This past weekend my 38 year old son (the youngest) was in town visiting. After a good meal and some time spent spoiling my granddaughters we ended up talking about woodworking. This is the first time in 38 years that he has ever expressed ANY interest in my passion. I have been planning on making him and his wife a nice clock for their new home. I happen to mention that I would start on it right after Christmas and that’s when Santa brought my gift!!!! My son said that he would like for me to wait until he could come in town again and we could work on it together. Now this may seem like a silly thing for a grown man to get excited about – but I have mentioned many times on this Forum how I wish I could share the woodworking experience with one of my sons. Well, it’s going to happen and I could not be happier. We will start sometime next month – he has indicated that he would like to learn as much as he can about woodworking. If this works out I will be one happy LumberJock.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/






















30 comments so far
Douglas Bordner
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3427 posts in 962 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s pretty cool, Bill. My Nic has shown a very little interest in woodworking except penmaking. I guess at age 20, I didn’t give two hoots about woodworking or my own Dad’s passions in the shop, so there is time, God willing.
I have hopes for the grandson, but I should probably wait till he has mastered the art of eating with a spoon before outfitting him with a bowl gouge.
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
rikkor
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11335 posts in 773 days
posted 705 days ago
Congratulations Bill. PS, It is not at all silly for you to feel elation that he wants to learn at his father’s hand.
manilaboy
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122 posts in 834 days
posted 705 days ago
Wow! I envy your son. How I wish my father is still around. I got my woodworking genes from him. He was a construction foreman and knows all the tricks of the trade. I used to watch him set and sharpen his hand saw, hone his chisels and plane irons. I also got a chance to see him replace a handle on a hammer when I was barely a teen-ager. There were too many distractions during my teen age years. Got married. Unfortunately, he died before I got the itch. 16 years late.
I am sure your son will cherish the time he spent woodworking with you for the rest of his life. I know. One of the fondest memories I have of my father was him woodworking.
-- "Real jocks do it on a bench"
mrtrim
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1698 posts in 779 days
posted 705 days ago
bill , i cant imagine a better gift ! wish i got one just like it . happy holidays
EGA
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161 posts in 712 days
posted 705 days ago
Happy feeling I have for you. Nice Christmas present for sure. You tell him he get’s an “atta boy” s/f
-- www.flickr.com/photos/egamarine/
CaptnA
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114 posts in 712 days
posted 705 days ago
Merry Christmas!!!!!!
Wow – THAT is a GIFT among gifts.
Really struck a chord with me. Two weeks ago while in the shop my son (a 26 year old with nothing on his mind except cell phone – computers- girls and not necessarily in that order) strolled in and after watching a few minutes asked if he could try to turn something on the lathe…
After a little help setting up he made his first turning which didn’t turn out as he first imagined( I tried to assure him that’s woodworking)
He’s made a trip or two to the shop since and attempted to make a second candle stick – something about a matched pair has crossed his mind…. tried to tell him that’s why you put one on each end of the matle.. distance helps similarity! he’s still coming back. ya know… Merry Christmas to ME as well.
-- CaptnA - "When someone hurts you, write it in the sand so the winds of forgiveness will scatter the memory... "
miles125
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1441 posts in 904 days
posted 705 days ago
Maybe if they made really hip lathe turning video games? Then youngsters today might figure out that the real thing in real life has much better graphics..Wink
Glad to hear your good news Cajunpen.
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
MsDebbieP
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14174 posts in 1059 days
posted 705 days ago
i got goosebumps! What a wonderful surprise and gift!!
My heart is smiling for you
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
dalec
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580 posts in 787 days
posted 705 days ago
I agree that connecting with your son at a place where your interests are in common is very special. Enjoy your time.
Dalec
furnitologist
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190 posts in 912 days
posted 705 days ago
Nice…Bill!!
I saw the post and my first recation was ..”hey it’s not Christmas yet”.......but there’s an exceotion for that kind of present…..Enjoy that one man!!!
scottb
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3402 posts in 1226 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s not silly… it brought tears to my eyes. Merry Christmas indeed!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Russel
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2065 posts in 838 days
posted 705 days ago
What a great Christmas gift. To share a creative experience with your son has got to be one of the best things in the world. My boys are 30 and 32 and I relish the opportunity to share that kind of quality time with them. Good for you Bill.
-- Working at Woodworking http://www.VillageLaneFurniture.com
Betsy
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2386 posts in 794 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s wonderful Bill. The feeling of WOW will never go away and that’s a great thing. I hope you and your son have a good long time to make sawdust together.
