Your Progress as a Woodworker

Article - May 9, 2011

I recently received an email from Scott B. who was concerned about his personal progress as a woodworker. He’s new to the craft but finds that his progress is slow and he isn’t producing work that matches the quality of the stuff he sees online. He was curious to know if this is a sign that he isn’t cut out for the craft. Does this sound like something you might be thinking about too?

You’re Not Alone

I bet Scott isn’t alone here. Many of us go through periods where we feel that we’ll NEVER get better or we’ll NEVER be able to make projects as nice as (fill in the blank). This feeling can be further exacerbated by the social media and technological advances of the last 5-6 years. If you are on Facebook, Twitter, and the forums and you subscribe to newsletters, blogs, and podcasts, you are constantly being bombarded with other people’s accomplishments. For some this is encouraging, but for others it can be daunting to say the least.

Woodwork for YOU!

Always remember to woodwork for YOU. The bottom line is this craft/hobby needs to be satisfying for you and you alone (assuming you aren’t working for someone or trying to make a living at it). Pardon my French but who gives a $%^& what other people think? If you want to make a whole village out of popsicle sticks, toothpicks and hot glue, go for it! As long as you are satisfied with your work and it brings you gratification, then I say mission accomplished.

For many of us though, learning/mastering new skills is all part of “woodworking for you”. And it just seems to be in our nature to compare our work to others with a healthy sense of competition. In order to feel truly satisfied with our work, there needs to be a challenge, a lesson, and a victory. And furthermore, we try to raise the bar with each and every project. I suspect this is the way most of us think; including our friend Scott here.

Like Anything Else

If you find yourself in Scott’s position, I do have some things for you to consider. Remember that woodworking is much like any other intellectual or physical pursuit. Some will have a natural talent for it (have you seen Vic’s first project?), and some will have to work their butts off to make even a modicum of progress. In the world of drumming, I knew I would never be the next Neil Peart. But I practiced my butt off so that I could carve out my own little drumming path and enjoy my time with my band. I didn’t NEED to be as good as Peart to enjoy the thrill of making music. Here’s another analogy, since I know you love them! Some may be surprised to know that my dad was a competitive body builder. As a teen, I used to tag along to the gym several days a week. I learned more about weight lifting and nutrition than any skinny guido in Trenton should know. But apparently, I get my frame from my mom’s side of the family. So while it was pretty clear that I wouldn’t be winning any competitions for my sweet sculpted 6-pack abs, there was nothing stopping me from being in great shape and living a fit and healthy lifestyle.

A Series of Steps

OK enough analogies. The thing you need to realize about woodworking is that just about everything boils down to a series of sequential steps. Even some of the most complex pieces you’ll see could be constructed by a novice, if given the proper guidance during each step of the process. I have taken (and given) enough 5-day classes to see for myself what a complete woodworking newb can accomplish with the right amount of information and support.

So why isn’t everyone making masterpieces right out of the gate? One reason is feedback. The above-mentioned classes work so well because the student is under constant supervision in a controlled environment and corrections can be made if they begin going off-course at any particular part of the project. Another reason is a lack of understanding and patience that comes with experience. For instance, a new woodworker really has no idea how important it is to have perfectly square and flat stock before cutting joinery. You can tell them, but most won’t really “get it” until they see what happens when their boards are NOT square. In woodworking, the consequences are usually not identified until several steps (days, weeks) after the action. So it can be difficult for new woodworkers to identify the source of a particular problem. Its the accumulation of these little consequences that will eventually sabotage the new woodworker’s efforts. After several years of building projects, most woodworkers are able to easily identify the cause and effect of each operation while also pinpointing the areas where their attention will pay big dividends. So even when presented with a detailed set of plans and step by step instructions, some new woodworkers just won’t have the experience level or patience to make it to the finish line unscathed.

