What would you say to yourself? What was said to you?

[Evan Stockton]

I suppose this would actually qualify as "every topic" vice "off topic", but I couldn't think of a better place to put this...Anyway, here goes:

I asked within the Sign Design & Fabrication messages what piece of advice could folks give to someone just getting interested in sandblasting - Got some good replies (I still go back and re-read them!), but it got me wondering about applying the same tactic to woodworking in general (and anything specifically, from turning to carving to sandblasting to...you name it!). So...

What one piece of advice:

a)...Would you like to give yourself were you able to go back to when you first started working with wood?

and/or

b)...Was the best piece of advice someone gave you when you first started out?

My own responses (keeping in mind I'm really just starting out) would be:

a) "You know how Dad told you to have patience? And how you thought you'd prepared yourself to be very, very patient? Yeah, you'll still need to work on that!" :)

b) Again from my father - "Have fun, and enjoy both the good and the bad - Even the mistakes you'll make will be done working on something that brings you joy - I can think of worse ways to make mistakes."

OK, tag, you're it - I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

[Tyler Howell]

Take some lessons or find a mentor.
I spent years flailing about in the dark trying to do things myself.:confused: :confused:
There is no guide like someone that has been there before.

[Ken Werner]

Learn what sharp is. Then learn how to get there.

Ken

[Evan Stockton]

Exactly - I couldn't agree with Tyler's last line more - There certainly is no substitute for learning from your own experience, but learning from others is certainly preferable to the darkness a complete lack of knowledge presents - That's why I'm here on the boards: Learn from others, and help where I can.

Thanks, Tyler, for replying!

[Bob Childress]

Whoa, Nelly. There are so many. :o

Study and understand the theories and techniques better before grabbing the first tool.

Try to learn what a tool is good for and not good for before spending a bunch of money on the wrong things.

When you're a kid and your dad "makes" you help him in the shop, quit fighting it and learn something. :(

Mistakes are not the end of the world, so don't throw a tantrum--fix it!

[Jason Beam]

Learn what sharp is. Then learn how to get there.

Ken


I'll second that ...


My second best is:

You only cry once when you buy the good tools. You cry everytime you use that cheap one.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Have fun~!! And I have.

[TYLER WOOD]

I agree with find a mentor and learn.

But also the buy a good tool once cry once. Buy a cheap tool cry everytime you use and replace it.

Mine,
find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life!

[Jim O'Dell]

When all the books, and all the people that know, say,"This is how you do this." Don't try to reinvent the wheel until you have been successful at doing it first. Jim (who had a better way of building his first set of kitchen cabinets...it's a wonder my wife allows me to have woodworking tools!:D )

[Jude Kingery]

Enjoyable thread here, Evan. I'd agree with all that's been said and would add this - "you can do it." Not only patience, being careful, having a great mentor (in my case my Dad when we were little kids) - but self confidence. My Dad told me once: "don't you ever forget, Jude, you can do anything these ol' boys can do." (I have four brothers). I believed him and it served me well, not only in the shop, but in a career and not in a competative sense, but with some self confidence. If I set my mind to it, take time and figure out where I want to go and how to get there, yep, I can - do anything those ol' boys can do. Jude

[John Schreiber]

You only cry once when you buy the good tools. You cry everytime you use that cheap one.
That may be true, but there's a corollary.

Work wood. It's good for you.

Even if all you can afford is a pocket knife and a branch, start making something.

[Gail O'Rourke]

One word of advice sums it up for me

"Listen"

[Jim Becker]

Try at least one new thing each project...technique, tool, joinery design, etc...and it should always be something harder/different then you have done before. Challenge promotes learning.

[Dennis Peacock]

Good one Gail.!!!!

Mine would be:
Wood moves every season, design and plan for it in your furniture.
This is WOODworking and not Metalworking, your measurements do not have to be in .001" increments. ;)

[Greg Crawford]

The best advice I ever got was from my folks, and it involved everything in life, not just woodworking - If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.

The best lesson in ww was in 7th grade woodshop. Huge shop full of machinery, and we were made to make everything with hand tools, even drilling holes. Now, I have a shop full of power tools and I'm getting back to my roots. You can buy many hand planes for the price of one edge sander.

[Hal Flynt]

"It takes less time to do it right than to do it over."

"measure twice, cut once".:D

[Mark Pruitt]

What one piece of advice:

a)...Would you like to give yourself were you able to go back to when you first started working with wood?

Buy a lathe...a good one at that. And forget everything else.:cool:

[Evan Stockton]

"Measure twice, cut once" is a mantra I repeat to myself as I'm drawing out plans and figuring lengths - Good to see someone mention it here.

Really good to see all of these responses - Thanks, folks - I'm sure I'm not the only one that finds the replies entertaining and (not to get too hokey) enlightening as well...

Thanks again, and please keep 'em coming - All of you combined equates to hundreds (thousands?) of years of experience, and I can't tell you how much the newbies appreciate learning from you all. I do, that's for sure...

Take care...

[Joe Chritz]

Hal's - It is faster to do it right then over.

"It only hurts for a little while" - Said by dad when I was complaining about the cost of a new tool. "The most expensive tool is the one you buy twice" would also suffice.

"When you step through that door (the shop) you better make sure your head and behind (substitute your favorite word here) are wired together. Everything in here will hurt you if you get stupid" - Old shop teacher

"You can't see it from the road on a galloping horse" - Answer to does this look ok.

"close enough, your not building cabinets." - Heard in construction - CAUTION - does not work if you really are building cabinets.

"Heck with it, its only Bill's house" - Me while helping a friend build. :D

The number one piece of advice....

"Start with 10, end with 10" - Don't know where I first heard that.

Joe

[Mike Null]

Why is there never enough time to do it right but always enough time to do it over.

[Rich Stewart]

From a feller named Hickory.

Turn fast, sand slow.
No amount of finish will hide tool marks or a bad sanding job.

I know these to be true.

[Randal Stevenson]

Since I didn't come from a family of woodworkers (or for that matter, good diyer's) (I think afro engineering would be a step up), my best advice came mostly from watching all in the family as a kid.

There are at least two sides to anything. Never be afraid to learn from others. Shut your mouth, open your eyes and learn, because you'll know when you need to ask a question.

Then later from others, "Be sure to Read, understand and follow....", thanks Norm!
Measure twice, cut once.
Buy the best you can afford
If you want something done right, do it yourself, as you can only depend on yourself.
Don't be afraid to learn from others.

Then my advice (learned the hard way). If you find something you enjoy, Shut the he(censored) up about it. Because it will turn into work and too much of it (computers, cars (mechanical and body), and a few others). Worked 7 days a week for 3 years (had Christmas eve, Christmas, and Easter off, that is it), and some of those places want me back still.
Once you've been an employee, (even a qualified diy'r to my electricians), it is next to impossible to go back to being a customer (walk in and get put to work).

[Frank Guerin]

The best lesson is by exspirience, but the wisest learn by others mistakes. Ask, listen, learn.