Is that limiting the projects you do or trying to do as many as possible?
Shop Resolutions
- Thread starter Bill_L
- Start date
Atleast one lol with only being home two days a week truck driving and hobby usually don't mix but I'm gonna try
During the first year of the Covid-19 restrictions, I know a couple of woodworkers who had the time to expand their knowledge of hand tools. In my case, I had used hand tools a lot in the past, but I was always attracted to the efficiencies of power tools. Getting back to basics was challenging, and a lot of fun. Even though I have a Tormek sharpener, I took the time to refine my skills on India and water stones. I had used scrapers in the past fairly often, but I decided to really refine my skill set with them. I had always been pretty good with hand planes. During Covid I took the time to really tune up my planes and practice doing work with them that had previously been handed off to power tools. It took longer with hand tools, but I really enjoyed it.
To spend more time working and less time ogling new tools. I'm really bad about jumping all in on something material and investment wise and getting way ahead of what I'm actually competent at- not just in woodworking but in lots of things. I have a tendency, especially as an amateur, to blame the arrow and not the indian. I realize the flaw, so I suppose that's step one, but I still do it to an extent. When a joint didn't line up right in the past, I would wonder if it was the fault of my inexpensive table saw. Now I have a sawstop and I am much happier to tell myself I just suck and need to get better. When I boogered up a mortise, I would wonder if my cheap ebay chisels were dulled, i set up my veritas jig wrong, or if my inexpensive diamond stone hones were defective (nevermind I would watch paul sellers split wooden molecules with blades he freehand sharpens). It wasn't that I think or thought I was amazing and knew what I was doing, but that feeling that I can fix a problem by throwing better equipment at it. When I realized the other day that my favorite hand planes cost more than my first table saw did- brand new from the hardware store mind you- I couldn't help but laugh (although I adore using my Veritas and Lie Nielsen tools). Value isn't the primary consideration in the stuff I make for myself- using something I turned or especially designed or just seeing it there gives a sense of enjoyment that far outpaces what having something I just bought in its place would.
I think as of my last round of purchasing flurries I'm just about as decked out in tools as a man can reasonably be in a shop without lots of 220 or 3 phase power. I have equipped myself with lots of quality equipment, yet engaged only in practical carpentry projects around the house for the past couple of years. Now, don't get me wrong, those were necessities and learning experiences in and of themselves- but instead of buying a few hundred board feet and putting a few months in building the office furniture I've been absentmindedly designing and tearing up, and a new bedframe, and lots of cool decorations I draw then abandon before committing them to lumber, I've just played shop tool collector as I only did low difficulty projects or project requests for friends and family or church. Part of that was anxiety over rising tool costs and lack of availability- let me tell you I sure wish I bought many of my newest and fanciest tools just a couple years ago, because I would have saved thousands- but I don't see things changing any time soon. The other part of it was just lack of commitment, and a backhanded worry that I'd goof up some really expensive lumber and that I would keep doing smaller projects until I felt more confident.
So this year I'm going to buckle down and apply myself and make some of the furniture I've been procrastinating. I will avoid some of the laziness of years past, and make some cool things. Well, I made some cool things before. I'm going to make a lot of better cool things now. I'm also going to screw up a lot of things- expensive things, and high priced lumber- but I'm not going to let it stop me.
I think as of my last round of purchasing flurries I'm just about as decked out in tools as a man can reasonably be in a shop without lots of 220 or 3 phase power. I have equipped myself with lots of quality equipment, yet engaged only in practical carpentry projects around the house for the past couple of years. Now, don't get me wrong, those were necessities and learning experiences in and of themselves- but instead of buying a few hundred board feet and putting a few months in building the office furniture I've been absentmindedly designing and tearing up, and a new bedframe, and lots of cool decorations I draw then abandon before committing them to lumber, I've just played shop tool collector as I only did low difficulty projects or project requests for friends and family or church. Part of that was anxiety over rising tool costs and lack of availability- let me tell you I sure wish I bought many of my newest and fanciest tools just a couple years ago, because I would have saved thousands- but I don't see things changing any time soon. The other part of it was just lack of commitment, and a backhanded worry that I'd goof up some really expensive lumber and that I would keep doing smaller projects until I felt more confident.
So this year I'm going to buckle down and apply myself and make some of the furniture I've been procrastinating. I will avoid some of the laziness of years past, and make some cool things. Well, I made some cool things before. I'm going to make a lot of better cool things now. I'm also going to screw up a lot of things- expensive things, and high priced lumber- but I'm not going to let it stop me.
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Those are great ideas, I am guilty of using table saw blades and not cleaning them often enough. Does anyone know of a good blade sharpening service, or is that a thing of the past?
This is a huge problem for me as well. I've got conflicting goals for the year of
1. Spend more time actually making things out of the materials I already own.
2. Plan out my projects and think through more than one step at a time rather than cobbling them together off the cuff.
Maybe I'll end up compromising and spend all my time blueprinting instead of buying OR making stuff. At least it'd be cheaper
@Kenshop, I saw a post recently about Union Grove Saw & Knife. I haven't used their services but it looks like they sharpen and repair all kinds of blades. The post was from @Diane Dickens and their website is Union Grove Saw & Knife
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I've used Dynamic Saw in Buffalo for years, without any issues. Good people to deal with. It's amazing how many blades you can fit into a "Flat Rate Box" from USPS.
Isn't that really the fun part though, designing the layout and ideas you have had about how you want to set up your new shop? My garage is always evolving with more efficiency and space saving. All of my equipment is on carts or stands with wheels and my air and electric is mounted from the ceiling for convenient pull down and retract.
For me this year I'm going to try and plan less as in not over planning roll something is completely worked out. Going to have a plan and work things out as they come up. Be more creative.