Tips for Success

If you follow the instructions closely and you set up your machines correctly, there are very few projects that you won’t be able to build if you have a set of plans. Here are a few tips to ensure your success:

Review the entire plan before cutting anything. Many times, you’ll find important tips and details at the end of the write up. If you blindly start at step one, you may find yourself near the end saying, “Had I known THAT, I would have…..”

Slow down. Just because a plan allows you to easily visualize the end-game, doesn’t mean you need to get there this weekend. Give each part of the process an appropriate and realistic amount of time. That includes surface prep and finishing!

Use practice boards to confirm setups. If you can’t get a good result with scrap, how can you expect to get a good result with your actual work piece? Always confirm setups using scrap wood and you’ll save yourself a bunch of frustration.

Don’t cut all your stock ahead of time. Plans have a way of deceiving people into thinking they are putting together a jigsaw puzzle; cutting all the parts ahead of time and fitting them together later. Well, its sort of like a jigsaw puzzle, if you accept the fact that the puzzle pieces are going to move and change in both shape and size. So try to cut your parts as you need them and at some point, you will need to abandon the measurements in the plan and instead take your measurements from the workpiece itself.

Do your research on any tools or techniques you aren’t familar with. If something is unfamiliar, take a break from the project to familiarize yourself. Whether a new tool or a new technique, do some research and make a few practice cuts. Don’t let this project be the very first time you experience this new thing, whatever it may be.

Seek help from online or local resources. If you get stuck, take advantage of the thousands of woodworkers out there willing to give you free advice. A forum like Wood Talk Online is a great example of such a place. And if you really want more in depth assistance, there are new resources such as The Wood Whisperer Guild and The Hand Tool School that will help you take your woodworking to the next level.

Keep in mind there will certainly be numerous advanced techniques that will need to be done by eye and will require manual dexterity. For this stuff, there’s just no substitute for practice and experience. But with the vast majority of projects, the only thing standing between you and success is your ability to follow instructions and knowing how to operate your tools. Of course, this assumes the plans you are following are complete and well-written. Obviously, not all plans are created equal.

Clarification

Now don’t get me wrong here; I am by no means down-playing the skill level of accomplished craftsmen nor am I advocating mediocrity. There are whole segments of the craft that we haven’t even discussed here such as design, creativity, and the pursuit of perfection. That’s not what I’m talking about today. I’m specifically referring to woodworkers who simply want to build stuff; most of which will be reproductions or modified reproductions. These early successes can, and usually do, lead to bigger and better things. Ultimately, every woodworker must one day make the decision to either be the cool new ground-breaking avante garde band or the cover band who’s primary goal is to emulate the greats. Either path is respectable, but one may appeal to you more than the other.

Most of us will never be the next Maloof or Krenov. But should that stop us from making a sweet sculpted rocking chair or a beautiful Krenovian floor-standing cabinet? Heck no! As long as you are having fun and learning at a pace you enjoy, you are on the right path. And remember, most of our craft relies on knowledge and skill, not talent. That means anyone willing to put in the time and effort should be able to become a fairly accomplished woodworker.

Discussion

Ben May 9, 2011 9:29 am

great read marc!

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TheOneHandedHandyMan May 9, 2011 9:42 am

I often feel the same way but it is unrealistic to compare your work to the work of someone who has put years into their craft. Do we still do it? Sure, but as long as you’re making progress and are happy with what you produce, it doesn’t have to be a museum quality piece. At least, that is how I approach my projects. Positive feedback is always an added bonus though!

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Andy Gartzke May 9, 2011 11:31 am

You nailed it on the head with this. While I may do the best I can, I may never produce something on par with any of the great craftsmen. That doesn’t bother me.

What does bother me is when the REASON something didn’t turn out like I’d envisioned it was simply sloppy work habits or lack of patience. I’ve found myself getting better at this, but sometimes it way too tempting to say “that looks close enough” rather than rebuild an entire part. It’s those elements of discipline that I think can fill the majority of the void between good and great.

