What's Your Definition Of "Traditional Techniques"?

DerbyDad03 · 2017-07-16T14:43:42+00:00

Just something that will hopefully spark a friendly discussion... I was watching this episode of How It's Made this morning: They open the segment with the words "use ... traditional furniture construction techniques." Let's call them TFCT. We can all agree that mortise and tenon joinery is a TFCT. We can all agree that steam bending is a TFCT. Let's consider "mortise and tenon" techniques. We've moved from chisels to foot operator mortisers to computer controlled mortisers as shown in the video. Is creating mortises and tenons with the assistance of a computer still considered a TFCT? Let's consider "steam bending" techniques. We've moved from home made jigs, manual clamps and multiple days of dry time to devices that use radio frequencies to dry thick pieces of wood to a precise moisture content in 1 hour. The question is: When have we left TFCT behind? Do we simply say "The fact that the chair was constructed with mortise and tenon joinery and steam bent parts means that TFCT were used" or do we say "Improvements, efficiencies and high tech devices have removed the use of TFCT from this chair build"?