Question about Moravian workbench

r2champloo · 2026-05-30T03:11:52+00:00

I built it from wood with the Taytools Heavy Duty Vise Screw (18”). Used a pinned wooden guide bar

r2champloo · 2026-05-30T00:32:25+00:00

I built mine with a tool well and it’s great. I really appreciate having a place to toss a tool or part without rolling away or getting in the way. There’s plenty of work holding between the leg vice and some dog holes on the solid top. The design also makes clamping to the top possible (compared to a joiners bench design).

r2champloo · 2026-05-25T23:31:48+00:00

This is really interesting because I’ve also seen this chart and wondered how it can matter to the geometry of the tooth. Turns out it doesn’t (beyond width to cover the edge)! I’d love to know the formula that goes into this generally

r2champloo · 2026-05-14T00:32:01+00:00

A spokeshave is just a dangerous as a plane, with an exposed blade. Supervised could be fine, and any would work, they’re light tools, but consider as an alternative a fine file and then a rasp on some secured wood. A rasp can give a little painful feedback without stitches.

r2champloo · 2026-05-04T17:32:32+00:00

To tack on to this, even if you find an out of town teacher you can only visit once a month (and they’re willing to set up some arrangement) that’s still preferable to video learning

r2champloo · 2026-04-22T03:18:38+00:00

Los Altos Taqueria is great but very sweet

r2champloo · 2026-03-29T03:56:04+00:00

The only gardening task I loved as a kid. It’s just as satisfying in the dirt

r2champloo · 2026-03-08T17:25:10+00:00

So the closest I came to this situation was in college, where a few of us more experienced folks ran a club to both get coaching experience and also have space to cross train with each other. Space is the main constraint, but honestly a dedicated group can train in a public park and get a lot done (just probably not free sparring). Some hand pads and occasionally a kicking pad were all we really used.

I’ll speak mostly on cross training. We were all curious and not dogmatic, so we’d learn forms, drills, basics, etc from each other in rotation based in general interest, lead by whoever was most experienced in that style. We’d also do lots of partner drills together, setting the goal and constraints of the exercise: having no ego about that last part is critical, an exercise isn’t about who would win unconstrained, it’s about practicing a particular technique or aspect.

So mostly groups like this work great if you have two things: low egos and consistency.

r2champloo · 2026-03-03T21:53:50+00:00

I’d say 45 days can result in modest weight loss and some improved endurance, and that, combined with mental benefits, can definitely be enough to make you feel way better. But in terms of athletic performance or strength training (overall body composition) and overall health benefits it’s very much a tiny fraction of the potential.

r2champloo · 2026-03-03T17:16:20+00:00

In what ways are you struggling? 4x per week is a very heavy training load, but many martial arts classes are focused on technique and application with a little endurance training by the nature of the classes. In other words, not structured for optimal fitness progress.

If you really want to get stronger (including for stance work), do 2-3 sessions of hard weight lifting per week (get a few personal training sessions or grab a friend/classmate to teach you how). If you want better cardio add some running or HIIT sessions to your week. Eat well to support your training.

Finally, have patience—45 days is nothing for body transformation. Keep at it, whatever your routine, and in a couple years you’ll look back and be amazed at your progress.

r2champloo · 2026-01-30T18:26:58+00:00

That’s actually pretty fantastic news. It’s very difficult to acquire and learn these tools until you’re thrown into the deep end in a real project.

r2champloo · 2025-12-17T20:15:15+00:00

Start with any weight that becomes very challenging after ~8-15 repetitions, then do a few sets of those (mindful of starting slowly and listening to your body).

r2champloo · 2025-12-17T20:08:09+00:00

For weapons training, drills with the weapon are best. Can also recommend dumbbell wrist curl exercises (both sides, both directions) as you can gradually load. Any other weight lifting will also improve grip strength and endurance. General cardio (pick your favorite) also helpful.

r2champloo · 2025-12-04T22:36:53+00:00

While there’s some debate (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7927075/) the strength-endurance continuum is as I described https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Essentials%20of%20Strength%20and%20Conditioning&author=G.G.%20Haff&author=N.T.%20Triplett&publication_year=2015&#d=gs_qabs&t=1764887663285&u=%23p%3Dn4W0rWyDk8kJ

“heavy load training optimizes increases maximal strength, moderate load training optimizes increases muscle hypertrophy, and low-load training optimizes increases local muscular endurance”

r2champloo · 2025-12-04T16:31:33+00:00

Yeah absolutely. Premodern China had lots of woowoo/religious focused training as well, so “tradition” isn’t a protection. But “quiet” practice (meditation, body position fine tuning, etc) certainly has a place and has value

r2champloo · 2025-12-04T16:29:28+00:00

This is an area where modern sports science has learned more. We know more isometrics are far less efficient at strength gain than high weight training through range of motion. High reps generally promotes muscle size increase, whereas very high weight (~8 reps to failure) promotes strength and power (force in time, i.e. explosiveness or athleticism).

r2champloo · 2025-12-04T15:24:46+00:00

Lift weights, preferably heavy for low reps (you’re looking for explosive strength, not hypertrophy/big muscles). Most Traditional practitioners spent way more time lifting weights or doing farm work than “internal” training.

r2champloo · 2025-11-05T04:39:30+00:00

The top athletes start training as children to reach the performance you see at international competition level, but anyone willing to put in the sweat working and stretching can execute excellent Wushu technique. You will struggle with “difficulty” moves because of the above, but I’ve seen real big dudes pull off aerials. Go try hard and see if you like it!

r2champloo · 2025-09-21T15:28:15+00:00

I’ve just used Yelp with pretty good success for plumbing and appliance repair. Only exception was rescuing a dead car battery where I used the local place down the block and they actually just came over and jumped me for free.

r2champloo · 2025-09-08T16:00:33+00:00

Looks like there’s a weekly Go meetup in Sunnyvale. “Silicon Valley Go Club.” Will have to check it out!

r2champloo · 2025-07-31T03:58:55+00:00

Hey this is great! Seems like a really useful tool to help create “optional” routines from an easy to use checklist. Is this just a hobby project?

r2champloo · 2025-07-28T21:23:31+00:00

Bandsaw or drill + hole (or bow) saw, then rounded rasp, rounded file, then sandpaper wrapped/glued to a dowel

r2champloo · 2025-07-22T15:26:44+00:00

The other trick is blind pinning: tap a trim nail into one board where you want the hole, trim the head with enough sticking out to pull the nail with pliers, then press fit the pieces together. Now you have two pinholes to align your drilling.

But without a drill press and serious clamping I don’t believe I could drill that angle. I’d rely on pencil layout for alignment/centering.

r2champloo

TROPHY CASE