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MikeM May 9, 2011 11:38 am

Great article Marc! This article echo’s what you have been saying and demonstrating in your videos. I truly believe step 2 is one of the most difficult ones to overcome! On TV we all see projects come together in less than 30 minutes. We know, based on his website, Norm would shoot an Episode in 2 days, and has the webcam logs to prove it. What the site doesn’t show is how long it took him to make the prototype he always had ready for the show. A lot longer than 2 days I bet!

I just completed a project that was probably the most complex project I have built to date, and was the first project where I used what you call hybrid woodworking. Using the advice you have been giving us, I finally completed it yesterday, and overall happy with the results.

Thank you for the inspiration!

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Dan R May 9, 2011 12:01 pm

Thanks for the encouragement Marc, but did you really have to go after that village I made with popsicle sticks, toothpicks and hot glue?

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- thewoodwhisperer May 9, 2011 12:04 pm
  
  Its for your own good Dan. Put down the hot glue gun and step away from the garage…… :)
  
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Derek C May 9, 2011 12:28 pm

I often feel this way about the little projects I take one… I’ve been a framer for years, but building items that aren’t going to be buried in sheet rock & paint is different for sure! I’ve still yet to purchase my first clamp (although it is at the VERY top of the list!!!) and drill bits are right behind it! Getting by with one 1/4 inch drill bit just isn’t working for me anymore.

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Tom Collins May 9, 2011 12:35 pm

Well I guess just like young women are discouraged by the Photoshoped supermodels on magazine covers, we woodworkers can be discouraged by seemingly ?perfect? projects posted online and in magazines. While some are works of art, you might be surprised to see them up close and see they are not perfect. Some say these are mistakes and imperfections while others would say it is what makes a handmade piece unique and special. My advice would not to get caught up in perfection (or even mistakes), but to keep making projects following Marc?s steps. Getting better happens by practice and completing projects over time.

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Butch May 9, 2011 12:37 pm

Marc – I worked as a finish carpenter for few years in my early days and would get overly concerned about the quality of what I was doing, and it was slowing me down. My boss (the foreman) came in one day and saw that I hadn’t accomplished as much as he expected and said “hey, you ain’t buildin’ no piano here!” (cursing excluded).

I tell myself that every once in a while whenever I’m not satisfied with what I have worked hard on. Anyway, it helps me keep it real.

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- Claude Stewart May 10, 2011 1:24 pm
  
  I too worked for a contractor who built nice homes. One day he said about the same to me because I was taking to long finishing the drywall in a closet. So I moved on and then when his wife (who painted the houses) told him that this house had the best finished drywall in 13 years. So I felt somewhat vindicated.
  
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- MikeM May 15, 2011 10:30 am
  
  Up until recently most of my woodworking experience was with home improvement, where their is a lesser degree of precision, and things can be put together fairly quickly.
  
  When switching to finer woodworking, it is a bit of adjustment to not rush through a project, that for everything to come together takes more time to get the precision a lot of us aim for.
  
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Brian May 9, 2011 5:17 pm

To quote the Meat Puppets:
“I don’t have to think
I only have to do
The results are perfect
But that’s old news.”

I often think of this and stop and think about what I am going to do while woodworking. I think that planning as much as possible is good but you can only do it to a point. In my woodworking I know I am going to make mistakes. The key I believe is learning from those mistakes and avoiding them in the future.

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Todd May 9, 2011 6:33 pm

Hey Marc, great article! I think I’m a lot like Scott, with a busy work schedule and family life, I don’t have enough time to get really good at this but i do love and enjoy it. I try to explain it to some of my friends and family and i think some of them understand it. Again thanks for the timely article.

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Lori May 9, 2011 10:21 pm

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by what you don’t know about woodworking…but try looking at what you do know and how far you’ve come as a woodworker. It’s all about personal progress…if you are progressing in the direction you want to go, then that’s all that truly matters. I think personal challenges are beneficial to help us grow as woodworkers. One of the things I have a hard time with is making a mistake. However, if you don’t make mistakes you can’t learn and grow from them (and who doesn’t make mistakes?). I like to think of the mistakes in my woodworking projects as an opportunity to come up with a creative solution to the problem. These are the moments that help us grow as woodworkers!!!

