What Is Your Goal As A Woodworker?

What is it folks? What do you ultimately wish to accomplish in life as a woodworker? As you grow into the world of woodworking and learn new techniques, and discover new tools, or morph into your own style of woodworking and use tools that suit your style, after all, what is your goal as a woodworker?

In reality, do we need to have a goal? Isn't it enough to just go out and make "Stuff"? And as we make our stuff, do we learn more?

Some folks get stuck making a specific style of "Stuff". If you make nothing but picture frames, how far is your woodworking skill set and knowledge base going to expand?

And it's not a bad thing to be focused and great at one thing, woodworkers who do so make a good living.

But as hobbyist or hobbyist/pros, what do we do to expand our knowledge of this wonderful art.

I'll start. I have a goal. My ultimate goal is to revert my shop back 100 years, and use the same tools they used 100 years ago to build anything I want. Now I'll admit, there is one machine I will not be able to do without, the table saw. But I have thought long and hard about this, and I have mentally put myself in this shop I want and how I would execute the builds of my favorite pieces. At this point I can honestly say my skill set could not make it in a 100 year old shop. I am not as proficient at traditional joinery as I would like to be, and my complete knowledge of hand tools is not there yet. It will be years. Maybe after the kids fly the coop, it will be then that I can concentrate on my 100 year old shop.

So my question back to you all, what is your ultimate woodworking goal in life? Where do you see yourself 5, 10 or even 15 years from now in your woodworking? Or, where would you like to be?

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your feedback!

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

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Replies to This Discussion

Forum HostPermalink Reply by Larry Buskirk on June 23, 2012 at 10:23pm

Oh boy John,

Tough question , but if your talking 10-15 years from now alot of my machines will be getting close to being apropriate for your 100 year old shop theme. Wow I'm better than half way there myself now!

As far as what I'll be doing with the woodworking, I'll have to wait and see where the adventure takes me. I know it won't be big projects, just the type of things that will keep me busy, and try to preserve what little sanity I have left.

There are a few things that I would like to try such as Intarsia, and other things with the scroll saw, drillpress, and bandsaw. A little bit of cabinet making to keep the table saw, radial arm saw, shaper, and jointer from feeling neglected. Some turning for the lathe ( wood and metal) I'm sure you get the picture.

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

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Site AdminPermalink Reply by Ron Dudelston on June 24, 2012 at 4:57am

Wow John, what a question. I suppose my ultimate long term goal is to keep all of my fingers but that probably doesn't count as an answer. Even as long as I've been doing this I still learn something every time I'm in the shop so I want to keep on learning. At this point of my life I focus on the areas I enjoy and avoid those areas I don't. Perhaps time will alter my likes and dislikes though. I'm learning to never avoid a project becasue it seems too big and scary because that's when you learn. In fact, my winter project is going to be building all new kitchen cabinets with raised panel doors for my wife. A bit scary but doable.

Thanks for asking.

Ron Dudelston
Site Host

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

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Permalink Reply by dragon1 on June 24, 2012 at 5:43am

To build ANYTHING I want, whenever I want.

Not too much to ask, is it?

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Gene Howe on June 24, 2012 at 7:25am

I'd like to just get really good at ONE thing.

But, intarsia and marquetry are a couple things I want to try.

Done all the furniture and larger case work I want to do.

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Larry Buskirk on June 24, 2012 at 9:23am

Joe,

Amen to that.

Larry

Joe Lyddon said:

To ME, this is getting to be more important...

I like This goal too...

I would add one more item to it...

"... and to be able to AFFORD to pay for it! "

Joe

dragon1 said:

To build ANYTHING I want, whenever I want.

Not too much to ask, is it?

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Permalink Reply by Allen Worsham on June 24, 2012 at 9:30am

I love to make things for my home (which means for my wife as "Happy Wife=Happy Life" ) as well as making gifts for people and for church. But what I am hoping to do over this next year is to get a few specific items that I can make and sell to generate enough income to not only pay for my wood and necessary tools, but also to put some money aside to pay for things beyond our typical monthly needs. My plan is to start making higher end patio furniture in an adirondack style. I have a couple of good plans to work with and I had started to make some prototypes in April, but then I came down with pneumonia which put me out of the shop for 2 months. So now that we are into summer, I decided to table the prototypes until after Christmas as I have a lot of stuff to make for my wife and for Christmas gifts.

