Let's Here It For Our Spouses Who Tolerate Our Hobby

[Rich Riddle]

At times it's easy to take for granted the wife who puts up with car relocation, wood dust, chemical smells, construction areas, and all the $$$ for tools and supplies. Hope each of you have one as understanding and supportive as my better half.

[Fred Perreault]

The LOML has put up with me for almost 48 years. There have been tool and lumber purchases, portable sawmills in the yard, wood particles from one end of the house to the other, temporary drying racks in the dining room or family room, and all the bills that go with all of this activity. There has never been any grousing or complaining, and in fact when she gets home from work, or otherwise has some free time, she always wants to come visit my shop and see what is new from the lathe or the furniture corner. She might notice the smell of stain or the heavy layer of dust in the shop, but she only mentions how nice the shop smells of freshly cut wood and how attractive the projects are. She's a keeper.......... :-)

[Ralph Okonieski]

My wife has been very supportive and has encouraged me. I'm a lucky guy.

[Alan Bienlein]

You are kidding aren't you? I have to hide the credit cards from my wife because if she sees me looking at a tool for too long on the internet or in a catalog she will end up buying it!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mine deserves an award. She has been my right hand during a house remodel that has yielded me a new shop, which is going on year three. Today she was helping me with the hvac ducts. I have no idea how I lucked out when we met.

[Rich Riddle]

You are kidding aren't you? I have to hide the credit cards from my wife because if she sees me looking at a tool for too long on the internet or in a catalog she will end up buying it!

That must be terrible to have a wife who buys you tools you want.

[ken masoumi]

This how my last tool purchase went:

I was looking to buy a used Drum Sanders for 2 weeks,a few days ago my wife came to my computer room and saw me looking at tools in the classified,CL ,etc. she asked what was I looking at?I said a used tool for the shop,she then said why used? how much is the new one ?I said $1200 plus,she said,that not too expensive,why don't you treat yourself and buy a new one ?WOW :D:DNow how would I rate a wife like that?

She has always been supportive of my woodworking hobby.that's one of many reasons I find it impossible to say no to her for anything .

[eugene thomas]

my wife is very supportive, and yes she let me have years of the brown truck showing up before she started giving me the now what did ya buy/ added bonus she has good eye for design. most new projects drag her out to shop to get her input on.

[Larry Whitlow]

From my wife's perspective it is just a bunch of stuff, some of which makes a lot of noise. But she is always encouraging because she knows I enjoy the hobby. I'm lucky. I would like to think that we are mutually supportive since one of her purses cost more than my table saw. :D

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I win this one hands-down! Video proof: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=uKdJkejiYP0

This is the same woman who once said, "We don't need a house with a workshop attached; We need a giant workshop with an attached house." Same woman puts up with kayak/surfboard builds on the porch, VW engine tests in the kitchen (yes, you read that right), and a wealth of projects throughout the house, as well as a pool table in the living room.

If if that's not enough, here's my Christmas gift:

[Lee Reep]

I learned that if at least a few things that came out of my shop were related to fixing up the home, or if I occasionally made gifts for family and friends, I was pretty much granted whatever tool acquisitions I wanted. I am semi-retired, and plan to retire in May. A few months ago my wife suggested I just go ahead and buy the things I needed, rather than wait until I was retired. Gotta love a woman for that. :)

For Christmas I made her a peppermill, as a surprise. She always tells people she never gets one of my creations. I had planned to turn a peppermill to give away to her nephew for Christmas t(he completed one in the picture), but I surprised her with the second one. The unturned blank in this picture I turned for her, and gave it to her on New Years Eve (a little late due to all the other projects). It looks almost exactly like the completed one shown.

279031

[Rick Potter]

Tolerate our hobby? She encourages me to get in deeper and deeper, then demands that I prove I needed that tool by building her something. The list is growing fast, and the more tools I get the behinder I am.

Example: Lets build a rocking horse sez I. Great, sez she, but build 19. Guess which one we keep....the prototype made of crap wood, because it was the first. Now, the first one is always particle board.

Rick P

Ahh, she's a keeper. Don't ask her about me, though.

