Caution - Be careful of your projects at home

What can I say? You’re damned if you don’t and damned if you do.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com

-- helluvawreck aka Charles, http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com

The cost / trade-off of having a significant other with a honey-do list vs. not having a significant other. Of course significant other can provide a second set of hands for those complex clamping needs.

-- "I love it when a plan comes together" John "Hannibal" Smith

When the tool budget starts opening up, that is the time to ask to see the “list.” As it turns out, this list started out 10 years ago. She said that the one I found – she had lost and has 2 more. She has been working this morning to make one updated list.

The projects are interesting, I have a lot of work to do – apparently.

-- David in Damascus, MD

I have often wondered if many other woodworkers than myself hate doing house projects, whether inside or outside. It seems that while doing these projects I almost always wind up on a ladder, or rolling around on the floor, neither of which I like to do. Working at a bench with all the clamping and holding options and all my tools at hand is infinitely better. On the other hand, I feel obligated to keep my wife happy by cheerfully (well, maybe not always cheerfully) doing these projects, especially because she does not begrudge me buying tools or spending a lot of time in the shop.

-- Mike, an American living in Norway.

I hate a list… She wants me to paint all our out buildings..

I bought a new Graco airless and have done the small horse barn already, now the upper part of our house and then my 6 year old workshop..

Of course significant other can provide a second set of hands for those complex clamping needs.

- WoodNSawdust

I can’t tell if this is supposed to be sexual or not. I’m gonna assume that, yes, it was meant to be sexual. In which case, nice.

I also have the same problem at my house. On the plus side, I have a nice looking house now.

-- Bailey F - Eastern Mass.

Like the cobblers kids having no shoes. For my thirty year career building custom cabinetry/furniture I couldn’t have gotten to many of the around the house projects. These days my goal is to do nothing but those projects, especially since we bought a 1904 Victorian! Good luck David, I feel your effort is well worth it.

-- Sam Hamory - The project is never finished until its "Finished"!

I have often wondered if many other woodworkers than myself hate doing house projects, whether inside or outside. It seems that while doing these projects I almost always wind up on a ladder, or rolling around on the floor, neither of which I like to do. Working at a bench with all the clamping and holding options and all my tools at hand is infinitely better. On the other hand, I feel obligated to keep my wife happy by cheerfully (well, maybe not always cheerfully) doing these projects, especially because she does not begrudge me buying tools or spending a lot of time in the shop.

- stefang

There is very little furniture in the house that I have not made, including the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I really do enjoy making most of it, I just didn’t know the list was that long – a bit of a surprise.

Ladders bother me, if I am to use one outside to the roof, it is screwed down to the deck – had one go out from under me once for a 2 story drop – that was not a good day. In the house, I use a Little Giant, it is heavy but it is safer.

Some of the pieces I have made were not exactly what she had in mind, so I had to make new ones. For the most part, she designs what she wants me to make and I build it. It seems that for every piece I make, the list gets longer. I have been trying to change her furniture style a bit, just to make some that are more interesting and challenging but for her, simple is better, functional is great.

I was wondering how all of you deal with this, I have work for years to come.

-- David in Damascus, MD

Mr Fid, you use clamps during sex? Two questions then…what do you clamp and does it feel good?

-- This is a Troll Free zone.

David , The Honey Do List will Never go away and will always get longer.
Remember the Golden Rule ” HAPPY WIFE = HAPPY LIFE ” , There is another Golden Rule but it does not apply in this case. :)

David,
Been there, doing that. Built the wife a kitchen, pedestal beds with storage, and many other things around the house and her list hasn’t gotten any shorter. I now have two bedside tables, a headboard, an armoire, another storage cabinet, library shelves with rolling ladder and a sliding door for the office on the current list. That’s the published list, not the double secret wish list that I don’t get to see.

At least she understands my need to take a break from her projects now and then so I can accomplish something I want to do for the shop or my cribbage board making.

Just remember, every project deserves at least one new tool.
Jon

-- Jon --Always remember, never live your life by a motto.

I had the opposite problem for many years- woodworking when I could, and home remodeling/repair as the main course. I’m retired now, and the “home” work actually increased, we (read, I) are fixing up my mother-in-law’s house to rent out. Relentless work. I did manage to get enrolled in a wood carving class, so I’m off the hook two mornings a week. I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the repairs, too. Once that’s done, it’s going to be more woodworking. I at least squeezed in a chest for my tools, recently. It is a test mule, and a precursor for what I hope will be the final iteration, but I’m not casting that in cement. It’d be a shame to have to build yet another chest, lol.

-- Steven.......Random Orbital Nailer

Hah, maybe include the cost of a custom router bit in the bid for your wife’s windows. While a 55 would be a ton of fun, it’s only fun for your own projects. I’ve realized I want power tools for the honey do list and home improvement projects and I can use my hand tools when I have time to have fun.

David, I’ve got a similar attitude about helping friends or should I say use to be friends. I’ve had a few buddy up to me long enough to get me to help them with a couple of projects and then kick me to the curb. Just another reason I don’t much warm up to most folks and try to keep them at arms reach.