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Stephane May 10, 2011 6:20 am

Great arcticle

It is true when we see the work in your website, it is frustrating. But we must understand that not everbody is the same level.

But the must important thing is to have fun in the shop and relax. It is not a day job. I go to my shop to change my mind from my day job (computer technicien).

If what I do don’t work and I want to crush everthing. I stop and come back later with a fresh mind.

Hey Marc, I did not know you spoke french? ;-)

Bonne journ

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Scott B. May 10, 2011 6:42 am

Thanks, Marc, and to everyone else who has replied to his article. I agree with Mike M., that Step #2 is sometimes hard to follow.

Todd nailed it with the “busy work schedule and family life” comment. My wife and I both have full-time jobs. We also enjoy our 5 1/2 month old baby, who is a fantastic blessing, but definitely takes a lot of time!

Since I do not have a covered place to do any work, I have to set up in the back yard (patio, actually) whenever I want to work on my project. It is the constant start-stop that gets frustrating, especially when I have to stop having just made a mistake. Then it works on my psyche for a week or two before I can set up my “shop” again. I am not going to give up. Reading this article, and the positive comments has definitely helped me understand that I can (and will!) become a skilled woodworker… in time.

-Scott B.

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- MikeM May 15, 2011 10:35 am
  
  Hey Scott,
  I was in similar shoes when I had to share the garage with the cars. So with everything on wheels, I would wheel everything out on to the driveway, work on my project, then put everything away. You are right, it does substantially limit you as to what you can accomplish, and working on project that takes more than a couple of afternoons becomes very difficult.
  
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Ludovic May 10, 2011 7:30 am

Hi Marc

Good reading, some good tips too :)

I also agree with the fact “Review the entire plan before cutting anything”.

I always draw the entire plan on sketchup, and detail it to the max : this allows me to see that some mortises are not correct (IE 2 tenons that “hit themselves” on the middle of the foot of a table).
Then, I use the “cutlist” plugin, that gives me the entire list of all components of my sketchup model, and even the size of each component. I then rought cut my pieces 1 or 2 cm larger.

Just a word about “how” and where to learn : I’ve learn many tricks from your videos, and some other tricks from other videos. All together are really a good help and saved me from a bunch of errors !

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lynxsg May 10, 2011 7:54 am

Very thoughtful article, Marc.
It takes me a very long time to complete a piece of furniture. I enjoy the planning as much as I do making progress on the piece.

I am very persistent, and a perfectionist … but I enjoy doing things that way.
Lucky for me I don’t make a living with my woodwork.

We all should do our best. We can do no more.

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Tom Buhl May 10, 2011 7:56 am

Marc and Scott, Thanks for the great topic and reminders. For someone like Scott (limited space and limited time with family, work and life) I would also suggest selecting projects that lend themselves to smaller space requirements and either less complex in nature or projects which have readily identifiable components. This allows one to take on bite-sized segments, learn and have a tangible component to provide positive feedback.

As others have suggested the satisfying part for many is that you learn and grow. The pace usually is not that important if you feel progress.

Look at others? work for ideas and stimulation, but do your best to avoid it becoming a competition (that can be tough for many of us).

The foundation you work on today, may allow you to flourish when life changes bless you with more time. I am semi-retired and spend more time in my shop than earning money (to buy more tools). But that is a recent development. When my daughter was growing up, she was job one. My business was job two.

If you can feel positive about the time you do spend creating your own furniture or items of amusement, that will have big impact on your little one. Since taking up woodworking, I?ve met many people who talk fondly of their father being a woodworker in their precious spare time. They cherish the memories and the creations that survive. Some are truly outstanding, others merely sentimental favorites. But all have positively contributed to their growth.

