Free time

  Woodworking and woodcarving

After a day on computer simulations of virtual atoms, nothing is better to relax and free the mind than carving wood with chisels and gouges. I teach myself woodcarving, little by little. So far, I realized dozens of objects, including spoons, decorated boxes, picture frames, and small statues.

I use tilia (lime wood), prunus (cherry wood), pyrus (pear wood), juglans regia (walnut), quercus (oak), etc.

I am also learning furniture-making using hand tools and the techniques of our great-grandfathers, following books like those of Christopher Schwarz, or the excellent videos of Paul Sellers, The English Woodworker, Mr Chickadee etc. For cabinet making I particularly like chestnut wood (it looks similar to oak but is much easier to work) and cherry.

Of all this I enjoy the creativity, since you are free to shape anything you like, and the craftsmanship, with all the feelings you get from cutting the wood (with eyes, ears, nose, fingers). No result is perfect, each one is beautiful to me.

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