[Shawn Pixley]

I win this one hands-down! Video proof: http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=c4-feed-u&v=uKdJkejiYP0

This is the same woman who once said, "We don't need a house with a workshop attached; We need a giant workshop with an attached house." Same woman puts up with kayak/surfboard builds on the porch, VW engine tests in the kitchen (yes, you read that right), and a wealth of projects throughout the house, as well as a pool table in the living room.

If if that's not enough, here's my Christmas gift:

I can stand with that. My wife wants tools for gifts and she gives tools as well. We cast and form metal together. She indulges my hobbies and messes. She puts up with guitar building on the dining table. Casts being formed in the kitchen. Beer making on the back deck. Projects all over. I am lucky I actually finish projects. I am also lucky to have her.

Congratulations on your bride. She sounds like a keeper.

[Jeff Erbele]

I am and feel, lucky and blessed. My wife and I are about as mutually compatible and supportive of each other as can be. In our 7 years together I have not had a real shop set up but have done a lot projects, upgrades, improvements, repairs, modifications and building new things, indoors and out. She is most tolerant of the intermediate activities and patient with work in progress.

With a custom new house in the earliest construction phase, she did not object at all to an enlarged additional garage for a workshop, the 2 month delay it caused in designing and permitting, or the spendy price tag it cost, knowing the garage shell is the smaller expense of a outfitted shop. She knows I really wanted a real workshop again and will use it to build a lot of custom furniture for our new home, cabinets and work tables for her craft room, my office furniture and later finishing the basement. I appreciate her in the greatest.

What woman, wife or mate would not want a handyman or craftsman around and available.

[Brian Ashton]

Hey! I say lets hear it for us. I dunno about you all but my "hobby" saves thousands a year in repairs costs and making of things around the house that we wouldn't be able to afford otherwise by comparison to the cost to maintain it. Last years projects if I were to assign a retail price would be well over $6500 (shutters, many presents, furniture, painting, numerous repairs) where as I bought a veritas rebate plane, drill, cordless batteries, chop saw and a few sundries for about $1300. I'd say that's not a bad deal.

[Brian Ashton]

I can stand with that. My wife wants tools for gifts and she gives tools as well. We cast and form metal together. She indulges my hobbies and messes. She puts up with guitar building on the dining table. Casts being formed in the kitchen. Beer making on the back deck. Projects all over. I am lucky I actually finish projects. I am also lucky to have her.

Congratulations on your bride. She sounds like a keeper.


Ya know she's a keeper when she'll tolerate you cooking up experimental rocket propellent in the oven. Ah the good ol days. She knew not to ask if I came home without eyebrows LOL.

[Chuck Darney]

My wife puts up with a lot when it comes to woodwork but, as others have said, she gets the pick of projects to be done. That's great by me. I love doing it for her. She;s definitely my biggest fan.

I may spend lots of time in the shop but at least she knows where I am and comes out to visit often. She'll buy tools but has taken to buying only what I specifically ask for. I have several tools she's given before that languish because I have no use for them. She likes it much better than some of my other hobbies - like kayaking - where I'd be gone all day.

She also has quite a few good ideas. I tend to "over-think" problems. Her solutions are often painfully simple and well deserving a face palm moment from me.

I can't say enough about her support for this hobby. We celebrate our 29th anniversary today and I love her now as much as I did almost 30 years ago!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Hey! I say lets hear it for us. I dunno about you all but my "hobby" saves thousands a year in repairs costs and making of things around the house that we wouldn't be able to afford otherwise by comparison to the cost to maintain it.

I don't know if we want to open that can of worms Brian... I think I'm upside down on that balance, by a massive amount.

[Raymond Fries]

Mine is awesome. She supports my choices of tools and the money I spend. She will always help me in the shop if I need an extra hand. I always have time for her though as family is more important than shop time.

[Frank Trinkle]

Rule #1.... NEVER allow your spouse to take a picture of you in your workshop. Otherwise there will be documentary evidence she can refer to when she asks if that Laguna Italian 20" bandsaw is the one you've always had? Or "wasn't that jointer thing green before...now it's red, and I always thought a hammer was a hand tool??"

