OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

165204 "J Keeling" <jvpkeeling@a...> 2006‑11‑28 Updated Bio and gloat
So here you are, my updated Bio after a year and half of lurking and 
listening with the very odd interjection. Glad to know y'all and you've 
taught me a lot, pushed me over the edge and down the slope, and 
even occasionally put the brakes on a little, very occasionally!
Off to make some curlies now with my brand spaning new, fresh out 
of the wrapper this very evening Lie Nielsens biggest, baddest, 
meanest, the humongous #8! I'm gonna have to start calling my 
Stanley #8, Junior!

Seasons greetings and my best to you and yours,  John

My name is John Keeling, early 40's and I now live in Upper Valley 
region of NH. I've posted once or twice but find I learn more by 
keeping my big mouth shut most of the time.

Born and educated in UK. Mechanical Engineer, moved to US to work
for GE. Got married to a local yokel, another mechanical engineer and
stayed. I nolonger work for GE, moved to a software house instead. 
Still engineering just a little different perspective.

Started 'woodworking' just 5 years ago. Originally with lektron and 
finger eating tools. Did a course in hand tool joinery in 2002 and was 
hooked. Find I use power tools less and less and hand tools more and
more. Not because they're more efficient but because I don't need a 
120dB dust collection system running all the time and 100+dB 
machines running the rest of the time. 
Nothing like been able to hear the tools make the cut! My form of
relaxation.

Done a fair few bits of built-in furniture for the house as well as a 
number of free-standing things. Built a few tools, nothing to write home
about or show off just yet. Plenty of inspiration from people on this list
though! I built a real nice bench earlier this year, kind of a cross 
between a David Charlesworth and a Ian Kirby design. I have a nice 
heated shop now and i've just finished my most impressive and most 
difficult piece yet, a set of 8' tall sliding shoji.

A year and a half ago I finished a sailboat i'd been working on for a 
little while and I now enjoy sailing it in the summer etc. The boat, is a 
14' lapstrake plywood constructed sailboat with a ultra-modern 
carbon rig and Kevlar sails. I'm hoping my next big projects will be 
a couple of kayaks, cedar strippers. SWMBO has a long list of 
furniture and fixtures she wants me to make and on the top of the 
list is a new kitchen so winter will be busy. On top of that she does
stained glass so has a list of lamp bases, frames etc that I've also 
got to make!

SWMBO is generally fairly supportive but is often heard to utter the
phrase 'don't you already have one of those'... I don't consider myself
a collector because my tools, all of them [the 4 #4's, 3 #4.5's, 3 #7's 
67 chisels, 150 carving tools etc] are real sharp and the planes have
shavings in them! 
But I do have a habit... a tool buying habit!

I've got lots of questions and very few answers.

So, lots to do, not enough time or tools to do it with, but the getting
there is where the fun is at!
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Recent Bios FAQ