I too have the same concerns as many have stated.  I have been aspiring to be a craftsman for over 20 years now.  In the early days, information was sparse.  You could go to the library and their limited selection or you could buy a magazine.  Tool selection was limited to local stores and was almost entirely geared toward power tools.  The hand tools that were offered were for carpentry at best and were of poor quality.  Since I could not afford a shop full of power tools I believed that my ability to craft quality furniture projects was limited or non existent.  I struggled through the years and only built simple projects of very little substance.  Then came the internet and I began to see glimpses of what others were doing with hand tools.  Then I watched as the use of hand tools became a movement with a growing following.  There was a lot of conflicting information and no one was demonstrating or teaching a complete system.  But now I had access to online retailers of hand tools, both new and used as well as access to a vast amount of information.  Now my problem was how to filter this information so that I could achieve my goal of becoming a craftsman.  Then I found Paul Sellers web site and blog.  Here is a man teaching a complete system, using simple hand tools and crafting wood the way I have been aspiring to do.  I read in his blog how many people have attended his month long class and went from using a chisel for the first time to creating a rocking chair in just the span of 30 days.  Then he announced that he is offering an online video course.  I signed up, excited about the possibility of achieving my lifelong goal of becoming a craftsman.  When I signed up for the online course I made a commitment to myself that I would let loose of all that I had learned before and all of my preconceived notions.  I made a decision to trust in Paul’s teaching system and take what he presents to me step by step.  I can now sharpen my tools with confidence and speed.  I have built a workbench that is a joy to use.  I have almost completed a wall clock.  Paul’s methods have walked me through all of these things.  Have I made mistakes?  You bet, but in the end I have been successful.

So after all that rambling, if Paul says the next step in my training is a rocking chair, I’m in 100%.

Cyber apprentice
Greg Merritt