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Rich Riddle
04-14-2014, 4:28 AM
My neighbor had a 60th birthday party on Saturday. One guest there explained that when he was younger that he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these days. Out of curiosity, I asked what proved more challenging to perform. The answer was fly fishing. Sounds like he became tired and wanted a less challenging hobby, or less work. What do you think? I don't anticipate "moving past" woodworking. Dad is 83 and still does it on a frequent basis.

Fred Perreault
04-14-2014, 6:04 AM
I am not sure that it would be called "moving past" woodworking, but some persistent physical issues have caused me to re-assess how I do my work and how much of it I do. The whole episode has caused me to look at other things to occupy my time and be productive in some way, be it "entertaining", volunteering, producing finished projects, or odds and ends around the home and yard. My fondness for all aspects of woodworking, and working with my hands and mind in general, leave me a little lost as to the changes occurring over the past year. But, moving past woodworking would mean that stuff will never get fixed around the house, improvements won't be made, and pride/satisfaction in accomplishment would not get satisfied. By the way, I know of a few people who were recreational woodworkers for some time, and got scared off due to one dangerous episode or another. Some went fishing, some took up pottery, and one even took up firearms and became a champion skeet shooter.

Different strokes I guess........... :-) :-)

Bruce Mack
04-14-2014, 6:17 AM
Hi Rich. Sharing a few minutes of insomnia with you.
After 20+ years I'm glimpsing how very much in woodworking I don't really know. My current project is a painted wall cabinet (copied from a photo) for which I am preparing stock. Thinking about attaching the shelves and sides - mortises, dowels, biscuits, dovetails, something else? - I took out my Tage Frid book and saw that there is a universe of experience around me. Woodworking and its variety, shoji screens to nailguns, is limited mostly by the blinders we wear. Beyond the mechanics there is the esthetic, the history, the pleasure of gifting, the nurture of hand work largely absent in our present existences.

Chuck Wintle
04-14-2014, 6:23 AM
My neighbor had a 60th birthday party on Saturday. One guest there explained that when he was younger that he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these days. Out of curiosity, I asked what proved more challenging to perform. The answer was fly fishing. Sounds like he became tired and wanted a less challenging hobby, or less work. What do you think? I don't anticipate "moving past" woodworking. Dad is 83 and still does it on a frequent basis.

my take is that people change over time as do their interests and hobbies. A few years ago I was gung-ho on RC model aircraft.....now not so much to the point where I am selling it off.

Rich Engelhardt
04-14-2014, 7:17 AM
he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these daysI would submit to you that he was not a real "woodworker".
He was a "pattern and directions follower" with a shop filled with power tools and store bought jigs and fixtures that made up for his lack of skill.

There's little challenge to things when the instructions say to cut it this long, put a dado in it this deep and use this type of glue and these screws to assemble it.

This isn't a slam against him or anything since I'm exactly that sort of "woodworker" myself.
In my defense though, I have a real need to do "woodworking" and I have very little time to learn and practice so - I have to "buy a lot of my talent".


& yes - there is a real lack of satisfaction when I churn out something I made by following someone else's plans.
Something I create from scratch and use my limited skills to make it happen?
Night and day difference.

George Bokros
04-14-2014, 7:28 AM
I agree with Rich. Most everything I have done so far, last 5 or 6 years, has all been without using someone else's plans. I am now working on a closet organizer that was in Woodsmith but I have made it larger to provide more storage and am adding face frames. The face frames are added because I wanted to learn how to use my Woodline beaded face frames router table jig and bits.

As I write this I guess this is of my own design just using someone else's basis.

George

glenn bradley
04-14-2014, 8:44 AM
Perhaps he just tired of it and is really challenged by fly fishing. There are those who can take any activity to a high art form and fly fishing is one of them. Maybe he was just being funny :confused:. I also know people who constantly change hobbies throughout their lives since they enjoy getting ready to do something but, don't actually enjoy doing it. These folks feel they are ready to "move on" once they have acquired all the trappings of a given activity and might have to actually get down to doing something. Getting "ready" seems to be a hobby in and of itself but, not one I understand. I like getting ready but, I like doing more. ;)

Rich Riddle
04-14-2014, 9:04 AM
Perhaps I am more simple-minded and remain content with woodworking. However, I am mostly the woodwork Rich E. described and follow plans much of the time. When building large projects such as additions, decks, etc. the design gets based on creativity and outside influence. Perhaps being simple-minded helps one stay content in the hobby.

In the past, I acquired skills and necessary equipment for those skills, such as working on cars. Those were never hobbies though. There always seemed to be more time than money to pay a mechanic.

When discussing the former woodworker who made the comment, he didn't seem to be joking or have much of a sense of humor about himself.

