The Sensuous Gadgeteer: How to Use Tools and How Tools Work

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The cover of Bill Adler's book The Sensuous Gadgeteer.
The cover of Bill Adler's book The Sensuous Gadgeteer.
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A knife blade with a symmetrical taper is curved on both sides. With this type of blade it can be difficult to distinguish the sharp edge from the dull edge.
A knife blade with a symmetrical taper is curved on both sides. With this type of blade it can be difficult to distinguish the sharp edge from the dull edge.
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A knife with a scimitar taper has a straight side that is dull and a curved side that is sharp. It's easy to distinguish the sharp side from the dull side.
A knife with a scimitar taper has a straight side that is dull and a curved side that is sharp. It's easy to distinguish the sharp side from the dull side.
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TOP: The correct angle and direction  to move a knife over a sharpening stone. BOTTOM: Sweep the knife over the stone so that each part of the cutting edge contacts the surface.
TOP: The correct angle and direction  to move a knife over a sharpening stone. BOTTOM: Sweep the knife over the stone so that each part of the cutting edge contacts the surface.
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A series of diagrams demonstrating how a knife can lose a wedge shape in the process of dulling and sharpening its edge.
A series of diagrams demonstrating how a knife can lose a wedge shape in the process of dulling and sharpening its edge.
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The correct angle and direction to sweep a knife blade across a strop.
The correct angle and direction to sweep a knife blade across a strop.
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Sawing apart a block of wood parallel to the grain, rotating the pieces a quarter turn, and gluing them back together will prevent warping.
Sawing apart a block of wood parallel to the grain, rotating the pieces a quarter turn, and gluing them back together will prevent warping.
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LEFT: Carving or cutting with the grain entail pressing wood fibers together, while carving or cutting against the grain entails pushing them apart. RIGHT: A newly cut piece of wood with grain lines showing.
LEFT: Carving or cutting with the grain entail pressing wood fibers together, while carving or cutting against the grain entails pushing them apart. RIGHT: A newly cut piece of wood with grain lines showing.
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A hollow ground knife blade has concave faces rather than convex or flat faces.
A hollow ground knife blade has concave faces rather than convex or flat faces.
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A standard ball peen hammer design, used for shaping soft metal.
A standard ball peen hammer design, used for shaping soft metal.
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A common design for a hack saw. CIRCULAR INSET: Direction of power stroke when cutting metal.
A common design for a hack saw. CIRCULAR INSET: Direction of power stroke when cutting metal.
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TOP: Method of straightening a bent nail. MIDDLE: When replacing the handle of a hammer, saw a slot or split into end that fits inside the metal hammer head, then use a wedge to make the handle fit tight to the head. BOTTOM: Method of shrinking the end of a copper fitting using a hammer and anvil.
TOP: Method of straightening a bent nail. MIDDLE: When replacing the handle of a hammer, saw a slot or split into end that fits inside the metal hammer head, then use a wedge to make the handle fit tight to the head. BOTTOM: Method of shrinking the end of a copper fitting using a hammer and anvil.
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Four types of mallet and the material they're made from.
Four types of mallet and the material they're made from.
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TOP LEFT: A sharpening stone for gouges. TOP RIGHT: Correct position to hold a chisel when sharpening on a grinder wheel. BOTTOM LEFT: The parts of a powered grinding wheel. BOTTOM RIGHT: An intricately patterned piece of wood carved with a gouge.
TOP LEFT: A sharpening stone for gouges. TOP RIGHT: Correct position to hold a chisel when sharpening on a grinder wheel. BOTTOM LEFT: The parts of a powered grinding wheel. BOTTOM RIGHT: An intricately patterned piece of wood carved with a gouge.
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The five step to gouging out a rectangular space on a door for a hinge using a chisel.
The five step to gouging out a rectangular space on a door for a hinge using a chisel.
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LEFT: The chisel is for making flat cuts. RIGHT: The gouge is for cutting a trough and shaping curved surfaces.
LEFT: The chisel is for making flat cuts. RIGHT: The gouge is for cutting a trough and shaping curved surfaces.
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Standard design for a manual plane.
Standard design for a manual plane.

There you are, on your own place at last … and your joy turns to a sinking in the stomach when you look hard at the sagging, leaky reality of the buildings you’re supposed to “fix up.” In the enthusiasm of homestead hunting, maybe you sort of forgot that–while you like the idea of being handy with tools–you’ve never gotten very far into carpentry (not to mention metalwork or any of the other skills you’ll probably need sooner or later).
 

Well–even if your saw squeals, your knife slips, and your screws somehow always end up going in crooked–don’t despair. Relief is in sight, in the form of a book called The Sensuous Gadgeteer, by Bill Abler. This new work is one “how-to” manual that really starts at ground level with which tool is which, what it’s for, and exactly how to use it. Better still, Bill also tells you just why the device functions as it does … and that basic grasp of mechanics will do more than any list of “don’ts” to prevent you from ruining a good drill or chisel by misuse or careless maintenance.

  • Published on Sep 1, 1973
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