What is wrong with us?

[Andy Coverdale]

It seems that nobody understands us.:( My wife and kids and friends don't share my passion for woodworking. How could this be? :confused:

It sure is great to have a place like SMC to share our ideas and passions with like minded people.:D Don't try to convince yourself that it is not a passion. When you get excited and your heart skips a beat just hearing a name like Disston or Wenzloff or Ray Isles then you know it is passion.
It might even be a sickness.;)

[mike holden]

Hello Everyone!
My name is Mike, and I am a woodaholic!

(grinnnnnnnn)
Mike

[Gary Herrmann]

I guess I'm lucky. My wife fully supports the wwing thing. She probably thinks I'm a big dork when I get all geeked up about something, but she generally listens very patiently and almost always comes and looks at something when I get wound.

I'm sure my son will roll his eyes a whole bunch - especially when he hits his teen years, but who knows, maybe he'll be into it by then too.

It's your hobby. Enjoy it. Next time she looks disinterested, tell her you could be spending all your time at the casinos or in a bar somewhere...

;)

[Wilbur Pan]

Well, my wife doesn't share my passion for woodworking either, but then again, I don't share the same passion that she has for sewing.

All I know is that when we went shopping for her sewing machine, she started out wanting a basic Singer, and wound up getting a Janome.

I still don't exactly know where Janome stands in the sewing world, but all I know is that the salesman demonstrated it by sewing 4 pieces of denim together simultaneously, and my wife got the same look in her eyes that I got the first time I laid hands on a Lie-Nielsen bench plane.

In addition, she can get more done with her sewing machine in less space and with less noise and dust than I do. So which one is the sick one? ;)

[Mark Singer]

My wife was looking for a basic "Singer" also. But someone talked her into a complicated ,hard to figure out , woodworking singer....after 36 years the machine is still running. The warranty was non existent from the start. Certain functions do not work as well and rarely anymore. Okay if the moon is in the right position and several other things are aligned, maybe, but not with the vigor of the old singer. Its ok! Things that were once important are comfortable and this is what is great about old machines, you got to love them for what they are....She is happy with the old machine and that is what keeps us going. :rolleyes:

[Rick Gifford]

I was watching a woodworking show earlier and my daughter walked right through without stopping. I said "whoa.. didnt you see theres a woodworking show on right now?"

I got a look like I must be joking...

How can you not stop and see what technique is being used now?

Now if I had been watching Americas Next Top Model she would have been all over that :rolleyes:

Kids, no sense of priorities.

[Jude Kingery]

Ah Andy, nothing's wrong with us, ha, just depends on what your "thing to do" is. My husband's totally supportive of my wood turning, and he's done about 4 bowls now. But he'd rather be hunting. I've loaded/unloaded, shot (targets, and fairly ok at it), but I have no interest in hunting. We both like to fish. So we figure we support each other in each of our passions (his hunting/my woodturning) and then do also what we like to do together (travel and fish) and it all works out aok! Best to you! Or shoot if something's wrong with us, what a nice "wrong" thing to have, ha! Jude

[TYLER WOOD]

I hear ya on the Janome. Luckily I got my wife's on clearance for 80% off the regular SALE price.

My wife takes absolutely no interest in my wood working. Flat round it don't matter. To her it's money out the door that's not coming back in. If it might make money you can see the twinkle of dollar signs in her eyes when I talk about it, otherwise they are just glazed over waiting for me to finish talking so she can go on with her life. Oh well some people are smart, the other just on't understand wood!!!!!!!!

[rick fulton]

Now if I had been watching Americas Next Top Model she would have been all over that :rolleyes:



Now wait a minute Rick. I don't watch TV, but a show call "America's Next Top Model" sounds like it could include some serious eye candy. I've never seen the Norm show either, but I'm sure it has its interesting moments.

Wait, wait. What if Norm used super-models to demonstrate the machines or techniques or finished product? Maybe you and your daughter could watch the show together. Heck, I might consider re-connecting to cable to watch that.

Nah!

