Reply To: Goals

Nice thread you got going Gary 🙂

Interesting to read and ponder the various paths that got us into woodworking and Paul’s online classes.

My own story is probably about going full circle. I always built stuff from wood during my childhood. I was fortunate to have a dad with both skills and hand tools to get a young boy creative. So the saw, knife and hammer was with me all the time building the things you need, tree houses, bows, swords and so on.

I stayed creative and have kept building and inventing, though moving from wood to metal and mechanics and later on to electronics and circuits. Started working in the electronics industry when I was 19 (that’s 13 years ago) and now I work as an electronics design engineer for a consultant company. I enjoy the core of my engineering work but often the creative part is lost when project plans, release dates and economics rule the day. And they rule every day.

So for me woodworking is a way to be creative and concern myself only with how to perform the task at hand for my own satisfaction. I love wood as a creative material. Every piece has lived a life full of events. Events that are recorded and preserved in the very structure. Simply taking any piece of lumber and plane it to reveal that history and beauty is really half the pleasure.

The reason for me to join Paul’s online classes is simple. I need a mentor. Reading books and watching dvd’s is great but I like the thought of regular classes. And the simple yet elegant ways Paul demonstrated in his Youtube videos appeal to me. If I can support the Real Woodworking initiative and also gain a mentor I’m all in.

So what am I building/planing for the moment? In the shop the sawbench build is moving along. I have the wood picked out for the clock and the wood for a small sharpening bench waiting for the plane. In the planning phase is a proper workbench. It will be inspired by both Paul’s bench and the theory recorded in Chris Schwarz book’s on the subject.

One of the things I did not realize when joining Woodworking Masterclasses is the living and vibrant community that we ourselves build. There is a lot of knowledge and experience among the more senior that complement Paul’s videos in a great way.

Hopefully we will all enjoy this woodworking adventure together for a long time coming.

Sincere
Jesper