So..What's your story?

[John Hart]

I run a Do-It-Myself blog that runs along side my craft website, and I thought that an interesting category would be "how I got started in woodworking". I expect there are a lot of interesting tales out there. I would love to hear from you and I'm sure everyone else would too..I think. If you prefer I don't use your story in my blog, just say so and I'll honor your wishes.


When I was stationed on the Aleutian Islands back in the early 80's, there was nothing to do because of the weather and the isolation. On the Navy base, they had all different types of activity centers to allow people to work on their hobbies. The woodshop was phenomenal with all the best equipment and it was usually empty. Since my grandfather was a woodworker, I figured that I might have a couple of stray genes and decided to give it a go. The people that ran the shop were great craftsmen and eager to help. They had a store room filled with every kind of wood you can think of and you just had to go in and pick out what you wanted. My first project was a maple and walnut chess board. As hard as the guys tried, they couldn't get me to have the patience to measure right, cut right, glue right. The result was a chess board that I had to cut several times to get square and belt sand forever to get flat. By the time I was done...it couldn't be a chess board. I got mad and cut it half on the table saw and threw it in the scrap bin. The next day, I went back and framed the two pieces in walnut and used them as doors for a dart cabinet. I still have that cabinet today. It is my reminder of those beginnings and I'll never throw it away again. Since then, I found a special love for making unique pieces of anything that strikes me at the time. My woodshop is the place I go to get away from technology and relieve the stress of the day. I have so much yet to learn and I learn something new every day.

It's dirty...but I found it

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Here's my first project, recently refinished. It was a Walnut and Ash plaque I made my father in 1970 in woodshop....the class that started it all in Odessa, Texas at Nimitz Jr High. I also made a Banak coffee table I also still have today.

Since that class I have been involved in woodworking in one form or another. I'll never forget the first time I saw all the woodworking machines in that class....one day I hope to have a shop that nice for myself.

http://www.hannawoodworks.com/plaque.jpg

[Dave Falkenstein]

I am a home-shop woodworker, and enjoy building furniture and cabinets, designing and installing storage systems, and building decks. Prefer Jet, Porter Cable, Dewalt, Festool and Bosch tools. I'm mostly self-taught. I'm fortunate that I can learn quickly from reading books and manuals. I can also read mechanical drawings/plans, as a result of my educational background in engineering. I took some wood shop classes in high school. Then, many years later, I took a woodworking class at a vocational arts school at night. That piqued my interest, and I started woodworking as a hobby about 25 years ago. I have been involved in the construction of a decent sized log cabin. Another "big" project was the major remodeling of a friend's home, involving the addition of several new rooms. I now do deck rebuilding and additions in the summer, and focus on shop woodworking and cabinetry in the winter months. I have done a lot of storage systems, including closets, garages and utility rooms. I like building furniture and cabinets, but find that "market" difficult because the projects are few and far between. Woodworking has become a hobby that generates enough pocket change to keep me in new tools. I think one of the more enjoyable aspects is collecting well-made tools. Festool is my latest addiction.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

My first exposure to woodworking was middle school shop class and then high school shop class. I made some nice things during those classes. However, they teach plywood construction, not fine woodworking.

Out of high school I didn't woodworking much at all. I would build a shelf here and there. I had a bandsaw and a scroll saw to cut out wood for my mom's crafts.

What got me started in woodworking is when we bought our house. Kelly and I wanted log furniture for the rec room, but I couldn't see paying those prices for something I could easily make. I made all but one peice of furniture that is in our rec room, including one of the shelves. I also made a bunch of peices for out bathroom. After I was done with that I bought a craftsman jobsite table saw and that started it all. My first "real" woodworking project was a cedar lined, cherry blanket chest. My current list of projects is about 20 long. Someday every peice of furniture in our house will be made by myself.

Currently I am working on re-outfitting my shop with higher quality tools. I hope to have all high quality, long lasting tools by the time I am 30 and my shop by the time I am 40.

[Mark Singer]

My grandfather was a crafstman trained in the Old World and came to Brooklyn, he bought old buildings and fixed them up. My father worked along with him and for many years as a kid...I helped., We were very poor and it was a struggle to get by when I was growing up...both my parents worked all their lives. I held the dumb end of the board while I watched and learned. My parents insisted that I get an education,to enjoy a better life, studing architecture bridged my love of building things , design and my parents insistence on school. After school, I went to work for a developer in Newport Beach for 3 years. I was designing and building large office and industrial projects...I learned a lot . We employed a highly skilled German finish carpenter and here I really learned the trade....I was interested and he was a good teacher. He was a master of stair building , door hanging and even rough framing. I began building furniture and built-ins for the home my wife and I bought. Soon I left and went on my own, designing and building homes and small buildings. In the first few homes, I tried to do it all! I layed the concrete foundation , the rough framing, installed the siding, shingled the roof, layed the floors and the tile, installed the windows, and hung the doors and built the cabinets, even the landscaping. I did not attempt plumbing or electrical. I learned a great deal from these challenging projects. This continued for many years until my architectural practice started to become more successful. Then I started just building furniture and woodwork for my own home. I have built 3 homes for my family over the years. It has been 30 years since I went on my own and I recently built all the doors and many cabinets in my present home along with almost all the furniture..... why?...I still love it!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

After getting out of the Navy in 1976, I got hired by a company and moved to Bend OR. My sole purpose in corporate life was to maintain a single CT scanner. My neighbor was a building contractor. One day I stopped by his construction site and began helping him and his crew put shiplap siding on a new house he was building. The next day he hired me to run the crew with the provision that if my pager went off...I was gone. I helped him build one house, remodel one house and build a playground. A year later when I got promoted to management and transferred to a suburb of Chicago, I bought a fixer-upper. I finished the basement. 4 1/2 years later when I transferred to Idaho, I began the usual gut and remodel on the kitchen 2 bathrooms and carport header. 4 years ago while recovering from a broken back, I designed an octagon gazebo for my wife and followed that by building my first piece of furniture. Since then and after joining SMC, I've been in the business of trying to build and finish my new shop. By the way.....I rent the sheetrock jack in about an hour and the ceiling goes up. This week I managed to get the plywood on the lower 8' of the walls. When the shop is finally finished, I've got a list of furniture to make for various family members.