Steve Rozmiarek
04-14-2014, 9:27 AM
I guess I kinda get it. I woodwork because I like the creative part. Same with all the other hobbies I've had in the past. It's the desire to do something hard, and enjoy the feel of success. The reason I've been woodworking for 30 years or so, and the others have come and gone, is that there is really only the limit of your imagination that is realized with the relatively limited financial constraints that i have. I'd imagine that hunting would be mentally stimulating if I could afford to travel the world to keep it new. Same with drag racing, both of those reached my financial limits though, and stagnated. Woodworking only requires a stack of wood, which you can even cut yourself if you want, and creativity, so it has a fresh feel every time I do it. I think Rich E has it, he probably wasn't getting the positive feedback that comes with using the creative muse.

Perhaps h

Myk Rian
04-14-2014, 9:37 AM
A few years ago I was gung-ho on RC model aircraft.....now not so much to the point where I am selling it off.
Same here, but with helicopters. Used to be RC boats 20 years ago. That turned into flying kites.
I was gung-ho when starting WWing. That's slowed down a bit, as I enjoy restoring the machines.

Brett Luna
04-14-2014, 10:21 AM
I think it's difficult to reach conclusions about our woodworker-turned-fly-fisherman friend based solely on what a party guest said. Me, I pursue both but then, I'm one of those people who has/had a lot of hobbies. It isn't because I just enjoy gearing up for something new...okay, that's part of it...but it's more that I like learning something new and I like working with my hands. That's probably why, until recently, I've had more invested in fly tying than in actual fly fishing. It's both meticulous and artistic, as evidenced in a #24 Baetis and a 6/0 fully dressed, free-style Atlantic salmon fly, respectively.

It troubles me that one day, I may have to "move beyond" the both of them sooner than old age strictly requires. I'm 'only' 53 but I have rheumatoid arthritis and while the meds reduced the flare ups and I have no active joint damage happening yet, I have the strong and nagging feeling that I'm woodworking and fishing on borrowed time.

Dave Anderson NH
04-14-2014, 11:36 AM
We all move through various stages in our lives and as such, sometimes interests change. Relatively few of us stay with the same hobbies and pastime throughout our lives. I can remember in my twenties and up until my forties rockclimbing and snow and ice climbing. Though the thirties and until about 60 it was whitewater and sea kayaking. I have always worked worked wood and it still continues though at a higher level than when I was younger. This past Saturday I taught a class on wooden hand planes at a friends shop. He turned 91 last month and is still producing furniture, small boxes, and doing a bit of turning. He says he has always worked wood and it keeps him young. John does admit though that he is slower than he used to be.

Jim Rimmer
04-14-2014, 1:34 PM
I used to be an avid golfer (note: avid, not necessarily good). I played 2 or 3 times a week, subscribed to golf magazines, made my own clubs, watched tournaments on TV and now I haven't played in 6 years. There are many reasons that I won't go into here but it echoes the comments already made that sometimes interests change. However, I have been a woodworker for most of my life. More active at different times but always interested. I guess as one poster mentioned, home repairs probably falls into my definition of woodworking along with making fine furniture.

Jim Matthews
04-14-2014, 1:41 PM
Unless he's taking on fish that are big enough to eat him, I fail to see the increased challenge involved.

Some people love it, but I find fishing dreadful.
There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.

Rich Engelhardt
04-14-2014, 2:44 PM
There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.You have to always remember though......only you know you're an idiot.
To everyone else, you appear a "dedicated sportsman"! LOL!

Brett Luna
04-14-2014, 2:44 PM
Not all challenges are physical. And I don't think it's necessarily an increased challenge; just a different one. Although I sometimes think trigging a compound miter is easier than figuring out why a football-shaped rainbow rejected my fly for umpteen drifts.

Rich Riddle
04-14-2014, 3:38 PM
Unless he's taking on fish that are big enough to eat him, I fail to see the increased challenge involved.

Some people love it, but I find fishing dreadful.
There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.
It might be totally off the mark, but some fisherman have been overheard to say that part of the allure involves staying out the the way of wives at home. Just a thought about some fisherman though. Most I know take beer and sometimes a rod or reel, fewer times bait.

Scott Donley
04-14-2014, 3:54 PM
I would not say I have moved on, just woodworking has taken a back seat to my range time. I did build a new reloading bench and shelf's last year.
I enjoy working up a new load for various guns and trying them out till I find the load I like.
If you want a challenge, try hitting all 10's at 50 yards with my old eyesight and shaky hands.

Robert LaPlaca
04-14-2014, 6:41 PM
my take is that people change over time as do their interests and hobbies. A few years ago I was gung-ho on RC model aircraft.....now not so much to the point where I am selling it off.

Yet another ex RC'er, my vice was 1/4 and 1/3 scale acrobatic planes, powered by gasoline engines. We are talking about 20 lb planes with 97 inch wing spans packing a 4.2 cu inch gas engine. Two successive mid air total losses really took the wind out of my sails..

Moses Yoder
04-14-2014, 6:43 PM
I do both, woodworking and flyfishing. I have built my own rods and tie my own flies. Interests change over the years though as mentioned. I think the trick is to store the gear you have, don't sell it; things will come around again. RIght now I am not much into fishing, haven't been for a couple years. Fly fishing is very challenging, different from woodworking. You can learn the Latin names for the bugs, tie something to fool the fish based on the bugs you catch, and try casting at the end of the day after a pint of Southern Comfort. Just when the fishing gets good. You know, there is a difference there; I would never run a table saw drunk but there is no harm in waving a fishing rod around while snockered. Just avoid the hook.

