Looking for a wall cabinet to store my CD's in and finding nothing I
liked so I designed and built my own. It was also my first use of a
compressor to spray on clear lacquer. (Still looks great 5 years later).
As others have said, each time I try a new technique and it works. (This
process also gets me a lot of kindling!) I built a Grandmother clock
from plans and am working on designing one from scratch sometime in the
future.

When your neighbors come to you with problems and you know how to do it
because you have already crossed that bridge. Like others have said,
when it is a fun journey as well as a nice project. I spend a lot of
time planning before I ever go into the shop. It is always a joy to make
the first cuts on a project that until than has only existed on paper
(or in my computers memory!)
Bruce
Rolling Thunder wrote:
On 30 Jan 2005 20:31:29 -0800, wrote:


How is it that we, as woodworkers, gauge our progress from rank amateur
to seasoned craftsman?


Snip

I hit another milestone today. It was this:
"Dude, those are way nicer than what you see in the stores." That was
my buddy, referring to a pair of end tables I made this weekend.
Admittedly, he furniture shops at Big Lots, but the reverence was
genuine.

Also, for some of y'all, there's got to be a point at which you don't
reach many more real milestones. The learning curve has pretty well
flattened out. I mean, is there ever a point at which woodworking
becomes purely rote execution, or is there _always_ a challenge in it?
For all the work I did on two end tables (and two accent tables last
weekend), I figure I've got small tables down cold. At least, small
tables with 2x2 legs and 4" aprons and dowel joints.

So what is the standard by which we measure our growth? First project?
First dovetail? First commission? First cabinet? Or maybe Last
cabinet, Mr. Watson?
Anyway, I'm rambling a bit, and was curious.

-Phil Crow


I haven't made it to the skilled craftsman measure yet but my major
mileposts we

My son wanting something I made. I made a patio chair from some
2X4s out of a library book project plan.

My daughter wanting a table to fit in an alcove. This was a first
time making a table. It is a hallway/sofa table based upon a shaker
design. A lot of firsts with this one. My daughter's friends
wouldn't believe it was hand made and had to make closer inspections.
That put a grin on my face.

Made some wall shelves that were based upon pictures from a
Ballard catalog. They were listed at $90 and made for about
$15 from molding. The SWMBO has six of them hanging on
the walls; first major approval. Daughter has a couple now
too.

First sale of work to some of my daughter's friends who wanted
what I made for her patio: utility benches, patio chairs and matching
small table. Real money for those; a first.

Oh, and recycling wood from dumpsters at construction sites.
So I haven't spent much on wood, mostly on screws, paint,
sandpaper and such.

I really enjoy the Adirondack chairs I made for myself. Just
sitting in 'em makes me feel good; enjoying the day with
a brew and the shop dog by my side ( oh, meant to say
the SWMBO at my side). ;-)

Thunder

P.S. Project list now includes: book shelf for computer room,
daughter request for cedar chest, headboard for SWMBO,
and another workbench for myself. Ha! Waiting for
the weather to warm up to start again.