[scott spencer]

Good idea John! My Dad got me started post-humously. Back when I had a speaker company I hired out the cabinet making and always admired their work and shops. Never really figured I could justify the cash outlay for a shop. In November 2000, my Dad gave up his 2 year battle with cancer and left his three kids a small insurance policy. The first $500 check I wrote from that account to cover the cost of brakes on the van really hit hard. I thought over what would be a better use of that money before we piddled it all away. I talked to my wife about getting some modest tools....the rest is happy history....just wish I had bought my second TS first! :rolleyes:

My shop is about 1/3 of a 2 car garage and gets shared with 8 bikes, outdoor toys, garden tools, folding chairs, camping gear, sleds, snowblower, etc. I build maybe 3-6 projects a year.

It's just a hobby, but I know Dad would approve. Even though he wasn't a wwer, he was a tinkerer and was always trying to fix stuff. He'd approve of the shop where I can spend some free time. He'd approve of good tools that can be handed down to my kids. He'd approve of the heirlooms that are made from that shop, and he'd approve of the great time I'm having with his money! :)

[Ernie Hobbs]

My Dad is a self-taught furniture maker. When I was in the third grade, he began repairing antiques and building 18th century reproductions full-time. So, needless to say, it was a big part of my family life. There wasn't much else to do out there in the country so, my two brothers and I were recruited to work in the shop. Dad taught me basic skills and I helped out where I was able. Unfortunately, I didn't appreciate the opportunity I had in front of me so I didn't learn nearly what I should have. I really wasn't interested in learning any more than absolutely necessary. When I got old enough to drive, my jobs were not in the shop- grocery store, mowing grass, etc.

After I got married, my wife and I quickly bought a fixer-upper house. I began asking my Dad for advice/ help with the remodel project (he restored about a dozen pre-Civil War buildings when we were growing up). Also, I wanted furniture for my house. If I learned anything from my Dad, it was to appreciate quality furniture construction. I basically was ruined from liking anything in a store- it's all junk in comparison. "Real" furniture was much too expensive for my meager $23,000 a year job. So, the best option was to learn to build stuff myself.

I have managed to build a few things over the last ten years and have lately gotton much more serious about it. I moved halfway across the country to Alabama and had to get a shop of my own. Since then, I have focused on learning the skills to do things on my own and not constantly rely on my Dad for help. I'm sure my adventure in woodworking is just beginning.

I have attached a picture of the first piece of furniture that I remember making. It is a table that I made when I was 12 years old and still is in my house today.

[Michael Stafford]

A very interesting thread. I have enjoyed reading all the beginning stories. :)

My father was a big time do-it-yourselfer and contractor. He built our house and worked on it almost the whole time I lived there. He built a couple of houses a year.

We lived out in the country and when I wanted something I just built it from scraps of wood that my dad would bring home. Every winter when there was snow or ice I would take some 2X stock and build a new sled or something that resembled a sled.

Later on I became interested in sports and weightlifting. So I built benches and squat racks, incline benches and such as that.

I built a play house for my 3 little sisters. I would like to say I learned woodworking from my father, and in some respects I did, but he did not teach. He had me help him and what I learned I learned from watching.

In eighth grade shop my actual love for woodworking came into being. I learned how to turn a bowl or at least a piece of wood with depression in it. I also learned that I had an artistic side in that I made some decorative wall hangings from wood and gave them for Christmas presents. I also compound sawed a large block of fir into the shape of a bison/buffalo and entered it in an art contest and sold it. Big mistake, I wish I had that buffalo sculpture.

While I was in college I took on some woodworking jobs at the apartment complex we lived at and then at another when the word got out.

I made a table and four chairs for my wife as her wedding present. These are the only 4 chairs I have ever made and we still use that set every day as our kitchen set. I have made other pieces of small furniture over the years but mostly as gifts for family and friends. My son and new DIL have requested that I make some furniture for them so I will be returning to that once again.

When my son was born I started building wooden toys and selling them.

Being somewhat of an organization freak I started building boxes to store stuff in my shop. My wife decided I needed to build her some boxes and this led to jewelry boxes and other decorative boxes that are the mainstay of my hobby. My love of boxes turned full circle as I had a desire to make round boxes and I returned to the lathe and taught myself first to turn lidded flat grain containers and then end grain boxes. I have been fortunate that I have been able to sell a few things all along to pay for my hobby.

Woodworking has been something that I love to do. It is an integral and very important part of my life as I find it to be a very sensual experience turning a rather unpromising piece of rough sawn wood into something of use or beauty.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

My father and his brothers were carpenters. Back in those days one carpenter did it all, rough and finish carpentry. They took me along on the jobs pretty much as soon as I was able to understand directions and get out of the way when I was yelled at. I helped after school and on weekends well into high school. I was the one who carried the tools, fetched lunch, and as Mark said, "Held the dumb end of the board." That's a new phrase to me and I like the picture it brings to mind. As soon as I was old enough to actually use the tools, I stayed on the ground and cut the boards to marks my dad and uncles made for me. Pretty soon I was able to actually do the measuring and nailing. I really liked doing the work, but not the nature of the business. Work this month, but not next week. Didn't work when it rained, but worked when it was cold. I ended up going in a different direction, but the love of tools and creating stayed with me.