Shawn Pixley
04-14-2014, 7:26 PM
Sometimes you are fishing. Sometimes you are only wetting line.

Shawn Pixley
04-14-2014, 7:29 PM
It might be totally off the mark, but some fisherman have been overheard to say that part of the allure involves staying out the the way of wives at home. Just a thought about some fisherman though. Most I know take beer and sometimes a rod or reel, fewer times bait.

All too true. I don't drink when fishing, though others do. Skippering a boat on the ocean and trying to catch fish isn't compatable with drinking. The sea is a tough mistress and not to be taken lightly.

Rich Riddle
04-14-2014, 8:23 PM
Just avoid the hook.This has to become a motto for something. Love that line.

Shane Copps
04-15-2014, 9:48 PM
+1 on hobbies changing.

I have a TON of irons in the fire all the time. Woodworking, Flying (full size planes), hunting, fishing, reloading, leatherwork, knifemaking, and etc. I think you get the idea. I had gotten out of flying for a while and am back into it, Have been out of woodworking for a while (circumstances not desire) and with a new house in a month I can have a dedicated shop. I was really into knifemaking the last few months and now I just don't feel the desire. Anyhow, I am sure you get the idea.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings
Shane

Roger Feeley
04-16-2014, 10:01 PM
When my dad died, we cleaned out his house and found the remains of all of his hobbies. Seeing all that together I realized what my fathers hobby was. He was a collector of skills. He would try something and when he was satisfied that he understood it and could do it at some level of competency, he would move on. He was a painter (both oil and water), a sculpture in clay and metal, a silversmith, fly tier and many more. There were two common threads to which he kept returning: woodworking and photography. I wondered why and realized that those two pursuits would produce output that would be most appreciated.

In a way, I am my father's son. I have done other things but working wood has always been a part of my life for much the same reason as it was in my father's. In wood, I can make things that are appreciated. I tend not to make things for myself but for friends and family.

The original poster suggested that his friend moved on. I would submit that he will be back when he wants to make a cradle or toy for a grandaughter or some other gift that will be cherished.

Brett Luna
04-17-2014, 2:37 AM
Well said, sir. Well said.

Jim Matthews
04-17-2014, 10:59 AM
Ray Stevens will tell you that you can be too drunk to fish.

For me, it's a requirement. I'll drop a line, after closing time.

Ole Anderson
04-17-2014, 11:19 AM
Unless he's taking on fish that are big enough to eat him, I fail to see the increased challenge involved.

Some people love it, but I find fishing dreadful.
There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.

Unlike most other fishing, an avid fly fisherman is nurturing the skill necessary to analyze the hatch of flies that the fish are currently taking and with raw materials create a likeness of that fly or larvae while standing in the stream. Me? I am content to toss a store bought popper off the end of my dock and hope to catch a bluegill. My dad, however, was into tying flies and trout fishing in northern Michigan. I still have his rod, reel and creel.

As far as WW, I enjoy the mechanics of creating a needed project from someone else's idea, and I have gained immense joy from slowly accumulating the tools and shop necessary to see a project come to fruition without having to make do with an axe to shorten a board. That is not to say I haven't also enjoyed creating a custom work to fit a space.

jared herbert
04-17-2014, 11:43 AM
Sometimes you are fishing. Sometimes you are only wetting line.

Same thing with hunting, which I enjoy as an activity with my now 26 year old son. Something we can do together, but like he says when we dont get the deer or whatever "thats why they call it hunting and not shooting"

Wade Lippman
04-17-2014, 4:25 PM
I would submit to you that he was not a real "woodworker".
He was a "pattern and directions follower" with a shop filled with power tools and store bought jigs and fixtures that made up for his lack of skill.



About 8 years ago I bought 2 dust collectors and a radial arm saw from a guy who had never used them; one of the DCs didn't even have a plug on it. He also had a sliding table saw for sale, but I had no way to move it and no place to put it.
He had to make room for new equipment he had coming in, that he probably would never use either.
Maybe he is into flyfishing now; who knows.

I paid $300 for everything. I sold one DC immediately for $125. A couple years later I sold the other DC and the RAS, well used, for $350. Now I wish I had saved his number.

Evan Patton
04-18-2014, 12:07 AM
When my dad died, we cleaned out his house and found the remains of all of his hobbies. Seeing all that together I realized what my fathers hobby was. He was a collector of skills. He would try something and when he was satisfied that he understood it and could do it at some level of competency, he would move on. He was a painter (both oil and water), a sculpture in clay and metal, a silversmith, fly tier and many more. There were two common threads to which he kept returning: woodworking and photography. I wondered why and realized that those two pursuits would produce output that would be most appreciated.

Roger,

I love this quote. Describes me to a tee! Thought I was the only one that went from compulsion to compulsion, sometimes returning, always enamored of the learning process. For the time being I'm back into woodworking and loving it.

Thanks!
Evan