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Timber Framers Guild 2007 Western Conference: Makoto Imai's Demonstration - 2007/04/14

Go back to the TFG 2007 Western Conference Main page.

Session highlights:

Last Update:
2007/04/23 - Page created by Bob Le. Thanks go to Jim Clarke for some nice, sharp photos because he used his flash.
01 - We helped Makoto unload his tools from the van.
02
03
04, 05, 06, 07 - Typical Makoto-style workbench with trestles and planks as described in Scott Landis' "The Workbench Book". The heavier plank is for planing and the lighter ones are for resting tools.
08
09, 10, 11, 12 - Saws are mostly of the replaceable blade Gyokucho variety except for one Shindo. According to Makoto, replaceable blades are less of a hassle - performance is good and there's no need to sharpen them.
13
14, 15, 16, 17
18, 19, 20, 21
22, 23, 24, 25 - Sumitsubo preparation.
26, 27 - This water pond is an old refrigerator metal drawer (enamel) which Makoto has been using for a while.
28
29, 30
31, 32, 33, 34 - Makoto stores his stones in the water pond. The man-made stones are submerged and the natural stones are placed on top of the man-made stones, so can absorb the moisture but aren't submerged.
35, 36, 37, 38 - Here he's using the Bester 1200, his preferred medium/coarse stone, to form the burr. He also prefers hard finish stones - can apply more pressure, don't suck in water too much.
39, 40, 41, 42 - "Don't go fast, slower is better."
43, 44
45, 46
47 - Traditional position used by Japanese daiku for sharpening.
48
49, 50
51, 52, 53
54, 55 - Sumisashi preparation.
56, 57, 58, 59 - Trimming the sumisashi to a fine point.
60
61, 62 - Checking the dai. His planes arrived from Washington state, so the dai's needed quite a bit of tuning.
63, 64, 65 - Makoto adjusting his scraper plane. This has got to be the widest scraper plane I've seen at 60mm or so... The other Japanese daiku's also used rather wide scraper planes though not as wide as Makoto's. See here.
66, 67
68
69 - Scraper needs to be finely set. Look for when there's no more vibration (chatter) when scraping.
70, 71
72, 73
74, 75, 76, 77
78, 79, 80
81, 82 - Here Makoto is adjusting a small scraper plane (~24mm) which he then uses to adjust his big scraper plane.
83, 84
85
86
87 - Preparing the stock for planing. Both ends are chamfered.
88, 89
90 - Makoto checking the stock for squareness.
91, 92, 93, 94
95, 96 - Again checking for squareness - near end, then far end.
97 - I can't believe that with all the pictures I took, I happen to miss the one-hand planing here. Doh! This is the tail end of it. Check out the thin, full-width shaving. "[Plane] finely set, no pressure. Can pull with 1 hand."
98, 99, 100, 101 - Let the layout begins!
102, 103, 104, 105, 106
107, 108
109
110, 111
112, 113, 114 - Intermission. We had the opportunity to check out Makoto's tools up close. His chisel set is mostly Funahiro (Genju). The two thin chisels of unknown makers are amongst his favorites. They allow him to get into tight places.
115, 116 - Planes.. planes... planes... Check out the cork grip for comfort.
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124, 125, 126 - Scraper plane. Makoto made his own dai. The blade was made from the Kiriba stock (see our Hand Tools page).
127 - Nishiyama checking out the competition. B-)
128
129, 130
131 - 2 thin bench chisels.
132
133
134
135, 136, 137
138
139, 140, 141, 142, 143
144, 145, 146
147, 148, 149, 150, 151
152
153, 154
155
156, 157, 158, 159
160, 161, 162
163, 164
165, 166
167 - The piece makes the round while Makoto moves on to the mating piece.
168, 169, 170
171, 172, 173
174, 175
176, 177, 178
179, 180
181, 182
183, 184
185
186, 187 - Test fitting.
188, 189 - Fine tuning.
190 - Final fitting.
191 - Now he makes the wedge.
192
193, 194
195, 196, 197
198, 199
200
201, 202, 203, 204, 205 - Finish planing.
206
207
208, 209, 210 - Chamfering the edges with the chamfer plane.
211, 212 - Finally, rounding the chamfered edges.
213 - Makoto with Will Beemer, Timber Framers Guild's Executive Director.
214
215
216, 217, 218, 219, 220
221
222 - (From left) Philip Yee, Makoto, Jim Clarke, and Jay.
223, 224, 225 - Makoto and Jay.
226
227 - Makoto and Daiku Dojo members - (Front row from left) Brian Beck, Phil, Bob, (middle row) Makoto, Jay, Manny, Herman, (back row) Jim, Terry.
228 - Makoto's toolbox.
229, 230
231
232, 233 - Jay and Makoto.
234, 235 - Chisel tray fits inside toolbox. According to Makoto, this is everything he needs to do most of his works. And the reading glasses too, of course!
236, 237 - Nifty Makoto trestle.