[Tyler Howell]

I'm not sure if I'm a WW or even like it. I love working with my hands, heart, and head. My favorite past time 25 years ago was working on my home. After 3 rehabs, 2 garages, toys, for the kids and helping lots of friends with projects, I'm trying to refine my skills.
I'm very frustrated right now with my work.
I hope by reading, watching and doing, I can "get comfortable in my own shop"
I love tools with the power and control they give me over my environment. I like the independence of making changes over the old and warn out. "Fixin stuff"
I like problem solving, and hope to rise to the level of my new tools. :o

[Donnie Raines]

My story: bought a house when I was young and needed to fix it up. I needed tools to do that. I bought the tools. Then we needed furniture....we could not afford the furniture...so bought some wood and made furniture(thats what I called it at the time any how). And the rest they say is history... :cool:

[John Hart]

Wow...thanks for all the replies so far! I will enter them in today. Also, you've spurred me to pull my "first project" from the bottom of the rubble of my life and take a picture of it. I kinda know where it is...at least the GPS coordinates...I just have to dig tonight.Look forward to reading more. It's nice to get to know everyone better.

Thanks

[Glenn Clabo]

When I was 5 my father bought a one room cottage out in the Massachusetts </ST1:pcountry. I still remember the first day that we went to look at it. He always was working on that house…added a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom over the next few years. Although I thought it was mean at the time…and am VERY happy about it now because I was required to be there at every step of the way. At 12 years old and for .75 cents/hour I went to work for a man down the road as a helper for his old French cabinet maker. By the time I was 16 I had my own kitchen/finishing crew of 3. After I married at 19 I went through the GE apprentice course, to get a “steady” job as an all around machinist…and then a few years later the Navy grabbed my attention. I have always kept my hand in woodworking by remodeling 3 homes and 6 kitchens…building furniture, decks and cabinets for family and friends…and plan to make woodworking one of my main hobbies when I retire in the next few years.

[Keith Christopher]

My grandfather used to help his Dad in Ireland build ships. Large wooden sailing ones, which is where he picked up the love for working wood. When he moved to america he began building furniture and carpentry. When I was little I used to spend summers with my grandparents and I was always amazed watching my grandfather take all these straight , kinda patina'd boards, and build a desk or table or chairs. So I began helping him when I would be there. I used to hate it at first though, he would use the powertools but he wouldn't let me use a TS until I could cut long straights (mostly) square edges with a hand saw, hand chiseling out M&T until I got it right, and it goes on and on. FF> many years and I was looking at a piece of furniture in a museum and as I looked at it I said to myself, I bet my grandfather could have built that. and thought about it all day. Then I decided, I need to get some tools. So I did and I haven't looked back once. I love the smell of wood from milling, reminds me of all the times in my GrandFathers's shop. I love taking these flat boards and making something that with care, can last many lifetimes.

[Bill Arnold]

I grew up around a variety of tools ranging from mechanic's tools (Great Uncle) to basic woodworking (Father and Grandfather). They had me using tools as soon as I was big enough to pick up whatever it was. Nobody was building furniture by a long shot, just simple carpentry and such. But it was good exposure to different stuff. My Grandfather had a complete darkroom and he taught me to print and develop photos.

It wasn't until ninth grade that I had any formal training. Wood shop was offered and I jumped at it. While I had been around tools all my life, it was nothing like what we had in the school shop. I made some basic stuff like a table lamp and a speaker enclosure. We also did one turned project; I made a nut bowl from walnut. That was the only year shop was offered, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.

After that, I didn't do much of anything until I was out on my own, married and doing maintenance around the house. Even then, it was just basic carpentry -- never thought about building furniture. Actually, I suppose I thought making 'real furniture' was way beyond my capabilities.

When kids came along, I built some of the typical things. Rocking horses, little stools, etc. I had started acquiring more tools, but nothing major. When my Father died in 1984, I inherited all of his tools, which included a ShopSmith, an RAS and a truckload of other items. With better tools, I began to try more advanced pieces, but time was limited due to job responsibilities and three children at home.

I didn't really start doing anything worthwhile until about 1998 when we moved to Florida. I bought my first real tablesaw -- a Craftsman contractor saw that I used until a little over a year ago when I replaced it with a Jet cabinet saw. I think it was 2000 when I built what I'd call my first piece of real furniture, a cherry and walnut cabinet my wife wanted as an end table. After proving to myself I actually could design and build some fairly nice pieces, I studied drawings and read a lot on design and construction procedures.

There were some patient woodworking co-workers at the technology company where I worked who would spend time with me at lunch and on breaks feeding me knowledge. Many times, I'd bounce design questions off of them -- they were very helpful. Then, September 11, 2001 hit all of us.

I went through the end of 2001 and half of 2002 unable to find a suitable position in my field. The time off gave me a lot of opportunity for more self-teaching on woodworking projects. Not having any luck finding work, I started looking at openings in cabinet shops. Most of the shop positions were entry-level -- sweeping floors, etc. I finally saw a posting for a job paying what I felt was a lot more reasonable than entry-level (still, it was less than a third what I had been earning). I got the job.

