Popular Woodworking 2009-12 № 180, страница 59

But Aren't You a Woodworker?

Out of the Woodwork

BY ETHAN SINCOX

It's not a hobby if it isn't fun.

ast year, my wife and I bought our first house together. Right after closing, with the help of friends, we pulled carpet, painted, moved walls and relocated plumbing. Rooms took on different shapes, the floors gleamed in wide plank hardwood and new ceiling fans quietly circulated fresh air in almost every room.

But the kitchen remained pretty much untouched. We knew our limitations, both in finances and in stamina, and didn't want to bite off more than we could chew. We decided to hold off on its renovation until a later date.

Apparently, that time has come. For the past few months, we've pored over catalogs and design books, trying to figure out what kind of look we want for the new heart of our house. We even got bids from some local stores and talked to a friend about custom cabinets.

And I always get the same look from people when I tell them that.

"You what? But I thought you were a woodworker!"

"Well ... I am."

"Then why don't you make the cabinets yourself and save a ton of money?"

The complete answer to that question is a bit complex, so I usually don't go into great detail. Instead, I smile and nod and mutter something about considering it.

But here is my answer in its entirety.

Woodworking is a hobby for me; I do it because I enjoy it. Wait, let me clarify ... I enjoy the woodworking I do. There is a difference.

I cherish the time I get to spend in my shop, waging the constant battle between my obsessive-compulsive disorder and my art. I don't want to waste that time making things I don't want to make!

I'm a small project kind ofwoodworker. I make boxes and fuss over little things, such as splined miter joints and fitting compartment inserts. I worry about the Golden Ratio and grain selection, and pairing up my woods for the right amount of contrast and complement. I obsessively ensure the wool tartan linings are perfectly in line with the sides. I even like sanding and finishing.

Making 25 large boxes out of plywood and screws is not my idea of fun. It seems more like work to me. I work at a full-time, non-woodworking job 40-plus hours a week. Woodworking is my escape from the pressures of work.

Last year I attended a seminar taught by Frank Klausz, a master cabinetmaker from Hungary. One of the most important lessons I learned from that class runs through my mind every time I'm in my shop. He said, "Americans try too hard to be good at everything. You want to make cabinets, you want to build furniture, you want to turn bowls and carve faces. In trying to learn a little

about everything, you become masters of nothing."

I tend to agree with him. I don't want to be OK at woodturning and get by with my cabinetmaking skills and not do a half-bad job at carving - then as a result make only mediocre boxes.

I want to make really good boxes. And, eventually, I want to make great boxes. I want people to wonder whether the best part of their gift is the object in the box or the box itself.

Some day, I'll make a box for my wife. It will be made with great consideration and attention to detail. It might have dovetails or it might have splined miters. The dividers will be fitted with precision and the woods will be selected with care. Hopefully, every time she opens it she'll be reminded of just how much I love her.

But it won't hold pots and pans. PW

Ethan works in software support and edits the St. Louis Woodworkers Guild's newsletter. You can read more by Ethan on his blog atgreystonegreen.blogspot.com.

80 ■ Popular Woodworking December 2009

PHOTO BY BETH ANGLIN