Friday, February 6, 2015

Chop, chop.......

I came across a house building company in a quiet country location in the midst of preparing a house frame the Japanese way. They were using a combination of electric power tools and traditional hand tools to make intricate joints in the timber. These joints slide into one another and are held together with wooden pegs.
 
Lots more future timber house frames in the distance.
 
Using a a hammer and chisel to remove the excess timber and give the finishing touches.
 
In this instance the tradesman is just using hand pressure to do the finishing touches to this joint with a chisel.
 
Wouldn't you love to know your house had been constructed using these wonderful methods.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After reading so many woodworking books with photos of immaculate workshops with everything in it's place and not a bit of sawdut anywhere it was reassuring to see that not everyone's workshops look like that.
 
A beautiful and decorative Japanese line marker and hand saw. All these hand tools are still used in the making of traditional framed Japanese houses.
 
Still in the same factory where all this frame making has been taking place. But what's this? Check out the next blog to find out!
 
 
 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

.....a light to my path.

Japanese paving is different in it's informality, textures, materials but still beautiful and interesting in all it's forms whether it's leading up to a restaurant, a public building or meandering through a sublime Japanese garden.