Going from working by myself in my garage to working around 45 professionals was nerve-wracking. The first day, I was handed a cutlist and shown the basics on and Altendorf slider (I quickly fell in love with that machine!). From June, 2002 until April, 2004 I worked in two cabinet shops and became one of the best producers. In fact, after less than five months at the first shop, the job of lead builder on master suite furniture for a yacht fell in my lap -- we got the job done.

For the past year, I've honed my skills even more. Deciding to officially 'retire' last year at age 60 was a bit unnerving, but LOML and I had things pretty well setup anyway, so I took the plunge. I've made an effort to meet more of the advanced woodworkers in the area to draw on their knowledge. Networking with these folks and joining a woodworking club has been a great help in deciding what types of projects to pursue for potential sale.

I still haven't sold anything I've built, but so far it hasn't mattered. My wife still works full time and probably will for a few more years -- she'd go crazy for sure being around me all the time! I'm sure sales of some pieces will some in time. My main effort now is building a portfolio and completing more 'commissions' for LOML.

Well, thanks for your time. Let's go build something now!!!

[Richard Wolf]

I started out like a lot of others in Jr. and Sr. high woodshop. I loved it but was college bound. I decided to become and industrial arts teacher(shop). Nine years of teaching taught me it was not for me.
I left teaching to start a business in heavy construction. It was difficult to make a living in the winters on the North East. I missed woodworking. After nine years in heavy equipment I quit and started a business installing wooden railings on interior staircases. After 15 years,
business in great, I love getting paid working with wood, It allows me to have a 2000 sq. ft. shop which I use for chair building and furinture making.

Richard

[Jack Hogoboom]

My tale is not nearly as interesting.

I had a grandfather who could do anything and everything, but I didn't spend much time with him and he died when I was young. My father has always said that he was "handy with a check book", so he was no help. I had no shop class when I went to school. I have an older brother who's adopted and very handy, but we're clearly from different gene pools.

Mostly, I blame Norm Abram for what's happened to me. I watched him build projects for several years and then (stupidly, as it turns out) thought I could probably do the same thing. Bought a circular saw and built a bench. Next thing I knew I had about $15,000 of tools. I'm a wannabe woodworker. Most of my time is spent wishing I could be woodoworking rather than doing it.

I thought Norm was a god until I saw David Marks' show. Norm still gets all the credit, but David takes the whole concept to a different level.

Jack

[Dale Rodabaugh]

I just enrolled in this forum a couple of days ago.Have been reading about how all of you got started in woodworking.A lot of very interesting stories.I have always admired anyone who was good at woodworking.So when I retired I decided to give it a try.I have 2 main hobbies woodworking and old cars and trucks.I also work a part time job to support them.I have made quite a few things in the woodshop,mostly things for my wife,quilt racks,hangers,etc.It has also come in handy on an old truck I am working on.It has a beautiful Cherry bed floor in it.To me woodworking is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things I can do.Always nice to back off,look at something and think,I made that.This is my first post on this site,I am sure there will be many more down the road. Dale:o

[Corey Hallagan]

Well, as a kid I did not have a father that was into wood working or anything like that. I remember watching in the late sixties and early 70's watching a pbs show that was a wood worker and also periodically Shopsmith wood run a half hour segment when they were in town set up somewhere selling machines. Those shows intriqued me. Our junior high school wood shop was pretty lame and the teacher wasn't interested in anything but metal working so that did nothing to spawn my interst.
Fast forward to the late 80's & early 90's, I had been a home owner now for about 2 years and the country craft and furniture revolution was in full swing. I went to sears and got me a 8 inch benchtop and a router and eventually outfitted a decent shop and started doing the local craft show circut. Made enought that first year to buy a nice full sized drill press ( still have it) a new 1 1/2 horse router, 9 inch band saw from delta (hated it and band saws in general) and a little delta scroll saw. I got out of the craft show thing and focused more on finished wworking more than the rougher country stuff and still enjoy making nice clocks, cabinets, tables and the such. Great hobby. Just recently got real serious about the hobby again and updating alot of my equipment. Looking forward to many more years of woodworking!
Corey

[John Hart]

Welcome Dale! I'm fairly new here m'self but I think you'll find a whole herd of extremely high caliber human beings here. Not just in skill, but also in character.


I managed to dig through my pile forgotten stuff and found the dartboard cabinet. I decided not to clean it...I just took the picture. I edited my first post and inserted the picture there.. It's a little out of focus but that hides the dirt better.

[Dennis Peacock]

Let's see now.....

I grew up with an Uncle and Grandfather that were always making things out of wood or even metal and I would "help" as a youngin' always does around the farm / home. I always loved working on wood and didn't really get a start in woodworking until my 9th grade in highschool. My very first project was making "cow head catchers" that we would sell to local farmers at materials cost plus $10 to raise material monies for the shop. This things were heavy and made from White Oak. I kept a small scrap out of it and used the scrap to make / turn a oak nightstick (my very first turning). I then progressed into furniture repair / refinishing when our highschool burned down and spent 4 weeks in the shop at school to build shelving, desks, and chalkboards to help get the school running once again. We did all this over the Christmas holidays and a little past.

After highschool, I went into the U.S. Air Force as an explosives expert. I dabled in woodworking there making shelving and bookcases for various roommates in the military dorm rooms.

I married my wife in Dec 1983 and started then to collect the necessary tools to make my own furniture. I used to take on "odd jobs" of the construction type to raise funding for tools. My wife and I were married for 18 years before I had a full shop of tools to make most anything we needed for our home. I have been seriously doing woodworking now almost every single day for the last 6 years but do have experience totalling about 12 years of woodworking and refinishing.