I am also along the same lines as Ron as goal #1 is to keep all 10 digits attached to my hands.

Allen Worsham
Corona, CA

allenworsham@earthlink.net

http://www.awcreationsandwoodcrafts.com

'Graze in every man's field, but always give your own milk' J. Vernon McGee

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Lewis Kauffman on June 24, 2012 at 1:13pm

In 15 years, hopefully still above ground!

I only frequent 2 sites dealing with woodworking. I am amazed at the number of folks sharing John's view of returning to those thrilling days of yesteryear.

And then I think of the Shakers, their fondness for simplicity and their propensity for improving/developing more efficient tools. Seems even the folks "living the dream" dreamed of making things easier and faster.

Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Larry Buskirk on June 24, 2012 at 1:34pm

Lew,

I guess it's just a yearning for the simpler times when big brother wasn't looking over our shoulders so much.

I can't imagine what folks will be thinking of us 100 years from now, or how much differant things will be

Maybe I'm better off not knowing

Larry

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Fred Wilson on June 24, 2012 at 5:03pm

John - great discussion topic. Just one comment for YOU sir regarding "Now I'll admit, there is one machine I will not be able to do without, the table saw." Think peddle power - I did.

My long term goals are pretty much the same as my short term goals. Being able to share my talents with other folks around the country through the pieces I make. Yeh, a little $$$ to pay for the wood and tools is good too.

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
EX-21
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'

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Site AdminPermalink Reply by John Morris on June 25, 2012 at 3:48am

Great feedback guys!

I guess I am a romantic in the sense that I love things old and warm. I have this vision that someday I'll be in this shop on a property up in the mountains. It will be an old cabin with an out structure that is over a hundred years old that I'll use for the shop. We'll be retired, my wife will be reading her favorite books on the front porch at times and she'll be working nearby with me making her beautiful pottery that she turns out on a wheel, we'll be in this old shop with a wood burning stove, and nothing but old hand tools of all sorts, and the knowledge to use them to make beautiful furniture for my kids and their kids. And yes, I'll have a few mountain dulcimers hanging off the walls that I can pick up and join my wife on the porch and strum away. No TV, just a radio or player to play our favorite music with. It's just a dream at this point, but ultimately our ultimate goal, a simple life. Living in California my entire life and most of my wife's life, it has gotten old, and we just want a simple life, with simple people around us like us. And would it be too much to ask for a church that doubles as a one room school house?

I would like to reply to each of your responses but I am off to work now, so when I get back in I'd like to hear more of your dreams or goals as a woodworker.

In addition to our goals that you all stated above, can we talk about dreams? Your dream shop, your dream goal? Or are you happy right where you are? I realize I am coming from a different time in life that some are on here. Some of you are already retired and living that dream you have or have been blessed with something unexpected on that way that put you in your dream or goal ahead of time. I know there are a few on here that had a forced layoff thus forcing retirement, and I have heard you claim that was the best thing that happened.

I am interested in your replies, thanks for humoring me on this subject.

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

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Permalink Reply by Fred W. Hargis, Jr on June 25, 2012 at 8:24am

I guess it's a lot more mundane for me...I just want to have fun. Retired, and trying to find a way to stay out of my wife's hair, the shop is a retreat where I go to enjoy.

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Forum HostPermalink Reply by Larry Buskirk on June 25, 2012 at 8:45am

Fred,

Your not alone, and it's pretty much the same for me. I'm sure quite a few of us retreat to get out of the wifes hair.

Larry
Fred W. Hargis, Jr said:

I guess it's a lot more mundane for me...I just want to have fun. Retired, and trying to find a way to stay out of my wife's hair, the shop is a retreat where I go to enjoy.

No Ref