"Greg O" wrote in
:

Is this a phase I am going through, or is it all over??
I have my gar....shop setup with all the tools I think I will ever
need, built a few projects, nothing to fantastic, cabinets for our
bathroom, stereo cabinet, and some other piddley stuff. I am in the
process of building a desk for my daughter, but fail to get out there
to finish it!

Then today I fellow and I were talking tools, and he asks me if I want
to sell my jointer that I bought a year ago. I had to think about it,
I still don't know what the answer is!
Will this go away, or am I doomed?!
Greg



If you want to do something, but not commit to anything large, try a couple
of simple boxes, using hand tools you own, with wood already in your
possession, preferably scrap, or something set aside as an offcut. Take
your time, and don't worry about fancy joinery. Plan on an oil or shellac
finish, rubbed out simply with wax. Use this as an excuse not to start
anything larger for a while. Maybe store a special handplane in it, or
some special old chisels.

I find the commitment to complete is one of the biggest hurdles to
enjoyment in a project. I'm happiest when the project is done because I'm
finished fooling with it.

There's a mission-inspired bench/table/blanket chest on my bench right now,
which I started on 15 months ago. I may finish it before Thanksgiving.
And a pair of maple night stands, next to those. The birdseye maple
drawers are done, but the tops need leveling, and there's maybe 3 hours
past that to the first coat of shellac. I'll get back to them soon. The
kitchen upper cabinet prototypes need to be completed. There's real
deadline on those. And the oak mantel for Dad.

The fun is in the design. And the handcraft. Deadlines are for work.

Patriarch