Call me Dreek (a nickname given to me by my late brother; a name which I have not heard spoken aloud in probably 15 or 20 years.) I’m a semi-old guy who’s just getting started in woodworking.
After playing around with some brain-dead simple power-tool projects that served a purpose (moldings, a shop-built air cleaner) I’ve decided that hand work will be my thing. This is a hobby, there is no hurry, I don’t like loud machines or dust, and I especially don’t like exponentially increasing my chances of losing a finger (or worse.) So I will retain my nice little power set-up (jointer, lunchbox planer, Shopsmith, sliding miter saw) for the sake of rough-sizing my wood and home-maintenance-with-deadlines, and proceed to learn how to sharpen hand tools properly, set myself up with a workbench, and begin (again) at the beginning. I’m in no rush to build a big half-assed project, and so baby steps will be taken, starting with things like cutting boards and kitchen drawer organizers that will get me familiar on a small scale with glue-ups and simple joinery.
I intend to 1) enjoy this, and 2) get very good at it. That will take time, but at 54, I have the requisite patience, wisdom, intelligence, and physical strength to get it done.
-- Woodworking is a beautiful, physical, cerebral, and noble art.
4 comments so far
SirGareth
home | projects | blog
129 posts in 2809 days
#1 posted 11-03-2014 03:17 PM
Welcome Dreek! Pull up a chair (or make one first). This is a very friendly and helpful community, so if you have questions along the way, just ask. I’m also 54, but aside from patience, I’m not sure I possess all of those wonderful characteristics.
-- Even if you fall on your face, you are still moving forward. - Tim, Southern California
stefang
home | projects | blog
17039 posts in 3942 days
#2 posted 11-03-2014 03:54 PM
Welcome to LJ Dreek. It sounds like you are on track to enjoying yourself. I have tons of wood machines, but the handwork is the most enjoyable part and as you are planning, I do use my machines to do the hard work first. I like to think of them as my apprentices. Have fun and I look forward to seeing your posts.
-- Mike, an American living in Norway.
handsawgeek
home | projects | blog
663 posts in 2004 days
#3 posted 11-03-2014 04:10 PM
To a Dreek from a Geek!!! Welcome to LJs. You will find a lot of folks on these boards, myself included, who are hand tool fanatics. No shortage of info here on the subject.
Cheers!
-- Ed
Jeff Mazur
home | projects | blog
119 posts in 1912 days
#4 posted 11-03-2014 04:56 PM
@SirGareth @stefang @handsawgeek Thanks for the warm welcomes. I have so far found that woodworkers are some of the nicest people I’ve met and/or corresponded with. Makes me wonder whether I’ll actually fit in LOL!
-- Woodworking is a beautiful, physical, cerebral, and noble art.
Have your say...