Is woodworking gaining or losing popularity?

[Greg Magone]

Do you think woodworking is gaining or losing popularity these days?

I'm afraid that it's losing popularity, and more of a thing from a day long ago rather than a thing today. I think younger people are more into video games and flying drones than trying to create wood furniture or other things from wood.

Curious for your thoughts on the subject.

[Scott Cenicola]

It's sad,but I agree. I live in Tampa and take my (now 8 year old) son to the woodworking show every year. Iam 44 and definetly one of the youngest people there. Myson is practically the talk of the show, as he is one of maybe 3 or 4 kids there. There was a group of very nice wood turners and one man taught my son how to make a pen. Attracted more attention than the Sawstop demo! It was a little insipring this year as I did see a few families as opposed to previous years. I tried joining a local woodworking group last year, but honestly felt out of place as probably 90% of the group was retired. I realize I live in Florida with an older population, but Ioften think this is a fading hobby. Sure hope I'm wrong! With no wood shop in schools, not much opportunity for youth to get exposed.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

My two-year-old daughter already can say "bandsaw" and "plane." The funny thing is she saw a picture of a Stanley No 3, pointed to it, and said, "Plane!" I didn't teach her that and we can't figure out how she knew. I am hoping she takes an interest but of course I will not force her. I build wood surfboards, so certainly she will help build a board for herself, and I figure that will spark some interest.

The interest appears to be fading, but I think as boys become men and put down the video games, they will still take interest. Veritas and Lie-Nielsen are doing well, and there is certainly a revival going on at the moment.

[Jim Matthews]

It's a hobby that people who own houses take up.

The Bromance of old tools aside, you need a place
for this sort of thing. If you live in an apartment,
that's precious real estate.

[Larry Frank]

i think that it is losing popularity. In general, it appears that young people are doing less of mechanical things too. When I was a kid(that sounds strange), many boys wanted to fool with engines and cars and you see very little of that now and it is not really possible with car and small engines.

A lot of schools have also dropped shop programs. All of this is unfortunate as there is a real need for hands on people in all kinds of jobs. The newspapers always talk about high tech jobs but there is a huge need for the trades. It is amazing what is charged if you have someone come out to do a simple home repair.

[Robert Engel]

Add me to the "losing" column.

We live in a consumerist society and most people look at price before quality, such as the way it is.

That being said, I do think there is a section of the young people who appreciate the arts. The have a feeling for craftsmanship, originality, inventiveness, etc.

I have three sons and only one has expressed any interest, that that's limited to scroll sawing, but I encourage him to it.

[Frederick Skelly]

Sadly, it seems to be fading. I've observed the same things the guys observed in earlier posts. I definitely agree that the decline of woodworking in schools is a contributor.

[Mike Berrevoets]

My 2 cents.....

i think the there is a growing crafty/upcycle popularity in the under 40 crowd due to things like Pinterest. I've helped more friends make things in the last few years then the previous 10 years. They aren't woodworkers like we think of it but they are at least appreciating handmade things. The cost of entry is pretty high and I agree it takes some dedicated space. I shudder to think how much money I have invested in my shop and tools. For the amount of furniture, vanities, cabinets, trim, etc I kick out for the family I'm guessing this is a loosing financial position. But that's another topic.

our local woodcraft seems to be a busy place. At 41 I probably pull down the average age when I walk in but the last few years I have been seeing more younger (under 40) people in there. Not a lot of 20 something's but again, it takes some money to do this.

I wonder if SMC has the stats to see the average age of members now versus when the site first started. It would be neat to see the numbers. In the end, I don't really care if it is popular or not with the younger crowd. I like this hobby, my wife supports it because she gets nicer things and if those young kids (boy, now I sound old) want to play video games and buy crappy furniture at IKEA every 3 years then let them. Full disclosure, I like IKEA for some stuff for my kids. They are growing so some things are only temporary. They will get the good stuff when they are older.

