"John Grossbohlin" on Wed, 15
Jul 2020 18:25:10 -0400 typed in rec.woodworking the following:
"Bob D" wrote in message
...

This may be an old topic but I am too lazy to search for it.

Do you have an item that has been a game changer for you in pursuit of
woodworking excellence. It can be something you purchased or built or
found in the trash. It can cost anywhere from free to $1000's. Please
refrain from value judgement comments like "too expensive; not worth it;
etc". To someone its worth it. I am just looking for inspiration and
ideas. Please expand on how or what you accomplished that caused you to
say "Wow, this is a real game changer".

The game changer for me was hanging around with skilled artisans. Seeing
what was possible drove me to get better.

While I had seen Norm and Roy on TV for quite some time it was working at
Colonial Williamsburg, VA in the Gunsmith Shop in the mid '80s that was a
turning point for me. While there I spent a lot of time visiting the shops
for all the various trades. The result of that is I came to understand and
appreciate that most of the world was built without electron power and that
excellent work could be done with hand tools. Before that I believed that
power tools were a necessity...

Being dedicated to doing things with hand tools (mostly because I
lack space or money for much in the way of power tools) I early on
came to an understanding why it is called wood _work_ and why power
tools were invented.. Ripping one board with a hand saw is "cool" as
an exercise. Ripping a bunch - that's why power tools were invented.
--
pyotr filipivich
Next month's Panel: Graft - Boon or blessing?