This week has been brought a massive amount of advice to woodworkers thanks to Tom at tomsworkbench.com. The thought is for woodworking bloggers to put up posts and videos to help those interested in woodworking get an idea of how to get started. It's a great idea and we all have our own twist on the craft. Check out Tom's blog to get links to a wealth of online woodworking knowledge put out by people just like you. Hobbyists, crafty folk, DIYers and honeydoers.
Here's my submission:
I don't exactly know how I got started in woodworking. Can anyone state with certainty why they started a hobby? Sure I watched Norm growing up, but my schools didn't have a shop class and I definitely didn't have any tools when I was younger. I was a tinkerer and am the son of an all around handy guy, so I saw somewhat what could be done with minor repairs and the annual pinewood derby car project when I was in boy scouts. Not exactly a ton of exposure or inspiration to start with.
As life went along, I got married, got a house, and the DIY project list started growing. It's still going strong today. My first little project was some movie and CD storage. I thought about it, took a few measurements, and set out to the big box store. Some MDF, paint, and a trim router to soften the corners with detail later, I returned home to have a go at it. A few hours later I had 2 matching shelves hanging in a closet. They're held together with butt joints and drywall screws.
I'm not exactly proud of them, but they're a good example of where my hobby began, and what can be done when you're just starting out. This catapulted me onto a path of learning. The history of woodworking fascinates me. I dove into books and magazines and the internet to learn as much as I can. I've since progressed in my skill set and knowledge. My tool till has grown and every new project I do involves me learning something new or trying something out.
Hand cut mortises?
Yea, I've tried that.
Crosscutting with a handsaw?
Check.
My latest adventure is in hand resawing.
This is gonna take a while . . .
With all there is to learn and try, get out there and try it! You can learn a ton just by trying something new, and fixing any mistakes you make will only enrich your journey. I'm enjoying my trip so far, and can't wait to learn more. But I can't do that here. Please excuse me, I've got tome sawdust to make . . .
