OldTools Archive
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63877 | "David Sawyer" <dsawyer72@h...> | 1999‑06‑11 | SWMBO Involvement |
While I was smoothing a rough cut walnut 2x6 last night with a #5, I brought SWMBO down to show off the wood (sorry, I'm still a newbie and the only woods I've worked with till now are pine and white oak, so new woods impress me easily). She was impressed with it and asked if she could try using the plane. I let her, and she enjoyed it. Now what? Do I encourage this? I'm worried because she might start noticing tools appearing in the work shop if she spends time in it. Although it could make the case for some tools easier. I like the arrangement the lady we bought the wood from had. Her husband built everything, and she finished everything. I'm not big on finishing, so this sounds like a good plan. I was wondering how much others get their SWMBOs involved in the work? David Sawyer |
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63883 | Tom Holloway <thh1@c...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
At 11:37 AM -0400 6/11/99, David Sawyer wrote: >I was wondering how much others >get their SWMBOs involved in the work? Mine has been getting pretty heavy into stained glass. Over the past months we have turned out several gifts and items for the house in which she makes the glass part and I make the wooden base. Most stained glass lamps I've seen have bases of cast pot metal bought from catalogs. Ours have A&C-inspired fumed oak bases under her shades. Other items have been "fan lights" and four-sided lanterns (for candle or nightlight bulb) for which I make the bases out of cherry or maple. This way we don't compete, either for tools or achievement points. We complement each other's contribution to the finished product. And as long as I don't flinch when she buys another glass-cutting jig or whatever, she doesn't roll her eyes when I get another WW instrument--only essential items, o'course. Tom Holloway |
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63884 | "Ken Greenberg" <ken@c...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
On 11 Jun 99 at 11:37, David Sawyer wrote: > Now what? Do I encourage this? I'm > worried because she might start noticing tools appearing in the work shop if > she spends time in it. Although it could make the case for some tools > easier. I like the arrangement the lady we bought the wood from had. Her > husband built everything, and she finished everything. I'm not big on > finishing, so this sounds like a good plan. I was wondering how much others > get their SWMBOs involved in the work? Yeah, this is a good thing. I showed my wife how to use a side bead a while back, and explained about different shapes and sizes. It makes it much easier to explain why I have more than 30 molding planes. Also, she has a casual interest in carving, so I can come back from tool hunting and say "Look, I found you some carving tools." While she's checking them out, I can sneak my stuff into the shop without her noticing. But if you are really concerned about her noticing new tools, just remember the standard advice on not storing all your tools in one place. A big shelf o'planes can be pretty obvious. I'm with you on the finishing aspect. I've always found it to be more of a pain than a pleasure. Maybe all this shellac will change my mind, though. -Ken, happily building a Krenov-style smoother these days Ken Greenberg IT #321; Blue Galoot #82 400 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos, CA 95032 http://www.calast.com/ken/Personal/wood.htm |
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63886 | "Generations Furniture" <genfurn@e...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
David and All, I think this would be a good time to chime in and express my opinion, humble though it is, about SWMBO involvement. My wife and I are involved full time in a custom furniture business. We also do repair and refinishing to old, as well as new, furniture. Before we went full time, I referred to my wife as Inspector 12 (remember the Hanes commercials?) She would not let me get by with anything!!! Does wonders for your learning curve. Since we moved to a new community, she has been working with me. She does the strip and refinish work, and does an excellent job. I do the new and repair work. This makes for excellent division of labor and speeds the work. What does this say for acquisition of old tools? Well, if I need it, she is very supportive and usually pushes for me to get it. If I already have 2 - 20 of 'em, she says WHY? In short, she's supportive of useful, disdainful of needless redundancy. And you know what? She's a whole lot smarter than I am in that regard. What do I think about encouraging SWMBO involvement in your hobby and interests? GO FOR IT!!! She can be your greatest ally, and just may enjoy it as much as you do. Don't be surprised, however, if she gets better at it than you......DAMHIKT. Another subject for another time.....But my opinion is that anything that brings a family together, is just that much better for them and the country. Bruce Z. With no apologies for his opinion in this case. (grin) > plane. I let her, and she enjoyed it. Now what? Do I encourage this? I'm > worried because she might start noticing tools appearing in the work shop if > she spends time in it. Although it could make the case for some tools > easier. I like the arrangement the lady we bought the wood from had. Her > husband built everything, and she finished everything. I'm not big on > finishing, so this sounds like a good plan. I was wondering how much others > get their SWMBOs involved in the work? |
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63885 | "Ellis, Thomas R" <thomas_ellis@r...> | 1999‑06‑11 | RE: SWMBO Involvement |
But if you can't have a big shelf o'planes, what's the point? :-) -Tom Ellis > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken Greenberg [SMTP:ken@c...] > Sent: Friday, June 11, 1999 1:09 PM > To: dsawyer72@h...; OLDTOOLS@l... > Subject: Re: SWMBO Involvement > > On 11 Jun 99 at 11:37, David Sawyer wrote: > > > But if you are really concerned about her noticing new > tools, just remember the standard advice on not storing all your > tools in one place. A big shelf o'planes can be pretty obvious. > > |
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63887 | Steve Clark <steve.liz.clark@w...> | 1999‑06‑11 | RE:SWMBO involvement |
Greetings: Speaking of SWMBO involvement; I found my wife trying to remove the finish on our kitchen table with a spatula a couple of days ago. Honey!! I felt it necessary to enlighten her to the wonders of the Stanley #80 (thank God I have two of them). In a few minutes we were peeling ribbons of varnish from the tabletop. "You mean all of those old tools in your shop can be used? " "This is kind of neat! " One small step for SWMBO; one giant leap for galootdom. long live the revolution, Steve Clark Madison AL |