[Rich Riddle]

My guess goes in the losing column. The hobby can prove expensive and younger folks seem to spend money on other things. When teaching at the college, it proved amazing how few of the students had any mechanical ability. Most couldn't even change a tire. Many didn't know what a screwdriver or pliers were.

[Curt Harms]

i think that it is losing popularity. In general, it appears that young people are doing less of mechanical things too. When I was a kid(that sounds strange), many boys wanted to fool with engines and cars and you see very little of that now and it is not really possible with car and small engines.

A lot of schools have also dropped shop programs. All of this is unfortunate as there is a real need for hands on people in all kinds of jobs. The newspapers always talk about high tech jobs but there is a huge need for the trades. It is amazing what is charged if you have someone come out to do a simple home repair.

I don't know - as far as hands-on jobs there may be more interest going forward. It's very easy to outsource technology jobs plus most electronics manufacturing is not done in the U.S. The trades might not be 'glamorous' but it's not so easy to outsource plumbing, electrical, auto repair and the like. True about kids not working on cars and such but 'tuning' today seems as likely to involve modding a computer as a camshaft. As a hobby woodworking hasn't appealed to many young people. The requirements - space and for Normites not-so-easy-to-move machines - may not fit a young and somewhat nomadic young person's lifestyle. As we get older and somewhat settled that may change.

[Frederick Skelly]

I don't know - as far as hands-on jobs there may be more interest going forward. It's very easy to outsource technology jobs plus most electronics manufacturing is not done in the U.S. The trades might not be 'glamorous' but it's not so easy to outsource plumbing, electrical, auto repair and the like. True about kids not working on cars and such but 'tuning' today seems as likely to involve modding a computer as a camshaft. As a hobby woodworking hasn't appealed to many young people. The requirements - space and for Normites not-so-easy-to-move machines - may not fit a young and somewhat nomadic young person's lifestyle. As we get older and somewhat settled that may change.

All good points Curt.

[Art Mann]

There is a definite upward trend in CNC woodworking, especially at the lower end of the market. What I have noticed on various forums is that owners are learning how to program them and make things. But they don't have complimentary traditional wood prep, joinery and finishing skills and their projects look amateurish. As users strive for professional results, I think more traditional woodworking skills will evolve.

There is an idea in the woodworking community that CNC routing isn't "real" woodworking and is contributing to the demise of traditional woodworking skills. I think the opposite is true, at least with some skills.

[Brian Elfert]

I work in IT, but I would love to work with my hands doing something meaningful rather than sitting at a computer all day. I do like my job and wouldn't mind doing it the rest of my life really. I would take probably a 50% pay cut to work in a trade at least at first. My people skills are terrible so dealing with the public would be hard for me. I could never be a tech that has to go to people's homes and try to sell them stuff they often don't really need. Tradespeople generally don't get the kind of time off and flexibility I have. I can take a day off about any time I want to if I have PTO remaining. Tradespeople often have to plan their two weeks off months in advance and they also often have to bid based on seniority.

[Brian Ashton]

I suspect it's more you getting older and noticing different things in your life. There never really has been a time when late teens to early thirties people were all that interested in manual arts hobbies. Yes, you an an idividual may have been intested in such craft but im talking about generally. Cars being the exception, I suspect because they're a great way to attacked girls or satisfy the adrenalin need of all young men. Where as a new hand plane does little to attracted the opposite sex or give that adrenalin high that can only be gotten from nearly killing ones self. Also, most don't have the space or the facilities to get involved... when you're older you have more cash, more room like a shed or garage, and a desire to do things with your hands again... I've been a rabid woodworker since I was 10. All my teachers simply left me alone to do as I pleased I was so obsessed with manual arts but when I hit my early twenties, apart from paid work I had no time left in a day to play with wood or any desire to. I was too busy getting pissed, chasing skirts or cheating death on my bike to be bothered with such nonsense. Come my mid thirties and partying being too hard on my body, a lack of desire to kill myself on a bike and having a wife I was back to making stuff with my hands again. And now in my early fifties and having divorced myself completely from the profession I like woodwork even more now.

It's one of the many cycles of life.

