What a joy!

[john snowdon]

I have been a part-time woodworking hobbiest since 2008, mainly on my lathe but occasionally doing flat work for cutting boards, framing, making beehives, toys, etc., always using a jointer, planer, table saw,chop saw, router... Whenever I walk into the shop I immediately turn on air filtration, put on 2 levels of hearing protection, turn on a dust collector and don a Trend Airshield when using a machine and feel somewhat isolated from what I'm doing with all of the noise and protection. Trying to listen to music in the shop is wasted energy. All that being said, I love woodworking, spending time in my shop and slowly improving my skills while rapidly increasing my burn pile. Having recently retired, I now have more time to dedicate to my hobbies. Since I am experiencing an unrelated hearing loss, hand tools interest me and I began lurking this forum. Last Saturday I took a sharpening class at The Workbench (Easthampton, MA) in preparation for a joinery class that starts later this month. The class was excellent and I brought the blade of a wooden hand plane my grandfather brought over from the UK in the mid-20s back to life. I cannot tell you the emotional connection I felt with him as I realized his oil stone was not truly flat when he last sharpened his plane at least 50 years ago. Now it has a mirror finish and works wonderfully! That in turn led me on Sunday to sign up for a beginner's class this summer at LN. Surprisingly, LN says you need to bring your own tools as they do not have enough for the class to use (brilliant marketing on their part). Well... I never did really celebrate selling my company and retirement last July soooooo, last night, I opened a box containing an embarrassing quantity of LN saws, chisels and planes and accessories (not that embarrassing as I am completely convinced I deserve them :D). BTW, a great thing about living in New Hampsha' is UPS ground from LN is next day!

Today, I cut the ugliest dovetails ever created and loved every second of it! No air filters, no hearing protection, just me and a Youtube video having the most fun I've had in my shop in ages. They absolutely are the worst dovetails ever but I simply wanted to get my hands on those gorgeous tools and play. My wonderful wife told me they were great which now makes me wonder about every other compliment she has ever said about my woodworking! Tonight, I'm a happy old boy who is feeling like it's Christmas! Thanks for reading this. I just HAD to tell someone about a great couple of hours in the shop and figured you folks would understand. I'll be back with questions!

John

[Mark Gibney]

Good for you John. Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun.

[Michael L. Martin]

Tonight, I'm a happy old boy .........
John

Retired....... enjoying hand tools and the peace and quiet within..... with the mother lode of excellent new tools. And happy. Congrats Sir.... what more can one ask for?

[Ray Selinger]

The first lesson I learned after being retired was "it's the process, not the product."

[Phil Mueller]

Congrats John! And welcome to hand tools. Hope it brings you lots of enjoyment for many years to come.

[Joe Bailey]

Thanks for reading this. I just HAD to tell someone about a great couple of hours in the shop and figured you folks would understand.

John

You'd be hard pressed to find a more receptive and appreciative audience than this one.

[Jim Koepke]

John, Welcome to the Cave by the Creek.

Being retired and having a shop to putter around is the life.

jtk

[Don Slaughter]

So glad you joined us, John. It's wonderful to hear when someone discovers why I love hand tool woodworking so much. I turned the machines off in my shop in 2008 after losing a lung. I never experienced so much satisfaction before as I did learning how to make a nice 'piston fit' dovetailed drawer....and it got better every day after that. I predict you will treasure the hand tool projects far more than those you made with machines....and the learning part is extraordinarily gratifying! Looking forward to you learning how to sharpen those beautiful saws when they get dull in a few years!!
good luck,
Don

[Noah Magnuson]

Welcome John. I remember when I just needed a "good block plane" to round out my power tools. The first time I grabbed that LN 60 1/2 and used it on some end grain of a power-routered rabbet joint was the epiphany for me. The power doesn't come on much any more. Enjoy making shavings.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Welcome John! If you haven't already done so, join our Guild of NH Woodworkers. There are plenty of free programs and instructional classes. Amateurs make up about 70% of our membership. www.gnhw.org (http://www.gnhw.org) Our Granite State Woodturners sub-group is also a chapter of AAW and we have hand tools, boat building, lutherie, period furniture, and a beginners-intermediate group. All are welcome.

[Frederick Skelly]

Welcome John! Congratulations on your retirement!

We all love good hand tools, whether they are new or nicely-tuned survivors like your Grandfather's.

Look forward to seeing some of your future projects!
Fred

[Patrick McCarthy]

Retired, new tools and a wife who is lovingly supportive; you, sir, are blessed!

Good for you. Best regards, Patrick

[David Eisenhauer]

Welcome John. Pretty much same story for me. Retired, turned off the machines for the most part. Listen to music, radio, etc in the shop. No rush on projects and beginning to slowly sell off the machinery that my son has no real interest in. In your case, you did a very good thing when you took the sharpening class up front. In my opinion, dull tools has defeated many a new woodworker. Have fun and never doubt your wife's compliments.

[john snowdon]

What a wonderful welcome to the forum. and blessed is exactly how I feel, Patrick! Thank you all so very much for your kind words. I look forward to trying to be a productive member but first will come the questions!

I found the Guild page Sunday night, Dave, and I am now your newest member. I'm already looking at my machines and wondering which ones are going to move out of the shop so I have room for a better workbench. I do know it will not be my lathe but I'm looking at the routing table plus my planer/jointer and wondering where they are about to take up residence! Let the music play!

[Mark Stutz]

My first dovetails were backward, so you are already ahead of me! I can barely imagine being retired and having several consecutive days to work in the shop! Soon, I hope, though.

[Kris Cook]

Good for you. Enjoy your time in the shop.

Kris

[Jerry Olexa]

We understand...The joy of no rush retirement..
Enjoy your precious time in the shop!!!

[Chris Hachet]

Good for you John. Sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun.


I would second this strongly! Nice to have a variety of ways to accomplish a task.