Rule#2.... Never stop saying "I can make that" when she wants to spend $$ on furniture, kitchen supplies, repairmen, etc...

Rule#3... Gift certificates to expensive Christmas decoration stores works wonders if your wife is as much of an Xmas fetishist as mine! ($700 certificate for high-end Cathy Wolfhart Christmas store here in Germany stopped all questions about any of MY tools this year!!;))

Rule#4... The "gift" of a Festool CT22 Dust Extractor for use as a house vacuum gets her acclimated to the color Green! All future Festool purchases are never questioned!

Rule#5... NEVER, NEVER, NEVER miss a birthday, anniversary, or holiday! She will NEVER NEVER NEVER forget that you did, and will "remind" you at inappropriate occasions!:eek:

I have to be VERY careful in dealing with LOML because woodworking is only one of "three" expensive hobbies of mine. The others are photography, and my airplane!!:D

[David Weaver]

I'd have to start another thread for "my wife doesn't like any aspect of it" to provide an accurate picture!!

[Mike Wilkins]

Hey Malcolm, those tool boxes were meant for the little person sitting on the floor, not for you. Shame on you trying to take that kids Christmas.
As for the wife; she has tolerated it for 35 years, and even supports my buying habits. Great find.

[Dave Sheldrake]

20 years as she's still my best friend :)

cheers

Dave

[Leigh Betsch]

SWMBO comes and goes on the issue. I get the "you better lay low" look some of the time but then agin I get the "go for it" signal at times. Right now it's a "go for it" signal. Just ordered a Bad Axe saw and working on a Jointmaker deal. Looks like its Happy, Happy, Happy around here for a while. Until I screw up again......

[Edward Mitton]

Great thread, folks.....
I am blessed to have a wife that not only encourages my woodworking penchant, but has become a participating enthusiast herself. In fact, she is the primary user of the shop lathe and scrollsaw! She's already turned out a number of very nice aspen vases, and cut many a small part for some toy projects we have built together. In addition, she has taken on the extra tasks associated with painting or staining many projects.
She was astounded when, this past summer, I announced that I was going to sell my table saw and become a 'Neanderthal' woodworker.
She knew I was dead serious when I bought an antique buck saw at a local antique mall. "What's that for?" "This, my Sweet, is for cutting your apen logs for turning!" She was amazed when she watched me saw off a custom length piece from an aspen log with my 'new' old saw, shave off bark, knots, and imperfections using a hand axe on a stump, and mount the resulting blank on the lathe for her to transform into a lovely vase!

The other night, she was with me in the shop, watching as I hand cut a v-slot into a 12 x 12 piece of maple stock, pull out an eggbeater drill to make a couple of holes, glue and screw the piece onto a handy chunk of 2 x 4 that was lying nearby, then clamp this whole thing into the bench vise. Again, "'What is that?" "This is my hand-tool version of your scrollsaw!" I grabbed a coping saw, a scrap piece of pine, and proceeded to show her how it all worked. She was duly impressed, but still opted for her electric scrollsaw.

Another really cool part about having a woodworking wife is the frequent times when she says something like..."Let's go shopping..at the Woodcraft store!" It definitely makes justifying a new tool purchase pretty easy.

[Rich Riddle]

Edward,

It's good to see your wife enjoys the hobby as much as you enjoy it. It would terrify me to fine SWMNO interested in the hobby. It's a sacred place, just like she has her special place.

[Don Morris]

Daughter of a Swedish Cabinet maker? No problem. One year bought me a Lie-Nielsen handplane for a Christmas present. Always asks when planning a tool purchase if that's the best available, as she knows good wood, and good tools are helpful to a good result. Of course never hesitates to ask to have something repaired, replaced, etc. She had me get the top-of-line TORMEK, years ago, but she has the sharpest kitchen knifes in town. On the other hand, she had me put in crown molding in every room, changed the door sills in a couple places from yukky metal to a nice looking grain wood, a beautifully finished wood grain flush solid core door as a desk, a 7' full extension drawer food storage cabinet, and several other built-ins, built to her specifications, etc. Each task of which required the purchase of another special tool, right?