Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
sounds familiar to anyone else:
I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
figure.
I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
to feel alone, right?
doug.
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
Well, I'd have to say by now that its obvious that you're not alone. But I
thought I'd jump in too.
I've been a router (of the Cisco variety) and server jockey for many years
now. As most of what I do at work goes absolutely unnoticed (unless of
course I choose to wield the delete key unwisely) I looked for a hobby that
would give me something tangible to see and appreciate. At first it was
collecting vintage video games and pinball machines (and you think this
hobby is expensive?!?!) but grew rapidly tired of the teenage mentality that
went with a majority of the folks who shared the same interest. You think
there are some flame wars here, you should check out the arcade
newsgroups...although nothing will compare to the mailbox baseball
thread...but I digress.
What rekindled my childhood interest in wood butchering actually began while
I was doing my imitation of that pseudo-home improvement guy who does Sears
commercials that I won't name here. SWMBO and I were putting down some
hardwood flooring. Was pretty easy at first as we started in a fairly
square room. My el-cheapo circular saw did most of the work just fine. But
soon I realized that trying to rip a piece of hardwood flooring with a
circular saw or make a corner cut was nearly impossible. First it was a jig
saw, then came the table saw...all downhill from there. As one of the
previous posters replied "more tools than talent"...I had to laugh out loud
at that one!
After the floor was done I realized that I could do a lot with a table saw,
given enough wood, glue and nails...and caulk...and spackle...you get the
drift. Its just sorta taken off from there. But I'm definitely in the
Normite crowd...if it doesn't weigh at least 200lbs and have a tail, I'm not
interested (and boy I hope nobody takes that the wrong way!).
I'll have to agree with everyone else...for me, it's an escape. A period of
time where I can push ABENDs and spoofed IP packets out of my head for a
while and concentrate on something that I enjoy. Even if what comes out at
the end of the day looks like the creation of a 8-year-old overly-sugared
child building a bird house at Home Depot, I still had fun with it. I make
mistakes, and more often than not, after I flush the expletive cache, I
laugh at myself and continue on. I strive for perfection at work, as do
many people, but at home in the comfort of my shop, I allow myself to screw
up. And its often a lot more enjoyable that way :)
Rob
http://www.amateurtermite.com
(here's the old arcade website, if anyone's interested:
http://www.arcadeobsession.com)
> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
> would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
> home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
> worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
> I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
> change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
For me it was always the act of creation that led me. Both web design and
programming are, when you boil it down, acts of creation. Woodworking is
the same act, just through a different method.
Some IT jobs doing boil down to creation-from-scratch, but they almost
always boil down to some act of construction. I think woodworking is the
same thing in a different medium.
Back in high school we all had to take some kind of apptitude test that
told us what kind of career we were best suited for. Since this was before
the big IT explosion (and I think that stupid test must have been written
before the personal computer explosion, too...) the job I actually ended up
with wasn't even on the list of possibilities. It said I would be a
mechanic. But in retrospect (hindsight being 20/20 and all) I can
appreciate that it was the same forces that drove me to web/programming
that could have taken me down the path of a mechanic, and that have
recently driven me to woodworking.
david
--
It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have
learned English -- up to 50 words used in correct context -- no human being
has been reported to have learned dolphinese.
-- Carl Sagan
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I see a lot of similar careers here!
When I was young (under 10) I always remembered my uncle in Oregon
was a fantastic wood worker (of the artistic type) and his entire
basement
was full of large gray machinery. He passed away a long time ago but
last I heard
the equipment is all still there (and undoubtedly very rusty!). My other
uncle
in Minnesota is a great carpenter, I like to think a lot like Norm in
that he
is into construction of houses and cabins, but very skilled at the
finish work.
I was always a tinkerer and did stuff like take Dad's lawnmower apart
for a "rebuild"
while he was at work. He had a small assortment of hand tools and a
small 8" bench type
table saw (all of which I still have) Not the best for making quality
stuff but it did
make me more "inventive" in the ways of tool usage! As a teen I was into
cars then got into
electronics and went to school to come out as a EE, now doing real time
programming for the
last 20+ years. The car habit has faded and I just recently finished
selling my first car (1970 Mach 1 Mustang)
on Ebay piece by piece. With a "new" old house the WW bug has bitten
again and I'm slowly
building up the equipment and supplies to do some "real" work finishing
up the interior of
the house. Where I used to hoard tiny scraps of metal "just in case", I
now hoard tiny scraps of
wood.
