This post was going to be about using my favorite T-handle auger, the one I use to bore the hole to begin making a shrink pot. With a couple green lengths of tree available, I took a few photos as I honed and used the auger. As I was thinking of organizing the post, a thought struck me: “This seems familiar.” A quick search under “auger” in my own blog brought up essentially the same post, from nine years ago, that I was planning to write. There’s a message to me there. Anyway, here’s the link to that post. I read through it and agreed wholeheartedly!
Besides the shrink pots and things around the house, I’ve been busy with several projects in various stages including drawing a design for a lettered exterior sign, a door repair, a couple bowls, some spoons, and plans for classes. More on all of those in time.
Meanwhile, there’s an event coming up this Saturday that I want to mention. Living under my rock, I hadn’t heard about this until a student mentioned it to me during a recent class. Many of you probably already know much more about it than me. The event is known as Hand Tool Haven, a one-day gathering just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. It’s a fundraising event for Plane Wellness, a non-profit organization devoted to improving mental wellness through woodworking, founded just two years ago. They’ve got some big sponsors and it should be a special event. I’d like to make it there on Saturday myself; we’ll see if it works out.
While I’m on a roll, a couple quick book recommendations. First, a little book full of big ideas. Apprenticing: A Manifesto by Lance R. Lee. The compact size (5″x7.5″, 48 pages) encourages you to tuck it in your back pocket to read as opportunity allows, like the next time you find yourself waiting at the DMV or an outlet mall. A friend recently gave it to me as a gift, and I’ve been returning to it often, gleaning more and more.
Another that I’ve been meaning to mention is Good Eye by George Walker and Jim Tolpin. It goes beyond, and complements, Walker and Tolpin’s previous books, exploring all sorts of ideas such as asymmetry, patterns, ornamentation, and my favorite chapter: Playing with Curves. Packed with illustrations and exercises to get you thinking and saying “aha!”
Now, back to that T-handle auger for a minute. I love using the tools in my shop. It would be a pleasure even to just sit and drawknife a green branch away into a pile of shavings with no particular purpose. I love hewing, planing, slicing, gouging, and so on. They are not just means to an end. Using this auger is one of those wonderful sensory experiences.
I recorded a few clips as I bored the initial hole for a shrink pot from a black birch log this week. It’s harder and more dense than black cherry (which I featured in that post nine years ago). You can see and hear how the auger lips cut the end grain fibers as the auger is pulled into the log by the lead screw. I wish you could smell the wintergreen.
Below, I’m much further into the log. I backed the camera up to show the handle in motion. You get into a rhythm.
And one final clip in which I cut the bored section away and we peek through.
David Fisher, Carving Explorations 
David, Hi! What brand saw do you in the video? I can’t tell from only seeing the blade. The T-handle auger is a beautiful tool.
Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing this with us.
Patrick
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It’s a Silky brand, Big Boy model. Had it for years. https://silkysaws.com/silky-bigboy-2000-folding-saw/
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Dave, a book from you for all of your apprentices out here would be a treasure. David Whyte talks about apprenticeship in a broader sense and getting a taste watching you over the shoulder on this blog makes me believe that while largely gone in the traditional sense there is still demand. In a different time and different world I’m knocking on your door to ask to be your apprentice. However, a book is the next best thing and it would make for a more lasting medium than the online space.
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Thanks for sharing. It is pretty cool to see the sounds and rhythm as you bore the hold. Out of curiosity, you work with a lot of green wood. Do you have tips or insights in terms of wood boring bugs and issues with that. Once I brough home some green wood blanks for wood turning. As I was letting them dry, I noticed some little mounds of wood dust and ended up tossing the wood. Don’t want to infect my woodshop with bugs that like wood. Before that incident and since that incident, I’ve stuck to kiln dried wood.
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I haven’t had an issue. I store wood outside, like one would with a firewood pile. The wood comes into the shop when I’m ready to use it, after I’ve split the chunk out of the log outside. If there aren’t any holes, it’s an indication that there aren’t any bugs, and since I’ll be hewing and shaving the piece down right away, they won’t live long if there are.
I understand your concern after your experience, but try not to let that sour you on green wood altogether. It is such a tremendous pleasure, and absolutely necessary for many things. Many people use it for their woodworking on a regular basis without any issues. Chairmaker, turners, joiners, and so on.
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Thanks Dave. Keeping it outside with the firewood till I use it goes a long way to easing my anxiety.
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Welp. I was thinking recently of making shrink pots. Then these two last posts come along. Now I have something (else) to look for while Luna (my dog) and I are out walking.
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Wear a backpack, Phil! Or maybe Luna’s big enough to be a pack animal?
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I was wondering if you have any helpful insight regarding the t-handle portion of your auger? I picked up a 2″ auger that looks very similar to yours at an antique store, and I would love to sharpen it and start using it. Mine didn’t come with the handle and I’ve never seen one in person. I was thinking of trying to make something, but I see that vintage t handles which looks similar to yours can be had on eBay for $30-40. Have you ever made one of these, or do you have any drawings that point out some of the necessary design features?
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Making a handle can be as simple as taking a length of hardwood, say hickory, boring a hole through perpendicularly at the center, then squaring it up with a chisel for the shank of the auger to fit tightly into. The old manufactured handles work well because they have steel inserts or some other mechanism to hold the shank tightly and guard against splitting of the handle.
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Do you find the grain of black birch to be quite interwoven? I made a shrink pot out of it too and was cursing left and right.
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No, I guess I got lucky. At least with this particular tree.
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