[Jamie Buxton]

Who cares whether it is popular? I do woodworking because I love it, not because other people like it.

[Brian Ashton]

Actually if it's declining in popular that's a good thing for us cause tools will fall in price.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

i think that it is losing popularity. In general, it appears that young people are doing less of mechanical things too. When I was a kid(that sounds strange), many boys wanted to fool with engines and cars and you see very little of that now and it is not really possible with car and small engines.

A lot of schools have also dropped shop programs. All of this is unfortunate as there is a real need for hands on people in all kinds of jobs. The newspapers always talk about high tech jobs but there is a huge need for the trades. It is amazing what is charged if you have someone come out to do a simple home repair.

No idea on the popularity, but Larry, what kind of dog is your avatar? For some reason I thought it was a bassett for years, but this morning I noticed the resemblance to the girls daschund.

[Mike Cutler]

I'm 56 now and I got to tell ya', I like the kids that are entering the workforce lately. They're bright, want to learn, and seem to be willing to listen if you present a topic in a concise logical manner. I believe that they will gravitate to the "manual art forms", because they need to express the creativity that's been inhibited in them. The young girls today really want to explore their creativity.
They're somewhat hamstrung by their mechanical aptitude skill set, because they just haven't had an opportunity to develop it. Schools all across the country dropped programs like wood working, metal shop, auto shop, etc due to insurance liability. Even basic art classes were dropped due to budget problems. They haven't been given the chance to explore their own hands yet.
Once you explain concepts to them, they pick them up pretty quickly. They just have holes, but it's not entirely their fault. Just start at a very remedial level. They pick up quick. ( For those of us working in industrial environments, do them and yourself a favor. Teach them "soft to hard, hard to soft, and metal on metal hurts a fella." ;))
Wood working can be utilitarian, but it can also be a art form, and I think that younger people today are going to approach it more from the art form, than the utilitarian aspect.

I think it's just at a low point in a cycle now.

[Jim Koepke]

When my grandkids visit some of them want to spend time in the shop making stuff.

Now one of my neighbor's sons has approached me to teach him about carving and woodworking. So in my case it looks to be growing.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?228736-Early-Knock-on-the-Door

jtk

[Rick Potter]

Jim Mathews brings up a point. When you are able to buy a house, you need to buy or make stuff for it. That is how I got started. I was not looking for a hobby, I needed a bookcase that fit a certain spot in the house. My dad had a table saw, and made things, but I never paid attention at all. I am now 72, and still making stuff for the house. Years ago, my grown kids asked me for special beds, and now their kids occasionally ask me for help building something.

I rarely make anything for fun, still mostly stuff we need. That is why I consider myself a DIY guy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I think the economics of woodworking, associated space and tools are the main reasons a lot of folks don't into woodworking until later in life after their finances and family situation has stabilized or downsized (empty nesters). When I had children in school and college, there is absolutely no way I could have afforded my woodworking shop or tools.

Every generation tends to look down on the younger generations often caused IMO by a different tastes in life other than what we the older generation accept as our norm. In 2000 I had the opportunity to ride an US Navy aircraft carrier with our youngest son, a ship's company officer, from San Francisco to Bremerton, WA. In 2002 my wife with our son rode the same carrier from Pearl Harbor to San Diego to Bremerton. She and I both came to the same conclusion when comparing experiences later. There are still a lot of terribly intelligent, hardworking young adults in this world! They listen to different music and dress differently than we did at the same age but "they are same just different".

In fact, my wife is currently in Port Orchard, WA visiting our oldest grandson who is a US Navy jet mechanic of 8 years service IIRC, his lovely wife, his 5 year old son and 7 month old daughter. Our grandson has a history of buying older homes and remodeling them extensively. He did it in Virginia Beach and I will bet he did the same thing in Port Orchard. He has already owned 2 more homes than we did at his age. I never bought one during my 8 years in the US Navy.

A lot of those who are into woodworking today are from the baby boomer generation, part of the post WWII population explosion. Fewer public schools are teaching woodworking as a result of law suits.