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the answer is probably that the only sad lot of woodworkers that
posts and reads
usenet groups is probably a sorry bunch of keyboard tappers!
irax - also a code monkey...
>
> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
> would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
> home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
> worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
> I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
> change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
>
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing.
About a decade older - give or take.
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
I'm just the opposite. If it ain't destroying some natural resource
somewhere, I'm not using it...
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
Ditto. 20+ years in the code. Don't get to do as much as I should, but I
can still code - unlike many of my peers.
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
Ditto. ISTP too.
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
That's not what I find dismaying about our industry. What depresses me is
that nothing has *fundamentally* changed in the 25 years I've been slinging
code. Syntax - mainly. Sure my J2EE apps are more grandiose than my
FORTRAN IV ones were, but fundamentally, it's all still "if-then-else".
Hell, my loop counters are still "I" (albeit lowercase).
Dust off Grace Hopper, God-Rest-Her-Soul, hand her a Java book and she'd be
up and on familiar ground in short order.
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability.
Me neither. I'm clearly now in the "More Tools Than Talent" category - the
kissin' cousin to "More Money Than Brains" bucket.
> What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
It ain't about the destination for me. It's the journey I always enjoy.
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
Lower your expectations. ***ENJOY*** you're new hobby. Thank the Lord,
you're able to afford your indulgence. Consider it like Golf or Guitar
Playing - I'll never earn a living at it, so enjoy it! Marvel at each new
experience, no matter how trivial, how apparently banal.
It's a road-trip. Relax, enjoy the scenery.
Cut, learn, cut s'more.
Casey Stamper <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Doug) wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
<snip>
> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
> would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
> home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
> worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
> I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
> change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
I suspect it also has something to do with what another poster alluded
to - with both IT work and programming, you never have anything
tangible. I moved from a network admin/IT background to programming
because I was tired of "policeman syndrome". (bust your keister
keeping everything on an even keel, and when you don't anticipate
EVERYthing it hits the fan because you just should have been more
omnicient... IE, the only time folks notice you is when something
goes wrong) I thought that having an actual _project_ to work on with
an _end_ and _results_ would be much more satisfying. Ha! Out of
five projects in four years, ONE of them actually went to completion.
All the rest had either the external partner fail to deliver and/or
management pull the plug to "reallocate resources".
Some time in there I purchased a TS to start doing a few things on the
new house. After all, grandpa had been a
handyman/woodworker/carpenter by necessity and some of my fondest
memories of him were spending time in the shop smelling the sawdust.
Finishing my first project - a hastily conceived glider rocker for my
two-year-old gave me a heretofore untold measure of satisfaction.
(compliments to the effect of "you MADE that?!!" from friends and
relatives didn't hurt either) A second project in a "little shop that
could mark II" ( http://www.wood-workers.com/users/adb/ ) still isn't
finished, but it elicited similar remarks and (even more appealing)
proof to the SWMBO that I did have the ability to make something that
"looked nice".
Between then and now I've left one job, moved across state lines,
lived with in-laws, found another job, sold and bought a house, and
actually have a shop now. (10x16 but it's MINE!!) Haven't had much
time to do anything other than turn around. (oh yeah, and baby #3 due
in october) I still have a 4"x4" square of the luan plywood I used
for the lill' shop oiled and finished pegged to my cubicle wall.
Every so often I'll take it down and run my fingers over it's finished
surface and reflect on how much I enjoyed building. And the deep
sense of satisfaction I received. And how I still enjoy looking at my
creations.
And then wonder why the heck I'm still sitting in the cubicle. =^)
(besides the money issue, I think it's also because I'd hate to do
woodworking as a job...and start hating it!)
-adb
[email protected] (Chris) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> [email protected] (Doug) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
<snip>
Unlike our
> profession where we have to hurry up to learn new technology while it
> is still viable, with woodworking things don't change as quickly so
> learn at your own pace and ENJOY!