I am a hobbiest woodworker who takes on the occassional commission job to raise a little "tool money" and to also refine and learn new skills in woodworking. If we don't push ourselves to learn and try new things, then we never really get any better at our adventure in woodworking. Go ahead...stretch yourself..!!!! It will be worth it in the long run!!!!!

[Jim Becker]

The short story is...short. About 6 and a half years ago I determined I needed an activity for personal mental health. The pressures of work, some grad school and other personal issues just plain required it. As I had already been involved in home improvement, I naturally fell into woodworking, starting with some poor tool choices, but starting, nonetheless. I loved it and still do...it's a serious avocation. Unlike many others, I did not take wood shop in high school (drafting and electrical shop) and did not have any immediate family members in the trade, that I know of. The jury will always be out on the mental health success :D, but who cares? ;)

And this Internet thing just makes it all that more fun...sharing is nicer than solitary pursuits.

[Bob Johnson2]

My father was a cabinet maker just after the wwII, he and my grandfather built our home and pretty much everything in it that I remember as a kid, from the cabinets to our play blocks. He got out of that to be a cop but the tools filled half the basement. I always loved to use them and did the same in school when shop was available. My first project as a kid was a cookoo clock, which I never got to work... I think it's still in their basement, assembled as it should be but it's never uttered a peep.
When I was in the service there was a really nice shop available to us on base and I built most of my own funiture at the time (1977 or so), most of which is still in use. Built most of my current house and a few canoes after inheriting my dad's tools. I'm at the point now where I can't stand to buy something made of wood as I just know I can build it as least as well as I the ones I can buy (or at least that's what I tell myself). Now with the kids gone I've got time to actually build all those things I've refused to buy over the last 20 years. So I guess I'm just starting my serious phase, new toys and all. Finally updating all those tools my father used. Of couse I haven't gotten rid of a single one.

[John Hulett]

Mine is not an old tale, so much. Like many others, I took a semester of WW in High School and enjoyed it well enough. That was about it until August, 2004. My wife had seen this valance on a baby program on television and asked if I could make something like that. My response was the obvious one, "Sure... if I had the right tools." And from there, a monster was born.

I did take a WW class through the local community college in the evenings during the fall. I re-learned some stuff, and learned a few new things. I've probably watched each of the D. Marks shows at least twice, and recently started watching NYW. Of course, I've been picking up lots of info here at SMC!
I haven't made much, so far. Since August, I've made the valance (of course), coat rack, entertainment center (the same project was a bookshelf in high school), a stepstool, and six pantry cabinets for my garage. The next project will be two built-in desks for the upstairs hallway.

When I began this new obsession in August, it came at a good time for me, as it filled, like Jim, the need to do something besides work in the office. I'd been in need of a hobby that LOML would find acceptable (read that: won't take time away from her, but time away from her is acceptable as long as it's productive) for some time. WW is becoming a great way for me to try to stay balanced.

[Kent Cori]

My first woodworking experience was as a Sophomore in High School wood shop. I really enjoyed the course although my skills were not exactly well honed. :o

After that introduction, I took a couple of courses at the local community college after college. However, I really didn't get into it heavily until about three years ago. The two triggers were my desire to take up a "home" hobby for my eventual retirement and the fact that once the kids started leaving home, I finally had some disposable income for me! :D

As we all know, it is a great hobby and one that our family and friends support since they get to enjoy the results. :cool:

[John Hart]

I want to thank everyone so far for posting your stories. This will be a wonderful addition for my fledgling website. I have posted the current stories already and have monitored traffic and found that people are reading them. Thank you...And keep'm coming.

You can find them at my blog - Do-It-Myself.com which is designed to help people do things themselves. I intend to grow it to touch every subject possible.


Thanks again!

[Carole Valentine]

Got bored, bought a scroll saw, fell in love with wood...the look, the feel, the smell, it's infinitely variable character. The rest is history. Don't consider myself a woodworker, though I now have a fully equiped shop. I am still, and always will be, a student of wood since it teaches me something new almost every single day.

[scott spencer]

... I am still, and always will be, a student of wood since it teaches me something new almost every single day. Absolutely! ... I consider myself a fourth year "rookie" too! :D

[Herb Blair]

I grew up without a dad, didn't take shop in high school. The first real wood working I can remember is when I was in the Army in Germany in 1966, we had a workshop in the basement of our barricks. I consructed a box with a false bottom to hide my "stash" in my wall locker. It fit in the bottom of the locker and had a display of my army stuff, but a secret panel slid out at exposed the secret chamber.
While my kids were growing up, I built the usual toy boxes, study desks, etc, but they were always pretty crude.
In 1991, my wife had a stoke and was hosipitalized for about 6 months. I would get off work at 5pm, go to the hospital and visit with the wife until 7pm, then go home and help my teenage daughter cook dinner for my two smaller kids. I told myself that when this was over, I was going to do something for myself. Later that year, I took a 3 day Furniture making course at the Shopsmith (now Woodcraft) store in Addison, TX. Bill, the instuctor, was a great teacher. I realized that I had more talent than I had thought. I just had to learn how to keep things square. My first project, a little drop leaf table turned out great. In each of my subsequent projects, I've learned a little more, with the results improving as well.

[Bill Lewis]

Wow, talk about deja vu all over again. I've been thinking for about a week now about starting this very thread. I logged on today to do just that, and what a surprise to see it had already been started for me.:) I guess great minds think alike and all that...

