Humbled

[Charles Newman]

I just want to say that after seeing the pictures of some of the work that has been done I am humbled, you guys do some great work. I made a Chess board last weekend. Made from Brazilian Cherry, Poplar and framed in Oak finished with a satin clear coat. I thought it was ok my kids thought is was actually great. I was planning on giving it to my oldest on his birthday. He will be 12 next month. But after seeing the pictures I need to buckle down. Now I am debating weather to use it for fire wood or not. Just kidding I will give it to him. Currently I am limited with proper equipment but I am trying to remedy that. I nave no Joiner or table saw. The wife thinks I am nuts but I can accept that. Keep up the great work.

[Jim Becker]

I The wife thinks I am nuts but I can accept that. .
Why should you be different in that respect that the majority of us?? :D

Welcome aboard! And remember, it's the craftsman using the tools, not the tools that make the project great. While the advise du jour is always going to be to make your investements in tools count (always buy the best you can, even if it means waiting an extra month or three), they are just tools. You are the woodworker.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Charles.....Welcome to the 'Creek! Don't be too hard on yourself. There are a lot of begnners here that are aspiring to become artisans! We all make mistakes and have to recover from them. Few of us have all the tools that we'd like to have. Enjoy each project and learn from each! Again....Welcome to the 'Creek!

[Michael Stafford]

Hey Charles, your chessboard is great if your kids think it is. You only have to please the ones you love and yourself- not the peanut gallery. Keep up the good work and you'll get better.

[Bob Winkler]

Currently I am limited with proper equipment but I am trying to remedy that. I nave no Joiner or table saw.

I echo Jim about craftmanship doesn't mean lots of tools. When my kids were little many years ago, we lived in a 2 bedroom apartment, and my woodworking meant using a hand saw, jigsaw, rasp, drill, and lots of sandpaper. I made wooden toys for my girls and they are still among our most prized possessions.

Today I have a lot more, but often find that having many choices or ways to do the same job is not always good. In deciding the "perfect" way to accomplish a task, I often waste time, slow progress down, or end up feeling guilty about a tool I just don't use and spent lots of bucks for. I often think about how much the "oldtimers" accomplished with a few hand tools.

Bob

[Mark Singer]

A lot of the work looks great because many of us are very good with Photoshop. If Jim Becker can make me look that good in my avatar....what can he do for a dovetail joint with a split and a large dutchman? Welcome and just know if something is different than it was supposed to be...you just gave it some "Character" . Distressing is another good term. We are of different abilities and we share and try to help each other. Really nice people here....its not like Ebay where everybody is trying to beat out the other guy at the last minute. You end up paying more for an old chisel than you could have bought a new one for...and if you buy new you can chisel on the price of the chisel.

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Charles;
Welcome aboard and join the crowd-most of us have wives who think we are crazy, and some of us probably are. You will know when you have truly "arrived" when you find yourself smuggling tools home under the groceries!
George M. Perzel

[Chris Padilla]

You will know when you have truly "arrived" when you find yourself smuggling tools home under the groceries!
George M. Perzel
LOL! I just smuggle 'em into my garage and then throw dust all over it and stack a few tool on it. "That? I've had it for AGES...." ;)

Welcome to the creek, Charles. We all have differing abilities and all learn from each other. We have a lot of fun on here.

[John Miliunas]

LOL! I just smuggle 'em into my garage and then throw dust all over it and stack a few tool on it. "That? I've had it for AGES...." ;)



Yeah, right Chris! Let's see you smuggle your latest "little" toy in like that next Monday! :eek:

Charles, great having you aboard! 'Tis truly a great place to share, learn, laugh and yes, sometimes even cry! But in the end, all is good. Well...., as long as you know enough to post pics of gloats and projects! :D Come often and stay long! :cool:

[Chris Padilla]

Ha! She's know about the several k monster...no way to hide that aircraft carrier due to the size AND cost! :)

[Tyler Howell]

Charles,
Welcome, Tools aren't the problem here but the end product. Presenting your blood sweat and tears to this panel of eagle eye experts, is the scary part. Just remember some of them have been on a steady diet of sawdust all there lives.Others are from the precision crafts like machinists.
Like any skill this is one small step at a time.
Enjoy and glad to have you.;)

[Dennis Peacock]

Charles,

Welcome to the Creek.

Now....dump those thoughts of being hard on yourself...and I'm one to be talking here. :rolleyes: Everyone has to start somewhere and not a single one of us started out making perfect joints, excellent pieces and stuff. Many things look great in the posted pics......If you could see many of them in person, you would find little mistakes covered up and is all part of the craft.

No hush and keep practicing....after all....us woodworkers are exactly like medical doctors....<b>Still practicing!!!</b> :D :eek:

[Jerry Olexa]

Charles Welcome You're one of us. We All sometimes make mistakes in our projects, (generally, only we see them) I'm in latter stages of a cherry furniture project and while cutting a curve in a prominent part, the flush trim bit hit a imperfection in the wood ,slipped on the template and created a sizable gouge. So, I'm backtracking and repairing to "cover it up" and salvage the piece. Normal part of most projects, We usually are our own harshest critics which makes for good woodworking. Welcome! You're normal!

[Jim Fancher]

Welcome, Charles. As you can see from my post count, I'm brand new too. :)

I can't remember many birthday gifts from when I was young. The ones that stood out were my very cool Evil Knievel Stunt Cycle and a truck and trailer that my Dad made me out of Oak. The Stunt Cycle was broken within a week, but the truck and trailer in now in my 7 and 5 year old sons' toy box. It's 30 years old and still looks almost new. It's very basic, but what it didn't have, my imagination filled in.

I need to get off my rear and build something for my kids before they grow up and figure out Dad isn't as cool as what they thought.

[Bob Flemming]

Welcome Charles
I've been woodworking for over 20 years and my wife still doesns't understand why I can't go to a consruction site and find bent nails and cutoff 2X4s and build an armoir. Her father said that's what he did. We know better.

[Dale Thompson]

I just want to say that after seeing the pictures of some of the work that has been done I am humbled, you guys do some great work. I made a Chess board last weekend. Made from Brazilian Cherry, Poplar and framed in Oak finished with a satin clear coat. I thought it was ok my kids thought is was actually great. I was planning on giving it to my oldest on his birthday. He will be 12 next month. But after seeing the pictures I need to buckle down. Now I am debating weather to use it for fire wood or not. Just kidding I will give it to him. Currently I am limited with proper equipment but I am trying to remedy that. I nave no Joiner or table saw. The wife thinks I am nuts but I can accept that. Keep up the great work.



Charles,
I am "humbled" every time I make a project for ANYONE! If anyone on this board ever says that they made the "perfect" project, I would like to hear from them. I'm the exception. Most of my stuff makes the "perfect" fire! :)

Seriously though, your son will forever treasure the chess board that his dad made! (What is a chess board? :) ). ANYTHING that is handmade is FAR more appreciated than something you can buy from a toy store! Just make sure that you keep his XBOX games up to date. ;) He will have MANY years to appreciate the chess board.

A short story: When my daughter was in kindergarten, she made her first "woodworking project". As you can see from the pic, it was a crude keyholder with her picture on it. BIG DEAL!! The next year she made another keyholder. "Dad, this one is MUCH better!! It's got a picture of a TRAIN on it!" I was into model railroads at the time.

Now, forty-one years later, you can see the one that I treasure. It's been in my shop since day one and will remain until day zero. :D

Some of you may remember the story of the kitty collar and the mouse. I can't tell it again!

Charles, don't EVER be "humbled" by someone elses work. It doesn't take an Einstein to know that everything is relative. :)

Dale T.