>
> -Chris
Has it occured to anyone else the irony that an $800 table saw will be
useful 20 years from now, while a $1500 "top of the line" PC will be
almost completely obsolete and useless in < 10? That thought brought
me up short awhile back when I was thinking of upgrading the graphics
card in my PC.
"Wow", thought I, "$150 for a geforce<whatever> - they've come down!!
Gotta get me one of those"
And then I thought "hmm...graphics card that'll be obsolete in 2
years, or a new router, drill, plane that I'll use for the next 5-10+.
Gee."
It was a quite a paradigm shift when I realized how a $200 gizmo seems
a bargin when it used to be $600, and then figured the money's useful
life when invested in woodworking.
(Gizmoholism. Now _that's_ an expensive hobby!!)
I append to my earlier post. I like woodworking not just to hold
something tangible, but to invest in tools and skills that won't be
rendered "almost completely useless" in 5 years.
-adb
[email protected] (Doug)
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey).
...
> The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years.
...
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience?
> doug.
I was talking with Michael Dunbar a while back about what kind of
students came to his Windsor Chair classes. He said that years ago it
was all doctors and lawyers. Now it is mostly computer folks, wanting
to make something that they can actually touch, that will last.
My position was the same as yours a few years ago. I was encouraged by
something in one of Jack Warner's woodworking columns. He wrote that
all you needed to be successful at woodworking was patience and sharp
tools.
It all works out. Enjoy the process.
woodstrapper
On 27 Aug 2003 12:43:49 -0700, [email protected] (Doug)
Crawled out of the shop and said. . .:
>Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
>sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
>I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing.
snip
you are not alone. i know several "IT pros" who have turned to WWing
as a hobby, i also know a few lawyers that have carpe lignum after
hours also. ever since His Normness, His Royness, and His Davidness
have come to power, WWing has been a rapidly growing hobby. there is
one caveat to the growing popularity of our fine habbit^H^H^H^H^H obby
about 50% of those who start this journey called woodworking actually
stick it out past the first project. of the 50% who last that long,
50% are killed by their SWMBO, and never seen again due to tool
purchases. (i am danger close to this percentile sometimes) i have
made purchases of tools from this latter group, and witnessed first
hand the tears and battle scars as he cowers in the corner as i handed
his SWMBO a hand full of shekels to remove his still shinny BLURFL...
its a sad thing to witness...
on the other hand, you may be one of the chosen 25%, and if so,
welcome to the club of "buy and hide"
Traves
Yep, similar story here.
I'm a scientist at a semiconductor company (mostly doing device
physics). Woodworking gives me an outlet to do work with my hands,
and I don't get that in my regular job. When I was a teenager and
getting through college I worked various jobs including labor in
construction, machine shops, etc. I love the feel of building
something practical, seeing it come out of the wood and into a
finished piece.
I suck bad too, but a lot less than I did 6-9 months ago. I've built
about half a dozen projects including a couple of really nice rocking
horses for nephews/nieces, a highchair for my daughter, and a small
buffet for the house. I'm currently working on a cherry frame and
panel bookcase for my SWMBO. I have many friends that are into
woodworking and they give me advice, and I read a lot of books. I'm
new enough that every time I do a project it is usually a big
improvement over the last one -- the upside of sucking is that it is
easy to improve!
My advice is to do the class if it is convenient, but otherwise just
start your first projects with cheap wood (red oak is cheap here, a
little over $2 a bf), and when you make a goof just chalk it up to
learning. As long as you are careful with safety, it's just a few
bucks on wood.
My daughter's highchair (my second project) had tapered and canted
legs that were joined to a skirt using sliding dovetails -- it took me
six legs to make that four-legged highchair.
Have fun!
[email protected] (Doug) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
[email protected] (Doug) wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
--
remove nospam to use email
Casey Stamper
[email protected]
"The dogs bark . . . but the caravan moves on"
old Arabic saying
Iraxl Enb <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> the answer is probably that the only sad lot of woodworkers that
> posts and reads
> usenet groups is probably a sorry bunch of keyboard tappers!
>
> irax - also a code monkey...
>
>
>>
>> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to
>> woodworking? I would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you
>> also do your own home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of
>> the IT people I've worked with also have the same leanings as I do
>> towards DIY-type stuff. I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and
>> can't imagine paying somebody to change my oil or put up some
>> shelves, etc.
