# Yes... I'm still here. Got a new job. It's awesome!



## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Hey LJers!!! How have you been doing? I sure have missed you all. I'm still here and doing well. Just been SUPER SUPER busy. It's been a crazy past few months. I've done very little in MY shop… but I have been getting some shop time in. I've started a second job. I'm working part time in a wood shop. DREAM JOB!!! I love it!!! I visited this store downtown about a year ago to check out their work. They have some amazing tables. The store is called Madison Table Works. I just absolutely loved it. The guy who actually does the building actually showed me around the store and then gave me a tour of the shop. I fell instantly in love. LOL

Well… not really sure how the events really unfolded… But fast forward almost a year. I got a facebook message from a friend telling me that they had stopped in and talked to the owner and they were looking to hire someone part time and that I should look into it. YEAH RIGHT! I laughed. But the next thing you know my friend is asking me if it's ok if he gave him my info. I said "sure.. what the heck. Go for it". In about 30 minutes I got an email from the guy explaining what he was looking for and he was asking if I would come in and interview…. UH…. YES!!!... that was my answer. Needless to say… I got the job. This store sells high end custom tables. They also sell benches and chairs but we do not make the chairs. We do however make benches. It's an absolute blast. I wish I could work there full time.

Right now what I do is mostly sanding. Well… all I do is sanding. LOL! But it's actually not bad. I'm learning tons of stuff from the guy. He's real young. Only 34 and has been doing woodworking since out of high school. He is amazing!!! (Sshhhhhhh… .don't tell him I said that LOL). You probably think that the sanding is not that exciting. BUT… the sanding I do is for all our rough sawn tables. They are gorgeous. I don't have very many good pictures. There never seems to be time for taking any… but here is one of the tables I worked on.










Most of our rough sawn tables are made of cherry and walnut. This, as you can see, is cherry. My job is to sand it… but still have the saw marks. And he does some carving and I round over the edges to give it a warn look. This pic was after the table was sanded to 120 and then wet down before the 180. I already love it. I've not been there for the full finishing process but I have helped on one of the finishing steps they use to make it look aged.

Like I said… dream job. Just finished up a 16ft walnut bar top. SIXTEEN FOOT walnut boards, all rough sawn. It's going to be amazing. I will take pics when it's done. 

Anyhow.. just wanted to stop in and say HI! I miss you all. Tomorrow I plan on spending a little time in my own shop. It's feeling a little neglected.


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

congrats on the new job,sounds exciting.that is a beautiful table.keep us posted on how its going!!!


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

Angie,

That's great! If you work with wood it's twice as good! Much is to be learned by being a gopher.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

Great news AngieO

Have fun and thanks for keep us posted.

Fine looking cherry top BTW


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Now THAT is amazingly good news! Congrats!

And don't forget the dust mask! *;-)*


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Congratulations on the job. Glad things are going better for you. Keep us posted.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

That is great that you have a job you love to go to!! Many people are not that lucky. Hang in there and you may find it to be full time some day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Great to hear from you…...........Jim


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## SASmith (Mar 22, 2010)

Congrats on the new gig.


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## ScottC (Apr 6, 2010)

Congrats! Was wondering what you were up to! Keep us posted.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Congrats on the new job… Sounds like you'll learn a lot and get some experience to boot. And MAYBE a bit of a discount on some real nice lumber. (Like perhaps some of his scraps for free!) Seems like a great opportunity.


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## fredj (Jun 4, 2013)

Congratulations ! I just started a new job as well about a month ago after having been laid off for a year. Custom work, and only 3 miles from home.


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## JollyGreen67 (Nov 1, 2010)

Congratulations on the new job only the rest us can dream about !


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## mikethetermite (Jun 16, 2009)

Congratulations on the job, always great to have a job you enjoy.


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

How can you go wrong? Dream job and you will learn a lot. Best of luck to you.


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## ajayy51 (Jul 29, 2013)

Congratulations on the job!!!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

It really is a great job. Every time I leave with my paycheck I think to myself… they are actually paying me to be here??? I love it!

I started this job and another job the same week after being downsized from my previous job. Was out of work for 6 months. It was rough. Now I'm just working like crazy. The job does have potential to become full time. And I will jump on it if it does. Right now I mostly do sanding. But this week he told me that the owner was asking him if he thought I could use the machinery… Like the table saw, jointer and miter saw. LOL. I think I can handle those things. We just had several orders for rough sawn tables so when these get done the owner wants to see if I can start making some lazy susans. I think I'll be able to handle it.

The owner does some of the woodworking. The guy I work with does about 95% of the actual building. Like I said before… I think he is amazing. I learn new things from him every day that I'm in there. Todays project that he made… a 74" tall frame. I can't remember how wide it was. It is massive. It is also rough sawn so I will be sanding it this week.

And yes… while I haven't taken home many scraps… there are plenty and I'll be sure to grab what I can. You know how I am


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

What a great opportunity, Angie! Livin' the dream! Congratulations! BTW, is your daughter doing any scrollsawing?


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Sounds like a great situation, Angie. I guess clouds really do have a silver lining!


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

Sounds great. I'd take a job like that over my desk gig.


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## hoss12992 (Mar 20, 2013)

That is awesome! Congrats


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Thanks everyone! It really is awesome.

As far as my daughter doing any woodworking… well… she hasn't done much of anything at all. She broke her wrist in two places and fractured her elbow. She gets the cast off in two weeks and will have some physical therapy. We were lucky to not have to have any surgery. Completely killed her getting to compete at Archery Nationals. Her team is going to Worlds but we are not sure if she will be strong enough to compete by then.

Of all things… she fell out of a tree. That's how she broke it. I'm amazed at the response people have when they learn how she did it… "what was you doing in a tree?" They seem not only surprised but like they never heard of such a thing… a kid.. climbing a tree???... whoever heard of such a crazy thing? LOL. I'm still pretty young. But I remember that when I was her age… that's what we did. We played outside. Rode bikes and climbed trees. She was playing hide-n-seek with her little brother and cousin and she chose the tree to hide in. She's always been a tree climber. So it was no shock when I got the call and found that she had been up in a tree. I guess some people would rather the kids be inside on a digital device.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

LOL…. sorry about the small rant.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Here is a link to the stores website. This link is actually to the rough-sawn collection. I linked to that because that's mostly what I work on so far. And… it just so happens that they are my favorite tables.

http://www.madisontableworks.com/rough-sawn.html


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## Alongiron (Jan 10, 2011)

I am so jealous right now….Congratulations! You hear the phrase sometimes; that "it is hard to find help nowadays!" but they found not good help but great help!!


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## Alongiron (Jan 10, 2011)

I am so jealous right now….Congratulations! You hear the phrase sometimes; that "it is hard to find good help nowadays!" but they found not good help but great help!!


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

A huge congratulations Angie, you go girl! happy for ya.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Good luck and congrats! That sanding takes a lot of grit.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Sounds like you fell into a bed of thornless roses. Congrats!
You know the saying, "When one door closes, another opens." You walked right through.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Congrats Angie. It's already been said, but, I'll say it again, don't forget some dust protection. I know you're having fun.


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## Sanding2day (May 6, 2013)

That is fantastic Angie, congrats on the new job… Just spent the past half hour looking over the tables on the website. Some great stuff! Enjoy!!!


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## shinju (Apr 11, 2009)

Congrats on the new job, best of luck!!!!!!!


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