** Reply to note from gph@h... Tue, 28 Jan 1997 00:23:50 -0500 
>    
> I have found that many of these things are like learning to play an  
> instrument--the first time you try, the results are extremely rough, but 
> continued practise brings refined results. 
>    
> When practising music, I find some skills are improved by doing exercises, 
> as opposed to always working with actual music. 
>    
> What about joinery?   It seems like I do things like cut dovetails, and  
> then spend a lot of time paring them because my saw cuts weren't that 
> accurate.  Maybe that time would be better spent practising sawing to 
> a line over and over again until I get skilled enough to eliminate much 
> of the paring? 
>    
 
I have done and will continue to do a lot of practice exercises, but.  There 
is a different mindset when practicing and when doing real work.  For me a 
little practice to develop technique is very valuable; however, too much 
practice is counter productive.  Gain some familiarity with the technique 
and then build something.  It won't be great (probably) but will show a 
considerable improvemement over the practice.  Then more practice to refine 
technique. 
 
>    
>  Here are some exercises I though of.  Any comments 
> on their appropriateness or efficacy would be appreciated... 
>    
> * Should I practise things like freehand crosscutting without a line, going 
>   for a cut that is square to the edge and the face of the board. 
>    
 
Why? real craftsmen aren't above using squares.  Much better to learn to 
follow the line IMO. 
 
> * What about sawing down the face of a board (like for dovetails).  Should 
>   I try making a series of vertical cuts with the board inclined at various 
>   angles to develop the ability to cut vertically naturally?   I had though 
>   of marking a line on the end, and then scribing the cut line on the  
>   opposite side of the board, and then seeing how close I can come without  
>   being able to see the cut line... 
>    
 
I don't know about you but I naturally make vertical cuts.  My best success 
on sawing dovetails came when I made sure the tail lines were dead vertical. 
 
> * Cutting to a line:  practise scribing lines at various orientations to 
>   the grain and the side and face of the board and then cutting to the  
>   line.   Could practise with pencil lines and knife/awl lines... 
>    
> * Planing an edge straight and square to the face until I feel like it 
>   is square and straight and then check it with straight edge and square. 
>    
> * Same exercise as above only with the face of a board... 
>    
> * Similar exercises could work for drilling, etc.  
>    
> Of course, I could just continue to make projects, but this seems a lot 
> like learning to play an instrument by just taking on successively harder 
> pieces of music.   In music, the best musicians know that by focusing  
> intensely on a piece of technique with exercises, one can master it much 
> faster and more thoroughly than just by playing through a whole piece of 
> music over and over again. 
>    
> Do any of the masters out there reading this list have any opinions?  How 
> about suggestions of other "exercises"? 
>    
 
Obviously I am not a master but I found your question intriguing and felt 
compelled to answer. 
 
My bottom line recommendation is to pick a project, any project.  Define the 
required techniques and practice enough to be familiar with them but not 
necessarily proficient.  DO THE PROJECT.  Then practice to refine technique. 
YMMV.

ernie 
The Arizona tool sink, IT #22