>>
>
>
I'd thought of that too. You know what they say about statistics!
--
remove nospam to use email
Casey Stamper
[email protected]
"The dogs bark . . . but the caravan moves on"
old Arabic saying
Your not alone Doug. My story is not too far from yours. I too am a
programmer also a electrical engineer.
My job is boring. My work quickly becomes obsolete. There is no
satisifaction. While at work, I look forward to getting home to my basement
shop to make sawdust. I enjoy making furniture and turning vessels.
I have been into woodworking on and off since I was a kid when my father
taught me how to drive a nail with a hammer. If I didn't have the
woodworking, I would probably be sitting in a bar somewhere getting silly.
Now I work hard, don't complain much and wait for retirement, or winning the
lottery so I can do my woodworking full time.
Ms. Leslie Gossett
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
Doug wrote:
>
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
From reading all the other replies, I'd say that you, me, and everyone
else is pretty much in the same company. That is, most all of the
replies are from people in the IT industry who spend most of their work
time with a computer, pounding out something through the keyboard and
seeing this electronic box do what they want (or, what they think they
told the computer to do. As a programmer I know all too well that what
the computer actually does and what you want it to do can be two very
different things).
I'm a craftsman, and that's what I tell anyone who asks. I love creating
things, or learning how things work by tearing into 'em and putting it
all back together (I picked up a '78 Trans-Am and am in this very
process - it's a bit of a basketcase, but it's better than when I got it
and I'm learning a hell of a lot). I'm most happy when I can create
something and use it/feel it/show it off, it's also great to see other
people's reactions since they can fully appreciate something concrete
more so than something they experience through cyberspace.
As for getting started in woodworking, well I guess I can say that I was
born into it. My Dad had started a couple years before I was born, and
one of the first things he made was a wooden snake toy for me - I've
still got it, 27 years later. While it is a hobby for me, it's also a
release - a way to escape from the electronic world and relax as I
admire the figure of an exotic board, or that sharp pain complements of
an unseen splinter. Being a craftsman lets me see what I make and
understand it with my hands, instead of "seeing" what it is in my mind
and thinking about how it works.
- Mike
D K Woods <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to
>> woodworking? I would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you
>> also do your own home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of
>> the IT people I've worked with also have the same leanings as I do
>> towards DIY-type stuff. I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and
>> can't imagine paying somebody to change my oil or put up some
>> shelves, etc.
>
> For me it was always the act of creation that led me. Both web design
> and programming are, when you boil it down, acts of creation.
> Woodworking is the same act, just through a different method.
>
> Some IT jobs doing boil down to creation-from-scratch, but they almost
> always boil down to some act of construction. I think woodworking is
> the same thing in a different medium.
>
> Back in high school we all had to take some kind of apptitude test
> that told us what kind of career we were best suited for. Since this
> was before the big IT explosion (and I think that stupid test must
> have been written before the personal computer explosion, too...) the
> job I actually ended up with wasn't even on the list of possibilities.
> It said I would be a mechanic. But in retrospect (hindsight being
> 20/20 and all) I can appreciate that it was the same forces that drove
> me to web/programming that could have taken me down the path of a
> mechanic, and that have recently driven me to woodworking.
>
> david
My memory is not as good as it used to be but I seem to recall that those
same kinds of tests predicted a life of working on cars for me as well. I
actually started out pumping gas and gravitated towards the mechanic job
(those were the days of Sohio and other full-service "gas stations.") I
was a mechanic (and a damn good one) for several years until the lean
80s. I ended up spending 12 years in the Army (still in the USAR) and was
considered the "expert" in all things computer/adp-related in each of my
positions.
--
remove nospam to use email
Casey Stamper
[email protected]
"The dogs bark . . . but the caravan moves on"
old Arabic saying
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p%[email protected]...
> In 1963 I recall going on our family vacation to my grand mothers house.
I
> was 9 at the time. She lived in Anadarko OK, and we lived in Corpus
Christi
> TX. Her house had a tiny kitchen and 2 tiny bedrooms, probably in the 500
> sq. foot range. Anyway, next door, a house had been torn down and a new
and
> very large house was being built.
