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Woodworking, specifically with hand tools. I love everything about it. The history and tradition of the craft and seeing the work of craftsman around me, especi

Woodworking, specifically with hand tools. I love everything about it. The history and tradition of the craft and seeing the work of craftsman around me, especially when travelling. Satisfaction from finishing a project or applying a newly learned technique. Not to mention that wood as a medium is both challenging and rewarding. This comment could never do it justice.

ExploitsforFun 11y ago
How did you get started with something like that? I can barely get a nail straight into a board
- beobab 11y ago
  Don't know about the OP, but I took an evening woodworking course at a local college. 24 weeks, 1 hour a week, £129.99. When I left, I felt like I could build anything (I was wrong - but that's a whole nother story).
- phn1x 11y ago
  Practice. Practice Practice. Also workshops, find a small wood shop in your area. We have woodcraft here, which offers various classes on the weekends. Most small colleges also still have some wood working courses. My dov tails still suck though so I may be off.
- chrisan 11y ago
  Same way you do with programming, pick a tool (language) and start making something! You won't get better at something being intimidated and never trying :) I grew up watching Norm Abram as a kid. Watching something come to life is so rewarding. Failing however is very painful (possibly expensive) as you can't take back cuts! I'd suggest watching some Paul Sellers videos, hand tool oriented: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork Power tools are nice, and I have acquired plenty over the years, but if you aren't in some kinda shop just cranking out pieces for customers the hand tool way is very rewarding (and challenging) Also like programming, you can always improve and learn more
- jlewallen 11y ago
  The idea of creating things out of wood always appealed to me, but I never knew I could turn it into a satisfying hobby until I set out to build a built-in bookcase in my home (a very typical gateway project) Before woodworking I tended to collect and discard hobbies. As others have mentioned, I suggest picking a project and going for it. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is a great source of introductory projects you can start building with limited power tools and experience, to get a taste. If you enjoy it, the next thing you know you'll be buying antique tools on ebay, pre-ordering Lost Art Press books and arguing about sharpening methods or bevel up vs bevel down. Or, you'll be happily creating things out of pallet wood using a jigsaw and orbital sander. The craft is very wide and very deep and I make no value judgement on how people enjoy it, I'm just happy to see people building things themselves. If you don't have any space or tools, seek out a MakerSpace. I'm a member of my local one here in New Haven, solely for the community as I have my own "shop". It would be a great source of tools and help if I were just starting out.
beobab 11y ago
Plus, it has the advantage that you can create a cool fort/tree-house for your kids, and gain serious "dad-points" (or "mum-points" if you're a mum).
nickbauman 11y ago
Writing software is a great intellectual pastime. But it doesn't engage the part of me that is outside of the screen. I find making things from wood does engage that part of me.
gambiter 11y ago
Me too! Specifically, wooden clocks. There's something very significant and special to me about the idea that pieces of wood cut in certain shapes can measure time as accurately as a computer. Ok, not even close to "as" accurately, but +/- a few seconds in a 24 hour period is close enough for me.
- jlewallen 11y ago
  These ARE awesome. The Wood Whisperer had a guest video of one of these that blew me away, most likely because it was an area unfamiliar to me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNA6MJV5xWw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNA6MJV5xWw

ExploitsforFun 11y ago

How did you get started with something like that? I can barely get a nail straight into a board

beobab 11y ago
Don't know about the OP, but I took an evening woodworking course at a local college. 24 weeks, 1 hour a week, £129.99. When I left, I felt like I could build anything (I was wrong - but that's a whole nother story).
phn1x 11y ago
Practice. Practice Practice. Also workshops, find a small wood shop in your area. We have woodcraft here, which offers various classes on the weekends. Most small colleges also still have some wood working courses. My dov tails still suck though so I may be off.
chrisan 11y ago
Same way you do with programming, pick a tool (language) and start making something! You won't get better at something being intimidated and never trying :) I grew up watching Norm Abram as a kid. Watching something come to life is so rewarding. Failing however is very painful (possibly expensive) as you can't take back cuts! I'd suggest watching some Paul Sellers videos, hand tool oriented: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork Power tools are nice, and I have acquired plenty over the years, but if you aren't in some kinda shop just cranking out pieces for customers the hand tool way is very rewarding (and challenging) Also like programming, you can always improve and learn more
jlewallen 11y ago
The idea of creating things out of wood always appealed to me, but I never knew I could turn it into a satisfying hobby until I set out to build a built-in bookcase in my home (a very typical gateway project) Before woodworking I tended to collect and discard hobbies. As others have mentioned, I suggest picking a project and going for it. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is a great source of introductory projects you can start building with limited power tools and experience, to get a taste. If you enjoy it, the next thing you know you'll be buying antique tools on ebay, pre-ordering Lost Art Press books and arguing about sharpening methods or bevel up vs bevel down. Or, you'll be happily creating things out of pallet wood using a jigsaw and orbital sander. The craft is very wide and very deep and I make no value judgement on how people enjoy it, I'm just happy to see people building things themselves. If you don't have any space or tools, seek out a MakerSpace. I'm a member of my local one here in New Haven, solely for the community as I have my own "shop". It would be a great source of tools and help if I were just starting out.

beobab 11y ago

Plus, it has the advantage that you can create a cool fort/tree-house for your kids, and gain serious "dad-points" (or "mum-points" if you're a mum).

nickbauman 11y ago

Writing software is a great intellectual pastime. But it doesn't engage the part of me that is outside of the screen. I find making things from wood does engage that part of me.

gambiter 11y ago

Me too! Specifically, wooden clocks. There's something very significant and special to me about the idea that pieces of wood cut in certain shapes can measure time as accurately as a computer. Ok, not even close to "as" accurately, but +/- a few seconds in a 24 hour period is close enough for me.

jlewallen 11y ago
These ARE awesome. The Wood Whisperer had a guest video of one of these that blew me away, most likely because it was an area unfamiliar to me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNA6MJV5xWw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNA6MJV5xWw