be perfect for the sauna, it's amazing how much the voids swell after a good soak in water. The one I use, I can stick my finger tips through the sides - then after soaking it is water tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Thanks for the feedback guys. John about Tillers- I found the level of expertise and interest in historical aspects of the craft to both be high. At least some of the instructors at the school are volunteering their time, which to me means they really want to teach.. and it showed. Tillers does..international outreach throughout the world and appears to have the philosophy of teaching one to fish, rather than providing fish. I was happy to see my tuition supporting this effort. Bigfoot, we discussed where to put the bevel when we were making those and some folks, yourself for example have a different way. I was "blessed" with never having used either a hollowing knife or a scorp until I did this work and after a bit I got the hang of it and both tools really worked quite well for me (the only chatter was my teeth on a cold Michigan morning :p ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 That's awesome, I wish we had places to gain that sort of skill! Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Nice work. On a side note... my wife's maiden name is "Cooper". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Nice work. On a side note... my wife's maiden name is "Cooper". Did her family build Mini's? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 I took that series of classes a few years ago and agree with you on the training and global message they have. I also recommend the other classes they offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Nice work Nicole. I agree with the other poster about how if those tools are examples of you being in a rush, I cant wait to see how they look, when you can take your time for the next set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Thanks for the encouragement all, and I do have to add that the way things were set up, you more or less had to come out of those classes with something in hand. There was plenty of little bitsy things they did in advance to speed things up.. for example, cutting blanks..turning handles and placing ferrules, shearing sheet metal for the final bands.... so that sped things up and made it possible to focus on things like forming tools, grinding/honing them...or practicing stave jointing as the case may be. Next is to take the experience and translate it into my own shop..MT, what other classes did you participate in? LastRonin- get this- one of my instructors was named Cooper ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 :( I have had a week to get over it but it is no use! I am still totally green with envy about your coopering lessons. Congrats Nicole. I only get to read about this stuff in books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 well I hope you find those lesson Yahoo2! I am going through withdrawal now because I cant find western red cedar in florida. At least not yet :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I'm looking forward to projects on which you have time to pay attention to detail. Those may not be pretty tools but they sure look utilitarian. I'm a form follows function guy, I find the beauty in things that do their jobs well. Beautiful job. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I am going through withdrawal now because I cant find western red cedar in florida. At least not yet :) Beautiful timber to work with, very forgiving. I was at boarding school in the early eighties and my grandparents lived not far away. I would sneak out on the weekends and spend some time with them. My grandfather carved 18th century style furniture as a hobby. The first piece I made with him was a french polished side table, that was western red cedar imported through Canada, I remember it was in short supply in Australia then, the timber for that piece cost me $400. A lot of money for a 15 year old. My grandfather took lessons in woodcarving and upholstery at his local TAFE (technical and further education) when he was in his late sixties and built furniture ( and pendulum clock cases) for more than twenty years. We made a lot of carving tools in the two years we spent carving together But he did not use draw knives or large scorping tools. He used to say at his age he didn't have time for that (and hand sanding) so all the rough shaping was done with routers and templates and a pattern following bandsaw. His teacher was very disapproving of his non traditional approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicole Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 I bet it was beautiful yahoo2- some of the colors and grain I have seen are really dramatic, and when I track down a source I will be sure to post where I have found it. Frosty thanks for the encouragement :) N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtforge Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 ..MT, what other classes did you participate in? I haven't taken any other classes there. My schedule and the ones Iwould want to take never line up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.