It's starting to get neat

[Bob Hallowell]

It was just a year ago I bought my first plane, Now I own quite a few cause I left them to close and the multipiled on me.
Tonight I am going through some utilty grade oak I was given trying to select some peices for a small coffe table. As I find a peice instead of assuming it was good and knot free or running it through the planer. I just hit it with a few strokes of the #5 to check it out. Then if it looks good I hit it a little more with the jack to take the cup and such out of it cause my old craftsman jointer doesn't take a very deep cut and this also saves me time. Then cut them to lenght with the first handsaw I sharpened.
I don't know what it is cause I still use lots of machines but there is something about taking shavings off wood that really makes one feel like they are working the wood.

Bob

[Terry Beadle]

I can relate to your excitement. Creating something and out of wood is like a warm fire with coco. It can't get better but then you see some river birch or a great piece of walnut with some character and you are amazed and excited all over again. Planes make the beauty shine through better than just a machine cut. I recently bought some cherry that was a bit twisty and rough as a cobb but a little time on the bench has shown a beautiful color and although a tough piece to work, it will make some beautiful small projects all the better. Enjoy it! For me, it's always getting better and the planes make it too sweet.

My 2c