Two years on and glad to be here.

[Scott Winners]

A bit more than two years ago I realized I wanted to become a better wood worker than I was.

I knew how to do STUFF but I didn't know how to DO stuff. Hope that makes sense.

Anyway, I searched the internet a lot, read a bunch of book reviews and ended up here. I had a Paul Sellers book from my wife for Christmas 2018, all the tools I needed to do all the projects in his book, and a desire.

Since I joined here I can not only sharpen my own saws (thanks to you) but I am equipped to discuss the various crosscut grind recipes promulgated by Lenoard Lee, Pete Taran, Bad Axe and Paul Sellers because I have one of each in service. And I can sharpen auger bits, and planes and chisels and gouges even.

FWIW I find Paul's crosscut grind the most versatile, my go to saw, but each of the others have merit.

My shelves of wood working books are closing in on my cookbooks for volume. As the crew chief of the youth BBQ team at my church and a lifetime bon vivant, that's a fair bit of books.

I appreciate how so many wood workers expert in various dissimilar areas of the craft can come together and share their knowledge, politely and respectfully. I have still not yet visited the metalworking subforum. I will make a point to do so, just to see what is going on in there.

I am going to donate more than six dollars this year. I will keep my mouth shut in areas I know nothing or little about, while I read enthusiastically in areas I am interested. I will stay out of the sharpening threads unless I see a total bonehead saw sharpening post I can correct from experience, after I calm down enough to do so politely. I will continue to view Derek Cohen as someone with a talent I will not match in this lifetime. I will continue to find my own path while each of you do the same, and I look forward to your updates.

I will probably need your help with my first dado in the next few weeks, and I have never yet made a rabbet.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Scott, Have you ventured into the Neanderthal Haven area? > https://sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?4-Neanderthal-Haven

There is also a very informative archive > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?103805-Neanderthal-wisdom-FAQs

George Wilson doesn't post often anymore but he has also done some amazing work > George Wilson site:sawmillcreek.org

Here are a couple of my posts on making dados. One is a demonstration on making a stopped dado > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?278928

The other is making dados for dividers between drawers > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?208154

Of course they are both done with hand tools. There still might be something useful if you are using power tools.

jtk

[Michael Weber]

Scott I agree. I don’t even do woodworking anymore and mostly only view this off topic area. A lot of interesting reading, interesting subjects, and some interesting and intelligent folks. And importantly to me excellent moderation. Every morning it’s the last thing I read before reluctantly moving on to scan a spectrum of the news sites.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Scott,

I left a manufacturer's forum because of a few bullies belittling people of lesser experience and expertise. One of the people who left at the same time for the same reason mentioned SMC. I have gained a lot of woodworking knowledge here at the Creek, a lot of information on other topics, made a few friends, have been generously gifted by some members here and most importantly graced by the civil behavior displayed at SMC which enforced by the administration backed by the Moderators. It's a neat place!

[Frederick Skelly]

Like Ken, I left another site (WOOD magazine) 7-8 years ago after being berated several times by a "moderator" for asking questions because I honestly didnt understand. Phooey on that!

I found this place and it suits me fine. I've learned a great deal here. Thanks everyone!