Pointing out the flaws.

I think most of us are perfectionists & always notice the flaws that others don’t. thats what makes us do better next time around.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

YES , YES , YES…I think we all do that to ourselves….but then again , we also never make the same mistakes / errors again ! It’s part of the learning curve that this wonderful hobby allows us. You know that you’re good when you can turn an “ooops” into an “aaahhh” .....”Disguising” our flaws is part of the craftmanship we learn…..my best friend told me that if I didn’t make the error then I would never notice it in the final product….in other words , no one else can see it or realizes that it’s not part of the design ;)

-- Dusty56@comcast.net

Yes !!

-- Ron Central, CA

Not me. Everything I’ve ever made was perfect.

Wan’t to buy some stock in the Brooklyn Bridge?

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I am my own worst critic. I know exactly where to look for the flaws. I usually don’t see them in others
work because I tend to take thing in in whole.

I don’t think of them as “character” but “Design Features”.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

That’s what I like about this site, we can post photo’s of our projects, point out our flaws, ash for feedback, and know that a fellow LumberJock will never tell an outsider. Right, that is right, right, you would never tell anyone would you, right, I know you would not. I just know you would not, right.

-- Ron in Osseo, Minnesota

I know I’m in trouble when I start arguing with myself.

-- Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will, but remember it didn't work for the rabbit.

My Dad always said, “If you can’t hide it, accentuate it”. A fellow woodworker learned how to inlay because he accidently cut a kerf mark in the wrong area of a table top.
KHOP

-- How am I doing? Better than I deserve.

I have often said that there are on mistakes in woodworking- only opportunities for adding more details or character. We all share the commonality of focusing too much on our perceived shortcomings that usually will go unnoticed by others.

But there is one thing I have learned never to do- and that is point out any “design flaws” in my wife. It tends to get me yelled at. :)

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I think most woodworkers are capable of seeing things like gaps of .0002 or less in their work. Sometimes I’ll dream up a piece thinking it’s a stunning design, build it, and by the time I’m done I’m pretty tired of it and don’t think it looks all that hot. Others will think it came out just great.

For those of you that read WOOD magazine, you’re probably familiar with Jim Heavy. I attended a couple seminars of his at the St. Louis Woodworking show… His advice on this topic? (and I quote)- “keep your mouth closed and let them enjoy it!”... lol

I’m terrible at pointing out all the flaws in my work, and my wife tells me the same thing (only more harshly) .... “shut up.” However, I think there is something about a woodworker where he/ she feels the need to point out every chatter mark, orbital swirl, joinery gap, and glue spot. I certainly do, and I can’t seem to help it. I think it’s our way of eating a big piece of humble pie.

I have to agree with Boardman… I tend to be so picky that I see every detail to the couple thousandths, and by the time I’m done with it, I’m like… “Eh… I don’t know, honey, what do you think?...”

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

I think the reason I’m so harsh on myself is I want to be a profectionist but my brain and my skills are only human. We are born imperfect. Thanks to GOD I can accept my flaws. The pieces I have built will hopefully last much longer than me. I am sure they (pieces) won’t become collectables, but maybe family members will appreciate them. Many projects I have built, have hidden in them, small time capsuals which include pictures and prayers. A friend had built a four poster bed for his daughter which included a written prayer in each leg. He will make sure she will find out upon his departure from earth. That makes it even more special for her. Just thought some of you would enjoy adding a little extra to your creations.
Thanks KHOP

-- How am I doing? Better than I deserve.

I think we all see our flaws, and are our own worst critics. I can see where a joint is not as tight as I like, a glue up that did not quite work, a stain that was not exactly the right color, a finish with a run, and on and on.

Probably 90% of what we notice as flaws most people will not even see unless you point it out to them. A few might, but they could be a fellow lumberjock. Luckily, they will likely be kind and not mention it.

If it is a cosmetic flaw, probably not worth pointing out. A structural flaw, well you will probably keep it yourself and rebuild one for someone else. The first one will be labeled as a prototype.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

My belief is that perfection comes from practice and repetition. As a hobbiest, I only make one unique thing at a time from what ever design I was inspired by. So mistakes are accepted as a chance to modify the design or to practice my repair skill. Since there are usually more than one mistakes, I like to point out the one I’m proud of (great hide, or design modification) and keep quiet on the rest (gaps, glue, tearouts).