Aside from woodworking, I can trace my wanting to build things to when I was very young. My father was always building things and tinkering, and I do mean always. He built a couple of beach houses, and a barn, and sheds, and even some black powder pistols from scratch. He always worked on the cheap. He never invested in to any tools, and what he did buy was so junky it was scarey. He cut a big chunk off the end of his thumb with the garbage TS he had. But that's another story altogether. Still, We would often talk about the things he did as a kid, and I was alway involved with his building projects, even if it was just riding along. He was an attorney, though he always said he should have been an engineer. My mother, and sisters too were doing crafts, and sewing. So I guess I inherited the gene.

Growing up I had my share of building things too. Model cars tanks and airplanes. Mostly plastic kits, but I also got in to control-line flying (.049's). I also had erector sets, and toggles (another building toy).

I was in band during jr. and sr. high school, so I didn't take shop classes. That was until I left band, and they needed to put me somewhere. So I took a general shop class. Well my skills at that time exceeded everyone in the class. It was no effort to complete the projects. I was amazed at some of the stuff that was turned in. I had one other friend in the class who actully liked building stuff, most of the other guys were there to goof off, and doing crazy stuff like launching wood chunks off of a spinning table saw blade. Pretty scarey then as it is now. What idiots! I finished all of the projects, and was tired of the class, so I took to skipping it. The teacher caught me in the hall one day and told me if I didn't want to fail it, I had to come take the final. Even though all projects had recieved A's. I went in and took it cold. Later I went back to check how I did and I got the 2nd highest grade in on the test. My friend got the highest. BTW, My mother still has the step stool I made for her, and I still have the tack hammer I made. I could've continued with shop the nex year, but I didn't. There didn't seem to be much more I could do, besides, I had to work (for $), so it didn't fit my schedule.

Later on in high school, I hung around with a car crowd. Guys I met from another high school, but worked with at a small engine shop. We hung out and worked on cars. Later on after high school, I continued to work on cars. Out of necessity mostly. I still own a car I bought in 1980, a year after I got out of high school.

High school was the roughest time of my life. My father died unexpectedly early in my Jr. year. I was the youngest, and my older sisters were pretty much out of the picture. My mother was a mess, and I was left with out any real support or guidance. Not knowing what to do I bounced around with a few meaningless jobs. One of which was a bank teller. I started the teller job in HS, and continued on for about a year and a half afterwards. I used to get the guys from the local cabinet shop drop by on Friday's with their paychecks. I got in with that crowd for awhile and was facinated by the machines they used and the stuff they were building. Not too long after that, I finally realized that the only way I was going to make it was to go back to school. First stop the community college, after that VA TECH. After many years without much direction, I realized that I wanted to be an engineer. It's the only thing that made sense to me.

During college I honed a few skills working on some remodel jobs here and there. There was a wood shop in the student center, but I didn't have any money to make anything, so I didn't bother. Still I alway peeked in whenever I went by there.

Summers and college, I did more work that involved building things, or were at least mechanical. Parts counter at a boat shop, an Automotive machinist, and auto repair. After college, I finally got a real job, and I continue to design and build to this day.

I bought my first house in '93. A move-in present to my wife was a headboard for our bed. Just a simple arched oak headboard I made at a friends barn/shop. I knew then that I wanted to one day get in to real woodworking. I was amazed at the tools he had. Looking back now, they weren't all that good, but it suited him.

The house I could afford, was a real fixer-upper. Small projects turned in to larger ones, which alway meant buying more tools. I used the tools I had, but soon came to realize that some of it was just not up to the remodeling and new construction work we were doing. I don't think I could even list all of the things my wife and I did to that house, but we did remodel all the baths, the kitchen, and the "den". We built a 2 car garage (with an upstairs), a 12 x 20 shed, a large addiition to the house, and a deck. 95% we did ourselves. This is only the abbreviated list, but you get the picture. By this time I had acquired a few ww tools: CS, CMS, 12"BS, 6" jointer, a planer some clamps, the list kept growing. I had built a huge bookcase for the addition, and I also built my own built-ins.

We sold that house and built a new one. My wife was tired of not being able to park in the garage with all of the tools, and projects. It was decreed that I would have a separate space for the woodworking workshop.

It took us 2.5 years from the time we sold our house until we moved in to the new one. That's a long story in itself, almost got ugly, and lawyers had to get involved. After getting in to the house, it took about 9 months before I started getting motivated to finish the shop, and had the time to do so. There were alot of other projects that go along with moving in to a new house that took priority. Slowly I began using the shop space for some tinkering projects, and that was enough incentive for me to get it finished. It was dark and unorganized.

I've got a long list of WW projects to do now that the shop is complete, of course I also have a few more house projects looming on the horizon (like a deck, a shed, a gate), so winter time will probably be my woodworking time.

Well if you made it this far, thanks for taking the time to read it. I tried to be as brief as I could be, and I know I left a lot of stuff out. It's one of those things, the more I think where I've been, the more I think about how I got there.

[Ernie Nyvall]

I did my first woodwork in high school. I didn't have pictures of my first two, but this is my third project. I started college with the idea of teaching woodworking, but got off track. Ten years later I remodeled some homes and built a couple from the ground up doing the plumbing, electrical, tile, wallpaper, and woodwork. I guess I just had a knack for construction in general, but I didn't like the remodeling and building all that much so I moved on. Twenty years after that, my daughter saw the picture of the hutch and asked me if I could build her a baby bed for a new grandson. That was a year and the baby bed got the juices flowing. I've been getting my shop together ever since and building things along the way. This summer I plan to build a new home for LOML.