?Daughters (you didn’t mention child?s gender) who adore their woodworking daddy?s is a huge and special club.? When my daughter was growing up I wasn?t a woodworker, but I did have a business that she could hang out in and see pops in action. Very big benefit. And we did spent a lot of time putting things together (and taking them apart of course), so as a young adult my daughter is comfortable with tools, which she keeps in her car because you never know…when something needs taking apart.

Wishing you the best, Scott and all aspiring woodworkers.

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Jim D. May 10, 2011 7:58 am

Marc,

Thanks for an excellent read. Actually, I had gotten to the point where I was ready to give up. It felt like I just couldn’t get anything right. About that time, I stumbled across your website and started viewing some of the videos. Don’t know the exact causality, but your videos got me excited again. I recently picked up a new table saw and was happy to see the end of my old hand-me-down Delta with about .025″ end play and started working again. I’m having fun, still making mistakes but then figuring out how to solve them.

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Claude Stewart May 10, 2011 1:18 pm

As long as you still possess all your digits your doing fine. It takes a while.

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Jeff May 10, 2011 2:26 pm

It all reminds me a little bit of when I long ago decided to play guitar. Several months into it I tossed it aside in frustration because you see, Clapton was STILL better than I was. :-)

As I have aged, I have discovered woodworking, like guitar playing, is what we do, not who we are.

Still there are a lot of talented people here and sometimes we all question ourselves. When I look at something and have doubts I could ever build it, it helps to remind myself that odds are I can code a database application better than the person who built that incredible armoire.

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mikeROCwood May 10, 2011 5:57 pm

great message , well done . My father was a Mr America , so ive been around bodybuilding myself . Thats cool to know . thanks for all the great work your doin Mark .

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Trevor Kernes May 10, 2011 6:13 pm

I think that this article has been more helpful than any other research I have done. I think back to two years ago when I decided to take on woodworking as my sole hobby. I had a few tools that I had slowly acquired, but they just sat in the garage. When my brother asked “What do you have all of that crap for? You can’t even park in your garage!” I decided that I wanted to learn. Up until 20 minutes ago, I felt like I was that same guy. I have now put into perspective how much I have learned (hoping to continue to learn the craft forever).

I am at the point where a couple of friends encouraged me to start to make custom military coin holders. I have made two and their reaction was more than shocking to me. I hope it helps to fund my hobby.

I have a living room full of furniture that I made. Can I see mistakes? Yep. Do I care? Yes and no. I have furniture that I crafted and I am proud of that. But, I know I learned and I can learn again by building more furniture to replace this. I probably won’t be happy with those either.

With this article I realized that I love what I do and I know that it will be a long time before I am happy with what I have crafted. Thanks to you, Marc, for this article!

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Tom Buhl May 10, 2011 9:26 pm

?It may not be the best, but it?s the best that I can do.?
Music and story lovers, and craftsmen (& women) too, should check out Danny Schmidt?s song, STAINED GLASS.
Powerful stuff.

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Eric R May 11, 2011 6:34 am

Well put my friend.

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Stu May 11, 2011 2:09 pm

I keep getting stuck at the “squaring lumber” stage. I finally bought a used Jointer, and am trying to dimension my lumber, but the jointer is out of whack, and may need new parts, so I don’t know where to go from there. I don’t know any woodworkers locally who might be able to help me. Its just frustrating. and I’ve been kinda going at this for a couple years. A few small projects came out “ok” but nothing I’m terribly proud of.

grrr…. but i won’t give up.

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- Scott B. May 12, 2011 7:52 am
  
  Tell me about it! Something as basic as squaring lumber is a real challenge without properly aligned tools!
  
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Nixon May 11, 2011 4:09 pm

i know the fealing. but its a journey. dont stop believin.

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John Thompson II May 13, 2011 10:18 am

excellent article I think this one will become a great reference tool for the future. thanks.