[Earl Reid]

My wife support my woodworking 100% When I built my shop , she said t make it bigger, I said its big enough:eek::eek:, I wish I listened. She away says , buy the best, She has gone to most of the wood shows also.
She also helps when she can. sis my biggest critic:)
She don't like sap wood, but I do. I think I'll keep her another 51 yrs.:):)
Earl

[Pam Niedermayer]

Ah, Jack is always interrupting St. Roy and This Old House with some babble or other. Now with Scott What'sHisName and Norm I'm the one who fusses at the screen, trying to explain to Jack why the joinery they're doing is bad, bad.... :)

Pam

[Andy Coverdale]

It is good to know that I am not alone.
Jude, I like to hunt fish and work with wood.
I guess it is good that we all have something that we like to do. It helps us keep from having idle minds and all the bad stuff that that leads to.

Andy

[Richard Niemiec]

My bride "tolerated" the hobby for a long time, then came the slant top desk, the maple cedar lined chest, the rocking chair, then the interior built-ins, etc., etc., and now she's a believer. It used to be when I spent $150 on a blurfl she would question the need for the purpose, and I used to say "would you rather I spent $150 on a redhead?" but now when she asked for a new powder room vanity she said "are you going to need any new tools to make it?".

I'm making progress...... rn

[Randy Klein]

It used to be when I spent $150 on a blurfl she would question the need for the purpose, and I used to say "would you rather I spent $150 on a redhead?"

Blurfl? Is that the new festool product?:D

[Wilbur Pan]

That would be "Blürfl", except in the Swedish market, where it's called a "Blørfl". ;)

[Bob Glenn]

My wife and I were in attendance a couple years ago at the Windsor chair conference in Colonial Williamsburg. Roy Underhill was the speaker at the dinner. As we were leaving, Donna and I introduced ourselves to Roy. As I was introducing Donna, she said, "I'll just have you know, when your show comes on TV, everything else in our house comes to a stop." :D

[harry strasil]

Nothing wrong here, wifey asked me to help her order my Xmas present today, Worksharp 3000, with free shipping no less and step daughter is getting me the little wizard metal detector, as I use a lot of salvaged material. Life is sweet.

[Zahid Naqvi]

My wife was looking for a basic "Singer" also. But someone talked her into a complicated ,hard to figure out , woodworking singer....after 36 years the machine is still running. The warranty was non existent from the start. Certain functions do not work as well and rarely anymore. Okay if the moon is in the right position and several other things are aligned, maybe, but not with the vigor of the old singer. Its ok! Things that were once important are comfortable and this is what is great about old machines, you got to love them for what they are....She is happy with the old machine and that is what keeps us going. :rolleyes:

Best answer in the thread ;)

Me, I tried to make stuff for the house to justify getting new tools, but I jumped into it too soon. The quality was not there yet. So several years of "compromise" ensued. She tolerated my spending time in the garage if I took care of my chores first (kids' home work etc. which surprisingly I enjoy but she doesn't know it ;) and I intend to keep it that way). I think finally now after about 4 yrs of WWing I am getting to a point where she would let me keep some of the projects in the house. Which translates into she will tolerate me spending time in the garage. The locals know how much of a scrooge I am when it comes to spending money so the tool budget was never really a problem with us. But she doesn't provide company when I am WWing, she is getting into pottery though perhaps that might result in a couples activity in the garage. Now that would be a sweet deal :eek:

[Danny Thompson]

Mine just called me a "loser", but then broke into a grin. Her problem is when I spend time in the garage and don't produce something useful. So I have to balance things out: sitting bench, dado jig, mail sorter, drill press table, etc. I try the new techniques on the shop projects before attempting them on the inside work.

In truth, like with Z, what really bothers her is when she gets loaded up with the kids and house. If I can balance that out, and produce something she wants every once in awhile, I'm golden.

