I took shop class in grade 8, 9, 10 and 11. Wood shop, welding, machine shop, and drafting, our teachers were FIRST CLASS! I'll have to get a picture of the coffee table I still have, my only remaining project. The others are still around, but have been passed on to people who could use them.

John

Those are some great stories on how it all started. I'm still in the learning stage, I'm new, haven't really built anything but a couple ramps for my senior citizen dogs. Ha

I've tinkered with a couple of tools here and there. My dad served in the Army and when I lived with him some thirty years ago I remember he used to go to the wood shop at Lackland AFB, in San Antonio TX. I remembered he asked my brother and I to help him bring these large pieces of wood from the Wood shop to his friends truck and then drove it home. 

When we arrived home, my dad told my brother and I to go outside and play with our friends, so we did. Then a few hours later, we came home to find out we had a brand new Bunk bed made out of oak. That bed was amazing. 

 

I remember those days but never had a chance to do it on my own. I look forward to learning and reading about ideas and how tos. 

 

Eventually I want to build my own man cave and outdoor cigar lounge.

A hearty welcome to our corner of the 'net. Hope to see more of ya as you journey through your woodworking avocation. 

Remember to be safe and have fun.

Echo Gene's sentiment. Welcome!

ditto what Gene said...

you didn't happen to remeber the donuts did'ja???

16 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

ditto what Gene said...

you didn't happen to remeber the donuts did'ja???

I did! Unfortunately I drank all the coffee.

4 hours ago, HSanta said:

I'm still in the learning stage,

Hey we all are; just at different stages. Glad to have you here and looking forward to sharing and learning along side with one another.

Don't hesitate to ask questions. It's the only way to learn...

Now....where did you say you put the donuts?

1 hour ago, HSanta said:

I drank all the coffee.

 

black???

Always willing to help a newbie. 

I got started making things back sometime in the 60's. I think what really got me started building things was when I got an erector set for Christmas. My Dad also gave me a home built tool box and a home made plane. Later I got my Grandfathers tools set that he bought in 1935 from Montgomery wards. (first picture)... I remember taking my first pay check ever and buying a Sears 1/4" electric drill. I still have it today and it's still working (second picture). The third picture is the only thing that I have a picture of that I made from the 60's. The body is made out of wood. Sure wish I still had the cart today. Good old REO engine.

 

The picture order changed. I was thinking they would be in the order that I loaded them. 

 

 

Edited October 24, 20196 yr by Kevin Beitz

So since this thread got resurrected....

Did a little woodworking at intermediate school (ages 11/12 back in '81/'82), didn't do it in high school as I knew I was going to get bullied by the macho guys with too much testosterone and I was an easy target being a scrawny weed. My stepdad had a box of scrap wood and tools, but although he built sailing boats, he never took the time to teach anything, just said to use the scraps if we wanted. He couldn't relate too well even though he loved us, so I don't hold it against him.

 

Made a little stereo table with scraps I found in my early 20's

Spent too much time telling myself I had no skills in that area.

Now, my real journey has just begun in 2018 building my first ever table, no plans, just figuring it out. And I've been encouraged by my wife (and everyone on the forums) ever since. Learning as I go, no formal training, which sometimes feels like trying to eat an elephant, but at one bite at a time I'm getting there.

 

 

I grew up in a newly developing neighborhood in the 60’s. New houses being built meant scrap lumber and occasionally a few good boards would find their way to our forts and tree houses. The workers were always cool about it and now that I look back I believe they left pieces out for us at times. 

In the 70’s after I was married my dad and I started building barn style utility buildings in the back yard for people. We had a plan that allowed us to prefab a lot of it and the assemble it on site. My dad had a small shop and we precut everything on a Craftsman RAS. He never got a table saw. I look back and am surprised we didn’t get seriously hurt. It really made me respect the power of power tools.

 I put boards together for a stereo shelving unit. It’s hard today to look at pictures of it and say I built a piece of furniture.

My dad was one of those men that could do anything and I was blessed to work for him and with him. Taught me many life lessons and skills that took me some time to hone.

About 2000 when my boys went off to college, I had a two car garage separate from the house and now it didn’t have cars parked in it. So I started dragging my tools out and setting them up like a shop. I built the cabinets in the shop first and then decided I really wanted to build a piece of furniture. My wife suggested a bed. How hard can that be I thought and then she said if I was going to build it she wanted a pencil post bed. Okay so now it got hard. I found a plan and managed to follow it and got the bed built. We sleep on it every night now. So with the bed behind me she wanted a dresser, lingerie chest and night stand. So after those were built and the tool collection going in the shop I was hooked. I started spending every spare minute in the shop and taking on everything I could to challenge my abilities.

Several years back I was contacted by a decorator in Vermont about building a Cherry Blanket chest. I was sent a picture and told to stay as close as I could but I could use my own artistic skills to make some changes. When it was finished I shipped it out to an address I was given and paid for my work. A few weeks later I received an email and picture of my chest sitting at the foot of a Cherry sleigh bed. It was then I was told that every piece of furniture in this 3 million dollar house was built by a different artisan. I was selected for the blanket chest. I’ve never been told where the house is or who owns it but I have a piece of furniture in it.

My son started about two years ago working with me in the shop and for the part year he works full time for me in our shop. We stay busy doing custom work and making cutting boards and other small items. We’ve shipped cutting boards all over the states, to Japan, England and Spain.

I love every minute I get in my shop. All of the tools have been upgraded and paid for making cutting boards. When I retired I added 12’x32’ to the 24’x32’ garage. @Ron Dudelston and his wife Dorothy came down and stayed with us and they helped us with the addition. @Allen Worsham and Tami have been to visit and along with Ron we built a Walnut chest together.

Thats about the whole life story about woodworking. It is relaxing, rewarding and just down right fun.