How did you start?

[Mike Davis]

I think this may be helpful to a lot of folks getting started in wood working or any craft for that matter.

How did you get started in woodworking?

Not just when or who taught you, but how did you really start?

My very first experience was @ around 5 YO in my back yard in downtown Tuscaloosa. There was an older gent who had a small shop across the alley and I would spend the summers playing around his shop or in the parking lot next door. Sometimes he would give me scraps to nail together or let me use a hand saw to cut up 2x4s. I guess he was really keeping me out of his way. But sawdust got in my blood at that early age and kept coming back to haunt me.

After high school I went to work in a sign shop and had to cut out letters and make sign frames, learned to use a router to make signs and finish the edges of sign boards. I worked my way up to partner and then sole proprietor and did a lot of odd work that nobody else wanted to do or was not able to do.

Later I worked in a sample factory where part of my job was making forms for vacuum forming plastic sheeting into carpet sample trays. I had to make lap joints in strips as small as 1/8" by 3/8". All I had to work with was a 6" Craftsman planer from the 40s and a 10" table saw. The trays had to be accurate to within a few thousands of an inch.

My first home shop was about that time and I started making toys for the kids because we couldn't afford the store bought ones. As the kids have gotten bigger so have the things I make for them.

 

[Ray Martin]

My father was a master woodworker, so I grew up around the smell of sawdust. His shop was in the basement of the house. There, he made furniture, did turnings of all sorts, built an alter for the church across the street, made chairs, tables, cabinets, bookcases, and so on. I spent time in the shop when he would allow it. My brother and I would "play" with his tools and scrap wood when he wasn't there.

When I got married, I started with home improvements, repairs, and so on. Like any home owner, I purchased the odd tool for whatever the job at hand was.

When did I really start... really really start? The first house I help build with Habitat for Humanity was downtown Raleigh, in the mid nineties. By the end of the nineties, I was building with them every Saturday. After a while, and the realization that I had a bit of a knack for building, I became a crew leader and then a house leader.

As I worked for Habitat, I found there were things that could be done easier and with greater consistency if there were jigs or fixtures to help. I started building those (some were pretty silly). After I had built a number of them, the other regular volunteers and the staff, started referring to me as Binford Tools. I started buying more tools to enable more different kinds of building. I started to like the trim and finish more than the framing. My wife caught on and bought me several stationary tools so I could do some home improvement kinds of things. And I found myself installing moldings, building bookcases, and cabinets, and tables, and benches, and ... (where will it ever stop?)

 

[Glennbear]

Woodworkers have been in my family since the 1800's when an ancestor immigrated to America and became a carpenter after it became known that his career in the UK was hazardous to his health. Great- Great- Great- Grandpa Emanuel was a hatmaker and it was found that the mercury used to block felt hats was causing insanity. (Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland was fact based) Putting the skills he had from making hat molds to work, he constructed a lot of homes in a suburb of Newark, NJ. My father and his brother always enjoyed playing with wood as a hobby and when I was old enough I started banging things together from the wooden whisky crates that our landlord gave us to help stoke our coal furnace. Like Ray, as I grew older my skills grew as did my tool collection. Since my father did not have the space, nor time to really pursue his wood hobby until after he retired, I would have to say 95% of my woodworking knowledge is self taught. :wsmile:

 

[Trent Mason]

Very cool thread Mike. Thanks for sharing. :thumbs_up:thumbs_up



I've always loved building things/fixing things, etc. My Grandfather was the only person in my family that did any woodworking, but we lived far away from them and he passed away when I was 16. My Dad doesn't have an ounce of creativity in him, so I was never really exposed to woodworking growing up.

I rented a house a few years ago with a detached two-car garage. Originally, I wanted to shape surfboards, but the foam blanks weren't readily available where I lived. So I decided to make a surfboard coffee table out of SYP and cedar. The main thing was that I had this big old garage and no tools, so I more or less had to work on something in there. :gar-La; At the time, I was very pleased with this project, but as time went on and I got more experience, I ended up not liking it, so I left it at my old house at the beach.

I made a few projects in that shop. Another coffee table, a set of adirondack chairs and a few other odd things.

I'll never forget that shop. I used to go in there when I got home from work and on a weekend night, I would look at my watch and it would be 3am. I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.

After that, things got a little hectic in my personal life and I ended up using space in the warehouse at work to make a few things whenever I could. Mainly, I made the jatoba king-sized platform bed during that time.