My father encouraged me to take vocational agriculture in school, so I
missed out on any woodworking instruction. However, when I got married, we
needed a cabinet for our stereo equipment. I used white pine for a simple
open shelf unit. I was teaching English in high school, and the shop
teacher helped me build a walnut speaker enclosure. Then I built a
checkerboard, or at least started one. It cost me the tips of five fingers.
But a year later, I was back in the shop building a maple china hutch. Then
I built an 18x24 addition to our home, complete with kitchen cabinets, a
fireplace and built-in entertainment center. A friend asked me to build
cabinets in her utility room, so I did. From then on, there was a
never-ending list of customers for cabinets during summer vacations from
school. When my grandchildren arrived, I built wood toys for them -- and
discovered a market for toys "like I had when I was a kid." No more going
to other people's houses to work -- I could build in my shop at any hour of
the day or night and sell the toys to shops or directly at craft fairs.
When I retired in '94, I built more toys and went to more craft fairs. My
wife took on the task of sanding and finishing. We really enjoyed the
travel and the people we met. Didn't make as much money as I did building
cabinets, but it was lots more fun. About 60% or our present sales are to
return customers. Since my surgery for prostate cancer two years ago, I
have slowed down considerably, but I'm still making sawdust. Just finished
a large red oak cabinet for videos and DVDs for our home and a ten-foot wide
entertainment center for a neighbor, and our stock of walnut, maple, cherry
and oak toys [trains, pull toys, trucks, etc.] is ready for the fall craft
season. We have discontinued the summer shows because of the heat. My
biggest problem has been "too many tools, too little room." And finding
enough time to build projects for myself.
I started as a computer programmer in 1971. I wrote programs, designed
systems, and spent over 20 years as a computer consultant, traveling much of
the US, Canada and Europe. Then a funny thing started happening around the
middle of the 1990's. I was working with fewer and fewer Americans. Most
of the people I was working with were Indians, in this country on visa's. I
have nothing bad to say about these folks. They were different than me,
but, just like me, they were trying to make a buck. I do, however take
issue with those who would export skills that can be handled better by the
locals. In January 2000, I was layed off and have not been able to find a
suitable job in the industry. There's not too much market for a 54 year old
'code monkey'.
Unlike many in this forum, I enjoyed being a code monkey. Even though I
knew that the code I was creating would be out-dated over time, I always
got a thrill out of creating things that didn't previously exist. And
besides, I got frequent call-backs to update systems I had created as
available technology changed.
Woodworking has probably saved my sanity, what little of it I have. The
skill sets are different. Writing code, it was usually my task to make
things work faster and more efficient. Woodworking takes more skill and
more finesse and, because I'm still a newbie, the frustration level is
about the same. The main difference is in the financial compensation. I
still feed my family, but gone are the days of financial liquidity. I work
three jobs, web design, Home Depot associate, and furniture builder. In
the past 2+ years I have not put on a tie, sat in a cubicle or had to fight
traffic. I'd love to get a job creating computer systems to solve business
problems, but as time goes on and I become more unemployable in this field,
I find that the desire is starting to wane. I'm having fun creating things
that regular people can use. Most of them do stop to smell the stain and to
run their fingers over a well routed corner. Life's not too much different
for me, except that I deal with a much better class of people.
--
Mike Cornelius
Triple Creek Web Design
http://www.TripleCreekWebDesign.com
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
My two cents -
Am currently a techno-management consultant, after 30+ years in the IT
industry. Still code, although no assembler anymore. Woodworking and
photography have been my sanity for almost as long. My dad always said --
don't be afraid of it, do background research, think the process through
more than once and take your time. For me that meant magazines, books, and a
lot of time planning projects and rehearsing the construction process in my
mind before the first sawdust flew. There is something very satisfying about
the tangible nature of woodworking -- the sensual pleasures of a sharp plane
on ancient pine, that feeling of satisfaction when it is all done. Enjoy!
