I have lurked in the shadows of the porch for some time
now, and with a recent shove down the slope by an 
unnamed list member, I thought it time I come into the
sunshine and introduce myself. I am in my mid 50's, and
am blessed to live in beautiful East Tennessee. I work for 
a small company in the industrial supply field, a job I have
somehow managed to keep for the past 33 years.

I got my first taste of hand tools from my father via a
a Christmas gift of a Stanley tool kit when I was about 9 
years old. Fast forward to the 8th grade, and the shop 
teacher opening that wonderful cabinet of tools. (he made 
us draw and lable each tool before we ever were able
to use them) His class gave me my first real taste of 
woodworking, and some of the things I learned there
I still use today. My first shop came several years later - 
my front porch with some plastic to keep the winter out
while I made Christmas gifts for family. Those first efforts
were almost entirely done with powered devices. I am 
now blessed to have a much larger and more comfortable
place to work in my basement shop where I still mainly 
make things for family and friends.

My "skills" still lean heavily on power tools, but there has
always been an affection for hand tools in the 
background. I have recently been trying to learn some 
hand tool skills and to make use of them on my projects
including my current project - a blanket chest for my 
sister (which like most of my projects gives me a reason
to add to my tool chest)

I won't say that I am a collector, tools just seem to keep
turning up on my bench. Some follow seem to just follow
me home, others are in the nice boxes that the postman
seems to think he should leave on my doorstep.

I will try and keep quiet, in the shadows under the porch,
and keep my questions to a minimum so as not to stir up
much trouble.
Mike Wood
Maryville, Tennessee
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