And, no, Sgt. Pepper had absolutely nothing to do with today’s post. I just thought it was a cool title for what I am writing.
You see, it was 20 years ago today – at 11:30 a.m. – that Rhonda and I said, “I do” at a little old Catholic chapel in Bowie, Maryland.
Sometimes, I feel so sorry for her. Back on that day, did she know when we took our vows that she was going to one day be a workshop widow? A blog widow? A woodworking show or woodworking store widow?
Did she know she was going to be a sounding board for woodworking designs? A trusted adviser, expected to know the benefits of a dual-base router vs. a pair of dedicated fixed and plunge base routers? A progress evaluator as I would hold up semi-complete sub assemblies of projects and ask for her unabashed enthusiasm?
Did she know that one day she was going to be angry at me for tracking sawdust into the house? That she would be yelling at me to stop running the power tools after 10 p.m. so she could get some sleep on a work night? That she was going to be holding ice on a kickback injury or gauze on a nasty cut I suffered in the shop?
Did she know that she was going to hold back some snickers while I showed her my first few pathetic projects? That I was going to present those projects to her family as holiday presents and she was going to hope that they liked them? That she would be biting her fingernails in anxiety as she wondered if the finish would cure in time for them to be given as presents?
Did she know that her future sons were going to get snagged and sent out into the shop to help with the grunt work? That she was going to be out in the shop one day herself?
I bet she didn’t, but I am also willing to bet that even with all of the struggles, miscommunications and successes, that she wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
Rhonda, thank you for being my supporter, my cheerleader and my biggest fan for the past 13 years as a woodworker. And, happy anniversary to you!
Route I-4 is one of the shortest interstate highways in the country. It stretches roughly southwest to northeast from Tampa through Orlando all the way to Daytona.
And, all along its length you will find the lightning capital of North America. There is something with the combination of geography, proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean and the heating of the day that pops the daily fireworks during the summer.
So, it is only appropriate that after the recent visit to Tampa by the Woodworking Show that some sparks would fly. These ones were a little less deadly, but were caused by a blog post written by Paul Sellers, one of the instructors who was teaching at the show. A great presentation, by the way, about hand tools.
Paul observed, rightly, that there were not that many women or young woodworkers at the show. One of the reasons he gave for this was that the majority of the vendors on the floor were promoting their power tools. Paul’s theory is that power tools create a barrier for new woodwokers, and anyone who claims that a machine is a tool can never understand the art or craft of woodworking.
As you may have expected, once this post hit the Internet, it sparked a tremendous brouhaha. There were people who made claims that power tool woodworking is indeed a craft, and that Paul was full of bunk. Others countered, saying that OK, power tools are great for the dull truing and thicknessing of boards, but doing any of the joinery or forming by a machine eliminates the art of the craft. Lots of folks weighed in on this at Paul’s blog and on the social media outlets.
When I first read the post, I got angry. Yes, I blend power tools and hand tools in my shop. People tell me that my work is a true craft, and it annoys me to think that someone could perceive the quality of my work as lesser because some of my tools have tails. And, had I written my response post on Monday, it probably would have been full of righteous indignation and written self defense.
But, what on Earth would that have accomplished? Besides, after two years of doing Get Woodworking Week, I agree with part of what Paul wrote… that there aren’t enough women or younger woodworkers in the craft. Sure, I saw lots of people at the show who weren’t well-experienced gentlemen, but I guess they stood out because they weren’t…
I believe, though, that we have to all start following the old bit of wisdom of fixing the problem, not the blame if we are going to address this issue. Blaming power tool manufacturers for the lack of woodworking involvement may – or may not – be the case. But, how many woodworkers got into woodworking because they watched Norm Abram build projects with one of the most well equipped power tool shop the world has ever seen? And, how many of those woodworkers eventually moved into hand tool woodworking because of what they saw with Roy Underhill – or Paul Sellers? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the entry point… as long as the craft lives and thrives, that’s what we care about.
And, who am I to criticize Paul when he was in a booth running educational seminars while I simply wandered the floor, documenting what was going on? Paul was working it!
Was it built with hand tools? Power tools? Does it matter?
Whenever we draw our illusory boundaries such as hand tool vs. power tool, or we bristle when we believe that our methods are under attack, how are we fixing the problem of getting new woodworkers into the fold? I’m not sure we are accomplishing anything by pointing the finger at others and telling them they are the problem.