Don't beat yourself up over your lack of skill -- that is what practice is
all about. Think of test pieces as stubs, done to verify the concept. And if
it helps, do a technical post-mortem after every project -- what went well,
what messed up, etc to facilitate learning from any mistakes (an endless
supply, enough for everyone). Then apply this to the next project <and
repeat>.
greg
--
Greg Latiak
[email protected]
Images http://members.rogers.com/greglatiak/
[email protected] (Doug) wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
>
I'm 11 years older, a lab-geek. Been doing some level of woodworking, off,
and on for, oh, 15 years or so. Haven't kept track. I've really only had
a legitimate "playroom" for about 6 years.
I still suck. A lot.
But it's a pleasant diversion from work, and sometimes useful things come
out of "the little shop of horrors". No significant projects yet, just
stuff for around the house. A new wooden framed window screen. A small
picture frame. Stuff like that.
I, too, lean heavily to the hand tool thing, I discovered planes a couple
of years ago, when refinishing a workbench. Fortunately SWMBO's very
understanding.
My best advice: learn to enjoy the journey. It's the better part of
getting there. And if you find you don't really like it after all ...
recoup your your investment on ebay.
Regards,
JT
Go for it Doug and welcome to the deep end !!
Rob (who spent yesterday afternoon looking at a small wooden cedar/mahogany
row-boat one-man-shop that may be "available" soon)
http://www.robswoodworking.com
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
Yep. My official Code-Monkey ID is #19230932. I have about 95 hobbies. The
wood working hobbie is a by product of my aquarium hobby (I've been building
fish tank stands). Though I also have a "construction" hobby where I build
creek crossing bridges, picnic tables, etc that aren't "fine furniture."
Sam
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it. I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
> waterstones, and I'm just beginning my workbench proper (of the Good,
> Fast, Cheap variety). I'm using hand tools. No power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
>
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
>
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have. Maybe it's just
> my personality type which causes this impatience. I vaguely recall
> feeling this way when I started programming. Actually, I guess I did
> drop everything and enrolled in grad school to get a CS degree, so go
> figure.
>
> I don't want to get too long-winded here, so let me ask this: Is
> anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
[email protected] (Doug) wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
<snip>
Sounds VERY familiar... started "seriously" getting into woodworking
about 1 1/2 years ago @ 26. I'd been interested since the childhood days
of Grandpa showing us how to build things out in his converted barn, but
never had (or took) the time/money to get into it. I'm also a programmer
(ATM software development -- and no, unfortunately, I can't make 'em spit
money out via a secret code, not if I want to stay gainfully employed
:-), and needed something more fulfulling to do w/ my spare time than
watching TV in the apt. Ended up renting a one-car garage, initially to
put a freezer chest in, but I quickly convinced SWMBO to let me turn it
into a workshop. I think the coffee table & endtables she'd been pining
for & finally got hubby-custom-made convinced her to let it stay that way
;-)
As for the learning process -- for me, it's been reading and trial-by-
error, plus a few stops at the Woodcraft store. Thankfully all dangerous
errors have been eliminated by reading & common sense, but good ol'
fashion stupidity still leaves plenty of room for "design alterations".
Sometimes frustrating pace, perhaps, but I've seen steady improvement,
and one day when I hit my midlife crisis I plan on quitting my software
career & mauling wood for a living -- even SWMBO seems convinced of that
;-) Don't let it frustrate you, and after you've done the first few
projects, you'll start to get a better feel for it, along with that
burning hole in your pocket whenever you walk by a tool display. That, or
you'll know it's not for you -- but enjoy it while it lasts either way.
-Richard
Man, great stories! It's always good to read this kind of stuff. Now
I know I'm not off on some tangent that doesn't make any sense!
I know I'll enjoy the learning curve more once I have a general idea
of what I'm doing. Right now I'm mortising the legs of my workbench
base, but it seems like it's taking forever. I suspect it just takes
time, and certainly practice helps, but I'm probably feeling impatient
because I just want my bench done. The recent heat hasn't helped,
either (I'm building in my garage).
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to respond. It really helped to
hear all the stories.
doug.
[email protected] (Doug) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing.
I was about 34 when I started
> I've collected a few tools
> from the eBay, Japan WW and such, I've sharpened with both Scarey and
Got mine at garage/estate sales
> I'm using hand tools. No power.
I prefer power.
>
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey).
Me too. More Business Analyst than straight coder, but that's just
semantics.
