Project Information
Hello. My name is Matt. These are my first woodworking "projects." The title of this post, is an homage to Harry Gerstner.
One day, about 10 years ago, I saw a Gerstner tool chest for the first time and remember screaming on the inside, "WHAT IS THAT?!! I want one." Then I learned how proud Mr. Gerstner was of his chests ($,$$$) and just knew my wife would never agree to let me have one. So I decided to make my own.
At that point, the extent of my experience of working with wood consisted of hardware store lumber, sheet goods (2×2, 2×4, 2×6, plywood, mdf, etc.), nails, and screws. I had a miter saw, circular saw, and jig saw, but no "woodworking" tools or machines. And there certainly wasn't any knowledge, or understanding of Anything woodworking related, to speak of. So obviously, I had nooo idea what I was getting into.
I slowly started trying to understand how the boxes were assembled, what kinds of tools one would need to perform those functions, and how you use the tools. I figured out pretty quick that a table saw, band saw, jointer, planer, router, and drill press were essentials. Then came clamps, and squares, and precision measurement tools and straight-edges. I watched the Craigslist-Tools section every day…for years (still do)...slowly picking up decent $500 tools for $150 that needed TLC, and slowly built up my arsenal. Then one day about 7 years later, when I thought I had acquired all of the tools I'd need and selected my wood of choice (cherry), I headed out to the garage with a pad of graph paper from work (Disclaimer of sorts: I'm an Engineer) and started drawing, and cutting, and figuring, and fighting, and cussing, and you guys certainly know the drill…
"Fail, we may. Sail, we must."
Anyway, I made the cherry one after 3 - 3 1/2 months of determination. That was the very first real woodworking project I had ever attempted. A few years later (this past September), I made two more. Now, I've started acquiring materials to do 4 more (though I don't know where I'll even put that much lumber).
But I can't stop making the damn things. Thanks, Harry.
p.s. At this point, it's not even worth telling my wife that I've spent 3 times as much on tools as I would have spent on that Gerstner.
One day, about 10 years ago, I saw a Gerstner tool chest for the first time and remember screaming on the inside, "WHAT IS THAT?!! I want one." Then I learned how proud Mr. Gerstner was of his chests ($,$$$) and just knew my wife would never agree to let me have one. So I decided to make my own.
At that point, the extent of my experience of working with wood consisted of hardware store lumber, sheet goods (2×2, 2×4, 2×6, plywood, mdf, etc.), nails, and screws. I had a miter saw, circular saw, and jig saw, but no "woodworking" tools or machines. And there certainly wasn't any knowledge, or understanding of Anything woodworking related, to speak of. So obviously, I had nooo idea what I was getting into.
I slowly started trying to understand how the boxes were assembled, what kinds of tools one would need to perform those functions, and how you use the tools. I figured out pretty quick that a table saw, band saw, jointer, planer, router, and drill press were essentials. Then came clamps, and squares, and precision measurement tools and straight-edges. I watched the Craigslist-Tools section every day…for years (still do)...slowly picking up decent $500 tools for $150 that needed TLC, and slowly built up my arsenal. Then one day about 7 years later, when I thought I had acquired all of the tools I'd need and selected my wood of choice (cherry), I headed out to the garage with a pad of graph paper from work (Disclaimer of sorts: I'm an Engineer) and started drawing, and cutting, and figuring, and fighting, and cussing, and you guys certainly know the drill…
"Fail, we may. Sail, we must."
Anyway, I made the cherry one after 3 - 3 1/2 months of determination. That was the very first real woodworking project I had ever attempted. A few years later (this past September), I made two more. Now, I've started acquiring materials to do 4 more (though I don't know where I'll even put that much lumber).
But I can't stop making the damn things. Thanks, Harry.
p.s. At this point, it's not even worth telling my wife that I've spent 3 times as much on tools as I would have spent on that Gerstner.
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