Now neighbors of my generation are selling the multi-story homes with shops and buying single story homes in retirement communities so they can physically handle daily life.

So is woodworking losing it's popularity? It could just be declining due to the aging population and will increase again when they younger generation has more available finances for things outside of life's necessities.

[Matt Schroeder]

Last year I attended a couple meetings of the local woodworkers' guild and found a similar demographic to that mentioned above. I felt I was the youngest in the room (at 44) and although there were a couple that were close to my age most were in the retirement stage of their life. The schedule of upcoming events reflected that fact--meet at Joe's shop on Friday morning to make toys for the upcoming Christmas charity giveaway, come to Rob's shop on Wednesday afternoon for a beginning box making class, etc. I decided now wasn't the time for me to become too involved with their group; with the limited amount of time I can carve out from family and work life I would rather be in my shop than driving to a meeting to hear about things I can't participate in since I'll be at work. They are supporting their group with activities at times that reflect their priorities, and when I get to that point I will jump in with that group with glee.

That being said I do look at their monthly online newsletter and see they highlight several new members each month. Most of them seem to be newly retired and "looking to find a group to help them grow their skills in a hobby they have enjoyed for a long time, and now have the time to devote to improving their skills". So, I am not sure the hobby overall is losing participants, but maybe the places we are looking for that activity is making it appear that is the case. Perhaps it is not the traditional woodworking hobby that the current retirees remember from their youth, but as also highlighted above the homeowners and frustrated artists in the younger crowd are still making sawdust on the weekends and in the evenings. I don't think we would see the plethora of online content or new products geared toward woodworkers if the overall activity was declining--businesses are pretty good at not wasting their money. We may not be attending woodworking shows, subscribing to magazines, or have had an opportunity to learn woodworking in high school as those of the past, but the underlying desire to make something that lasts is still there in my opinion, and is finding other ways to manifest itself.

Matt

[Kelly Cleveland]

I think if most high schools still required shop class there would be more younger people getting into woodworking as a hobby and a profession. I am now 16 and I have been woodworking for about 5 years. I got started after taking a mandatory shop class in 7th grade which really sparked my interest. At my high school we only have a small 20 student shop class that runs for half the year, from what I have heard it is a lot of paperwork and most of the kids really interested in the woodworking quit before it is finished. Most of the kids that would sign up for shop classes are encouraged to do the engineering and design courses instead.

[Brian Holcombe]

Well, I'm 30 and the local guys seem to be either around my own age or 50+. One of my recent neighbors has two kids and they found very quick interest in woodworking as soon as they learned of my hobby.

[Judson Green]

Have you not heard of Lumbersexual!


The Man Issue (Portlandia): http://youtu.be/dTcvmmOkqJI




I suspect it's more you getting older and noticing different things in your life. There never really has been a time when late teens to early thirties people were all that interested in manual arts hobbies. Yes, you an an idividual may have been intested in such craft but im talking about generally. Cars being the exception, I suspect because they're a great way to attacked girls or satisfy the adrenalin need of all young men. Where as a new hand plane does little to attracted the opposite sex or give that adrenalin high that can only be gotten from nearly killing ones self. Also, most don't have the space or the facilities to get involved... when you're older you have more cash, more room like a shed or garage, and a desire to do things with your hands again... I've been a rabid woodworker since I was 10. All my teachers simply left me alone to do as I pleased I was so obsessed with manual arts but when I hit my early twenties, apart from paid work I had no time left in a day to play with wood or any desire to. I was too busy getting pissed, chasing skirts or cheating death on my bike to be bothered with such nonsense. Come my mid thirties and partying being too hard on my body, a lack of desire to kill myself on a bike and having a wife I was back to making stuff with my hands again. And now in my early fifties and having divorced myself completely from the profession I like woodwork even more now.

It's one of the many cycles of life.

[Jesse Busenitz]

I'm 23 and trying to make a career out of it, and I have two close friends who aren't that much older who do it full time. Maybe as a hobby it's waning .... For me it started as a hobby when I was 14, now it's an addiction, forget the
X-box or whatever you wanna put there.

