My son has called upon me to help with home improvement projects -- building a man care, remodeling a bath, etc. -- but hasn't expressed a lot of interest in what goes on in my shop. A few weeks ago he mentioned that he'd like to make a buffet for his dining room. We're working with rough 4/4 hard maple and he's learning how to use the jointer, planer and TS and how to do a proper glue up (or at least as proper as my skills permit). Stressing safety and how to think through an operation before you hit the power switch. My grandfather was a finish carpenter and my father knew his way around his handtools. I'm thrilled to be passing this along to the next generation.

Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

Larry

Gramp's shop wrote:
My son has called upon me to help with home improvement projects --
building a man care, remodeling a bath, etc. -- but hasn't expressed
a lot of interest in what goes on in my shop. A few weeks ago he
mentioned that he'd like to make a buffet for his dining room. We're
working with rough 4/4 hard maple and he's learning how to use the
jointer, planer and TS and how to do a proper glue up (or at least as
proper as my skills permit). Stressing safety and how to think
through an operation before you hit the power switch. My grandfather
was a finish carpenter and my father knew his way around his
handtools. I'm thrilled to be passing this along to the next
generation.

Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

Larry

Good stuff Larry. My son is 35 and I taught him all of the different things
I knew and knew how to do, from the time he was big enough to participate.
It was a great experience to do all of those things together back then, and
today it is just as good to watch him undertake things on his own with those
capabilities. He won't touch much electrical work today and he does not
paint or do autobody work, so those tasks still fall to me, but that's ok
too since it affords some time for us to do things together. Sometimes it's
good for the old man to still be needed...

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-Mike-

On Tuesday, January 1, 2013 5:00:21 AM UTC-6, Mike Marlow wrote:

Good stuff Larry.

Good stuff is right. Sounds like part of your New Year has been planned, for you.

Sometimes it's good for the old man to still be needed...


Allow me to rephrase that: Those younger folks keep us older folks young at heart and in siprit.

Similarly, we have some projects in their early stages, also. I have no children, but I can identify with both your sentiments, my nephews. We're doing some major work at the farm, including a new shop. The new shop will be our temporary camp, until the new camp is built. A few pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43836144@N04/

This past weekend, we took measurements for kitchen and bathroom areas, work benches and we installed some plumbing.

We have a generation gap. We older folks are in a laid back, take your time, enjoy the day (retirement) mode, whereas the younger folks are in 5th gear, high energy, full throttle mode. Though the farm is a working farm, it is also a place to escape, for hunting, fishing, hanging out..... getting away from the city life. Our "generational conflicts" make for better working as a unit , family bonding and more fun times, than otherwise. The young folks keep us older folks young at heart and in spirit.... and they can cook pretty good, too.

Sonny

On 12/31/2012 10:56 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
My son has called upon me to help with home improvement projects -- building a man care, remodeling a bath, etc. -- but hasn't expressed a lot of interest in what goes on in my shop. A few weeks ago he mentioned that he'd like to make a buffet for his dining room. We're working with rough 4/4 hard maple and he's learning how to use the jointer, planer and TS and how to do a proper glue up (or at least as proper as my skills permit). Stressing safety and how to think through an operation before you hit the power switch. My grandfather was a finish carpenter and my father knew his way around his handtools. I'm thrilled to be passing this along to the next generation.

Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

Larry


That's great.
I wish I could get my son involved more often.
I have tried, but it's so far between he forgets.
His hands are unsteady from a medical condition, watching him do fine
stuff is very hard.

On 1/1/2013 8:05 AM, Sonny wrote:
We older folks are in a laid back, take your time, enjoy the day (retirement) mode, whereas the younger folks are in 5th gear, high energy, full throttle mode.

Tell them to watch that Red Bull intake.

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