As a regular weekend feature on the Wisdom of the Hands Blog, I intend to offer projects from the Alfred Johannson Fundamental Series as developed at Nääs. If any teacher wants to pursue instruction in this series, he or she would need a week or so to be prepared with tools and materials. The following brief introduction explains the materials required.

FUNDAMENTAL SERIES.

To simplify matters throughout these series, the two broadest surfaces of any model will be called the sides; the two smaller surfaces in the direction of its grain, the edges; and the two remaining surfaces, showing the ends of the fibers, will be called the ends. The expression "corners" will refer to the lines in which any surfaces meet. Geometrically speaking, this would be incorrect; but mechanically-that is, in the language of the shop-it is not.

The woods, white birch, cherry, red oak, and white wood, will be abbreviated, W. B., C., R. 0., W. W. Their prices are: birch, about $5 per hundred; cherry, $7 per hundred; white wood, $4 to $6. Board measure is twelve inches square (surface measure) and one inch or less in thickness. The woods can be obtained in all thicknesses up to six inches, varying in each case by one fourth of an inch in thickness. The length varies from 12 to 16 feet. Standard lengths are 12, 13, 14, and 16 feet. Special lengths are 18 to 20 feet.

The dimensions will be given in the inch and the metric system. In Sweden the latter is used. On all the drawings, the dimensions are stated in inches. The full dimensions do not always appear on the drawings, but they are given in the statements under each drawing.

As the ordinary rule has no smaller dimension than one sixteenth of an inch, each number of millimeters is expressed in the nearest equivalent in inches and sixteenths of inches. The abbreviation cm. represents centimeter.

All models, when finished, are to be smoothed with sand-paper, but only on those parts where the use of it is absolutely necessary.

The tools are always named in the order in which they are used for the making of the models.

The Sloyd models are intended to be followed step-by-step in the exact sequence prescribed to have the greatest educational effect. The fundamental series was designed as the basic course for children from rural areas. Alfred Johannson also created model series for city dwellers, high school students and girls. The models in the Nääs series start with the knife, following Otto Salomon belief that learning had to start with the known and move to the unknown. Every Swedish boy of the time was experienced in the use of the knife.

While I would have preferred to buy original Möra Sloyd knives from Frosts of Sweden, The Wisdom of the Hands program operates on a shoe-string and a less costly Sloyd knife is available from a US manufacturer.



Model No. 1. (a).

Kindergarten Pointer of W. B. or C. (Straight Grain).

1. Cut a suitable piece of wood in its entire length, so that two of its surfaces will be at right angles to each other.

2. Cut the required thickness, having first measured same with an inch rule or meter measure.

3. Taper the four sides, having drawn a small square on one of the ends. The object will now have the appearance of a regular four-sided truncated pyramid. Cut the corners, making a regular octagonal truncated pyramid. Cut the corners again, making a regular cone.

4. Measure the required length and cut off at the broad end.

Exercises. -Long cut and cross cut.

The Sloyd teachers should practice the exercise before introducing it to the class in the hopes of anticipating problems that might arise. While this project calls for white birch or cherry, special care should be taken to get materials that are very straight grained. It should be sized 1/4" to 5/16" square and about 4 inches longer that then finished size of the carved object to allow it to be safely held during carving. Tomorrow I'll post a drawing showing the proper stance for carving. If you were reading closely, you will have discovered that the retail price for lumber was much lower in 1892.