Another coffee table

[Patrick Walsh]

No shortcuts unless I’m on someone else’s clock and they insist. Then it’s not mine to decided.

Otherwise my opinion is shortcuts make you soft, “sooner” or later they become habit. In very short order quality degrades, with the degradation of quality goes pride and sooner or later your letting this and that go and producing garbage.

Who cares is the customer ever understands. It’s not about the customer it’s about me doing what I love. If was only concerned about the bottom line and money I’d be a banker. If only concerned about $$ I would spend my free time making things of wood I’d work more.

Not taking shortcuts imop is the most important aspect of building. Regardless of your skill level if you don’t accept shortcuts sooner or later you will become very skilled. If you accept shortcuts it a guarantee you will always produce sub par work.

Thanks Graham.

That was an interesting comment. I have thought about this before, and now again.

I do wonder whether anyone other than a woodworker understands what goes into a piece of furniture? Will my nephew understand the complexity of the joinery? Does he even know what a dovetail is? He probably have never heard of Jarrah - he lives in Sydney. Jarrah is not common there. He just pointed it out in a photo and said that he liked it.

He probably would not recognise a shortcut .. if it was there. There were no shortcuts because I would know that they were there.

You are a professional woodworker. You build the best you can. Dp you think that your customers can tell best from second best? Is it about price?

Opinions from others here regarding shortcuts and whether others understand the efforts made?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Patrick McCarthy]

Thanks Graham.

That was an interesting comment. I have thought about this before, and now again.

I do wonder whether anyone other than a woodworker understands what goes into a piece of furniture? Will my nephew understand the complexity of the joinery? Does he even know what a dovetail is? He probably have never heard of Jarrah - he lives in Sydney. Jarrah is not common there. He just pointed it out in a photo and said that he liked it.

He probably would not recognise a shortcut .. if it was there. There were no shortcuts because I would know that they were there.

You are a professional woodworker. You build the best you can. Dp you think that your customers can tell best from second best? Is it about price?

Opinions from others here regarding shortcuts and whether others understand the efforts made?

Regards from Perth


Derek

Derek, might i suggest you send him a hotlink to this thread? I can’t think of a better way for your nephew to truly understand how special a gift this project has been. We often look for the provenance of furniture pieces, but one need look no further than this thread to arrive at an intimate understanding of what went into this piece. I think if the roles were reversed, you would certainly like to be able to gain the understanding that could only be gained by reading the journey set forth herein.
And don’t worry about braggadocio;simply tell him “Patrick said you have to read this!”

[Derek Cohen]

Patrick, it is a romantic notion. A gift is just that - from the heart. That is where the value lies. Explaining what effort it took to build is about the same as telling someone what you spent to build it. He understands it is special, just because I built it. He - and others - do not need to look at other criteria to appreciate this.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Rainey]

Interesting discussion. So much of the human experience is irrational, or magical. Generosity can be joyful, perhaps it feels better to give than receive. And sometimes our gifts can make others happy, sometimes they miss the mark, and rarely, they cause problems. As woodworkers, we enjoy making hand crafted furniture. Others may or may not share our values. We give freely, but hope they know the love put into the piece. We take that risk whatever the outcome.

[Patrick Walsh]

I’d say what we put it into the work is 100% about us even in the case of a gift...

Ok maybe so the giving might not be about us, or maybe it is that part I say the individual decides. The perfect part imop that’s 100% about us or if I should only speak for myself me...

[Graham Haydon]

Hi Derek

I'll try and respond as best I can, I gave a high resolution response to your piece from my perspective, now watch it unravel

I don't think you need to be a woodworker to appreciate something. I'm not a great chef but appreciate it when fed well, and because I know it's hard to bring a number of things together to have a success. These days it's just easy to not notice the details. It doesn't mean we have to be snobs, just means we interact with something unique and try and enjoy it and perhaps ask a question or two.

In terms of a professional approach, it's about finding what is appropriate for a client. I don't think that differs much, if at all from an amateur. The only thing that differs is that a skilled amateur can choose to spend whatever time they have at hand as they don't have to exchange money for the outcome.

"Best" is a hard word and it begins us on the slippery slope. I try to get across as best as I can the details to a client with drawings etc and come up with a solution that is appropriate to all aspects of their requirements.

What is unique about being a serious amateur, such as yourself (and me in my spare time) is it is only my vision. It feels a little punk. I'll do it because I want to, and it makes me feel good and the outcome is the outcome I want. With the recent thread on books I always come to the same conclusion despite the pages of reflection of many talented and gifted woodworkers. Woodworking to a serious level as an amateur is selfish, to do good work I think it has to be. It's easy to add romance but brass tacks to me is it's selfish.

I warned you you I'd slide about and unravel . Back to point. I hope he appreciates what he has there.

[James Pallas]

I believe Derek has a handle on this gift. Many people today have no idea about quality furniture pieces. They don’t have to know about it. Derek built a great piece for his nephew. It is even what was requested. His nephew will most likely value that table because it is in the style that he likes but most of all because his uncle built it for him and his bride to be. That is the biggest reward for both the builder and the recipient. I am sure it will garner attention from any of their friends that are woodworkers and not so much from others. That is just the way this building furniture goes. In any case it’s a well planned and executed piece of work.
Jim

[Malcolm McLeod]

Beautiful work. Awesome gift.

Oh, the wife and I are considering renewing our vows ..... you know, just in case you need something to do .....??