OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

-417 hlau@m... (Howard Lau) 1970‑01‑01 Bio - Howard Lau
Greetings all,

I've been on this listserve for about a month now and thoroughly enjoy it.  
Great postings.

I'm an apprentice Galoot.  I began woodworking as a hobby about 20 yrs ago.  I 
was using a cheap B&D Circular saw mounted under a Sear saw table - shudder.  
I also had a hand power drill, a surform rasp plus some frustrating Sears pipe 
clamps.  Build some bookcases and an entertainment center.  I was living in a 
2nd floor Condo in Dallas at the time.

Now I've lived in Colorado for the last 10 years.  Picked up a funky Rockwell 
contractor saw about 4 years ago and became "serious" about cutting wood.  I 
was bitten by old tools about 3 years ago when I ran across an old #5 at junk 
shop.  That's when I also discovered rec.ww.  One of the first responses I got 
as a newbie Bailey owner was from Herr Leach who predicted that oldtools was 
an incurable addiction.  It's been coming on slow but boy was he right.  I've 
since purchased serval items from him - cudos to his quality and service.

To pay for this habit I work as an engineering consultant for the Mitre Corp. 
in Colorado Springs. Some of you Mass types may know of our headquarters in 
Bedford.  I graduated with a B.S. in Physics from UCLA and and M.S. in Physics 
from Wash State University.  I also did 8 years of penance in Dallas working 
for Texas Instruments.

I just completed a cradle for my new son - 1 week old.  No sandpaper - just 
planing and scraping and all mortises were hand chopped.  I did raised panels 
on the table saw but never again.  If I get the money I would love to buy some 
panel planes.  Anyways, I'm seeing hand tool work as my way to unwind from a 
very stressful work environment.  Be seeing ya.


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Recent Bios FAQ