After all, it wasn’t a power tool manufacturer that asked for shop classes to be removed from schools. It wasn’t a hand tool woodworker who demanded that schools teach to standardized tests instead of giving the kids a chance to explore different learning options. And, it wasn’t a blended tool workshop that pushed the idea of the vocational arts being some sort of academic consolation prize reserved for students who don’t get it.
We need, instead, to respect that woodworking is a big tent, and there is plenty of room for differences in opinion and approaches. I think I would like to see less finger pointing and more pulling together to realize that it absolutely doesn’t matter how people get into woodworking… all of us have a responsibility to offer our woodworking opinions and philosophies without casting aspersions on the work methods of others.
If we can do that, I think we’ll see sparks of inspiration flying in lots of new shops around the world…
Last year, it was just a simple idea. With shop classes taken out of schools and the profusion of uber-cheap particleboard furniture designed to be tossed in a few years, the number of woodworkers out there is shrinking. Why not hold an event that encourages potential woodworkers to get off their butts and take the leap?
That’s exactly what we did last February during Get Woodworking Week. During this weeklong event in 2012, nearly 50 articles were written by woodworking bloggers around the country – and the world. And, it was awesome.
Well, this year, we’re doing it again. Get Woodworking Week is scheduled for February 3 – 9, and I am looking forward to this. This year, I am looking forward to the articles on woodworking blogs. I am looking forward to getting additional promotional support from some big names in woodworking. I am looking forward to trying to line up a few goodies for budding woodworkers to win so they can help develop their skills.
And, most importantly, I am looking forward to nudging a few people who may be sitting on the fence to try their hand at our interesting, ever challenging and totally rewarding craft. After all, if we don’t reach out to future woodworkers, who will?
Stay tuned as we get ready to get this event underway!
Each year on this blog, I have written a special post just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’m not making an exception this year. In fact, just last night, I returned from New York City with the Tampa Bay area response team that went up to assist with Hurricane Sandy relief. With that experience fresh in my mind, I have a newfound appreciation for just how fortunate and blessed my family and I have been this year. Without any further ado, here’s the 2012 edition of what I am thankful for.
I am thankful for my two sons. They are both doing well in school, growing like weeds and making me proud.
I am thankful I had the opportunity to go to New York City to do just a little bit to help the people who have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy. My thoughts and prayers go out to them for a fast recovery from the impact of that terrible storm.
I am thankful the brain trust over at the Modern Woodworkers Association have included me in their podcast. Yes, you have to endure me as your host, but the three other guys do an AWESOME job on the show!
I am thankful for the support and enthusiasm we were able to build for the first annual Get Woodworking Week this past February. I’m not sure how many woodworkers we got into their shops this past winter, but even if it was only one, I consider that a positive development.
I am thankful that I was selected to be a pilot instructor for the Master Public Information Officers course in Emmitsburg, Maryland this past August – and even more thankful Kari Hultman was able to pull together a meeting of woodworking friends for a get together in Gettysburg. It was great to put many names with faces.
I am thankful that the folks at Wood Magazine still keep the Shop Monkey in circulation in their magazine. After all these years, and all those empty banana skins, you would think they would have grown tired of those monkeyshines by now…
I am thankful I invested the time and money into reimagining my shop space. Who knew that when I had the first idea to do this in April, I would be working in such an efficient and well-appointed shop – all within the same space I’ve been using for years.
And, most importantly, I am very thankful for each of you. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself – I can’t believe that you take the time out of your busy days to check in here to see what random zaniness is happening. It is my honor to have you here at the site, and I cannot overstate my thanks to each of you.
Tomorrow, as we sit down around my table here at home, I will raise my glass to each of you in appreciation of all you do for me. You deserve it.
I know we are all well into holiday plans, holiday parties and holiday gift shopping. That’s going to be on the radar for the next crazy few weeks as we approach the end of December.
And, while I can repeat what I have done for the past three holiday seasons and harp on the gift-building/gift-giving process, what I want to do is use today’s column as a sort of a to-do list. Besides giving you a little break from the holiday hubbub, it will give you a little something to look forward to once the presents are unwrapped and we’re back to normal.