-- Thuan

khop- regarding your last reply—- that’s awesome!... I hadn’t thought of doing that!

Thuan- I think you have it, man… I need to start doing that. I’m adopting your philosophy…

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Sometimes I point out flaws in my work because it is the best way to pre-emptively avoid criticism from others.
Oddly enough, sometimes after enduring all those critical comments, these same people ask me to make them something, and that really confuzzles me.
Sometimes, when unveiling my latest finished project, I’d swear I was the one person in the room who knew the least about woodworking. I got a tough crowd to deal with :D!

-- If stradivarius was alive today, he'd be using Gorilla Glue.

khop, You sure brought up a good subject. As a retired woodshop teacher and a perfectionist myself I told my students when they made a mistake that not many people carry a square or a ruler in their pockets so mistakes don’t show. I all so use a quote from the late Art Espenet Carpenter that I saw on the wall of a woodworkers shop back in 1975 “the mark of a good craftsman is how well he covers up his mistakes”. I have this posted on my shop wall as well. Sometimes we must keep out mistakes to outselves.

-- bobdurnell, Santa Ana California.

I will usually over look flaws of the cosmetic kind. The ones I notice most are structural ones, where the piece I know is just not going to hold up, or the poor design ones, like where the wood grains are running in the wrong direction, and will eventually cause structural problems, even if it’s only cracking of the wood. . I normally won’t say anything to the person that built it, unless asked to critique the piece. They will find out soon enough, especially if they live somewhere the humidity changes throughout the year are extreme. They’ve already built the piece and if they build another, they will be wise to the changes that need to be done.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

Like others have said we are our own worst critic. I sometimes call this the woodworkers curse. However, I think that this curse is truly an attribute and it is what we learn from and what drives us one step closer to perfection in the next project we tackle. Of course perfection, is not something that is obtainable in any man-made object but that is what beguiles its beauty (Look at Nature for example it is perfectly imperfect). By the time you finish a project you have touched every piece hundreds of time and have spent several hours looking at it from every possible angle it is only human to see your “flaws”. It is hard sometimes to step away from a project and try to see it from a fresh set of eyes. We never look at other’s work with the same critical eye as we do our own work. Just my humble opinion.

-- bfd, Folsom, CA

I belong to a local woodworking club. We have betrween 30 and 60 members show up for our monthly meetings. They are a bunch of good people, Unfortunately in every group of people, you have that ONE person who stands alone as the thorn in the side. He critic’s nearly everyones project or subject brought up. Yes I have asked him (in a politically correct way) to SHUT UP. We all know that person in our lives. If you look around at home and work, and don’t see or find that person, YOUR’E IT !!!
By the way, our club www.cawspi.org
Thanks
KHOP

-- How am I doing? Better than I deserve.

Oh yeah, I used to be very quick to point out my flaws. My bride told me to quit it. It works.

-- Maplewood, MN

khop, I thought of another mistake thing. Back in 1977 I was remodeling a kitchen and I subed out the plastic counter tops (they were in vogue then) and the installer, a good friend of mine, said that the cabinets I had built were wider than the laminate would cover and he said that he would have to use a “dutchman” to make the tops work. I have come to use that term when a little mistake is fixed with such skill and craftsmanship that it looks like it should have been there in the first place. I try not to make a habit of them tough.

-- bobdurnell, Santa Ana California.

In my case if flaws that I find in my own work were dimes I could afford new everything, including a real shop to work out of. It was said earlier in this series about accepting and going on. My own logic says the same, and that I have learned from the mistake. I am at a point of no return now. I see what is POSSIBLE to do, the ability to do it is something that has ran away from me. What is scarry is at my age now, I am doing the best work I will do for the rest of my life. With age comes wisdom, I want to return to the age where I still had good eyes, didnt like coffee, and my joints didnt hurt. If I had the tools back then I do now I would have had the experiance that would have made up for getting older. I have to say my brother and better half are my most loyal cheerleaders. Either they really think my projects ok or they are hoping I will give up.
All in all I think we see the improfections before anyone else due to the fact we spend hours planning and working with the wood. Speaking for myself I have started using the saying “GOOD ENOUGH FOR WHO IT’S FOR”. I only build for myself and real close family.

-- Love your country, never trust your government.