After that, I was laid off and broke up with my ex, so I ended up living at the beach for a little while with no shop. I kept my tools in my friend's garage during that time and spent most of my time surfing. After that place, I ended up moving in with some guys on a different street at the beach. Under the house was a small 10' x 12' storage room that they graciously allowed me to use as a shop. Made plenty of sawdust in there.

After about 6 months there, our lease ran out and I ended up moving a block over with some other friends and an even smaller storage room for a shop. That's when I got the lathe, so that pretty much took up all of the room in there. :gar-La;

After about 6 months there, I moved my tools to my (now) former job. That is the place where I really got some projects completed. For the first time in a while, I actually had some space, but it was clear across town.

I did a lot of woodworking in this shop and completed a fair amount of projects, most notably, the nightstand. I also made a rustic bench out of cypress, some cutting boards and did a lot of turning.

Then, about two months ago, I was laid off and moved all of my tools into our spare bedroom.

During that time, my wife and I were trying to get someone to rent the place so I only got to turn one pen in there, but that is still my favorite pen.

Then, a few weeks ago, we moved up here to Raleigh and for the first time in a good little while, I have a shop at my house (or underneath it) and can work on things whenever I want. Well, ok, I'm not going to crank up the router or tablesaw in the middle of the night :argue: , but I can sure as heck turn things anytime in there and make as much noise as I want during daytime hours. :gar-Bi

Since we've been here, I've turned a few pens and bottle stoppers and have one commission that I'm about to start on. It sure is nice to have to wipe the sawdust off before making my way up the steps and into the house. :eusa_danc:eusa_danc:eusa_danc


Sorry if I went a little overboard with the pics, but I love illustrated stories. :rotflm:

 

[Mike Davis]

We all do Trent, and believe me a lot of us feel like we've grown up with you here.

 

[Trent Mason]

We all do Trent, and believe me a lot of us feel like we've grown up with you here.

Thanks Mike. :embaresse After posting that I thought that I had written way too much, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, looking back years from now, everything up until about right now would've been how I got started. :icon_scra

 

[LeftyTom]

I subscribed to "Family Handyman" in the 80's, saw a project (Adirondack chairs), and thought, "Ican do that," and there was no looking back. I picked projects that I could do with my then-limited tools (circ saw, level, Crafstman benchtop saw, hammer, nails, glue).

 

[skeeter]

My dad was a farmer. If he needed a storage building or barn, he was a pretty good carpenter, and I learned a lot from helping him. He really didn't do any fancy woodworking or furniture building. It was more a matter or repairing things, whether it was furniture or farm equipment.

My first attempt at any kind of furniture building (or any other kind of building, for that matter) was about 7 years ago when my wife's neice was expecting her first child. I wanted to do something special for her. I decided to attempt building her (and her husband) a cradle. I didn't know where to start, so I ordered a set of plans and the rest is history.

About 4 1/2 years ago, we moved into a new community and I lost my 24x32 workshop. I was really upset and almost backed out of the deal (HOA says no out buildings). I figured I'd have trouble with the neighbors when I would crank up the equipment in the garage, so I made something for each neighbor as they would move in their house. It worked and have gotten several commisioned pieces because of it. That's all in the past and everything has worked out like it was supposed to. Still enjoying the smell of sawdust.

 

[Trent Mason]

I figured I'd have trouble with the neighbors when I would crank up the equipment in the garage, so I made something for each neighbor as they would move in their house. It worked and have gotten several commisioned pieces because of it.

That's a great idea Charles! :widea:

 

[erasmussen]

In 2005 my wife wanted the kitchen completely redone.
I have been told grandpa Rasmussen could do anything with a stick of wood never knew him.
I was also told could do anything with a stick of wood never really knew him eather, he died when I was 3.
I thought MAYBE I could do something with wood so I got me a cheap table saw and a cheap router and had at it, and went on from there.

the kitchen

 

[NCTurner]

I never had any major woodworking influences , but somewhere along the line I feel in LOVE with wood. It all started when I started collecting some hollow forms, after seeing them in a gallery. Then I moved to Raleigh, and met Eric (cubicdissection) he makes amazing puzzles, and puzzles boxes. After hanging with him and him telling me dude just do it. I found this site, got a saw, bought a total shop lathe, moved to a HF lathe in 3 months, and up to the PM in just over a year. I've added a few other tools here and there. And now I try to work with wood...

