Ponderings #25: Another Year Older

Almost a year ago, I came to LumberJocks for the first time. In that time, I’ve learned a bunch and met a lot of cool people. I’ve developed a great deal, despite my few projects. Since it’s Christmas Eve, I thought I’d take a moment and reflect on some things I’ve come to understand.

1. There’s More Than One Way To Skin A Cat

I’ve heard this saying all my life, but no where is it truer than in woodworking. Think of something like a dado. You can use a table saw. You can use a router. You can use a router plane. You can use a dado plane. You can use a chisel. I mean, there’s tons of solutions to almost any problem. There are few things that can only be accomplished one way, and that’s really a great thing in my opinion.

2. Limits Are Often Self Imposed

I’ve been pretty guilty of this one myself. Saying I’m going to use only hand tools, when there’s no reason to stick completely to them. Looking at various styles of furniture to figure out what I want to make. There was no reason why I had to impose these limits upon myself, but I was donig it, just as plain as day. Limits are fine if you choose them yourself. If you just like Greene & Greene furniture, then more power to you. However, to limit yourself to one style just because you think you should? That’s just silly.

3. Woodworkers Are Amongst The Nicest People

I broke the 1/4” collet on my router about a week ago. I mentioned this on a forum, and a member asked me to PM him my address and he’d send me one. It got here yesterday. I offered to pay for postage, and I still haven’t received word how much or where to send it. Why? My guess is that woodworkers, as a whole, are just happy to help one another accomplish their goals. Maybe it pushes them to accomplish more of theirs. Maybe they just like helping one another. All in all, who cares? The important thing to remember is the number of woodworkers who give and give. From T-Chisel who gives his time to show how to accomplish his various techniques, to those who send some schmuck a collet for their router.

4. I Genuinely Hope Everyone Has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!!!!! Thanks for letting me be part of your life on the ‘net, and thanks for being part of mine!

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!