OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

51389 STJones911@a... 1998‑10‑10 Re: FREE Prize for Bio's - Round Two!
Well, I probably missed the prize, but it's about time anyway....

Like many others on this list, I'm a professional computer geek by day
(and sometimes night). I've been at it one way or another for 25
years, starting with a one-week programming class. (I fear that some
of my programs are making a modest contribution to the Y2K problem.)
In the middle of that stretch, I taught computer science at a Missouri
community college and at a regional campus of Indiana University. Now
I work for EDS doing groupware and collaborative work kinds of things.
Before all that I was a musician, cab driver, commercial artist, moved
furniture, wrote advertising copy, and did odd jobs and carpentry, I
have a SWMBO of 24 years and two daughters. (God only sends sons to men
who need help.) The girls are 11 (sweet) and 16 (AAaaauuugh!).

Also like many others, I set out to be a Normite. My father gave me his
old power tools (like a 1936 Craftsman 10" saw) and I started making a
little sawdust. When I couldn't get his 4" joiner tuned to produce a
straight edge, I realized I was looking at a grand or so for a quality
6" or 8" replacement. I decided that I'd better learn to use a plane
instead.

I bought a Stanley #33 on eBay, did some reading, started hitting
auctions and flea markets, bought more sizes of planes, and bought a
#40 from Steve Butti. I joined EAIA and M-WTCA, bought more books, sold
a few planes, and found the slope far too slippery to resist. At this
point, I'd rather just fool around with old tools (mostly planes) than
actually make anything, much to SWMBO's despair. I confess that when I
do make something (more likely a jig or fixture than anything else -
more despair), I feel no guilt in turning to a tailed apprentice.

And I still watch Norm but now I watch Roy too.

Steve Jones
"The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese."



Recent Bios FAQ