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63890 | "Bruce Kantelis" <northst@g...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
BIG SNIP > While I was smoothing a rough cut walnut 2x6 last night with a #5, I brought > SWMBO down to show off the wood (sorry, I'm still a newbie and the only > woods I've worked with till now are pine and white oak, so new woods impress > me easily). She was impressed with it and asked if she could try using the > plane. I let her, and she enjoyed it. Now what? Do I encourage this David, David, David, You must learn the art of tying education/honeydo/tool use together. You have to have more tools to keep up with the honeydo list. And teach her all she wants (my wife likes to make twig furn) but before she can commence on a project she will need some of her own tools in order to commence AND she really should learn what to look for and where to find it so she can help locate those items at various fleas etc. Get it? Regards, Bruce Kantelis |
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63904 | "Gary P. Johns" <gpjohns@o...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
On Fri, 11 Jun 1999, David Sawyer trolled a questions in front of the porch: [snip of early galooting being done] > I was wondering how much others get their SWMBOs involved in the work? Dave you surely have a gift for trolling! Since many others are weighing in here (I always thought that side of the porch listed a little. Hey O'Deen whatcha doing over there with that extra order of bug gook?) I figured it was time for my $0.02 worth. My SWMBO (admitedly the best one there is) and I have a great division of labor. She paints...wallpapers...mows the lawn...weedeats it too...trims the trees and plants the flowers! I on the other hand spend my all too precious time in the shop cogitating on which tool I need next OR if the time is really short...working on a project of designing one. If the need is present for another oldtool I immediately call her in for consultation. If the tool in question is deemed an urgently needed one, then she instantly drops what she's doing and heads to the fleamarket...antique mall or garage sale to see if she can find it for me. Occasionally I have had to wait until the next day for the tool to appear. Once she had to stop and feed the dogs and make dinner before she could leave to look for the tools. But I didn't get upset as I was multi-tasking at the time and waiting for the large panel to finish drying from the glueup. So David I believe you will find a resounding YES! is the answer to your SWMBO involvement quesiton and good luck!!! Gary Johns OldTool Heaven "RustHunter" http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9147 |
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63908 | Wesley Groot <wesg@e...> | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
My wife's Oldtools-related forte is pure shopping ability. My workshop, (And, come to think of it; my wardrobe and marriage) are/is the better for it. Of course it doesn't hurt that she's an advertising "rambo" either! I'm proud of her and blessed by her love for the acquisition game. She's also very patient when projects come in late and over budget!;-) Wes |
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63881 | Steve_Bussell@i... | 1999‑06‑11 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
Hi David, This is pretty much the arrangement my wife and I have. She will handle just about any kind of oil or varnish finish on furniture and does most of the interior painting, walls, trim, etc, in our house. She is very patient and like to help out to get projects finished up (no pun intended). I still need to show her about rubbing out finishes and applying wax (should take about 10 minutes to show her all I know) and maybe I'll totally out of the finishing business! As for her involvement in other aspects, she is very helpful with design as well as choice of color/finish. Our tastes are simular, but sometimes I'm too involved in the mechanics of building a piece to get far enough away to get a really good astetic view. I'd say encourage any and all interest she may have in your hobby/addiction. Good Luck, Steve Bussell David said... snippage..... .... Her husband built everything, and she finished everything. I'm not big on finishing, so this sounds like a good plan. I was wondering how much others get their SWMBOs involved in the work? David Sawyer |
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63914 | "Bill Taggart" <ILikeRust@w...> | 1999‑06‑12 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
>While I was smoothing a rough cut walnut 2x6 last night with a #5, I brought >SWMBO down to show off the wood (sorry, I'm still a newbie and the only >woods I've worked with till now are pine and white oak, so new woods impress >me easily). Hey - no excusing needed - I love black walnut, especially freshly planed... it's lovely. - Bill Taggart |
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63920 | Eric Coyle <ecoyle@c...> | 1999‑06‑12 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
At 11:37 AM -0400 6/11/99, David Sawyer wrote: >I was wondering how much others >get their SWMBOs involved in the work? Mine has been getting pretty heavy into stained glass......... Years ago mine was too....just getting into it, taking courses and all that. Had some curved pieces to cut and was having problems.... she asked and I helped. Showed her how to tap on the underside. She never touched it after that. Sometimes it's best to play dumb......and let em revel in their own epiphanies...... ************************ And as long as I don't flinch when she buys another glass-cutting jig or whatever, she doesn't roll her eyes when I get another WW instrument--only essential items, o'course. Tom Holloway *************************** But, GG's, has Tom seen the bill for the diamond bandsaw yet????? Cowtown Eric |
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63934 | Tom Holloway <thh1@c...> | 1999‑06‑12 | Re: SWMBO Involvement |
At 10:13 PM -0600 6/11/99, Eric Coyle wrote: >Years ago mine was too....just getting into [stained glass], >taking courses and all >that. Had some curved pieces to cut and was having problems.... >she asked and I helped. Showed her how to tap on the underside. She never >touched it after that. Sometimes it's best to play dumb......and let em >revel in their own epiphanies...... Um, much as it might pain some to admit such a possibility, I don't know nothin' 'bout cutting and shaping glass. I am not playing dumb, I *am* dumb in this area, and would not presume to intrude on this turf she has staked out. To repeat what I implied in my earlier posting she didn't get into this to compete with me, and certainly not so that I could show her how to do it. The key to harmony here is complementarity, not competetitive one-upmanship. I think that in these life-partner relationships harmony is, in general, a good thing. Complementarity also comes in handy. Tom Holloway |
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