I have been interested in woodworking since the early 1970's
after taking a shop course at the Ohio State student union (a
Normite paradise) during my undergraduate days (B.S. is in
Botany, the other degrees are in Agronomy) and stumbling on an
early issue of Fine Woodworking. Twenty some years later, I'm
three issues short of a full set (probably describes my mental
state as well). I've read a lot more about the Neanderthal's
favorite pastime than actually churning out high quality
furniture and have long been a lurker on rec.ww. Somewhere I got
interested in musical instrument building, specifically hammered
dulcimers. Between spasms of building them and playing mountain
and hammered dulcimer with a local club, the Brandywine Dulcimer
Fellowship, I have been a bit short of shop time. I had hoped to
remedy this but mostly what I have been doing since I subscribed
to OldTools is acquiring all the tools I always wanted and
couldn't afford. Flea market prices have helped out
considerably. My interest in hand tools was sparked by Aldren
Watson's books, 'Country Furniture' and 'Hand Tools'. I have a
copy of Patrick Leach's 'Stanley B&G' and take it with me as a
quick reference on tool hunting trips. My most productive winter
was spent in a cold garage in Modesto, CA a few years ago where
I built a maple workbench and learned to use a hand plane. The
bench is similar to the Tage Frid bench from one of the early
Fine Woodworkings in proportion but has a wooden tail vise with
a center screw and steel guide rods. I did build it with the
traditional shoulder vise which has been extremely useful. It's
great for clamping hammer dulcimer frames and cracking coconuts.
I handjointed the pieces for the benchtop and smoothed it with a
coffin smoother and hand scrapers and had a great time doing it.
Old Bess and my hand tools are down in my cramped basement shop
with my ancient 8" Delta tablesaw and some benchtop power tools
(I'll be back down there in a minute - stop that infernal
creaking!). I was familiar with the term Neanderthal but was
intrigued to find the term 'galoot' used here so freely.
Galoot...yeah, I like it as it pretty much describes the way I
feel these days (pardon me while I spit my virtual chaw over in
the wastebasket here...whoops, I spattered some on my collection
of AOL Diskette Coasters). Yep, I'm a galoot and I have the hat
to prove it. As time goes by my Neanderthal tendencies seem to
be increasing. I already had just the one eyebrow but lately
I've noticed that it's getting bushier. There's also that
alarming thickening of my brow ridge...I drive my battered
Japanese station wagon (the Toolmobile) back and forth to my
regulatory job with a Major Chemical Company and dream of
finding that old tool shop where the proprietor has partaken of
too much snuff and is selling everything off at 1880's prices.
As to my domestic situation, I've got an understanding wife and
two daughters who, while not interested in woodworking to any
great extent at least don't lose my tools out in the yard. I am
grateful to have found this little community of like-minded
souls out here in Cyberspace. I live just a few miles from
Winterthur. If any of you are out this way and want to view the
workshop and furniture, let me know and I'll send directions.
Nice little bookstore too.