3/29/2009 -- Up to this point in my wood working hobby I have mainly used my tools to do home repair, home remodeling, and the occasional simple wood project. In 2009 a neighbor and friend, Tom F., started to do some very talented things with his router. And one Saturday he invited me to join him and another neighbor and friend, Lee F., to the Woodcraft and Harbor Freight stores in Sarasota. Wow! Instant inspiration. I had really lost touch with a whole community of wood working hobbiests who are doing some really incredible designs with their power tools. Thanks to Tom, I am back in the mood to gain deeper insights into the craft of fine wood working.
My Shop -- We moved to Florida in 2003. I knew I would need some room for my larger tools, which included a table saw with expansion table, a lathe, and a large work bench. So having some space was a key criteria as we looked at houses to buy. We ended up finding a nice house in a nice neighborhood, with an extra deep 2-car garage. There is about 10-feet between the front bumper of the cars and the back wall of the garage. This gives me a shop space of approximately 10x24 feet. The challenge has been to get it organized for good work flow so that building projects can be fun. If I ever figure out the perfect layout, I will let you know. Much of my stuff is on wheels, which allows me to configure the layout as needed for the particular project I am working on. I think the best thing I have done lately is to turn my work bench 90-degrees, so the short (24-inch) side is up against the wall, instead of having the long (60-inch) side up against the wall. What a difference! Now I have access to both sides of the bench. I should have thought of that idea years ago. My garage side door is in my shop area which is nice and allows for ventilation and for setting up cutting operations right outside.
Tools -- Over the years I have slowly upgraded my power tools, either because the old ones burned out, or because I wanted added power and features. My newest tool is a 14-inch band saw from Harbor Freight ($299 on sale). Other tools include: bench-top drill press, 12-inch power miter saw, biscuit joiner, variable speed jig saw, reciprocating saw, two routers, hand held belt sander, hand held planer, variable speed hand held drill, circular saw, table saw. Over the past year I have sold my lathe, scroll saw, and combo sander / grinder. I sold the lathe for two reasons: I rarely use it, and it takes up a lot of space. I considered turning wood into bowels, or maybe turning exotic wood into pens, but on balance I would rather have the shop space. I sold the scroll saw (a Craftsman) because I almost never do intricate scroll work. Between the hand held jig saw and the band saw, I should be able to accomplish what I need. Lastly I sold the sander / grinder because it was cheaply made and had little power. It served me well over the years, but now is a good time to upgrade to something beefier. So at this point I am seeking to buy a new bench top sander (disk and belt type). Down the road I can envision getting some sort of dust collection system. Right now I hook up my shop vac to the various tools, but that's a lot of switching.
Inspiration -- My buddy Tom showed me some small pine boxes he made with finger joints using his router. He also built a really neat router table, complete with dust collection. That got me interested in going with him to Woodcraft that first time. Then at the Woodcraft store they had some band saw projects on display. Wow! What I saw was a perfect combination of function, beauty, and innovation. Since then I have been quite inspired to build more depth of skill. So mainly this means lots of money on books and magazines, as well as viewing what is available on the web. I have always wanted a band saw, and now I have one. It is a new tool for me, so I am learning on some simple projects made from scrap wood. I think one of the tricks of the trade will be in learning how much tension to put on the blade. Too much tension and the blade will break. Too little tension and the blade will not cut straight. The Woodcraft store near me in Sarasota offers wood working classes, including classes on the band saw. I plan to sign up for one of them, in order to accelerate my learning. The spark of inspiration came when Tom took me to Woodcraft the first time, and I saw one of the band saw projects they had on display. To me it captured what I am seeking from my wood working hobby: Building something that is functional, and beautiful, and innovative. Woodcraft's selection of exotic wood stock is impressive, and opens a whole additional dimension to the possibilities for projects.
Links -- Here is my collection of web sites so far (in no particular order). These are great for getting project ideas and for being inspired. I also recommend wood working books, available at most book stores and at Woodcraft stores.
Woodworking Plans & Tools | Fine Woodworking Project & Supplies at Woodcraft
Woodworking - Wood Working Techniques, Project Tutorials Videos & more : DIY Network
The Wood Whisperer Woodworking Video Podcast, Blog, and Forum
9,623 Free Woodworking Plans, Free Wood working Projects & Scrollsaw Patterns
5/31/2009 -- I have joined a woodworking online community called "Lumber Jocks." Have have decided to post my projects there going forward. Here is the link to my project area over on Lumber Jocks. I invite you to come and visit me there: