wrote in message
oups.com...
How is it that we, as woodworkers, gauge our progress from rank amateur
to seasoned craftsman?

I realize that everyone's process is different, but I feel certain that
every woodworker has certain waypoints on his or her journey.

I will have "arrived" when I can build fine furniture that would qualify to
grace the pages of Fine Woodworking. Meantime, I look for progress in most
every piece.

I don't know if milestone is the right term for the steps along the way of a
long journey. Some of my first projects were doll furniture. Making a
chair with all four legs the same length was satisfying. Making a rabbet
and dado and having the parts fit was satisfying. Then it was on to m & t
joints.

I try to do something different in each piece, be it a joint or even a
different way to make the joint. If I can cut it on the tablesaw, maybe the
router will be easier or vice versa. I then use the finished piece to be my
gauge of success. Are all the visible joints perfect? Everything square?
Is it something I'd be proud to show in my living room?

The other question I ask is, "did you enjoy making it?". If it was not fun,
it does not matter how good it looks. I do this as a hobby and for
relaxation.
Ed