On January 28, Heritage Village, my county’s historical park, is hosting its annual Folk Festival. This event has always proven to be one of the most popular on the calendar. They have music, food and craft demonstrations featuring weavers, blacksmiths and other skilled trades from back in the county’s pioneer past. The only craft I really have yet to see at the event is – surprisingly – woodworking.
That’s why I have asked the St. Petersburg Woodcrafter’s Guild to help me remedy this situation. We’re working on a plan to bring a number of guild members up to Heritage Village that day to build a workbench. Well, maybe ‘build’ is too ambitious of a term. We may need to mill all of the components to size in advance and then bring them to the site to cut the final joinery and assemble it. I’m working now to get some southern yellow pine donated to the effort, and I hope to get over to the park soon to check out any antique fixtures (vises, holdfasts, etc.) that we can use for the project.
Oh… and I guess I’m going to need a plan for a workbench appropriate for – say the 1920s in the deep south… 🙂
The week of February 5 – 11, I’m hoping to get some other woodworkers involved in the first ever Get Woodworking Week. Modeled after Marc Spagnuolo’s successful Woodworker Safety Week, this event is an opportunity for woodworking bloggers – and hopefully, more people, companies and publications out in the woodworking community – to encourage others to give the craft a try. I want this to be an open-ended effort with everyone participating having free reign to publicize whatever they want. Some of the ideas would be:
Teach a youngster (or group of youngsters) about the craft
Share the story of how you got started in woodworking
Discuss what a budding woodworker should have in his or her tool kit
Design and build some projects a novice could handle with a minimum amount of tools
Challenge yourself to build something with basic tools
Basically, anything that can create a buzz about our craft, with an emphasis on sharing your story with others. Offer encouragement for the wannabe woodworker to get off the couch and explore the world of woodworking on their own.
I also have the big art contest coming up in January. Since I’m planning on taking a week off between Christmas and New Years, I’m going to have to get on the stick and start building something to enter. Maybe my first chair? Who knows!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States – the day of huge gut-busting meals and finalizing strategies for the big Black Friday shopping events…
But, it’s so much more than that. It’s a time to pause and think about what we are thankful for. And, if there has ever been a year I’ve been thankful for things, it’s 2011. It’s been a year of challenges, but it has also been a year of great success. Without further ado, here the 2011 version of what I’m thankful for…
I am thankful for my health. Seems like a small and odd thing to start off with, but I’m beginning to appreciate just how important that truly is.
I am thankful for my wife – the silent partner at Tom’s Workbench who helps make all of this possible through her encouragement, advice and patience.
I am thankful for my two sons, who are growing so fast, impressing me with their academic prowess and are starting to take an interest in what dad is doing in the shop.
I am thankful that I was able to change the grooming habitsof so many people in the woodworking community.
I am thankful to be part of a lively and vibrant online woodworking community helping to keep the craft alive. Check out the links in my blogroll to the right of this article and see for yourself.
I am thankful that Marc and Nicole Spagnuolo’s son Mateo was born this year and is doing well- despite some of the challenges he has faced. I’m also thankful Aaron Marshall and his wife were able to adopt a baby girl this year. Heck, I’m just thankful for healthy little ones and the new parents out there.
I am thankful that there are people like David Wert who are selflessly serving our country overseas. I know they would give anything to be home with their families and back in their shops. I will be praying for their safety and for a quick return and reunion with their loved ones.
I am thankful that I am still creative enough to find new ways to foul things up in my shop, and even more thankful I can find ways to fix those mess ups.
I am thankful that I met so many fellow woodworkers at the Woodworking Show in Tampa this past March and at the Woodworking in America conference in October. Even though I say this every year, I am STILL amazed by how funny, creative and talented each of you is.
I am thankful that Wood Magazinecontinues to believe in the Shop Monkey and wants my hairy counterpart to continue writing articles for their magazine. Sometimes, I really do have to pinch myself…
I am thankful that I was able to repair my grandfather’s desk chair and put it to use in my office. It helps me remember my relatives and their guidance while I was growing up. I only hope that I am able to positively influence my sons and their offspring in the same way.
I am thankful that woodworker Kyle Barton shared the difficult story of the loss of his shop to help teach an important lesson about how to prepare for disasters and how to recover from them.
