I'm a relatively new woodworker. Story's pretty typical: Always wanted to learn, never found the time. Other priorities just got in the way.
But sometimes, fate has a funny way of telling you what to do.
My boss at the time was an avid woodworker. You know the type ... probably could have done it as a vocation, not just as a hyper-hobby. He built all the furniture for his retirement home, beautiful cherry stuff. I used to pepper him with questions, even though I'm more a Stickley Arts and Craft kind of guy, while he's inspired by Thomas Moser.
Anyway, one day he tells me he bought a new jointer, and he asked if I wanted his old one. He wasn't kidding either: It certainly was old, but it was in great shape. I said yes in a heartbeat.
My sons and I went to his shop to pick it up, and he tossed in a bonus... an old mortiser that he had sitting around. Well, the first weekend I jointed and mortised all kinds of scraps. Bucketfuls. Beautifully square, with mortise holes running the length.
And then I convinced my wife that if I just had a tablesaw ...
-- David in sunny Cleveland, Oh
12 comments so far
Scott Bryan
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20707 posts in 718 days
posted 647 days ago
Let me welcome you to LJs. I hope that you will find this to be an interesting and enriching aspect of your woodworking journey.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
GaryK
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9533 posts in 884 days
posted 647 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks! Enjoy yourself.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
kordwood
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15 posts in 647 days
posted 647 days ago
Thanks. It’s been fun so far.
I’m a self-taught woodworker and stumbled on this site by accident… evidently it’s a happy accident.
LumberJocks seems to have a nice blend of support and information for a lot of folks in my situation — learning as we go.
-- David in sunny Cleveland, Oh
Max
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14473 posts in 1169 days
posted 647 days ago
Glad to see that you have made Lumberjocks a part of your Woodworking experience… Welcome…
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
cajunpen
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5968 posts in 962 days
posted 647 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks. Enjoy the community
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
gene
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2165 posts in 779 days
posted 646 days ago
Welcome to the wonderful world of LJ’s (Enjoy) Come on in, The water’s fine, fine, fine. Happy, that you have chosen to join the family.
You can ask, show, teach, learn, and Share woodworking experiences.
There’s something here for anyone that likes working with wood.
Plus new friends
God bless
-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia
rikkor
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11335 posts in 770 days
posted 646 days ago
Welcome to LJ. You will like it here.
mrtrim
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1698 posts in 776 days
posted 646 days ago
welcome to the community!
Karson
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25802 posts in 1296 days
posted 644 days ago
Welcome to LumberJocks. Glad to have you aboard.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Grumpy
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14926 posts in 747 days
posted 642 days ago
Welcome to Lumberjocks. A great community of people with like interests.There is much to learn here & you will have the opportunity to share your skills & ideas with others.
Did you buy the tablesaw?.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
kordwood
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15 posts in 647 days
posted 642 days ago
Yep! Then a planer, and a band saw and a miter saw and a small drill press; in fact, I spent most of year one in the “tool acquisition” phase. One of the reasons I took up woodworking was to develop patience. I figured pacing myself in buying and learning about a specific tool while I studied up on things I wanted to build was the way to do that. Now, finally, I’m actually producing things in a reasonable timeframe with what appear to be pretty decent mid-level tools.
I told my wife that savings over buying rather than building my first really big project — a double Stickley bookcase with glass doors — would come close to paying for the table saw and planer. So far, that looks like it may indeed be the case. I hope to start it next month.
-- David in sunny Cleveland, Oh
PanamaJack
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4447 posts in 973 days
posted 639 days ago
We would like to welcome you to the one and only LumberJocks. If you should need any woodworking question answered, don’t hesitate to ask. Somebody’s gonna have a good answer for you.
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,