> I'm an ISTP, which labels me as an artisan/tool user (see keirsey.com
> or google myers-briggs for an explanation). So even though coding is
> my 'tool' and software engineering my profession, it leaves much to be
> desired, IMO. The reason, I suspect, is b/c anything I craft in my
> profession is inevitably re-written, replaced, or made obsolete by new
> technolgy within 3 to 5 years. How depressing is that? The things I
> do, while commanding a good price per hour, have no lasting value.
I always say that if the lights went out tomorrow, my whole career
would disappear.
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. What's frustrating is the fact that unless you're
> willing to just drop everything and go enroll in a school or
> apprenticeship somewhere, you're pretty much left to your own devices
> to learn and improve. A long, slow, painful path.
> Is anyone else in the same boat? Had a similar experience? Care to 'set
> me straight' with a bitch-slap? I'm just testing the waters of the
> group here to see if anyone else out there is 'like me'. No one wants
> to feel alone, right?
>
> doug.
No Doug, you are not alone. Seems like we have taken up woodworking
for similar reasons. I had to laugh at your description of a "long,
slow, painful path" though because I rather enjoy the learning curve,
but then I realized that I *used* to feel that way too when I started
- I guess I just learned to slow down and enjoy. Unlike our
profession where we have to hurry up to learn new technology while it
is still viable, with woodworking things don't change as quickly so
learn at your own pace and ENJOY!
-Chris
I don't know about you, but for me it boils down to the simple fact that we
are likely born problem solvers. The same itch that drove me to strive for
the most elegant of algorithms in my coding days is scratched by the logical
processes of woodworking. From planning/designing, to generating shop
drawings and cutlists, to the laying out of joinery, to solving the myriad
of problems that always arise during the actual cutting, fitting and
finishing.
In some respects, it's akin to a curse ...
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 8/24/03
"Casey Stamper" wrote in message
> I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
> would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
> home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
> worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
> I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
> change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 08:41:02 -0500, Casey Stamper
<[email protected]> pixelated:
>I wonder what it is in our makeup that leads IT people to woodworking? I
>would be willing to bet that most, if not all of you also do your own
>home repair/remodeling and car maintenance. All of the IT people I've
>worked with also have the same leanings as I do towards DIY-type stuff.
>I'm a server/router/telecom engineer and can't imagine paying somebody to
>change my oil or put up some shelves, etc.
I believe it's the need to balance head work with hand work
which leads many of us into it. Mind and body, work and play,
seriousity and fun all have to be balanced or we go crazy.
Or is that "stay crazy"?
-
- Let Exxon send their own troops -
-------------------------------------------------------
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Programming
Doug wrote:
> Well, I have some time on my hands here and I thought I'd see if this
> sounds familiar to anyone else:
> You see, I'm a programmer (or more appropriately, a code-monkey). But
I'm sort of like you, but I think I took it even further than you did. I
*should* have been a code monkey. I'm a year younger than you. You know
how it was back then. Prime time, man. We grew up with computers, lived
on BBSes, and all figured we were on the cutting edge of the future,
because we were computer savvy people in an age when most people had no
idea how to use one. All my friends got CS degrees, and moved on (and
moved way the hell away) while I got a BA in foreign languages with
absolutely not one shred of job potential here or anywhere else.
I've been a manual labororer of one sort or another ever since. No jobs in
my field, and I had to eat. I had no luck selling myself as a computer guy
without paper, and I never could bring myself to go back and get the paper.
I find in the face of it all that the root of all this is an unconsious but
nevertheless intentional choice. The prospect of working with computers
professionally would just take all the joy out of it for me. Professional
uses for these things suck, and I've never met a happy programmer either.
In fact, all my big money moved-far-away friends are absolutely miserable.
One of them I presume to be dead by his own hand, though he might have just
gone total recluse.
Anyway, a little further along in life, I find I have more in common with
the people here who talk about the importance of shop classes, and with the
farmers I've come to know in the years since, than I do with most
"professional" people I've encountered in my lifetime. I myself never
stepped foot in the "redneck wing" of my high school, because I was "too
good" for that kind of future, but I've really changed, and I quite regret
that I missed out on the opportunity to get some experience with such
things much earlier in life.
