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Who is your inspiration?

2K views 25 replies 12 participants last post by  nate22 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I learn a TON of stuff here. In fact I think every project I have done since I started here was completed because of this community. My work is also getting much better because of the advice I get here. It goes without saying that this is probably the best woodworking community on the internet and I doubt that would be disputed.

I want to call out some other resources that I have gained a lot of knowledge and inspiration from:

First would have to be Marc Spagnuolo - http://thewoodwhisperer.com/. I am going to become a guild member soon to get in on some of the builds. His projects are largely beyond my skill level, however with the excellent videos I feel like I could actually pull some of them off.

Another invaluable source of info for me is Charles Neil. http://www.cn-woodworking.com/. Almost everything I have learned about finishing have come from Charles one way or another. He also has a lot of great tips I would have never thought of - like clamping a mitered box with painters tape and 2 boards with screws in them cinched together with a shoelace.

Third goes to Steve Ramsey - http://www.woodworkingformeremortals.com. Again, TONS of information that is easy to digest and put to practical use without having a shop full of Festool/powermatic etc.

I hope this helps my fellow newbies, and I would also love to hear about other resources that people fine useful outside of the great LJ community.
 
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#3 ·
Actually a job site is endless information, be it good or bad

Wikipedia, Google and youtube, between the 3 of them, I have yet to be stumped with few exceptions

I like the Woodwhisperer, if only for the fact that his shop is stacked full of Fesfool : ))
 
#4 ·
I might have mis read your heading but what came to my mind when reading your title was my very loving wife, my 6 year old daughter, my 4 year old daughter.

My wife and I have been married for 10 years and have had some great years together. However, my first daughter was born in 2005 and my second daughter was born in 2008. Since the real estate market, that we were heavily invested in, crashed in 2007/08, my small family of four lost everything, became literally homeless 3 times, living in hotels and anywhere else we could stay warm.

So I will not bore you with the details, but I will say failure is not an option for me. I cannot remember the exact day, but I told myself if we are to survive, I must do it with my hands doing the one thing I love. I must work the wood. And so I did. We had no money, no place to live, no family here in San Antonio and had lost everything. I did have a few minor tools/machines that I somehow managed to hold onto, so I started doing things the best I could. I never filed bankruptcy because the one attorney I spoke to would charge me more then a truly bankrupt person could afford. We lost everything and gained a massive tax hit from the IRS from our property loss.

While we still struggle, at times to the point of going on forced diets, we now have the true blessing of being able to do what we all love to do for a living. Together, my wife, my two young daughters, and myself build beautiful things/cabinets out of wood. Recently my daughters and I built small puzzles with a scroll saw while having fun at the shop. My wife builds things for us around the house that she thinks we need.

We have been truly blessed with our shop as we have grown our shop quite well, our customer base is getting stronger and our inspiration is thriving. So, it is simple, my wife, my little daughters, they are my inspiration. I love them all with everything that is within me.
 
#8 ·
Neil Armstrong.

I have and always will find power in his selfless dedication, not to his own glory, but to those he inspired to follow through humble virtues to which skeptics could never undermine his determination to prove the masses wrong and teach those who doubt the given right of "Free Will"
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have been inspired by many ,listed in there order of the amount of influence. My father-in law a 50+ year woodworking genius,Charles Neil (my mentor), Norm Abram, Tage frid,Jim Toplin, Micheal Dunbar,Phil Lowe,Thoms Moser, Chris Becksvoort,Frank Gottshall,Will Neptune,Gary Rogowski,Bob Flexner,Lonnie Bird,James Krenov, Sam Maloof,David Marks, frank Klause,Robert lang, George nakashima and many more.
 
#10 ·
all americans a1Jim

Armstrong, I doubt would have such glorious renditions of history.

Even you have forgotten the fathers of food for thought.

Duncan Phyfe, The Adams brothers, Thomas Chippendale

the food for the soul of woodworking, was never taught on this side of the pond
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
I like Sam Maloof and George Nakashima.

Reading about Sam and how he started with a hammer and a saw in his garage and George lost everything and was sent to a Japanese internment camp during world war 2 gives a guy like me hope. I started with nothing and was homeless for most of my teenage years. Hearing how guys like that can make it if they work hard means more to me than people who grow up silver spooned then handed a big shop with all the belles and whistles. I got nothing against people who are silver spooned, I just can't relate to them.

"Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some get it as a graduation gift."
― Robin Williams

Then there is my uncle, who got me interested in woodworking, sci-fi and philosophy. They guy who would replace my father and take me under his wing. My mentor. May he rest in peace.
 
#14 ·
Roman
I believe Tage Frid was Danish born, Frank Klause was German born, James Krenvo was born in Siberia,as far as all the old masters they fall under the "and many others" category. :)) I wish I had the magical way with words you have Roman. Neil Armstrong RIP
 
#18 ·
Moser is a good choice,he's one of the most successful woodworkers of the last 50 years. it's all the same to me call me 1miJA if you like . If you like to be called Moron ,Moron it is . I don't recall calling you Moron when you went by Roman?
 
#20 ·
Just for starters, Mike Pekovitch, Michael Fortune, Mario Rodriguez, Garrett Hack, Gochnour, Becksvoort, Darell Peart, Charlie Durfee, Glen Hughey, Don Weber, Bob Lang and on and on. No particular order, just lots of good articles, principles and ideas.

Steve
 
#21 ·
I forgot to include John Nixon of eagle lake woodworking: http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/. I've learned a ton from his videos/website as well.

Thanks for all the other names. It looks like I have a lot of reading to do.

Moron, I'd appreciate it if you kept on topic. This tread could be very useful to people starting out in woodworking or wanting to further explore their journey. Personal attacks and vulgarity are not necessary.
 
#24 ·
Keith Stone is quite an inspiration for me, but that's another story…

I'm a big Roy Underhill fan…I would say that he is a big reason I got interested in the whole hand tool thing. Also alot of folks here on LJ's inspire me…too many to rattle off actually!

And just because Al posted on this thread, I'll throw out that Chris Schwarz is quite an inspiration to me…I know that quite a few people are anti Schwarz, but I enjoy his style.
 
#25 ·
Schwarz is definitely talented. It's his delivery and tone that rub me wrong, can't say exactly why. I'm sure he's a cool dude in real life. He's definitely a busy dude. Nancy Grace does the same thing to me. As soon as I hear her voice, my blood pressure goes up.
 
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