Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-6, страница 12
The Woodworker's Journal Life Lessons from the Shop Lately I've been thinking about the lessons woodworking leaches us, and how those lessons extend to our lives beyond the shop. No matter your style or skill level, there is something to be learned every time you work in your wood shop. And when you emerge, and put the fruit of your labor on display for friends, family or clients to appreciate (or critique), you come away with a few more observations that have value well beyond the walls of your shop. Some of those observations are practical... others amusing: "If it doesn't fit. get a bigger hammer." (Or dial saying's well-worn corollary: "If the only tool you own is a hammer, soon, all your problems begin lo look like nails.") What else does woodworking teach? Warren Nelson, the foreman of my father's woodshop, was fond of saying to me: "In woodworking, it's never a mistake unless you can't fix it." I have heard Warren's voice in mv head a thousand times and in a thousand different circumstances over the years. And his advice has helped me out of many a jam. More recently, the project featured on page 52 of this issue reminded me of another good lesson: "Listen to your wife and don't shop in hoity-toity catalogs." If that's not a life lesson. I don't know one when I see one. In a more serious vein, I truly believe that there are valuable life lessons we all have learned in the woodshop. Here are a couple of mine, to help prime the pump: "A significant effort is required if a quality outcome is lo be achieved." And its partner; "A half-hearted effort will yield half-baked results almost every time." Field editor Chris Marshall offered up this lesson that I'll bet many of you have learned over the years as well: "In the shop, you are your own worst critic. The mistakes woodworkers fret over are almost always invisible lo recipients of our work." And my publisher shared one of his with me as well: "Never teil any of your woodworking friends that you used bondo' body filler to fill a misplaced (and hidden) mortise." (After 18 years, he tells me, somebody will still reach tor the bondo whenever he enters the shop.) I'm pretty sure that most of you reading this are the recipients of some hard-won woodshop life lessons — it just comes with the territory. Which makes me hope that you might want to share that woodshop wisdom with your fellow readers. What have you learned from woodworking: funny, serious or practical? Are there life lessons that you can share with fellow readers? Drop me a line with your woodworking maxims, and I'll feature ihem in our tetters department. Perhaps we all can benefit from your experiences. My latest woodworking project, featured on page 52, taught me an important lesson. Correction: In last issue's Shop Test, we incorrectly identified the Laguna Planer/Jointer Combo Machine in the story and its price. The correct information is: Mode): MJP0410-0175. Cost: $2,495. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 Volume 32, Number 6 HOB JOHNSTONE Editor in Chief JOANNA WERCH TAKES Senior Editor CHRIS MARSHALL Field Editor JEFFJACOBSON Senior Art Director JOEFAHEY Associate Art Director MATTHEW BECKER Content Coordinator LARRY N. STOIAKEN Publisher DANA SEVERSON Advertising Director ALYSSA TAUER Advertising Operations MARY TZdttOKAS Circulation Director KELLY ROSAAEN Circulation Manager MEG CLARK Direct Mail Manager Founder and CEO ANN ROCKLER JACKSON Editorial Advisors NORTON KOCKLER JOHN KKIUHER Contributing Editors MICHAEL DRESONER RICK WHITE GEORGE VONDRISKA ADVERTISING SALES J.F. Van Gilder Company 12740 Hilicrest Plaza Dr., Suite 295 Dallas. Texas 75230 DAVID HECKLER dedd@ngco.com TERR] MATH1S tem@jvgca.com JIM VAN GILDER jim^/Tgco.corn Phone; (972) 392-1892 Fax: (972) 392-1893 Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Magazine Publishers of America EDITORIAL INQUIRIES ROB JOHNSTONE riohnstoneWwoDilworkersjourn3l.com 763-478-8255 JOANNA WERCH TAKES I take s'lSwDOtJ wo rkeraioural.com 763-47B-&3Q3 CHHIS MARSHALL cma rshai Wwoodworkersjou rnaf.co m 614-746-2985 SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES (800) 765-4119 ur Write Woodworkers Journal. RO. Box .56583. Boulder, CO 80322-6583. E-mail: woodworkersjournaMneodata.com. Include mailing label for renewals and address chaoses. For gift subscriptions, include your name and address and your gift recipient's. BOOK SALES AND BACK ISSUES Call: (800)610-0883 www. wood wo rkersjou rnal.com VISIT OUR HOME PAGE: ©2008 Rockier Press Inc. Printed in USA 12 |
