On Sun, 16 Jul 2017 15:28:50 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet
wrote:

On 7/16/2017 2:58 PM, Dr. Deb wrote:
On Sunday, July 16, 2017 at 9:43:48 AM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:
Just something that will hopefully spark a friendly discussion...

I was watching this episode of How It's Made this morning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-18nLL-z9v4

They open the segment with the words "use ... traditional furniture construction
techniques." Let's call them TFCT.

We can all agree that mortise and tenon joinery is a TFCT.
We can all agree that steam bending is a TFCT.

Let's consider "mortise and tenon" techniques. We've moved from chisels to
foot operator mortisers to computer controlled mortisers as shown in the
video. Is creating mortises and tenons with the assistance of a computer
still considered a TFCT?

Let's consider "steam bending" techniques. We've moved from home made jigs,
manual clamps and multiple days of dry time to devices that use radio
frequencies to dry thick pieces of wood to a precise moisture content in
1 hour.

The question is: When have we left TFCT behind? Do we simply say "The
fact that the chair was constructed with mortise and tenon joinery and
steam bent parts means that TFCT were used" or do we say "Improvements, efficiencies and high tech devices have removed the use of TFCT from
this chair build"?

To be honest, I can see nothing of traditional craftsmanship in the video. While they do use mortise and tenons, all that you really wind up with is a factory built chair.

This is "real" TFCT (get ready for your dose of humility - at least it is for me)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd4Juc4fYjw



Pretty good but he did use a bench top mortiser and a band saw. He used
hand planes but sometimes I sand by hand. ;~)

Yeah, I thought the Festool hand sander was pretty funny. ;-)