# Am I the only one who loves woodworking but hates carpentry?



## SeaQuest (Jun 2, 2008)

I've had a missing strip of baseboard in the entry way since we installed the hardwood floors about 6 months ago. I've been procrastinating about getting it installed. Today, I decided, was the day. I already had the needed baseboard molding so I took some measurements went out to the shop and cut the wrong size, 3 times! Yes I did measure twice and cut once, problem is that I measured twice wrong … sigh! I finally got it cut to the right length and thought, I'm not going to drag out the nailer and run air hose all the way from the workshop to the front entry way, I will do the the old fashioned way with hammer and nails. Bad idea .. I'm sooo NOT a hand tool guy! 30 minutes with both the air and my thumb turning blue, I finally tossed the hammer aside, walked out to the workshop, returning with 75' of air hose tailing behind and nailer in hand. Bam Bam Bam … the task was done.

I'm at a loss to understand why I love woodworking so much, yet I dislike carpentry jobs around the home. It makes no sense, it involves the same tools and many of the same techniques. Am I the only one like this?

Jim


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I can relate to your feelings… and I think it has something to do with the baseboard being a chore, where the work in the shop is a pleasure.

I have three locksets to install on doors on our second floor, cannot get excited about putting them on, we've only built the house 8 years ago… 

I always seem to find time to move things in the yard with the bobcat, work in the shop, drive tractor in the pastures, etc. but there is absolutely no time for lockset installation.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

It's our shared cave.
I know the feeling.
Yet if I go to my sons I just love doing all his repairs.
Gives me a chance to share something with my son and he gets some new tools.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

Same bucket, built ours 5 years ago and still don't have the transition molding between the hardwood and tile floors in two spots in the house. My wife reminds me all the time.


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

~shrug~ I really enjoy working on my place.


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

I actually find that my woodworking skills tend to help me do better at carpentry projects. It also seems that carpentry doesnt seem to have the intense concentration that woodworking does…maybe thats why I enjoy it from time to time.


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## CampD (Nov 8, 2008)

You guys would just love remodeling older houses then, they are never as planned. Some days I think I put in more time going back and forth to the truck to get a different tool than actually getting something acomplished


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

I know that routine Doug. I enjoy remodeling work because of the diversity.

Jim, I think it may be becuase shop time is relaxing and maintenance is work.

I dunno ~shrug~


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I definitely prefer woodworking over carpentry for several reasons. One reason is that I like to be in my workshop and not "on location". However, when I do a carpentry project ( like building a closet for my church) I like to embed some woodworking features such as a sliding dovetail or some M&T joinery. That's how I put my "touch" into the project.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I happen to be a carpenter and cabinetmaker, so both come second nature to me


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

My basement renos have stalled significantly since I turned my interest to woodworking. Carpentry gave me an excuse to invest in better tools, but I still have a difficult time motivating myself to hang doors and put up trim.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I'm both also and have my good and bad days in either department.


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## cranbrook2 (May 28, 2006)

I do both all the time so it,s all easy to me


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## docholladay (Jan 9, 2010)

Jim,

You are singing my song. I took up the baseboards when I installed hardwood floors in my house with the intent to install new baseboards that would look nicer than the plain jane ones that were installed when the house was built. That was well over a year ago and still there aren't any baseboards. There are still a few little touches needed to finish my basement (only 6 or 7 years in the works). Yet, I always find a few minutes to go to the shop. I generally prefer to work in my shop because then I don't have to drag out my tools. I also don't like to work somewhere other than my home because, invariably, there will be a tool that I need, that of course I forgot to bring.


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## DragonLady (Mar 2, 2010)

It's the difference between what you "have" to do versus want you "want" to do.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

I hate working "in or on" my house , and doing a build or remodel job…That means I have to drag all my tools from the shop, work on the house project, go get more tools that I need, bring them in, and finally when I'm finished, I got to take them all back "out" to the shop and put them all up again….Too much wear and tear on my old bod, back, and knees…...I need to hire a carpenter….


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## papabear (Mar 28, 2009)

Hey Jim,

your not alone. It is tough at times to get started on a home repair job. What I do find is once I get the motivation up, it becomes fun to do, not just a chore. As for taking tools in/out of the shop, as you know, the shop is my garage so easy to get. Unfortunatly, I don't have enough air hose so I have to haul in the compressor every time I want to use it. One day I'll break down and buy more.


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

I found it was easier to pick up a small pancake compressor to haul around for small stuff. That way I don't have to run air hose all over creation  Heh, I ran an air hose from the shop to my kitchen one time and my dogs couldn't resist it and chewed the darn thing in half while we were working!


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

I'd have a problem trying to seperate the two. Both Woodworking & Carpentry are almost the same in MY mind. We had a Renovation/Construction Company L O N G time ago and usually did all of our own Finish Work as well as Demo and Structural.

Now, I see them both as a Hobby and Pleasurable. I'm always doing something around my Home. About a year ago I pretty well finished my Country Kitchen. I've just recently finished the Formal Beams in the Kitchen. Maybe I should do a "Project Posting" on both. Pictures below will give you an idea.

What used to be Bare Walls is as you see it now. ALL of the Beam work was Cut and Fitted IN the Kitchen, taken down, numbered, then stained & finished in my Basemant Shop, brought back up and put in place.



Bare Walls to this. NO Beams yet.



Other Side. Beams In Place.



Detail At Fan. My First Go Round with Router Doing 4 Piece Circle Around Ceiling Medallion.

YIKES! Sorry. That took a lot of Space. I guess the Point I'm Making is that I don't really seperate Wood Working from Carpentry. BUT! That's just my situation. Again…. it's ALL a Hobby and it's ALL Enjoyable.

Rick


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## RONWEN (Jul 29, 2009)

I can't say that I dislike carpentry but I do much prefer woodworking because it seems that I can be more precise in woodworking. In carpentry you must deal with more irregularities in plumb, level, bevels, etc.


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## NathanAllen (Oct 16, 2009)

Not much sanding in finish work, so it's a nice break.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

Hey Rick )),
I really like the country kitchen style, and especially the country look of a home, where the porch goes all
the way around a house….Something like you'd find back in the 30's-40s.. Excellent job on the remod…


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

I think there is a difference between creative construction and routine maintenance- as in honey do list. Routine household maintenance- finishing/replacing trim, painting windows, etc. etc. is like housework- something I know ALOT about. Housework tasks are tedious and they are NEVER really completed. You do the laundry today and tomorrow and the next day. Same with home repair- fix the trim, scratch it off the list tomorrow fix the faucet scratch it off the list, next day dog eats the trim- trim is back on the list. It never ends. My happiest days were pending divorce living in a nice -really nice apartment with NO MAINTENANCE including grass cutting. Then I bought my river house in the settlement.. and had to clean up 2 years worth of NO MAINTENANCE that occured while he had the house. Leaky roof- defunct porches.. etc. etc… Now I have to say when I installed the new kitchen, I did most of that myself and that was FUN because I did in fact want a new kitchen. But after 6 years I still don't had knobs on my cabinets? GO FIGURE.


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## LeeinEdmonton (Aug 5, 2008)

My dad was a Master Carpenter & while he was too busy earning a living to teach me anything I did pick up some skills in woodworking classes in Highschool. I was tranferred back & forth across Canada during my working life & I think I finished 4 basements in the various houses that we bought and lived in as a result. Also fence & deck building along with garages & a brother-in-law's house addition. I don't dislike carpentry….I'm simply too old for the heavy lifting involved so my little hobby shop continues to provide me with woodworking pleasure.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I like both, especially when it involves cabinetry; however, I love working in the shop most of all.


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