 

[lwhughes149]

A few years back I was visiting with my older brother on week-ends, he was dying with heart disease and had a short window of time left. One week-end he decided to show my daughter how to make a wall hanging. She didn't have as much interest as I did so I stepped right in and the rest is history. He left his tablesaw, drill press and planer to me along with some hand tools. I came home and started adding onto our 10 x 20 foot shop. He died before I was able to show him the shop. His picture hangs in the shop as a reminder to me of how I got started in woodworking. My minature pincher died last fall after being my buddy for years, his picture also hangs in the shop. And last but not least, my woodworking mentor and dear friend died recently and yes his picture will also hang there within the week. I had a lot of help getting to where I am today. Lorraine

 

[Larry Rose]

I got the bug from my Dad who had a shop when I was a kid about a hundred years ago. When I got on my own I had a small collection of hand tools. A few years after I was married we moved into a house that had a small detached garage. I convinced my wife that it was too small for her car but was just right for my first real shop. I told her all I would ever need was a table saw and I ordered a 10" Craftsman. As soon as I got it put together I decided a band saw would be nice also. My son and daughter still have pieces from that first shop. 30 years, 3 shops and more tools than I'm willing to admit to, I'm still at it.

 

[Makinsawdust]

I was interested/intrigued with woodworking from my first day in middle school industrial arts class. My dad had no interest or tools to work with so that year I got a jigsaw and drill for Christmas. I made birdhouses and other small things out of whatever wood I could salvage.
In high school I made a few small objects and a blanket chest restoration. While searching for a part time job, when I was in junior college I found a job working in a furniture factory. While there I got to see how furniture panels were engineered and veneered. I also picked-up a lot of production method knowledge.
I got married after junior college and pretty much didn't do any thing with wood for a few years. I did a few small home improvements at our first house in the mid 80's, but lacked the tools to do much.
In 1990 we had built the house we live in now. During this process the wood/tool bug struck. First project was to finish a bonus room from the studs. It was my excuse to buy power tools and I finally had the financial resources to do so. After doing home improvement projects for several years with mediocre tools my skill was carpenter grade and I didn't have the motivation to become better.
In 1997 I made my first trip to the Amazon basin on a mission trip to build a church building. This started my interest in finer woods and I continued to learn about woods as I made many more church building trips to Brazil and one two week trip to the interior of Suriname.
One year in the middle of my trips to SA, it may have been 2001 or 2002, I did a week-end trip to the NC coast to repair homes from a hurricane. On this trip a retired woodworking pro rode with me to the coast. He talked of the things he had done in his years of making store fixtures and running a woodworking business. While working on the house that week-end I watched and observed the perfection in which he trimmed out a kitchen. This motivated me to learn to cut things that fit and take pride in making things the best I possibly could. This was the beginning of my serious ww'ing journey. I practiced by making small things like wall clocks, tables, and such.
One day in 2003 after buying some boards at Woodcraft, I put together a cutting board using several woods. My wife liked it. Friends saw it and wanted one, my wife showed it to her friends at the hospital where she works. I made a bread knife to match and the gals at the hospital gave me orders for what must have been 200 pieces for Christmas presents that year. I started looking for venues to sell them in, set up as a business in 2004 and started selling small items at the Charlotte Farmers Mkt. and craft shows, lost day job later in 2004, moved into a commercial shop in 2007 and now sell at art and craft shows all over the southeast and make just about anything out of wood anyone will pay me for. The financial side of things has been a real struggle but I still enjoy it even after making thousands of some items.

 

[CarvedTones]

I am going to take away Trent's crown as king of bandwidth hogging...

As a kid, I never really considered it "woodworking", but I built a few of the classic I frame gravity go carts out of 2x lumber and lawmower wheels, skateboards from skates and a board, tree forts and all sorts of similar craft, generally just using contruction lumber, a handsaw, a hammer and nails. Interestingly enough, I also carved bows and arrows from saplings and limbs as well as making a few willow whistles. Maybe I am going into my second childhood now. :rolf:

I didn't really do much for years, though I always owned a handsaw, hammer and nails, even when I was a renter; it just stuck with me that sometimes it was easier to make your own. I didn't marry nor own a home until I was 30 but that kicked things into a higher gear and I started getting more tools, mostly consumer grade handheld power tools. I did a few furniture projects - a sewing becnh, a folding oak chair and some Adirondack furniture for the porch. I discovered two things - I really liked woodworking but I really didn't like making furniture. So I took the next logical step - I made a couple of small boats. :gar-La;

OK, maybe not so logical and also impractical as a hobby in the small space I have. I was starting to notice the parts of the projects I enjoyed most were freehand shaping. I decided to try my hand at intarsia and tried a very simple little first project:

As simple as it is, this is what got me hooked on scrolling and carving.
I went heavier into scrolling for a while, and still enjoy that.

