Re: some interesting design notes (windy, as all my posts are)

hey guys,

> >A couple of times lately, I've done some little thing to a project and >it's added a whole new flavor. > >Now that's a shocker! > >What I mean is, I have something that was going about as designed too, >sort of plain-vanilla. Then I add some little touch on impulse or >because the material was around, and it sems to change the whole >flavor of the piece.

"The best laid schemes o? mice an? men / Gang aft a-gley." "To A Mouse", Robert Burns.

We often become prisoners of our plans. It is often mistakes that offer us the first glimpse of freedom. The unintended consequence is a two edged sword and we'd best use the one to cut the bonds.

"We need new forms.", The Seagull, Anton Chekhov.

We must have new forms and we will, so long as we pay attention to the creative opportunities that are afforded to us by screw ups.

Most of the really neat stuff I've made came about as a response to some sort of flaw in the initial design, or in the materials themselves.

I wonder how much spalted wood was burned before someone decided to embrace its peculiarities and incorporate it into, and, in fact, feature it, in an object.

I wish I had back all the green pieces of poplar that I've cut away. Now I like to use it and let it show. I only ever got rid of it because someone told me it was wrong to keep it.

How would Nakashima's work look if he'd insisted on flawless wood instead of using his famous butterflies?

Keep making mistakes. They can be your friend.

Regards, Tom Tom Watson - Woodworker Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania

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Reply to
Tom Watson
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That's the fun of working without "plans" - all along the way it leaves options for some serendipity. That can be a blessing or a curse - the results of a serendipitous (sp?) act can be an "Ah!", a Ho-Hum or an "Ah SH*T!" thing.

Spent parts of this summer playing with kids. Figuring out how to come up with ways to make some of their ideas in wood and in a way that they could do much of the work was fun. The child like approach to things was refreshing. Whimsical should be a part of the design/build/finish process. (But RED paint!?)

charlie b

Reply to
charlieb

Not when you cut the taper on the outside face of the last leg to be tapered ... it was even marked! Had to come in the shop to keep the tears from rusting the tools ... I can't hurt myself on a computer, can I?

Reply to
Swingman

Now Charlie, aren;t you contradicting y'self right here? I didn;t think a real RED paint would be good either, I was looking for subdued shades. Got the wrong one. Worked great!

james snipped-for-privacy@rochester.rr.com http:// snipped-for-privacy@breck.org

Reply to
brocpuffs

Fixing the inevitable mistake(s) is the true test of problem solving in woodworking ... immediately you're working in a situation where many of your options are taken away

Reply to
Swingman

Yup, and if all else fails, you can take satisfaction from smashing the miscut parts to smithereens with a sledge hammer. :)

(DAMHIKT...)

Reply to
Silvan

You forgot all the cursing and swearing. Of course, I admit to cursing and swearing my way through every project and it's only when it's finished that I (usually) consider it to be worthwhile.

Reply to
Upscale

My son was standing there. I had to hold my tongue.

Reply to
Silvan

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