DIY Network

SPECIAL FEATURE: Hand-Tools Expert John de Marchi From "Wood Works" episode WWK-705

David Marks visits John de Marchi's tool shop in Petulama, California.

In this special episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks takes viewers on a tour of hand tools -- the mainstay of the woodworker's craft. A common misconception is that woodworking requires an expensive assortment of power tools. Though there are many labor-saving benefits of working with power tools, they're not fundamentally essential to the craft. In its truest forms, the craft of woodworking relies on the skillful use of hand tools, and working with them allows a flexibility that's rarely felt with power tools. In its earliest incarnations, all woodworking was done with hand tools. Many of the early techniques are still the best.

In this first segment, he visits expert hand-tool maker and collector John de Marchi in his Petaluma, CA studio and tours his unique collection of antique and customized hand-tools.

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John de Marchi: Hand-Tool Collector and Artist

Craftsmen from years and centuries past have left an amazing legacy of hand tools. There are people today who collect old tools and, in some cases, update the designs to make new versions that are useful for today's woodworker. One such craftsmen is John de Marchi -- a sculptor, educator, woodworker and toolmaker who lives and works in Petaluma, California.

John de Marchi

John has been collecting old woodworking tools for 35 years. His collection of tools reveals rich stories about the evolution of the woodworking craft. His favorite tools reveal both skill and ingenuity.

"For me as an artists," says de Marchi, "I'm drawn to particular tools because of their beauty. It often follows that the most elegant or handsome tool is frequently the most functional. It's impressive to me to consider the amount of labor and skill it takes to produce a good tool."

One of his favorites is a Victorian-style cast-iron level (figure A) that dates from about the 1860s. It's a patent level equipped with a calibrated rotating device known as an inclinometer, allowing it to be adjusted for creating rooflines, pitches, etc.

His extensive collection of measuring tools includes indicators, levels and a wide variety of calipers (figure B). These are all basic to the craft of woodworking since any fine piece of wood furniture starts with accurate measurements.

Figure A

Figure B

In addition to collecting, John also makes hand tools -- including visually beautiful and functional plumb bobs (figure C). These weighted devices are thought of by some as the "oldest tool" in the world. They help craftsmen ensure a vertical straight line, and are key to keeping things square with relation to the ground.

Tool handles are another of John's specialties. He crafts them so that they are designed to match the function of the tool. Examples of that include his modified London pattern handles in a variety of hardwoods (figure D).

Figure C

Figure D

John de Marchi creates hand-tool handles from a variety of hardwoods.

In the segment that follows, David Marks returns to his woodworking shop and gives a demonstration on chisels -- including chiseling techniques and the best methods for keeping them sharp. That article includes a video excerpt from the episode showing the chiseling and sharpening techniques.

RESOURCES :

The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com

Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com

GUESTS :

John de Marchi
Hand-tools maker and collector
Petaluma, CA