Ernie

[markus shaffer]

I like this topic.. It’s interesting to hear all the different stories of how people came to woodworking..

In 7th grade, I took shop class for about 2 weeks before I asked to be transferred out because I couldn’t stand the teacher. Didn’t get past the first few drafting lessons and never even saw the shop. The next year I ended up getting into skateboarding pretty heavily. One of the older guys that we hung out with inherited his grandmother’s house when she passed away. We build a halfpipe ramp in his backyard which was the start of some basic carpentry skills. Mind you, this was really rudimentary. At one point when we ran out of joist hangers, one of the guys “fabricated” some more out of flattened beer cans.. Over the next few years, I helped to build several more ramps which gave me more confidence with tools and more importantly, the mindset that I could in fact work with my hands and build things.

Leap forward to college.. I moved to New York City to study photography. Three years in art school before I realized I wasn’t going to become a photographer. In the meanwhile, I had moved from a fairly large studio apartment into a shared one bedroom apartment. Going into a fairly small bedroom meant that I had to get rid of a lot of stuff but also meant that I had to build a loft bed. $40 for a skilsaw and another $30 or so for a cheap B&D drill got me started. Made basically out of 2x4’s and a sheet of particleboard. After that it sort of snowballed a bit. I built quite a few loft beds from people seeing the first one I made for myself. Small projects like bookshelves and the such. This is in New York City mind you, so I was basically either making things in people’s apartments or on the roof of my building. Tools were really limited to a skilsaw and a corded drill. Did all sorts of things around this time. Nothing that could really be considered woodworking so much as rough carpentry.

About 5 years ago I got a shop space. I started out not quite knowing what I was going to be building. But I equipped the shop as best I could at the time without having any real knowledge of what I was doing either. Spent the most money I could and got the basics, cabinet saw, jointer, planer, drill press, band saw, belt disc sander etc.. I thought I would be making small things like jewelry boxes. I quickly learned that my rent would not be paid that way. I still spent a lot of time out of my shop doing pretty much any kind of handyman type work I could get. Electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. Slowly though I was starting to make furniture on the side. Didn’t charge nearly enough for what I was doing and with the rent I pay for a shop in Manhattan, it was really hard. Admittedly, my skills are not amazing. I am not producing heirloom quality pieces here. Every day is a learning experience for me and in the beginning I had troubles admitting to myself that I could do this sort of thing. Being self-taught is in some ways very enlightening I think but can also make things harder than they need be.

After a couple years though, I started to figure it out. I’m not in competition with Ikea nor should my prices be even remotely comparable. This revelation was the best thing that could happen for me. After I stopped arguing with people about what my time was worth, I started to get clients who were more concerned about getting what they wanted rather than the best price. By the time people come to me, they know they want to spend money and that they are getting something that no store will be able to sell them. Doesn’t matter that I’m some scruffy guy who’s looks would normally scare them. About a year and a half ago, I basically bankrupted myself to upgrade my equipment. Sold the Powermatic and Delta machines for machines that were more conducive to working alone and also allowed me to work much faster. Was the second best thing that I did after raising my prices.

At this point I’ve come to realize my capabilities and that whatever limitations I have today I can overcome tomorrow. I look at pretty much everything in my life differently after having come to woodworking. It’s given me a mentality that I can produce pretty much anything I want given the time and proper tools. This is definitely not a glamorous life by any means. I still struggle to pay the bills. But at the end of the day, I get paid to play with power tools…

And for a boy....... that’s pretty damn cool..

[Tim Morton]

Like Jim, I never took any woodshop classes, nor did anyone in my family even own a power tool. We bought a house about 4 years ago and decided i could save a few bucks and build mu own deck. At the time I owned a B&D jigsaw and B&D screw gun. After the 3rd or 4th blade broke on the jigsaw I thought maybe there was a better tool for the job. Never having used (and to be honest i was a little scared) a circular saw I walked into the local hardware store in search of a saw and hoped they didn't require me to prove I could use it before buying it...I had several to choose from and decided on the makita based on thinking that makita screw guns were "the best". I remember driving home thinking how could I spend $90 on a power tool. I found cutting boards with that saw to be so much fun and when the deck was done I was proud of it...having never recieved alot of "good job Tim" from people in my life I was hooked. My next purchase was going to be a table saw, I decided $150 should get me a nice saw and I would build a stand for it. I made the mistake of searching the internet for "what to buy"...I think you can all imagine how it turned out :D

And like Jim...the SMC is a big part of the mental health part of WW'ing.

[Gary Herrmann]

My father was a physician. Moved here in the late 30s from Germany where he had learned finish carpentry from his father. He built most of the furniture in our house when I was growing up. I helped a bit, but he worked so much, he often did most of it after I was asleep.

He died when I was 11. Mom remarried a wonderful man who died just last year. He did live long enough to know and thoroughly enjoy his grandson. He was a great guy, but his passion was cars, not wood. I was a gearhead in HS, but didn't take it any further than that.

I played sports growing up. Always liked basketball the best. Played for 30 years. Right before my son was born, I had my 3rd knee surgery. Doc told me next one would be a total knee on one or the other. Also told me I had the knees of a 65 yr old (I was 35 at the time). "It ain't the years, it's the mileage."

We bought an old house 8 or 9 years ago, and it just made more sense to do most of the work myself, so I could stretch the $ farther. Kitchen, bathrooms, windows, doors, floors etc...

A couple years ago I had another mishap in a bball tournament and could barely walk for a few days. Rather than get the total, decided to give up hoops. Around the same time I finally took a furniture making class taught by local custom furniture maker. Got the bug bad.

