Popular Post Steve B Anderson Posted May 19, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 I just got serious about wood working in February of this year. Acquired a table saw, bench top planer, drill press and all the little goodies you need to make something and started my first real project sometime in March. Now I was a machinist for many years, so even though basic wood working is somewhat new to me, the concepts of dimensioning a product to size in wood are somewhat the same. Mill the thickness, saw the width, joints and advanced details are still a work in progress but you get the picture. My wife through has never been exposed to any of these processes. Throughout this project she has shown some interest but mainly have asked a lot of questions like … “What are you doing?” and I would answer Milling the wood to the thickness I need “Why?” Because the wood is thicker than what I need. “Why didn’t you buy wood to the thickness you need?” And I would explain why. These question and answer sessions has continued throughout every process of this project so far. I don’t mind at all explaining why (when I know why) I am doing something because I want to keep her involved in the project as much as possible, but I really didn’t think she was paying that much attention until I was ready to do the edge glue ups of the shelves and top boards. I called her out to the shop to help me with the glue ups and the first thing she asked me was (bless her huge heart) “what are you doing?" I’m gluing these boards together to make bigger boards for the top and the shelves. Her reply was “So you buy boards that are too big, spend all that time with your machines making them small, and then glue them back together to make them big again?” My mouth opened in response but I hesitated and digested her question for a moment, and I had to reply with a “YUP”. She gave me that look with the head shake and eye roll only women can do and we proceeded with the glue ups. A Perspective From The Other Side 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Welcome to the forums Steve. Sounds like you have been with your wife a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Anderson Posted May 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Couldn't live with out her. On another note, I'm trying to get the nerve up to post my project in the journal section but I'm a little intimidated by the high level of skills presented by our members. My project would be rookie at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Welcome Steve. Please post your project. You may get constructive criticism but you won't get negative comments. We all started from scratch at some point and had first projects. You'll get a lot of great feedback and encouragement here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 9 minutes ago, Steve B Anderson said: Couldn't live with out her. On another note, I'm trying to get the nerve up to post my project in the journal section but I'm a little intimidated by the high level of skills presented by our members. My project would be rookie at best. Please don't hesitate, we'd love to see it! We all started where you are at. Welcome to the forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Be great to see what you have going on Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Anderson Posted May 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Thanks for the warm welcome. I'll get all the pic's together and post it. All comments and tips are surly welcome. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 If you need a surly welcome Eric will be along eventually. May I Extend a warm welcome ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Welcome, Steve! My wife says she completely understands your wife! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 LOL Been there - done that! Welcome to the forums Steve. Your post made my morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 11 hours ago, Steve B Anderson said: I'm trying to get the nerve up to post my project in the journal section but I'm a little intimidated by the high level of skills presented On the same note, I get the intimidation. With that being said, this group has a lot of talent and have seen a lot of first time projects. I've yet to see someone bashed for it. Given a few tips or criticisms, yup. Come away with some more complex understanding of what some find appealing, yes to that too. Congrats on entering a great hobby. The wife sounds like a keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSouthWoodCraft Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Welcome to the group Steve. Glad to hear you are facing the same wife questions we all get on a daily basis. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmotjr Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 11 hours ago, Steve B Anderson said: Couldn't live with out her. On another note, I'm trying to get the nerve up to post my project in the journal section but I'm a little intimidated by the high level of skills presented by our members. My project would be rookie at best. Don't worry about that! Just take a look at my recent journals. At the very least I found it's a great way to confront any mistakes you make on the way. If you are by yourself (don't read this next section @Eric). you can ignore small mistakes and gloss over them. By posting your work as you go, I've found it forces me to admit and fix them, or at least learn more from the error. At the end of my journals I've been posting an "after action report", where I go over the good and the bad, what I learned from that project, and what I can do better next time. I feel that if I lay my learning process out bare for all to see, another person just starting off may read that and help them along their path. It also forces me to stay on point. I know those who were reading my journals were doing so with some trepidation, as they were not your normal projects found here. But by posting, I felt obligated to complete the project in a timely fashion, and to the best of my ability. I have quite a few unfinished projects sitting on my shelves that I either ran into some roadblocks, or just not happy with they way they were going, so I let them die off. Having the journal helped me stay focused on making a quality project. So don't view the journals as a way to show off your work, that's what the showcase section is for. Think of it of way to let the WTO community into your shop and help absorb their knowledge as you go. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Welcome Steve. I enjoyed that post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Just caught up with this. Thanks for the story Steve, made me smile. Quote “So you buy boards that are too big, spend all that time with your machines making them small, and then glue them back together to make them big again?” Classic! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Anderson Posted May 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome and the encouragement. I'll be posting my progress in the journal. I did not document the material prep (making big boards into small boards) but after speaking with a Mr.Cooper here on the forum a while back, I started documenting about half way through the M&T joint process. I still wasn't sure if I was going to post it after looking through the work on here but everybody has convinced me to go for it. Thanks again for the support. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wdwerker Posted May 20, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 " Mr. Cooper " !!! Coop gets an upgrade ! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Anderson Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 He has been associated with my family for many years, and he is older than me 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Great (and funny) introduction, Steve. Really sounds like you're well on your way having the basic understanding of flat and square. That is half the battle for new woodworkers. I must say though, you missed a perfect opportunity to get the wife to agree to a 12" jointer purchase there! As the others have said, don't be shy about posting journals and project pics. You'll miss out on some of the best advise and learning experiences you'll gather along your journey here if you're shy about that. No ones here to judge, just share advise and learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 ^^^ What John said. Except if you post a 'Project Showcase' with no journal to go with it. Then be prepared for some 'critical analysis'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve B Anderson Posted May 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 On 5/20/2017 at 7:21 AM, Janello said: I must say though, you missed a perfect opportunity to get the wife to agree to a 12" jointer purchase there! Janello My knees are still healing from the begging it took to get what I have. A 12" jointer may be too much for now but I almost have her convinced on a band saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 On 5/19/2017 at 9:16 PM, Steve B Anderson said: He has been associated with my family for many years, and he is older than me Steve's grandmother and grandfather once owned a fabulous hamburger stand ( back in the days when there were real malts and shakes) and we would go there everyday after our paper routes. When Steve first started posting here, I noticed he was was from Texas and we chatted a couple of times and one thing lead to another and he mentioned the hamburger stand and come to find out, I knew his grandmother almost before he did! The beautiful lady passed a month or two ago at the age of 102 I think. And Steve's uncle was my " route mgr.", boss when I threw papers. Darn small world! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 1 hour ago, Steve B Anderson said: Janello My knees are still healing from the begging it took to get what I have. A 12" jointer may be too much for now but I almost have her convinced on a band saw Good choice, a good band saw is a game changer. Go 3hp for resaw capability if you can ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibboykin Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Bless your pea pickin heart Steve. You are a good man for having bit your tongue. A lesser man would have snapped. Please post your project and I promise, we won't ask the why questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 On 5/19/2017 at 9:16 PM, Steve B Anderson said: He has been associated with my family for many years, and he is older than me Well why in hell didn't you join Ken and a few of us in Iowa this past weekend. Any friend of Ken's is a friend of ours.Oh, And welcome, you're gonna like this bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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