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Jim_WoodWarden May 13, 2011 11:34 am

Good article Marc – I took a long break after the holidays (and that extended into January/February for me since I have a family used to my excuse of I’ll get you your present when its finished kind of thing). Now unfortunately I wish I also had the family trained that the my rolling table saw/router cabinet is not a catch all for everything they want to put in the garage. Somehow it seems even if it stores in the garage its my job to find a home for him it out there. So this weekend is a get motivated to clean up the garage so I can get back to doing projects this weekend – the guild build is coming up after all!!!

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jason martin May 13, 2011 12:17 pm

When I felt like this I took a brick and mortar class aka a real live go to a building and learn class. It opened up my eyes to knew possibilities and correction of my less than correct methods, in addition to what I see online. There is some kind of magical discovery for me when I have that teacher or mentor there making those fine tune adjustments to my skills that help me get over that hurdle.

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- Scott B. May 13, 2011 10:17 pm
  
  I think that would make a world of difference for me. I think a large part of it is I am missing a number of basic hints and tips that an in-person instructor would notice and help me correct. Very good point! -S
  
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Texfire May 13, 2011 3:59 pm

My main problem is the frustration where my ability to visualize the end product exceeds my ability to bring about the end product. My reality has not yet met the fantasy. And I suspect this is the case for everyone at first, thanks for the reminder.

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- Scott B. May 13, 2011 10:23 pm
  
  Exactly, thus prompting me to write to our favorite woodworking mentor. (That is you, Marc!)
  
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Rob May 13, 2011 7:31 pm

Thanks for this Marc. I sometimes feel I’m not progressing at all – stuck in the same grind building frames and small items over and over. This and your articles are giving me the courage to tackle bigger and better projects.
Keep up the great work! Thanks again!

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Sam May 13, 2011 7:45 pm

I define frustration as not getting the expected result and myself being fairly new to the hobby I found myself in that state quite often. I started feeling better when I took a step back and instead of looking at a failure, I focus on what I could learn from this project that I can apply to the next one.

I built Norm’s router table and of course like the noob that I am I was following the plans to a ‘T’ instead of using what Marc calls ‘dimensional measuring’. While the router table came out ok there are plenty of mistakes that I made where I was kicking myself at the end. But I learned from that experience and I can use that knowledge on the next project and so on until I get to the place where I would be satisfied with the quality of my work.

I write software for a living and I can remember the first job I got; I walked in there the first day full of confidence and maybe a little bravado, and by the time the day was over I wanted to crawl into my bed and hide. With perseverance and a love of what I do I became very good. And that is the point I want to make that if you love what you do, persist at it and learn from your mistakes you will find joy in anything you do.

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Nick Doney May 14, 2011 7:15 am

I have two hobbies, golf and woodworking. I use the same approach to both. When golfing I play the course, not the people I’m with. I measure my progress against my last score, not how well I did compared to them. ( Sometimes I drink a free one for the KP, sometimes I buy, separate issue.) I enjoy playing the game. I enjoy working in the shop. I can see the quality of my projects get better as I learn new techniques and work on old ones. When mistakes happen, I study both how it happened and can I live with it. Sometimes that piece becomes part of the project and sometimes it becomes a test cut piece. My goal in the shop is to have a good time, justify the money I spent on that “gotta’ have it” tool, and be satisfied with the finished project. I’m never going to be Tiger or David Marks, but I can get inspiration from them, I enjoy watching people that are expert at what they do.

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Jeff May 14, 2011 1:02 pm

Like others I’m limited by a busy work and family schedule. So it seems to take me ten times as long to even get going on a project, let alone finish one. Marc, this was a great article at the right time. It reminded me that I need to enjoy it, and not stress about trying to find the time, money and making “deadlines”.

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Dane C May 15, 2011 7:58 am

I appreciate this reality check. Sometimes it’s tough to stay positive as the “honey-do’s” and woodworking projects pile up. At those times keeping perspective on your progress and abilities is difficult. Thanks!

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Dale May 15, 2011 12:05 pm

Great article. Very timely.

