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53338 Don McConnell <Don.McConnell@a...> 1998‑11‑16 Bio: Don McConnell
Greetings,

Though I had been active on oldtools at an earlier time, I thought I'd take
this opportunity to file a brief bio.

Am currently employed at a small local (north-central Ohio) firm specializing
in curved stairwork.  I do a variety of things which can't be done on the
machines, but mostly design, rough out, and carve transitional elements of
handrails. Also, am a half-time single parent (shared custody arrangement)
of a soon-to-be ten year old daughter. [Of course, she's the greatest!
But I might be biased. ;-)]

First became interested in traditional (hand) woodworking in the very early
70's, while living in the Boston area. Bought some new hand tools up the
road in Woburn, but was given a wooden jack/fore plane by a friend and
pointed toward a flea-market south of Boston. Bootstrapped an English
joiner's style bench and read everything I could find (this kind of
information was much harder to find then). Discovered Charles Hayward, and
still think of him as a mentor of sorts. Can't believe nearly all of his
books are now out of print.

Was taken on as an "apprentice" in the cabinet shop at the Ohio Village
in the spring of 1977. Spent two years working with/for my mentor/master,
Tom Clark, and then took over the shop for another two years. Tom was still
nearby as a conservator in the collections department of the Ohio Historical
Society. He was unceasingly generous with his knowledge, skills, insights,
and wit. A very fulfilling and formative period of my life.

Then, for some unfathomable reason, I decided to go out on my own. The next
7-8 years I continued building furniture, using hand tools exclusively (yes,
even to resawing material as well as surfacing and thicknessing everything),
in an 1860's one-room schoolhouse on the corner of the failing family farm.
Financially, it was a struggle (to put it mildly), but I took/made the
opportunity to experiment with a variety of methods, techniques, and forms.
Also, had the opportunity to do work for a variety of interesting people,
and learned a lot about myself in the process. I.e., while it was short
on financial reward, it was long on personal growth and satisfaction.
Not to mention the consolidation of a variety of acquired skills.

Have continued in woodworking for the last ten years in a variety of
situations and differing types of projects. Architectural work, including
some sash work and a 40 panel linen-fold panel system (electrons died in
these endeavors). Also some fairly high-end furniture work involving more
extensive carving than previously undertaken.

The grizzled veterans on oldtools may remember this, but one thread running
through my interest in traditional woodworking is a fascination (obsession?)
with wooden stock planes and planemaking.

Thanks for listening (if you've remained this far), and am looking forward
to becoming active on oldtools again (as time, energy, circumstances, and
inclination allow).

Don McConnell
Knox County, Ohio



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