And, I’m thankful that my shop wasn’t destroyed – or my family hurt – by the tornadoes that ripped through my neighborhoodon March 31. Looking at the destruction in places like Tuscaloosa and Joplin, I am counting my blessings.
Most importantly, I am thankful for each of you who come to my site to read my sometimes nonsensical ramblings. Without your comments, your support, your encouragement AND your humor, I don’t think I would be able to keep up the pace of my postings.
Tomorrow, when I raise a glass of wine to toast what I am thankful for, understand that I will be toasting each of you. My friends, I wish you nothing but peace and happiness this holiday season.
I can remember exactly where I was. Work had just started for me at my office in Clearwater, Florida, and a few of my co-workers and I walked next door to the convenience store to get some coffee. As I walked in, there was some confusion between myself and the guy who was walking out… I walked in when he thought he should have been walking out, and as he passed, under his breath, he muttered what kind of a rude son of a bitch I was. I dunno why I remember this so vividly, but that’s just how crazy the memories of that day are.
After that, I came back to my desk to get started with the work of the day, when the lady who worked one just beyond the wall of the next cubicle said loudly enough for everyone to hear that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. That split second before I turned the corner into the office’s conference room that had the television was the end of something. The end of the thought that the United States was invulnerable. The end of the period of relative peace that we had been living in.
An awful lot changed that morning as I – and hundreds of millions around the country and the world – sat transfixed, watching the deadly terrorist attacks unfold. As the towers burned, my mind flashed back to a church youth group trip I had taken back in the summer of 1985 to New York City. We had seen Wall Street, the South Street Seaport, had a late lunch in Little Italy on Mulberry Street, and, the last trip of the day was an elevator ride to the observation deck of the World Trade Center. As the bright summer sun started to fade into the west, I gazed down upon Manhattan and New York harbor. Billy Joel’s song New York State of Mindwas on my Walkman, and I was humming along to it. As a tall skinny kid from across the Hudson River in New Jersey, I felt a connection to the city I had never really felt before.
And, as I blinked back the tears in my eyes that morning, I knew that peaceful memory was being taken away from me. It would never be the same.
As that fateful Tuesday wore on to the end of the day, my co-workers and I spent a lot of time talking about what was going to be different. We talked about living in a new world, where friends and family in the military were going to be thrust into warfare in a far-away land, removed from their loved ones. We talked about how we would never feel truly safe again inside the borders or our country. And we vowed that we were going to take the time every single day to love our families more, work to bring more beauty into our lives and the lives of those around us, and how we were going to pull together as a nation, putting aside our differences to realize that ultimately – at our core – we are all Americans.
Today is the tenth anniversary of those terrible moments in New York City, Arlington, Virginia and Shanskville, Pennsylvania. And, as I look back on that terrible day one decade ago, I wonder if I have been keeping my promise.
Have I done everything possible to show my family how much I love them? I feel like I have, but I think today is the time to redouble my efforts to do so. My two sons were three years old and six months old when the attack happened… what have they learned over this past decade? Have I done everything I could to show them how much I love them and spend the time with them? Have I taken the time to show everyone else how much they mean to me? Or, were those words an empty promise that I made?
Have I done what I can to bring more beauty into my life and the lives of others? Somehow, I feel that woodworking – my fledgling hobby back in 2001, has done so. The pieces I have built have not only brought happiness to me and the people who have received them, but it has also allowed me to meet dozens – if not hundreds of other woodworkers I would have never met before who have inspired me through the years. Not only by their woodworking ability, but by the obstacles they have overcome, the determination they have shown and the friendships we have shared.
Have we pulled together as a nation? I think – tragically – that we haven’t. The partisan bickering today in Washington D.C. is a far cry from the can-do spirit that existed after the attacks. When everyone – Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative pulled together to tell the world in one voice that we are Americans, and no cowardly act is going to make us forget that. I hope and pray that our leaders will find ways to make our country the place we envisioned after that horrible day.
Today, we think back at the loss of that day ten years ago and feel the strong pangs of loss and sorrow. But, I can guarantee you, I am asking myself I have kept the promise I made in my office’s conference room ten years ago.
You see, it was 20 years ago today – at 11:30 a.m. – that Rhonda and I said, “I do” at a little old Catholic chapel in Bowie, Maryland.