What a Christmas you are having.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.
oicurn2it2
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95 posts in 736 days
posted 705 days ago
good for you i have three boys and as well hope that i can ruin them but in this techy world it seems a crapshoot i thinky you just hit enjoy .
-- "when you think youre going to slow, slow down just a little bit more" .... Pop's
toyguy
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725 posts in 736 days
posted 705 days ago
I spent some time in the saw dust factory with my Dad. And without a doubt, it is some of the very best times we had together. I only wish it could have been more….... I’m sure if he was still with us he would think the same. Most of the machines I own were his to start with. After his death them came to me. Now my son (when time permits) has joined in the adventure.
The time spent with your family, doing something of interest together can not be replaced. Enjoy your gift, you will both get something of value out of it.
-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/
JasonH
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137 posts in 727 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s great news, Bill! Enjoy that time with your son!
-- Living on the square...
dennis mitchell
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3791 posts in 1213 days
posted 705 days ago
Great news. I was about 34 when I started “borrowing” my dads shop. Enjoy your time together.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
Harold
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312 posts in 746 days
posted 705 days ago
Congratulations Cajunpen! This gives me hope for my children, sometimes it just takes time. I am excited to see your project, you know what would be neat, if the clock face were carved. If a guy had one of those slick carveright machines they could probably carve a really unique clock face that would be absolutely breathtaking. I don’t think I have ever seen something like that.
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.
ToddE
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126 posts in 833 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s Great…
Everyone tells me that I am taking up a lot of valuable room with having my little boy’s desk and work area out in my shop. But I love it when he gets his tool belt on and starts swinging his hammer when he’s out there with me. I don’t know how much money in elmers glue I have lost, but it is all worth it to me. God bless and I am happy to hear about your son. Have fun and remember patience. That’s why my dad never had us twins with him when he did stuff. Todd
-- Do we do this for purpose or passion?
Karson
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25806 posts in 1299 days
posted 705 days ago
Bill congratulation on your Christmas gift and the gift that keeps on giving.
He will always look at the clock and think of time you spent making it.
Surprise him with a hand tool or something that he can use on making the clock and have it always.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
scott shangraw
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408 posts in 968 days
posted 705 days ago
That’s a great story especially around the holidays.Hope you and your son have a great time in the shop together.
-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com
odie
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1604 posts in 739 days
posted 705 days ago
Up till now we shared this…My son (31) as of a month ago is still not interested. I have so much to share. You are one lucky Lumberjock. I have thought about asking the high school about interested kids.
When he was a kid, we did build skateboard half pipes and the like together…I miss that.
-- Odie, Confucius say, "He who laughs at one's self is BUTT of joke". http://woodstermangotwood.blogspot.com/ (my funny blog)
SPalm
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951 posts in 781 days
posted 705 days ago
My three 20-something sons have not shown much of an interest. Sports is it. But my daughter is the one who caught the bug and wants to build something of everything. I keep thinking of ways to keep her interest going.
Congrats, it is such a nice gift to be able to share.
Steve
-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon
Thos. Angle
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4013 posts in 861 days
posted 705 days ago
Excellent, Bill, just excellent.
-- Thos. Angle
YorkshireStewart
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784 posts in 800 days
posted 705 days ago
Your excitement really comes through in what you’ve told us Bill. Congratulations!
-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems
GaryK
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9539 posts in 887 days
posted 705 days ago
Great news!
It’s nice to be able to share something like that
Gary
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
Zuki
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1234 posts in 976 days
posted 705 days ago
:-)
-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them
Sawdust2
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1188 posts in 986 days
posted 704 days ago
My 13 yo grandson wanted a dart set. But we bought it at Woo0dcraft and glued them up today.
We will turn them on Christmas.
He picked through my supply of pen blanks for his wood.
-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.
cajunpen
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5968 posts in 964 days
posted 704 days ago
Thanks – to everyone that replied. Both of my boys and I have a great relationship, just nothing that we can share with each other (we do have football, but that doesn’t count). I am looking forward to spending some time in the shop with him. My oldest son lives right across the street from me and I am hoping that once he sees his brother building stuff in the shop with me that he will get the urge too. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
Russel
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2065 posts in 838 days
posted 704 days ago
Bill, I too get along quite well with my boys so I appreciate the additional pleasure when you can share something you love with them. To me there is nothing better that spending time with my kids doing something we all enjoy.
-- Working at Woodworking http://www.VillageLaneFurniture.com