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josh May 15, 2011 12:20 pm

I didn’t read all the above comments, but YES. It is exponentially exciting to learn a few things about a project you plan to tackle, and then GET OFFLINE. I’m fairly new to woodworking, and seeing some things for inspiration are great. But I don’t need to be bombarded with a million pictures of boxes better than my first try. plus, if you are online a bunch, you are just wasting time you should be woodworking.

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Don Clark May 15, 2011 6:14 pm

I think one fo the things that is a HUGE barrier for me is how much I don’t know, especially when it comes to hand tools. Every video I see seems to mention the use of planes and I don’t even know where to begin…

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- MikeM May 16, 2011 9:07 am
  
  Hey Don,
  I know how you feel, up until a project I just completed, I had never used a hand plane before. With the last one, I ended up using them a lot. I had a glued-up board that was too wide to be ran through the jointer, but needed to be flattened. I pulled out a jack plane that I had been given awhile back, and had sharpened up, and went at it. It wasn’t pretty, however, I got enough of the wobble out of the board that I was able to get it to go through the planer and get it smoothed out.
  
  I ended up using the planes for several more operations that would have been difficult if not impossible on a machine. It does take some practice, but it is not as hard to get started as you think. The most important thing is keep them sharp!
  
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Bryan H May 16, 2011 8:08 am

Marc-
Enjoyed the article – but half expected to see a picture of you flexing with your six pack abs!
No doubt if I compared my woodworking to everybody else, I probably wouldnt pick up a saw again, but I figure when I can dedicate more time to it then I might be able to get a perfect joint even if the whole project isn’t perfect. Thanks for the read!

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Brad L May 16, 2011 9:55 am

Scott, I too am a newbe. Although I do have a workshop in the basement, so I don’t know what it is like to set-up and break down all the time. But what I did figure out day one, it is all about the machine set-up for aliginment.

I think this is the value of The Wood Whisperer and all of the video’s to date that Marc has created. I sat down and watched every video he had on setup and for that fact, I think I have now watched all of his video’s over time.

The point was, I watched the ones that I needed to, to master my first project, a Poker Table. It came out pretty awesome, with a few flaws that I know about but most people don’t see.

Marc’s video will take you a long way if you don’t have a class to take locally or they charge too much for your budget, like me.

My next point is that I made a router table that looked a lot like a piece of furnature than a workshop bench. This helped me learn several things on something that only I would see. And I made mistakes. Some on purpose to see what would happen, like not sanding properly, and not raising the grain before applying the waterbase stain. But that helped me to understand more about finishing, an area that I need the most help with.

The sad part is that I have a friend that has potential to be good if not a great crafter, but he won’t watch the video’s because he thinks Marc talks to much and his jokes are corny. All I ca say is that It will be his loss and a longer road to travel to prefect his craft.

Marc, I love your work, please don’t change anything. Well except more, more, more would be nice!!! Ha

I hope I’ve passed on some good thoughts to you Scott and anyone else that is struggling.

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- Jim D. May 16, 2011 10:53 am
  
  Wow, that’s a shame about your buddy. Marc’s corny jokes make the videos that much more enjoyable. I know they’ve certainly inspired me to get back to the garage. I started a new grooming tack box. I’m struggling a little with the joinery but so far I’m pretty happy with the results. I’m using a combination of ideas I’ve gotten here and at finewoodworking.com. It may not be woodworking’s finest hour in my ship but I’m having fun.
  
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  - Sam May 16, 2011 11:30 am
    
    I agree Jim that Marc’s style and delivery make his videos very enjoyable and he keeps you engaged. He encourages me to keep trying when I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing. I especially love when he shows us the mistakes he makes since I make the same ones. Granted I make them more frequently than he does but it gives me the confidence that I can do this.
    
