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Looking for Fine Woodworking article...

Looking for Fine Woodworking article... (post #92590)

Ieronymus on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 10:51

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Hi, all! Jerome here, first-time user.

I'm looking to find an article published at some time in the dark past in Fine Woodworking that discusses the concept "The Economy of Risk". Can't find the article in all my back issues and an online search doesn't return any useful hits.

Does anyone out there recall this article and can anyone put a finger on the issue number?

Thanks in advance for your help!

(post #92590, reply #1 of 6)

by RonK in reply to Ieronymus [original] on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 14:01

Closest I can find is a James Krenov article from FWW #55 Pg 42 "Reflection on the Risks of Pure Craft"

(post #92590, reply #2 of 6)

by Ieronymus in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 14:51

Thanks, RonK!

Unfortunately, I'm sure that's not the article I'm looking for. The earliest issue I've ever read was nr. 99, so the article should be after that number.

As I recall the article, the author talked about increaved productivity and decreasing risk of mistakes by investing time and money into more technologically advanced production techniques as opposed to investing time and money into raising the levels of a craftman's skill.

Example: a plane is more technogically advanced than an adze but at the same time more costly to produce. It's easier to produce a good (and repeatable!) result with a plane than an adze, therefore the greater investment involved in acquiring a plane (balanced against the lesser investment in teaching a craftsman to use a plane as opposed to using an adze) is good business. The same analogy could apply to an investment in a CNC router contra a well-versed joiner/cabinetmaker.

Hoping someone can point me in the right direction....and cheers from Denmark!

(post #92590, reply #3 of 6)

by JerryPacMan in reply to Anonymous [original] on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 16:03

I found an article in issue #158 pages 84 & 86 close to your description. It is called "Top 10 unavoidable truths of woodworking" by Mike Dunbar. Can you tell me if the article you read was in the front, middle or back of the magazine and I will search farther.

Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.

When your ship comes in... make sure you are not at the airport.

Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.

When your ship comes in... make sure you are not at the airport.

(post #92590, reply #4 of 6)

by Samson in reply to Anonymous [original] on Wed, 02/18/2009 - 22:39

Depends upon what you would call a "good" result, I guess. You ought to check out David Pye's book:

The Nature & Art of Workmanship

(post #92590, reply #5 of 6)

by Ieronymus in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 13:19

JerryPacMan:

I think the article was in the middle towards the back of the magazine and was rather short (single page?) perhaps...I'm continuing to search through my own back copies but stil haven't been able to find it. Thanks for your help so far!

Samson:

I will definitely check out that book! :)