I choose to use hand tools for my pieces because I like the flexibility they give me to execute my designs that are simply not possible using only power tools. Yes, I use power tools to rip and plane boards, to drill holes, and do other jobs that would take far too long to do by hand. But when it comes to the details and the finish, that is where my hand tools come into their own. It feels good to see a crisp, featherlight shaving come off my plane and falling to the floor, leaving a shine and smoothness that cannot be obtained through hours of sanding and polishing.

The quietness of working by hand allows you to concentrate on what it is you are doing. You are not distracted by the noises of a router or the tedium of building jigs for power tools. The same results can be achieved by hand with just a saw, chisel, rasp, and plane. Using hand tools can become a spiritual experience. You learn more about the wood from the feedback you get from your tools. There is time to listen to what the wood is telling you about the sharpness of your chisel or plane. You sense whether this piece of wood wants to be planed with this plane...or perhaps the other will respond better. The slower pace of hand work allows fresh ideas to filter through your brain as you work. You have time to reflect on what it is you are doing and how you might make it better.

A humble example of this occurred recently when I was making a frame to hang all my tools within easy reach. As ripped the last cedar board to make the bottom of the frame, it bowed into its best imitation of a banana. What emerged looked more like two matching planks for a boat. Well, I went ahead and made the scarf joint to join the two pieces into the 12 ft span I needed. I set it up over the bench to look at it.

Well, it naturally formed a beautiful arch - and here I was trying to straighten it out so I could have a rectangular frame on the wall. Wait a minute here. Why not use it as it wants to be used - with that arch? There would be no fight to straighten it out and, well, it would really look good that way.

So I went with that concept and changed how the rest of the frame would be made and the end result was better than I had planned.