[Brian Ashton]

I think if most high schools still required shop class there would be more younger people getting into woodworking as a hobby and a profession. I am now 16 and I have been woodworking for about 5 years. I got started after taking a mandatory shop class in 7th grade which really sparked my interest. At my high school we only have a small 20 student shop class that runs for half the year, from what I have heard it is a lot of paperwork and most of the kids really interested in the woodworking quit before it is finished. Most of the kids that would sign up for shop classes are encouraged to do the engineering and design courses instead.

TBH you're saying nothing new to when I was your age... The only exception is there were shop classes with heaps of guys wanting in to them, but when we all graduated we stopped the hobby. Wait till you hit your late teens/early 20s and see if you are still making things with any real passion. Maybe you will but you'll be one of a very few. I guess it comes down to which would you rather do. Go hang out at the lake or ocean with some nice minimally dressed girls and a few mates on a hot summer day enjoying a few wobbly pops, or make shavings in your parents hot garage on your own.

[Jim Becker]

Woodworking is no different than many other avocations...interest comes and goes, but sadly, there is less interesting to begin with within more recent generations. Some of that has to do with other distractions and some of it has to do with zero exposure in school. With so many activities and things competing for what little disposable income is available for "fun"...actual exposure and experience is key to generating interest. While I didn't take wood shop in high school (chose two other options for that elective...electrical and drafting) I was at least exposed to it. And then in my 40s, I actually chose to pursue it. A much lower percentage of schools have shop programs these days and even when they do, there are many other electives that compete.

Nature of the beast...

[Prashun Patel]

The desire to create with ones' hands is innate to humans. Every time I show one of my kids' friends something I've made, their eyes light up. They WANT to do it. It's we adults who have failed to foster that passion. There are many distractions, and we cannot bemoan the fact that the Ipad and the Xbox attract more visitors than our shops. Every time I've offered to show kids how to use a lathe or make a little box, I've had more takers than I can handle.

Also, there are many new materials that are being increasingly incorporated into design and pushing the envelopes of what can be done.

We need to find ways to make things interesting for kids instead of crying about how they don't want to do what we did.

It's not dying, it's changing. Wood is beautiful and will always be beautiful, and people will always be attracted to it.

[Mike Henderson]

One advantage of woodworking is that you can create something that will live on for centuries and be treasured by the family. It's hard to think of something else that falls into that same category - maybe writing a book.

And looking at woodworking schools, it appears that people still seek out education in woodworking. It's usually older people, but that's the only people who have the time to devote to woodworking.

I think woodworking will continue to be about the same, neither growing a lot or declining a lot.

Mike

[Art Mann]

Actually if it's declining in popular that's a good thing for us cause tools will fall in price.

I think it is a very bad thing. A smaller population of buyers will only reduce the selection and availability of equipment. Retailers are already having a hard time staying afloat. Woodworking stores go out of business at a much higher rate than new ones open. If they can't sell higher quantities, then the only way they can make a profit is to raise prices. Going out of business generally follows. Look at the Steel City manufacturer. They just closed their doors forever. If there were enough customers, they might have stayed alive.

[Lee Ludden]

When I was at the Woodworking in America show in California two years ago, I was surprised at how many people in the 25-35 age group where there, and how many of those were in IT related fields. Of the 20-30 people I chatted with, more than half were programmers or network engineers. There are a lot more DIY type people, some of whom will migrate into woodworking as they get more experienced.

[Mike Cutler]

TBH you're saying nothing new to when I was your age... The only exception is there were shop classes with heaps of guys wanting in to them, but when we all graduated we stopped the hobby. Wait till you hit your late teens/early 20s and see if you are still making things with any real passion. Maybe you will but you'll be one of a very few. I guess it comes down to which would you rather do. Go hang out at the lake or ocean with some nice minimally dressed girls and a few mates on a hot summer day enjoying a few wobbly pops, or make shavings in your parents hot garage on your own.

