Beechwood Chip

[Beechwood Chip]

You know, I never did introduce myself on either of the previous forums, so I guess I'll use the new forum to "start over".

I'm a middle aged hobbyist woodworker. Aside from two shop courses in high school, I've never had any woodworking training or experience. But... my father had a power drill (power cord, chuck key, steel case, one speed, one direction, no clutch, and still going strong), a few hand saws, a plane, some C-clamps, and the attitude that for a lot of things, knocking something together yourself was a better solution than buying something. All the furniture in the room my brother and I shared was knocked together from 1x6 pine and plywood, and we were never yelled at for climbing or jumping on the furniture. The stuff was built like a jungle gym. When our needs changed, we just knocked apart a bed and re-used the wood for a desk, or whatever.

I've got a 125 year old Victorian row home in Philly (that's Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA for our international friends). Most of my time is spent fixing it up, or trying to keep up with the maintenance. But, I have a hard time spending money on furniture when I know I could make something that fit my space and needs perfectly. So, mostly I buy tools and do without furniture. My motto is, "Don't buy any more tools until you actually make something!" I don't claim to live by it, but I try.

I really enjoy Marc's videos and the website, and the WoodWhisperer Community and Guild are a daily habit. Although I don't have much experience, I have a mind like flypaper, so most of my posts are links to things I read or saw somewhere else. I've learned so much from the people here, and that's my way of trying to contribute.

I made my first (only?) project with a shop-mate worktable, a cordless drill, a router, a circular saw, and some clamps. It turned out great, with joints so tight you can barely see them. I'm a big advocate for starting small and buying tools as you need them. Again, I don't claim to live by it, but I still think it's a good idea.

I want to thank Marc and all the people here who welcome us newbies. This is a great community and I really appreciate the support.