Favorite woodworking quote


Texfire

Recommended Posts

Nick Offerman had a Q&A on the site reddit. All of his answers were hilarious but this one was really special.

When asked what his favorite wood was, he replied, "It's difficult to name a favorite wood. They are all so noble, each with its own special characteristics. Oak is mighty and dense, for the hull of your square-rigged sailing ship, but also, when quarter-sawn, its medullary rays can make your library table sing with erudition. Maple and Birch are creamy and many colored, like a delicious bowl of only Lucky Charms marshmallows. Cedar and Redwood are lightweight but extremely high in tensile strength, rendering them perfect for boatbuilding in the smaller classes of watercraft. Bamboo (a grass) makes nature's bong. Walnut (esp. California Claro) is my gold standard for depth of figure, strength, beauty, and workability. Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians."

If you're interested in the rest of the Q&A here's the link, be warned, it's definitely not safe for work.

http://www.reddit.co...n_on_parks_and/

What's your favorite woodworking quote?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

most dangerous tool in the shop is you..............me

i tell every kid that the first day of class because when your emotions are upset or when your mind is wandering you will always get hurt. every time i have gotten hurt it was because my mind was not focused or i was mad or even super happy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I use a pencil" -- Frank Klausz when someone in a seminar asked (paraphrasing) "Frank, why do you use a pencil when a marking knife leaves a finer and more accurate line?"

I love this! In fact, I've heard well-known teacher after well-known teacher give the same answer, with different words, to similar questions...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are a couple. While they aren't specifically about woodworking, they are applicable:

"When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do."

- John Ruskin, British writer and social critic

"Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it."

- Pope John Paul II

"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple."

- Charles Mingus

"Plans are useless, but planning is indispensible"

- Dwight Eisenhower

"And when he died

He left a table made of nails and pride

And with his hands he carved these words inside

For my children"

- Neil Diamond, Morningside

"When I die someday far in the future, you may touch my tools. If you wish to die today, then you may touch them now."

- Gary Rogowski

"What nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish someone had told this to me . . . is that all of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, and it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

- Ira Glass

"Designing objects from wood can be a bit like walking a tight rope. IT’s a balancing act. You have to constantly keeps things in perspective. You can’t keep anything for granted. Not the medium. Not the methods. And definitely not the finished product. Everything becomes extremely relevant."

- Tom Fidgen

"I'd rather it grow like an oak than a weed."

- Christopher Schwarz

"Lack of equipment is a rookie excuse"

- Mario Batali

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this: there is no more important safety rule than to wear these — safety glasses."

Ya just gotta love Norm. :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Before we use any power tools, let's take a moment to talk about shop safety. Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this: there is no more important safety rule than to wear these — safety glasses."

Ya just gotta love Norm. :D

So that's what what he's been saying with that accent all this time... :D

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My father was a contractor and he had a favorite saying when I was getting too detailed......."Hurry up, Son. We aren't building a piano."

I worked for my G.C. uncle for 8 summers while going through school and his phrase was similar... "Just get it done, we're not flying it." :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"When I die someday far in the future, you may touch my tools. If you wish to die today, then you may touch them now."

- Gary Rogowski

I love this one for humour and this one

"What nobody tells people who are beginners — and I really wish someone had told this to me . . . is that all of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, and it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

- Ira Glass

For inspiration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hahaha got a great quote about geting a nail in your foot

today one of the kids was walking past a large wooden sighn on the ground and he was told dont walk on that you will get a nail in your foot. he then proceded to brag about how once he got a nail in his foot and he walk all the way home and he never even reacted to the pain. he then said no pain no gain. the teacher i was with then proceded to say no brain no pain. the kid kept on going with a self proud smug look on his face he noded to himself and said yep no pain.

god help us from fools

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

"That's why a door looks like a door, so that wood can act like wood" -Roy Underhill (in reference to frame and panel construction).

I like it because everyone recognizes a frame and panel door, and intuitively knows it is a door, and not a wall, but the reason why it looks like it does is lost to many people. As a result even doors made of plywood, metal and fiberglass, are still made to look "like a door"

On top of that, the concept is simple, but the very first wooden doors (after rocks, and animal hides hung in front of caves) were likely just boards that could swell, and get stuck, or shrink and let in drafts and bugs.

The recognition of why a door looks like it does, how wood acts, and the connection between them is somewhat unique to woodworkers (anyone who makes things of wood)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 41 Guests (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    421.8k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,757
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    R Parekh
    Newest Member
    R Parekh
    Joined