I'd desperately like to quit being a truck driver, but what I'd _like_ to do
with my life is become a mechanical problem solver. Not a car mechanic or
anything like that, but someone who has to figure out how to get things
going with baling wire and bubble gum in the nick of time. I'm too much of
a math retard to even daydream about engineering, but if I could figure out
some way to get paid for "improvisational" engineering, I'd be a happy man.
Junk Yard Wars is my favorite show, and most of the fun projects I've done
lately have involved making something without spending any money for
materials. My junkyard trebuchet, for example. A piece of railroad track,
the axle and bearings from a salvaged Nordic Trac, the top from an old end
table, 2x4 and plywood scraps left over from some project or other... I
wish I could figure out a way to apply this kind of thing toward earning my
daily bread.
I do love to make things, to have tangible things at the end of the day, and
I can relate to your feelings there. My best programming years were when
DOS was king, so you can imagine just how well-respected my skills are
today. All those hours were for nothing more solid than dust in the wind,
and anything I do today is heading for the same fate. It's hard to get
excited about choosing between another rewrite or letting a project fade
away. If I build a plant stand or a hutch or something instead, it will
still be around for my kids to fight over when I turn to dust in the wind
myself.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17408 Approximate word count: 522240
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> I suck. I'm 32 and just getting into the woodworking thing. I've
> never really done any 'cabinetmaking' type woodworking before and have
> recently taking a strong interest in it.
My skills are limited also. I don't let that stop me from enjoying myself
though. Nothing I'll ever make will be in a museum, but I enjoy what I do
and my audience (wife) likes everything I've made for her. Otherw will
looka nd say "wow, tha't fantastic", but I know whee the miter is not
perfect, the joint could be a little tighter fit, etc.
> So I've taken up woodworking, specifically building hand crafted
> furniture. At least that's my lofty goal. I have no illusions about
> my lack of ability. >
> I'm taking a couple of classes in the next few weeks, so maybe that
> will help alleviate this 'helpless' feeling I have.
The classes will help a lot. I've taken one so far and it made a
difference. In my head, I know how to do a lot of things, but getting the
hads to cooperate is not so easy.
I had an interest in trying woodworking for many years. I either never had
the space, the time, the money or all the other things that seem more
important at the time. Then while we were on vacation, my wife had a heart
problem. She spent 5 days in a hospital and with CHF, there is never full
recovery. Things like this change your life, or more precisely, your
outlook on life.
A few years before this episode, she started to collect dolls. She bought
some unfinished doll furniture and asked that I stain or paint it for her.
It was pretty crappy stuff and I figured I can do better. And I finally
did. For a few months, she was very limited in what she could do and even
making lunch was a chore. I thought I'd try making a bench that she wanted.
I bought a table saw, a few pine boards and I was on my way. The weather
was still good and while I tinkered in the shop, she would sit in the sun
and watch me, appreciating how each little step of the project went. I just
appreciated the fact she was alive and could be near to watch. There was a
lot of stress at the time, and my time in the shop was very relaxing.
Some months later she had a cardio-version (they stop the heart and re-start
it) and that helped quite a bit, but life is different now. I still make
whatever she wants and enjoy doing it for her. She still likes everything I
make, warts and all so to speak. Making her happy makes me happy and it has
worked that way for 37 years so far. And I can buy any damned tool I want!
Ed
[email protected]
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome
Thought this post was a joke at first, but it may be one of the better ones
going on here.
I am a third generation wood worker, grandfather was a carpenter/farmer,
father was a civil servent who did wood work as hobby. I went to college
and got a degree in Industrial Eduction and then the Army and after that
worked for the Government in various jobs until I wound up in Emergency
Managemant (local version of FEMA). After 19 years of EM, one divorce and
remarriage I was having nightmares (not all the bad stuff makes the news).
Spent what free time I with various counslers and thearpests. Went back to
WW as a hobby, it helped. Wife talked me in to chucking the whole mess,
moving to a place where I was unknown and starting a WW bussiness of my own.
Not as much money, but I still eat and pay the bills with the grace and help
of God, I have fewer nightmares each year and am around to kick the Kid
(now 12) when he gets home from school. My stuff is in museums and other
places with bragging rights, but the real value is now I don't cringe when a
storm comes up or the telephone rangs and my wife knows I will be there for
supper.