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  - Brad L May 16, 2011 11:47 am
    
    Hey Jim, that is cool! I just got done making a 4 corner match jewelry box for a friend that is retiring. Did you see the video on Fine Woodworking on that subject. If not, it is a must see for 2 different types of joinery. I’m hoping to submit photos under the viewer projects real soon. I used a roble burl on the top and the rest is Ambrosia Maple. The inside is blue felt from Rockler.
    
    Keep having fun, I know taking up this hobby was the best thing I ever did. Well on to my next project, making a Grandmother’s clock!
    
    Reply
Michael P May 16, 2011 12:18 pm

Reading this made feel better about all the short comings I have been having lately. I think I just need to understand that not everything is perfect the first time.

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pb_husker_54 May 16, 2011 8:33 pm

I often have to remind myself that perfection is a journey, not a destination. As long as I learn a new skill, or get better at an acquired one, I feel that the latest project is my best one yet. I can’t thank everyone enough for all that I have learned on this site.

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jersey mike May 18, 2011 4:12 am

My first real project was one of Mr. Marc’s cutting boards. It looked so easy in the video. I got me some wood, threw it through the planer, and cut it up into the strips. I was whistling a merry tune as i slopped on some glue and clamped them up. The boards weren’t milled square, so my cuts weren’t square, so it didn’t go together well. My first important lesson. I dont know what I’m doing just because I saw someone else doing it.

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Matt Cremona May 18, 2011 7:03 pm

Great pick-me-up! I’ve found that learning to be a good woodworker means learning to fix my mistakes.

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Jon McGrath May 18, 2011 9:34 pm

Great reply. I think no matter what level you are at this type of feeling happens, my challenge currently is the dovetail challenge by hand. It seems there is so much info and technique out there that I was getting more bogged down the more I tried, truth be told my first attempts were better than my 10th. Now, after watching the famous TWW 45 minute or so vid, (more times than I saw Star Wars) so we will just ALOT! I finally have confidence and am forcing my self to do on all 12 drawers of my wife’s chest of drawers

Thanks for the instruction as always Marc, but as I have commented before, thanks for keepin it’s real…….LOL

Jon

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PickeringMike May 31, 2011 7:52 am

Having pretty much all of my learning resources online, I’m finding it can be a slow process, but every now and then I get an Ah Ha! moment and it’s all the sweeter as I’ve put the pieces together (pun not intended) myself without someone looking over my shoulder to correct my mistakes.

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Randy K June 14, 2011 10:11 am

Aloha Scott,

Don’t get discouraged, this is an exercise in patients. Looking to duplicate stuff you’ve seen in photo’s, etc… takes time. The more experience you have the less time it’ll take, but the bottom line is “Take your time”. You’ll hear all kinds of catch phrases i.e. “measure twice, cut once”, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, etc..

Since you’re doing woodwork as a hobby, I’d suggest making/ fixing stuff around the house. Then as your experience grows, so can you ambitions. We all have taken the “Leap of faith” and the difference between success, and failure is experience, and patience. If you start to get frustrated “Walk away” that’s way better then rushing, and having fancy firewood.

Good luck.

Aloha
Randy

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Tim G August 14, 2011 9:41 pm

At one of the “woodworking shows” that came into town last year, I heard a guy say; “you know the difference between a woodworker and a craftsman? The craftsman doesn’t hand over the work and point out all his flaws, he’ll hear the compliments and simply say thank you.”

If you’re going to give a project away, don’t point out your flaws there either. It’s like saying “hey, you want this piece of crap that I don’t want in my house?” Now they see your flaws and don’t like it either. Let them appreciate what you’ve given them, and let them find the flaws if they can…

I see every flaw in my work, how I can do it better next time, and assume everyone else does too. I’ve learned to just shut up and say “thank you”.

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Gillian Booth October 21, 2011 3:23 pm

I am about to start my first real project on my own – your end grain cutting board. Reading all the comments, about it taking so long to get the experience to do it right, scares me! I love working in the shop, but i also need to see results. Maybe I will just stay as an “apprentice” where all the projects that my husband and I do(with me doing the easy things) seem to work so well.

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