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Another Work Is Possible
Since 2002, Charpentiers Sans Frontières (CSF, “Carpenters Without Borders”) have traveled around the world to build, using the old ways. With axe, saw, plumb bob, and chisel, this diverse group of skilled craftspeople restored a medieval bridge at a castle in France, built a new hewn-truss roof system on a blacksmith shop in Romania, and even ventured as far afield as China – but they had never before done a project in the United States.
In 2019, CSF traveled to the rural Maine coast to construct a blacksmith shop for Mortise & Tenon Magazine. Join author Joshua A. Klein as he documents this ambitious project, from the sourcing of logs in the forest and their harvest using horse power; to peeling, hewing, scribing, and cutting joinery with simple, ancient hand tools; sharing communal meals made with local ingredients; and finally, the raising of the structure – all accomplished in less than two weeks of labor.
Weaving together stunning images along with technical explanations of tools and tasks, Klein draws on the thoughts and words of many of the carpenters themselves, as well as modern philosophers and thinkers, to build a vibrant argument that another way of working is possible – a way that reawakens our hands and minds. Much more than a simple how-to, this book is a celebration of the beauty of skilled manual labor, of slowing down and reconnecting to handcraft, sustainability, and fellowship in our increasingly distracted world.
9.5" x 11.5" Hardbound with matte dust jacket. Smythe-sewn and matte-coated heavy paper for long-term durability. Printed in the United States. 240 pages.
In 2019, CSF traveled to the rural Maine coast to construct a blacksmith shop for Mortise & Tenon Magazine. Join author Joshua A. Klein as he documents this ambitious project, from the sourcing of logs in the forest and their harvest using horse power; to peeling, hewing, scribing, and cutting joinery with simple, ancient hand tools; sharing communal meals made with local ingredients; and finally, the raising of the structure – all accomplished in less than two weeks of labor.
Weaving together stunning images along with technical explanations of tools and tasks, Klein draws on the thoughts and words of many of the carpenters themselves, as well as modern philosophers and thinkers, to build a vibrant argument that another way of working is possible – a way that reawakens our hands and minds. Much more than a simple how-to, this book is a celebration of the beauty of skilled manual labor, of slowing down and reconnecting to handcraft, sustainability, and fellowship in our increasingly distracted world.
9.5" x 11.5" Hardbound with matte dust jacket. Smythe-sewn and matte-coated heavy paper for long-term durability. Printed in the United States. 240 pages.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 1, 2025
I've been enjoying the output of Mortise&Tenon magazine for a few years now, after seeing some of their YouTube videos around 2020. I actually attend a "class"/community volunteer timber frame build twice a year in Lexington, VA and have met the Father/Son Finch duo that appear in the book.
The book does a great job of explaining everything that goes on for one of these builds, such as:
The gentle thump thump of a power tool-less worksite
The comraderie between craftspeople who dedicate a week of their year coming out and donating their time for a building they may never see again.
The logistics of feeding 3 meals to 40+ hungry builders for a week.
And of course, the fun and games that occur once the sun goes down.
I deduct a star for two reasons. I wish there was a little more detail about the working methods, such as the scribe and square rule methods, because Klein usually gives great explanations of methods in his other works. There was definitely room for this in the book, and I think that would've added a great learning opportunity for the reader.
And in some places the editing was lackluster. Near the end of the book, there is a wonderful shot of the frame in the foreground and their woodworking shop in the background. The build is smack dab in between the two pages right in the crease of the spine!
The book does a great job of explaining everything that goes on for one of these builds, such as:
The gentle thump thump of a power tool-less worksite
The comraderie between craftspeople who dedicate a week of their year coming out and donating their time for a building they may never see again.
The logistics of feeding 3 meals to 40+ hungry builders for a week.
And of course, the fun and games that occur once the sun goes down.
I deduct a star for two reasons. I wish there was a little more detail about the working methods, such as the scribe and square rule methods, because Klein usually gives great explanations of methods in his other works. There was definitely room for this in the book, and I think that would've added a great learning opportunity for the reader.
And in some places the editing was lackluster. Near the end of the book, there is a wonderful shot of the frame in the foreground and their woodworking shop in the background. The build is smack dab in between the two pages right in the crease of the spine!
January 9, 2021
I really liked it. However, I wish there was more on the design of the shed and tools. As always, Klein does an impeccable job of photography that both informs and inspires.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews