The ad in "American Woodturner" re special commemorative gouges for
AAW's 20th anniversary got me musing about our perceptions of 'useful
beauty'. I would love to own one of those gouges. They look great, well
designed and nicely made. A sure and certain pleasure to use, but would
I use mine? Probably not for a while. I'd keep on using my old beat up
gouges, hesitant to scatch the handle or facet the bevels of such a nice
tool.

I didn't get much of its intended usage out of my '05 pick up until the
fenders and bumper got dinged, the bed scarred and the upholstery a bit
greasy. Then I truly enjoyed using it as a truck, not coddled as a good
looking shiny new car altho kept in good running condition. Is there a
certain satisfaction and pleasure in using unsightly even ugly, things
that work. Are things really ugly if they function well?

I wonder how many of you, almost deliberately and not thinking yourself
a slob, make rough tool handles, festoon headstocks with glue, varnish
and wax and litter bed & bench with unfinished work and extraneous tools
and supplies...ok, your cup with its cold coffee and floating chips &
dust might be a bit too much.

You might _not be a slob If your workshop is a mess, but it's safe and
all working parts are lubed and protected, your turning tools are sharp
and purpose formed and your finished pieces are acceptable in most
turner's sight for their intended purpose, whether for use or admiration
(not necessarily mutually exclusive terms).

Is there a guilt free satisfaction for some of us to enjoy a deliberate
combination of shabby disorder with things that work or is it impossible
to do good work without handsome equipment and a neat orderly workshop,
not to mention a pristine lathe? IIRC, my Jet mini was originally white.

Regardless of all that and whatever else I seem to imply, I'm lusting in
my heart for one of those commemorative gouges. Until then, I'll clean
up my shop and shine up my lathe, but just you don't bet on it, Mr.
Clean.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



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