Brian

Eventually you catch one of those minimally dressed girls. ;)
A person may not stay active in the hobby their whole life, but if the concepts and techniques are acquired at an early, they return. Other than necessary house repairs, I probably took a 20 year hiatus from the "hobby", but the lessons came back pretty fast once I started doing more than repairing decks and siding and such.


My SIL told her daughter one Christmas ; "You either have to marry someone rich, or really handy like your dad or Uncle Mike".

[David Ragan]

My opinion is-I don't know
when I'm making something and screw up-I think....well in 50 years when someone looks at this sometimes obvious mistake- they'll say "wow-,somebody made this by hand "
I really don't know much about it, but I think in 50 years, clothing and food will be printed (clothes to be worn once-no washing-too much water wasted) Kids will say "Wait a minute-you're telling me folks used to spray a gazillion gallons of water out in the open onto the ground and harvest cotton and food-how archaic and totally wasteful was that"

[Moses Yoder]

I think the supply of woodworkers will always adjust to fit the demand. You can tell what the demand is by checking the TV schedule. I think a show called "The Walking Dead" was the top rated show for this season, hence the demand for woodwork is very low. Woodwork is timeless; people who want to be trendy have no interest in it, other than getting the right temporary style and painting it to match their decor.

[Rod Sheridan]

Do you think woodworking is gaining or losing popularity these days?

I'm afraid that it's losing popularity, and more of a thing from a day long ago rather than a thing today. I think younger people are more into video games and flying drones than trying to create wood furniture or other things from wood.

Curious for your thoughts on the subject.

I believe woodworking is declining in population for 2 reasons

- employment, in Canada we've lost a majority of the lower skilled blue collar jobs that paid good money, such as assembly line work. Obviously skilled blue collar trades are doing well. This loss of disposable income has hurt all hobbies, including my other one, motorcycles.

- living y, most younger people are priced out of the housing market, in the city I live in, the average detached house hit one million dollars last year. Now that's Canadian, so only $12.89 American, however it has really removed homes, and workshops from the average buyer.

It's funny, I ride a BMW, am 57 years old and one rally I go to in the US every year has an interesting demographic, I'm exactly the median age, and it's keeping in step with my age every year. I think woodworking is like that, a lot of us grey haired guys participating, and getting older every year.

My youngest daughter is 28 years old, and still makes stuff, most recently her dining room table, she wants to make a bed next, using my shop of course. Most young people probably don't have that opportunity...........Regards, Rod.

[Jim Andrew]

I have one son who would do woodworking, if he had access to a shop, unfortunately he lives in California, and does not own a house, so can't do much. The local school has a very nice woodshop, they have a big widebelt sander. When I was in school, all they had was a radial arm saw, a jointer and a router. The handheld belt sander was shot. School shop there sucked!

[Jarad Medbery]

I guess this post was already talked out... but, being that demographic you are talking about (30s) I think I can shed some insight as to why my generation tends to shy away from woodworking.

A few factors involved here: How we grew up. I think this generation (the kids that grew up in the 70s and 80s) have an instant gratification complex. I think even when introduced to woodworking or any other tradesman type of work, they are daunted by the sheer amount of work, skills, and tools needed to get there. Someone mentioned that disposable mindset the younger generations have, same applies towards careers. Oh this will take me forever to learn, I will do something that will take me less time to learn and I can get paid more. Building on that disposable attitude most younger generations don't appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into good furniture. They just know they go down to Ikea and can get a desk for 50 bucks and it satisfies their instant need for a desk at a low cost. If you can't appreciate something why would you want to make it by hand yourself. When I went to highschool, I wasn't even offered woodshop or metalshop class. We had computer programming and drama. Well hey what do you know... I work with computers for a living now, and get dramatic over getting a Lie-neilson low angle jack plane to people who have no idea what I am talking about.