I think the combination of giving up basketball, having a young son and being able to have a hobby but still be nearby should the family need me clinched it. My son is becoming aware that he can make requests. He has a sword, shield and a Buzz Lightyear bookcase on order. The neighbors are beginning to ask too.

I'm by no means a craftsman, but I enjoy most parts of the process. Just need to refine my skills. That will just take time. I think this will always be an advocation for me. Probably don't have the skill to make it a vocation, and I wonder if it would blunt some of the pleasure I get from it. Maybe as a semi-retirement kinda thing...

My wife thinks I have a need for creativity, tangible results and just banging around in the shop. Theres a lot of truth in that. But I also think it has a lot to do with my father and being downstairs with him when he was working on a project and carrying that forward with my son.

Then again, there are all those tools... ;)

[Ray Bersch]

John,<O:p</O:p

In 1966 I was stationed at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, VA. It's one of the show places of the Marine Corps and had an outstanding Special Services branch - that's where they provide any type of recreation imaginable (they even bussed ladies down from DC to the NCO Club on Friday and Saturday nights, but that's a different forum!) Anyway there were two things that interested me, the flying club and the woodshop. As you mentioned, the shop was equipped to the nines, as was the flying club - all on Uncle Sam's dime (read The Taxpayers.)<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

So what did I choose? Well, skydiving, of course. Seems the Captain that I worked for loved skydiving and he talked me into that insane sport - did it all summer and all I have to show for it is a log book (that I have not told anyone else about.) I didn't learn to fly until 1976 - on my dime - In 1969, while in college, I bought a house and a Sears radial arm saw and built my first set of kitchen and bath cabinets. But then baby, divorce and work took its toll and I am just now getting serious about woodworking. By the way, that Sears radial arm saw was the worst piece of junk I have ever owned and I just got rid of it last year - under the recall program - they gave me a hundred bucks for the saw and I sent it back so fast they knew not what hit them - I just could not bear to sell that thing to anyone and wondered what I was going to do with the motor after I junked the rest of the saw - life is good. <O:p</O:p


Ray

[John Renzetti]

This is a great thread. I just finished reading all the various stories.
I got started in woodworking by getting very involved in the construction of my house over 20 yrs ago. I had just got back from a nine year job flying airplanes in Africa, which is another story in itself. With a friends help I really got involved in the building process and fortunately learned general carpentry techniques very quickly. I ended up doing a lot of the finish trim in the house and have been doing projects on it ever since.
The guys that designed and built my kitchen were old world German craftsman. They got me started in the cabinet, furniture, architectural woodworking part of it.
In about 16 months I'll retire from full time flying and get to spend a lot more time in the shop.
Here's a couple of pictures of some curved railings and a gallery structure for my house.

[Fred Chan]

I had also taken shop class in high school and had my share of launching wood from spinning machines. A few years after graduating I got involved in doing renovations and tool use was mainly skil saws and sawzalls. (If I could only have one saw I'd take a Sawzall.) About 5 yrs ago I bought a 'cut and trace' pattern for an adirondack chair to keep my 12 yr old daughter and niece occupied up at the cabin. I showed them how to use a jig saw and a power drill and let them loose on a pile of cedar boards. They managed to make two great looking chairs with hardly any help but I didn't get to sit in them much, they told me to go make my own! That's what got me started woodworking as a hobby. It was so relaxing making myself that simple adirondack chair that I decided to build a home shop. Last week my daughter finally showed some interest in woodworking again and asked me to teach her how to use the machines. I think it was scarier watching her push that first piece of wood through the jointer than giving her the first driving lesson!

[Greg Salata]

I grew up as a do-it-myself kinda kid. My dad worked two jobs and I helped out with the family business. I taught myself how to do many things by watching, reading , experimenting etc.
Now, still being in that family business, I have many titles including resident handyman.
Being able to do repairs and such has carried over into remodeling our old house. I enjoy working in the shop and have been trying to refine my skills and implement them into the house and other various projects. Shop time also relaxes me and helps clear my mind.
Great wife and 2 terrific kids help support my pastime;)

[Dan Gill]

I never had shop in school - it was a good place to get "jumped", and it conflicted with other classes. I basically didn't start woodworking until I was about 40. My father-in-law helped me build a set of cabinets and bookcases for my living room addition, and after that got put in I went back to sleep, woodworking-wise.

Then, about two years ago, we had a storage shed built so I could clear out the garage and get at least one car into it. While making shelves, using my father's old circular saw, I decided I needed a new one. At Home Depot I bought a BT3100 instead, and I've never looked back. I have built a good bit of furniture since, and all the cabinets for my kitchen and main bath. It has been loads of fun, and fills me with a sense of accomplishment. I don't see this wearing off . . .

[John Hart]

Well, I got everyone's stories posted in Do-it-Myself.com

I want to say thank you to everyone for posting and reading. I gotta tell you, these stories are so inspiring. I read them all at least three times...some times more. On my site, I made a nice plug for Sawmill Creek and provided lots of links back to here. This is such a great group of people. I've really gotten hooked.

For those of you who have not posted your story on How you got started, please do if you feel inclined. I will continue to post them on my website as they come in.

Thanks again!

[Mark Singer]

John,

What can I say...every story has a story....every day a story....every street is one...every corner....there are 10,000,000 stories in the Naked City.......every picture tells a story, don't it? .....


I like these stories....great guys.....they are always "The New Guy".....he is you at your best...which is excellent!....if you remember.....


"Say goodnight Gracy"