Video Links

Here are a variety of Videos and other links that I believe are helpful in building skills for working directly with materials.

Specifically with the intent of providing technical skills for building Sculpture.

I’ll make every attempt to explain the reasoning behind each Recommendation.

(Although I am presently employed as a Sculpture Instructional Associate at KPU these recommendations are personal and do not necessarily reflect KPU curriculum).

Creators:

Mister Chickadee

This is actually a Youtube Channel , not just a single video. The ones I have seen feature Josh Steven’s video diary of life on a homestead. Working with basic hand tools- even Medieval Tools– he cuts rock, makes axe handles with an axe, carves his own anvil base, makes a foundation for a shed… Stuff like that. Usually no voice over, just the meditative sound of axe and hammer blows. I could watch this all evening. There is a Q&A session that gives a decent amount of background information on how this channel emerged.

Okay, check out this “no glue, no nails, no screws, no power tools work bench” construction! This is not a tutorial, it’s a demo of what is possible with basic skills.

Get Hands Dirty

Cristiana Felgueiras builds numerous projects. Sometimes with hand tools only, sometimes with power tools and CNC equipment, always with tips and inspiring dialog.

Matt Estlea

I’m linking to Matts’ channel as well, based on his “How to sharpen a chisel” and “How to use a chisel correctly” videos. The shear volume of tips included in this seemingly simple topic makes it well worth your time investment.

This topic : “How to cut a Dovetail Joint by Hand” also contains a wealth of information on various marking tools and other things that may seem to be off topic but are actually intimately linked.

Even “How to Saw correctly” is full of tips and techniques that translate into giving you way more control. Matt’s Five favorite tools for fine Woodworking is a great place to start if you are planning on taking your hand cut joinery skills to the next level.

Laura Kampf

Equally comfortable with metal and wood, Laura Kampf displays a lot of creativity in her projects. How to avoid Math when measuring and marking is a great place to start. Projects: 2018 and 2019 give a quick overview.

Laura builds a Simple folding table with wooden hinges. There is no voice over, just music (you won’t miss anything if you leave the audio off). There are numerous Easter eggs – interesting techniques – that you can transfer to your practice!

This video features an interesting introduction that highlights the difference between complex projects and relaxing in the shop. Make a lamp from junk.

Colin Knecht

Colin Knecht is the host of Wood Work Web, another wood working Youtube channel (also web site!). I found his Measuring tips particularly helpful and his Compound Mitre Saw Hacks are very good as well. He has a great video on the Electric Hand Plane (he demos the same model we have in the KPU Wood Studio!). Also, he shows how useful Dollar Store Finds can be for organizing your studio . Look at things in the background that he doesn’t even mention. (That stand that holds the epoxy bottles upside down for instance.)

Most of his jigs are a little too advanced for the average sculpture student, but check those out too especially if you are setting up your own shop/studio.

Rex Krueger

Another Youtube Channel, it’s hard to go wrong with this guy’s “build anything with simple basic tools” attitude! Again I haven’t watched them all (yet!), however I have watched a good number of them, and unlike many videos I watch them all the way through because I’m learning something about working with wood. (My main formal education has been in Welding, Art, and Digital Multimedia.)

The Woodworking for Humans Series is a great place to start. Rex shows you how to build a workbench, a vise for the bench, a mallet, a better mallet, a marking gauge and many other useful basic tools. Also how to sharpen, maintain and use them. For example: “How to use a Hand Plane.”“Easiest vs Cheapest ways to sharpen a Plane.”“Fixing a cheap Plane”, why a bit brace(manual drill) ?

He tells you what you need to do basic woodworking, how to get started and how to find good deals on inexpensive tools and materials. As he builds he gives lots of tips about finding reasonably priced, decent materials, lining up wood, measuring, marking, etc. AND he has free plans you can have dropped in your inbox!

The story Rex tells of an old table he found at the side of the road has alot of technical references. Hand tools vs Machine woodworking, etc. That alone is worth the time investment of watching it. However, the real bonus here is when he talks about intent and goals.

“Should you get a Japanese pull saw?”

Rex visits a professional blacksmith in his minimal shop

Practice blacksmith hammering

Anne Of All Trades

Start with spoon carving ,then take her “tiny” shop tour. It is full of interesting practical knowledge. It will be fun to see the development of her “real” shop!

Paul Sellers

To get an idea of the flavor of Paul’s work check out his first mallet, or click on his name or picture to go to his YouTube channel and watch the intro video. Paul’s 10 top tips are brilliant insights into everyday woodworking and absolutely convinced me to follow him on Instagram! Like those? Okay, here’s 10 more. There are a many videos on Paul’s channel on making your own tools – the Mitre Box is a great place to start – simple and effective! Also you can Upcycle a kitchen Knife into a carving knife.

A more involved , but more rewarding project is his Plywood Workbench. He guides you through the entire project, and you end up with a workbench that will last a lifetime. Even if you have no intention of building the project you will learn alot just from watching him go through the whole process!

Joey van der Steeg

Joey is a blacksmith and the first video of his : Why Blacksmiths tap the anvil is a great description of how to use the hammer on the anvil, (even if you are striking cold metal!)

Stumpy Nubs

L0ts of woodworking Projects and reviews of woodworking tools- from Drool tools down to cheap tools! Check out these cool tools! The best saw horses ever, USB earplugs, chisels, lamps, and flushcut sidecutters!

There are a whole series of Cool Tools videos – a new one every month or two. This one features the most awesome Drill Press ever, as well as carbide sanding blocks, the Zerust Vapor Capsule (anti-rust block for tool drawers), a mini-magnetic base, and a compact metal cutting chop saw !!

Forstner Bits.

How to use wood screws effectively, Really!