I’ve never been a woodworker. Shoot, I was never even a handy man. For the first 35 of my 38 years, I never owned a tool more “tooly” than a hammer.
So why do I have a dream of one day running a shop making furniture and teaching woodworking?
I think part of it is just from the excitement of discovering a new hobby. Another part of it is from living in a country where woodworking doesn’t exist as a hobby. Not only is woodworking not a hobby, it doesn’t even seem to be a job. I have yet to find furniture in this country that wasn’t either mass-produced or imported (or both).
Of course, I still have no idea whether I even have any knack for woodworking. I’ve only made a couple things (very average, at that), and am still working on my first project (my bench) since pulling the plug on power tools. It’s fun, but I’m not fooling myself – I have a long way to go if I want to be experienced enough to go into the business of woodworking (even if I have zero competition!).
Until then, I’m just going to enjoy myself. Because if you can’t do that, why bother?
[This entry was taken from my blog Adventures in Woodworking]
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
8 comments so far
davidtheboxmaker
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373 posts in 2003 days
#1 posted 1975 days ago
Eric
Just go for it.
I was so bad at woodwork at school that I concentrated on being the class clown!
After a number of attempts I’ve finally reached the point where I can make saleable items. In my case I rely heavily on power tools, but I get masses of pleasure from my workshop. Now thaty I’ve retired I’m spending more of my time woodworking – its great.
Cheers
David
Ethan Sincox
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765 posts in 2371 days
#2 posted 1975 days ago
Eric,
Is that avatar the Weekend Roubo bench you built and Chris blogged about on Woodworking Magazine’s website?
-- Ethan, http://thekiltedwoodworker.com
Eric
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873 posts in 1981 days
#3 posted 1975 days ago
Ethan: yep! Not to brag, though, but that bench only took me about 20 minutes to build. :^)
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
GaryK
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10263 posts in 2186 days
#4 posted 1975 days ago
It’s nice to have a dream. Good luck with yours.
-- Gary - Never pass up the opportunity to make a mistake look like you planned it that way - Tyler, TX
Grant Davis
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595 posts in 2106 days
#5 posted 1975 days ago
I would say that you are not the only person that has had this dream or any dreams. All you can do is go for it and hope for the best. Good luck in your quest.
-- Grant...."GO BUCKEYES"
Tomcat1066
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942 posts in 1993 days
#6 posted 1974 days ago
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” -T.E. Lawrence
That quote is one I try to live my life by. If your first projects turn out less than stellar, so what? Few step up and create wonderful works on their first attempts. The worst fear ever is the fear of failure. Step up and go for it. Great things only come to those who aren’t afraid to make mistakes after all.
Let me put it this way: where would we be if Edison was afraid of failing in inventing a light bulb? Where would we be if Alexander Graham Bell were afraid he would fail in building a telephone?
If you want it, go for it. Who cares if you are the only woodworker in the entire country? You may just corner the market and be a huge success! There’s only one way to know for certain…try.
-- "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!
Eric
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873 posts in 1981 days
#7 posted 1974 days ago
Dude, that T.E. Lawrence quote is going on my wall.
-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com
MsDebbieP
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18335 posts in 2358 days
#8 posted 1974 days ago
a dream is just a dream until you put in place a plan of action and then it becomes a goal.
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
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