I have an interesting prediction when my generation gets to be your generations age, they will realize and appreciate the craftsmanship of fine furniture but there won't be very many people around to make it. It will become a very hot commodity, and probably become a lucrative career at that point. A lot of the tradesman industries have been exported out to India, China, and elsewhere at a much cheaper cost and soon most of the country won't have a clue how things are done. The one good thing about my generation is that it is lazy for the most part. Now this is a blessing in disguise really. CNC routers with computer programming (made by lazy people) We love to take things that would normally take hours, days, weeks to do and find a way to do it quickly, cheaply, and more effectively.

Personally myself, I am not sure if because I am crazy, or it just helps calm the nerves but hand tools, and working with wood just helps wash away problems and stress. I can't rightly say what brought me to appreciate and admire woodworking. I started out in my mid 20s one time down at the rec center and I saw these guys cutting up rocks with crystals inside(geodes). I was drawn in and started going down to hang out and play around. They were all in their 70s and 80s. Then I saw a woodshop class they had, I wanted to start going but I was going to get married soon and life was getting busy. I would like to blame another one of my generations great tools, the internet, for driving my interest in woodworking. I started reading up on it and getting more into it. Now here we are the handful of people to continue on the woodworking mallet.

[Matt Meiser]

I think there was a peak just before the recession. I know a number of people who got out of woodworking due to the recession--moves for jobs and sometimes moves to a different housing situation because of a lack of a job. More than 1 sold tools to pay bills. I also think there was a surge of us who are now 40 and 50-somethings who had good paying jobs and got into woodworking due to Norm. Ten years ago the club I was in the majority of the members were young professional guys. We all either had maybe 1 or 2 little kids or no kids. More kids started coming, kids got old enough to get busy, and people ran out of time and or money for the hobby. Some moved on to other interests and their shops are waiting for them to come back, others realized there's a lot of money sitting there idle and sold out. I moved for my kid to where I had a lot less space for me and it ended up being a good point to get out. One guy just moved on an overseas assignment and will be away from his shop for 3 years, though he kept all the major stuff and stored it, not that he had done anything in a while due to work, other interests and kids. Some will come back when the kids are gone, others won't.

[Roger Feeley]

Who cares whether it is popular? I do woodworking because I love it, not because other people like it.

Jamie, you are right, of course. But if many other people are doing it too, it's easier to find materials and tools.

I'm very fortunate to live in Kansas City where we have good resources. We have a great Woodcraft store run by knowledgeable people. We have several places to get wood (Metro Hardwoods, Schutte). And we have what I believe might be one of the best woodworker guilds in the country with a 10,000 square foot shop and meeting place. Up until this year, I belonged (getting ready to move from the area) and there are plenty of young people.

Charlie over at Woodcraft tells me that business is up.

[Keith Outten]

I believe that woodworking is on the rise as most of the Baby Boomers are now retired.
.

[Matt Meiser]

There are definitely a lot more guys from that generation in the club now. Unfortunately not many have stepped up and helped lead, leaving just a couple guys doing all the planning. That's really cut back on extra activities like Saturday events.

[David Cramer]

Well put Mike and personally, I agree.

David



I'm 56 now and I got to tell ya', I like the kids that are entering the workforce lately. They're bright, want to learn, and seem to be willing to listen if you present a topic in a concise logical manner. I believe that they will gravitate to the "manual art forms", because they need to express the creativity that's been inhibited in them. The young girls today really want to explore their creativity.
They're somewhat hamstrung by their mechanical aptitude skill set, because they just haven't had an opportunity to develop it. Schools all across the country dropped programs like wood working, metal shop, auto shop, etc due to insurance liability. Even basic art classes were dropped due to budget problems. They haven't been given the chance to explore their own hands yet.
Once you explain concepts to them, they pick them up pretty quickly. They just have holes, but it's not entirely their fault. Just start at a very remedial level. They pick up quick. ( For those of us working in industrial environments, do them and yourself a favor. Teach them "soft to hard, hard to soft, and metal on metal hurts a fella." ;))
Wood working can be utilitarian, but it can also be a art form, and I think that younger people today are going to approach it more from the art form, than the utilitarian aspect.

I think it's just at a low point in a cycle now.