Alrighty, then. It seems my tailless friend Tom has hit on something with all of this Get Woodworking Week business. And, I am glad to see that he’s also featuring the writings of people who actually know how to do woodworking. Fascinating…
OK, we’re now in day three of Get Woodworking Week, and I think it’s only appropriate that I offer up my top-five list of ways to get other folks interested in trying their hands at woodworking. Sure, some of the ideas may may not work, but they are worth a shot!
- Share the wealth. If you are a woodworker, no doubt you have a ton of old woodworking magazines and books you never crack the cover on anymore. It’s a shame to just leave them on your hand-crafted bookshelf to gather dust. Why not donate them to a local woodworking guild, library or vocational education school to serve as inspiration to others, and to clear some space on your shelves?
- Offer to build a project… but, add a condition. Everyone loves to get a wooden gift. The cook of the house may want a cutting board. Kids may want some kind of toy. A young man or lady would love a custom-crafted box to store their treasures. Why not offer to build them this keepsake, but invite them to come to your shop to help with its construction? It will add so much more interest to that simple project.
- Speak up! Volunteer to talk about your tools or projects to a local organization. A scout troop, your kid’s class, a series of talks at your local library… You are the best ambassador for the craft because it’s what you do, and what you do well!
- Come on in. There’s nothing wrong with inviting a few neighbors or friends over to show off your shop. Most people are fascinated by the idea of people making stuff in their homes, and they will probably have a ton of questions. Once they get an idea of what you do, they may be interested in learning more.
- Display proudly. As woodworkers, it’s easy to be bashful about what we build. I mean, come on, can’t EVERYONE see that slight, nearly microscopic gap in that joint that just screams its presence to you every time you look at it? Believe it or not, it’s not visible to anyone but you. So, proudly display those items in your house, and explain that yes, you built it. And, with some training and the right tools, they can, too!
These are just the top five that come to my mind – I’m sure that you can come up with lots more. If so, please submit them my way. I’d love to share them with my readers.
Oh, and here are some more great articles culled from the web for your reading pleasure:
- Allen Lindsey – Crazy Chipmunk Woodworking: The Baby(ies) made me do it!
- Ron Hock – The Sharpening Blog: Time to fish – or get woodworking!
- Pete Harbin – Second Wind Workshop: The Breakfast Club
- Dyami Plotke – The Penultimate Workshop: Wolf: Achievement 5
- Matt Vanderlist – Matt’s Basement Workshop: Get Woodworking Week 2013
And, what would Get Woodworking Week be without a video from our friend Scott Morton? Here’s a video for this year’s effort… it’s a hoot!