Hand Saw Foundations

Even though I'm a seasoned woodworker, I learnt something new about the crown in the saw plate. Bob is a skilled and experienced woodworker who has generously volunteered his time and expertise to anyone interested in learning the craft. Bob has a lot to contribute, and the fact that he's willing to share his expertise for free in this day and age is quite rare. The hand saw foundation course is a well-designed course aimed for complete beginners. Don't let it mislead you; Even the seasoned craftsman I'm confident will learn something new, just like I did. He doesn't speed through any of the lessons, and his speech is straightforward and easy to follow. I strongly advise anyone who enjoys woodworking or is interested in learning the skill to take this course and then advance through the other courses he offers.

It quickly becomes obvious that Bob is a master craftsman, but after a while it will also become obvious that Bob is also a master teacher. A lot of thought has gone into the design of this course to keep it highly focused on learning to cut straight and square. First time I've been able to cut perfect joints, that require no cleanup, straight off the saw. Having messed up a lot of previous saw cuts, this course has been a huge confidence builder. I used a Japanese Ryoba pull saw (SUIZAN Japanese Pull Saw Hand Saw 9.5 Inch Ryoba from Amazon) and an Olson coping saw (also from Amazon), Nothing special about the coping saw (and it is slow going with the standard blade), but the Ryoba saws are a way of removing saw restoration and sharpening skills as a prelude to learning to saw to a high standard. Sharpening and restoration i'm picking up in tandem with an old hand saw. Bob will teach you to stop fighting the saw. If you've messed up with your saw cuts, it is most likely because you're been fighting the saw or your saw wasn't sharp. Learning to use the saw the way it wants to be used is the key. When you're doing it right, it's easy. When you're doing it wrong, it's hard. Learning about 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class saw cuts and when to use them and how to do them is the backbone of the course. Making a quality piece of furniture using just these skills is how the course ends. You'll need a sharp crosscut saw, a coping saw (for the curves) and a piece of 1"x10"x8' s4s(squared 4 sides) lumber. This is an online tutorial that works. Highly recommend this course. A suggestion - buy 2 pieces of lumber. Make the 2nd bench after your first. If your first bench was good quality, focusing on doing the 2nd quicker. If your first bench had any issues, focus on making the 2nd bench to a higher quality. One bench to keep, one bench becomes a present, to showcase your new woodworking skills.