[Denny Rice]

Next June my wife and I will be married for 20 years...I guess I am one of the lucky ones, she has supported my woodworking addiction and my love of tools. Once she found out what I could really do I found her flipping through woodworking books asking "can you build me this"? Each project is always another reason to add to my tool collection ("I would love to hunny, but to build that I will need _______. " I can always seem to fill in the blank with something new. LOL:D

[Mark Singer]

Thanks Zahid!
I am the old "Singer" still trying to figure myself out. Time is the scarcest asset we all share and we should pursue the things we love in life. I have had the good fortune to buy the tools I love, but it wasn't always this way. I learned woodworking with a modest shop a few tools. I added tools as I needed them for a particular project. I don't really build furniture for profit... most is for myself or family. From the few things I have sold , everything in my shop is paid for many fold. It is good to bring your experience and tools up concurrently.
On marriage and family. Take more time then when buying a machine or set of chisels, this is a decision that will involve everyday of your life. Love is not reviewed in magazines, you must make your own choice , luck has a lot to do with it. In the end , like with many things you get out what you put in. There is really not enough time to ponder all the decisions , just take each day, plan for the future but as they say
"Carpe diem" and today appears to be a beauty!

[Kevin French]

Andy if EVERYONE was doing it you couldn't buy old tools off ebay for anywhere near cheap money or anywhere else and I won't find so many tools in the dump.

Be happy that people don't understand you. When you do something for them it just adds to the amazement factor.

[Brian Hale]

I wear clothes but i don't sew

I don't cook much but i eat at a table

I don't hunt but i love venison

I like fish but i'm not much on fishing (they're slimy)

I consider myself luckier than most men as i've been blessed with a woman who can cook, sew and fish and fully supports my woodworking. She's always ready to give an honest opinion, a helping hand when needed and a kind supportive word when things go wrong in the shop.

She's quick to tell me i'm being stupid and i gladly return the favor.

Even though all the funds for the shop come out of my budget i would never buy an expensive item without discussing the want/need/desire/usefulness of it with her first. She comes to woodworking shows and lumber yards, Woodcraft and flea markets. We'll spend hours together designing pieces for other folks and she'll gladly allow me to put her projects on hold so i can slip in one to make a buck or two.

Even better we both love camping, and not just in the camper. We've spent 10 days hiking in the bottom of the Grand Canyon (no, there are no toilets or showers down there), hiked the Zion Narrows in chest deep water and spent many days hiking in Rickets Glen.

We've spent hours and hours together under my truck changing brakes, shocks, sway bars, exhaust systems, injectors, delivery valves, governor springs, turbos, intercooler boots and exhaust brakes. (diesel trucks are my other hobby)

The only thing she doesn't want any part of is sanding. Go Figure :rolleyes:

She also makes 3 times my salary. :o

Count your blessings.

Brian :)

[Hank Knight]

My wife was looking for a basic "Singer" also. But someone talked her into a complicated ,hard to figure out , woodworking singer....after 36 years the machine is still running. The warranty was non existent from the start. Certain functions do not work as well and rarely anymore. Okay if the moon is in the right position and several other things are aligned, maybe, but not with the vigor of the old singer. Its ok! Things that were once important are comfortable and this is what is great about old machines, you got to love them for what they are....She is happy with the old machine and that is what keeps us going. :rolleyes:

Thanks Mark. You nailed it!

[Robert Goodwin]

Thanks Zahid!
I am the old "Singer" still trying to figure myself out. Time is the scarcest asset we all share and we should pursue the things we love in life. I have had the good fortune to buy the tools I love, but it wasn't always this way. I learned woodworking with a modest shop a few tools. I added tools as I needed them for a particular project. I don't really build furniture for profit... most is for myself or family. From the few things I have sold , everything in my shop is paid for many fold. It is good to bring your experience and tools up concurrently.
On marriage and family. Take more time then when buying a machine or set of chisels, this is a decision that will involve everyday of your life. Love is not reviewed in magazines, you must make your own choice , luck has a lot to do with it. In the end , like with many things you get out what you put in. There is really not enough time to ponder all the decisions , just take each day, plan for the future but as they say
"Carpe diem" and today appears to be a beauty!


He build beautiful furniture, some of the best I have seen. Now he comes out with one of the best quotes I have heard. :D I am going to print this out and carry it with me so when I get in the "I am too busy to enjoy antyhing" mood. I can relfect a bit.

Thanks man! Very good thread.