The Craftsman's Path #15: The legacy of one woodworker

I’m heading over now!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Great insight. A legacy we would all like to leave.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Karson, thanks. It was an interesting feeling walking through his shop – seeing the jigs and tool cabinets. You could almost close your eyes and see the activity in the shop. I went looking for bargains and came away with a different sentiment.

Dorje, let me know your thoughts!

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com

I really enjoyed your article on the woodworker’s legacy.

I have thought about my legacy. What do I want to leave behind? I determined that sharing the skills and knowledge was something that I wanted to do. LJ helps in that, but I have learned so much myself too.

Certainly my projects are part of my legacy as well.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://americancraftsmanworkshop.com

I had a very similar experience this past summer. I didn’t leave with any tools, but just felt like I could be there to contemplate what went on in the shop and the mind of the fellow that used to live and work there.

Puts my grandpa in mind. Although my grandpa was not a woodworker, he was a very skilled in many trades and taught voc ed for many years, built his home and worked his land. I have many of his tools for the various trades. I have that sense of awe and history when I use them. Also, I have a sense that I am continuing his legacy – that my interests are somehow connected to who he was and what he may have wanted to experience. They’re my interests, but I’m always taking my grandfather along for the ride, continuing the ride he took me along for many years.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Mark thank you for your wonderful story. We are all walking that path to the end. The choices we make now and in the future will determine how we are remembered – will be our Legacy. I think that this group, Lumber Jocks, are the type of people that will leave legacies that will make their families and friends proud.

Mark’s wonderful story started me thinking about my on immortality. I don’t know how many of you are like me – but my wife has absolutely no idea size the investment in tools that I have. I recently got my oldest son into the shop and started letting him know the cost of the equipment – I’d hate to see my wife end up selling it for pennies on the dollar, not knowing the actual value. I don’t mind if she finds out – but please Lord let it be AFTER I’m gone. I was talking to a friend recently and he related a story about one of his friends’ whose father had passed away. Neither he (the friend), nor his mother had any idea of the value of the tools in the shop and they liquidated EVERYTHING to one person for $500. The father had a shop full of tools, both power and hand tools – the shop was about 30’x40’, so I can only imagine that it was worth a bit more than $500.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

beautifully told and a great insight from the experience.
Thank you

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Thanks all, for the nice comments.

This visit certainly caused me to reflect on my own legacy – something that is passed on from person to person not only in tools but, also in skills and lessons. This is something that I hope to leave with my children and woodworking friends down the road. Hopefully, the road is a long and fruitful one.

-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com