Somewhere along the line I got my first lathe and paid way too little for it (lousy one) but managed to do something right enough to plant that seed:

but also something wrong enough to make me get rid of that lathe and not turn for a few years...

I started making string instruments...

always seemed to be the carving I enjoyed most...

Fast forward to now, for the few of you still awake. I got another nicer lathe and have been turning again and found some new instruments that I am starting to make...

and in progress pic (actually a little further along now) and life goes on...

 

[gordonmt]

22 glorious years ago, my wife and I moved into our first apartment together and shortly there after she indicated that she would like to purchase a planter stand for our second floor balcony.
She had picked out a rather simple multi layered design that I though carried an outlandish price.
I immediately stated that for just a few dollars worth of pine wood, a little stain, and the purchase of a simple power saw, I could make it for her.
The end result was paying nearly twice for the piece :BangHead: but I did end up with a nice circular saw and the rest as they say is history.
I might add that most of the woodworking equipment I currently own was purchased under very similar circumstances over the next several years. I don't know if I'm player her or she is playing me but we are both very happy with the longevity and the outcome.:icon_thum

 

[Cato]

I started a couple of years after my dad died. He had some woodworking tools and I put them in storage unit.

When we put an addition on our previous house, we wanted a decent sized deck, so I got the tools out of storage and tuned them as best as I knew how at the time, and built the deck.

It was a real confidence booster, to have proper tools for the job, and that of course inspired me to excercise my right as a consumer and buy more tools to update the older ones he had, and once I learned what quality tools can do for your confidence and capabilities, I can now get close to fairly square work!!!

 

[ErnieM]

Some things just can't be explained. No one in my family knows (or knew) which end of the hammer to hit a nail with. For that matter, no one in my family has (or had) any musical inclinations whatsoever. And yet, I'm a harpsichord builder.

When I was a kid (up to the age of 10) we lived across the street from a lumber yard. I passed it everyday on the walk home from school. I knew nothing about wood but man did I love the smell of that place. They had a scrap barrel with free wood in it. I used to take some scraps and nail them together - making nothing recognizable or significant, but enjoying it nonetheless. 55 years ago, we moved away, but to this day I can remember that wonderful smell. I'm sure that's what got me started.

Ernie

 

[NCGrimbo]

My parents were into making and selling ceramics when I was growing up and they went to many craft fairs. While I was in High School, my father started to make simple doll houses to sell at the fairs. I helped him make some of these and I think that may have been the seed being planted. I went off to college and didn't think much about wood working until my Junior year when I went to the craft center at NC State and saw all of the equiptment and it got me thinking about wood working again. But it was still a long time until I finally bought my first table saw and other tools. That's when I consider my "start" in woodworking. It was about 12 years ago when I moved back home to my Mom's house to save up some money to buy a house. She had a basement and I walled off a portion of it and set up a workshop down there. I've been making small pieces of wood out of larger ones since then.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

Compared to a lot of people here I'd say I haven't really started yet. My dad is an amature woodworker and I grew up in his shop. In college a got my first set of woodworking tools from my Dad for a christmas present (a DeWalt 14.4 Saw/Drill-Driver combo) which was mainly for DYI projects. When I got my first house (townhouse) I converted a small storage closet into a "shop" and started collecting bench top tools (sliding miter saw, drill press, ts, etc). Again, most of my work wass DYI related but I made some small projects (see photo album) that could be completed during one day's daylight hours as I had to work outside. Now that I have a house with a dedicated shop in the basment I'm in the process of really getting started. I updated most of my tools in one fell swoop by buying a friends shop mostly intact and I'm slowing getting that up and running. My main challanges now are time (married with two young kids and two jobs) and money (tools are almost paid off, now I just have to figure out how to get project supplies) but I'm getting some time down there.... Slow but steady progress for now....

Trav