What do woodworkers like?

[bent]

gin and hookers

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Lee Valley gift certificate is the thing to have, eh? Boy, have I got a deal for you guys!

We're having a contest now. The contest has two parts and two winners. The PRIZE for each winner is a $10 LEE VALLEY GIFT CERTIFICATE to be delivered via email.

It's a short essay contest and the winners are decided based purely on which essays I like best. I'll tell you now that I like funny essays, as long as they are not mean.

You can do one or both parts. The winning essays will be posted on the web page. If you would like me to include your name and /or a link to your own site with it, I will do so. Entirely your choice.

The word counts are guidelines. No need to be exact. I just want a couple of short paragraphs for each part. Each of the sample pages I showed you earlier contain an example of what I'm after here.

The contest starts now and ends whenever I feel like it, but definitely within the next day or so. Post your entries here, and I will post the winners here. I will send the certificate to the email address you use for this newsgroup, unless you tell me otherwise. You are welcome to tell me otherwise via private email.

PART 1: In 200-250 words, answer the following question. Why do you enjoy woodworking?

PART 2: In 200-250 words, have your spouse, significant other or non-woodworker friend describe what it's like to live with a woodworker.

Okay, GO!!!!

BTW, I'll be redoing the woodworking page tonight per your excellent suggestions. Among other changes and additions, the online wood store will be banished in favor of a hearty recommendation of Lee Valley.

[Roy]

Valley. Never, never, never

I'd rather you forwarded it to her so she can't miss it.... :>)

Actually, SWMBO gets gardening supplies from Lee Valley, so she rarely frowns on an order, since she gets her fix at the same time...that and the fact she's also does some woodworking herself. Had her own tablesaw, workbench, etc when I met her.

Here's a few other really good experiences besides Lee Valley...

A local store that does certificates, and also mail order, that I can recommend is The Cutting Edge. Just a customer, but have always had a good experience there. They stock much more than what is shown on line.

The owner is a big supporter of the local club, a plane collector, a semi-neander and turner. TCE also sponsors Norm on our local PBS.

Lee Valley and The Cutting Edge probably get 50-60% of my tool/supplies money, plus TCE has some nice wood at times. Woodcraft is probably next on my $ list. I mail order them as the local store always seems to be out of stock of any sale item I want, and are 60 or so miles round trip. Other good experiences, but not on my routine list are Hartville Tool, Penn State Industries and the semiannual trip to Harbor Freight.

Oh, I almost forgot! McFeely's Square Drive Screws!!!!! Don't know if they have gift certificates, but they get some of my dough too.

Regards, Roy

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Can't bribe any of you into extroverting a bit, eh? Ah, well. :)

If anyone (or their spouse) changes their mind, you are welcome to email me privately. The email address I'm posting from is real. Put "woodworking" in the subject so I see it in my spam. If you send me something to post on the site, I will do so anonymously, although I've been following the links in your sigs and I imagine people would enjoy looking at your shops and your beautiful work...

I'll be moving on soon, but I'll keep an eye out here for a while longer. Maybe I'll do brewers next...hmmm...

Anyway, the woodworking page will be completed and linked into the rest of the site within the next few days. Thank you very much for all your input. I've enjoyed exploring all the cool woodworking stuff. I hope you all receive much spousal support and very fine loot!

Sponsor a Woodworker!

[Hambone Slim]

1. Why do you like woodworking:

My guess is woodworkers are strong on 3-dimensional reasoning, short on verbal reasoning. For me; fits my abilities, days are relaxed and enjoyable, get to spend days engaged in creative pursuits & with my pal Spooner. Getting paid to have fun. Can knock off and go flyfishing whenever we please. Get to spend whatever I like on fancy boards, tools, machines, and hardware, and call it "business expense".

1. What is it like to live with a woodworker:

I've had gal pals describe in detail what it's like to live with a woodworker, unfortunately, little of what they had to say is fit to be repeated.

Do I win the Lee Valley coupon?

-- Timothy Juvenal

[NiceToWoodworkers]

You do indeed, for Part 1. Thank you for being brave enough to go first! Is the email address from which you post the correct one to send the gift certificate? Would you like to be credited and/or linked? If so, as what and to where? As always, feel free to email me if you don't want to post the info publicly.

As to Part 2, I'm afraid you do need to find something repeatable. :)

How 'bout it guys? Part 2 is still up for grabs. Somebody must have a spouse dying to tell a good story about what they love you in spite of.

If anyone still wants to contribute to Part 1, I may even decide to award "bonus" certificates.

[Hambone Slim]

Used to have "remove -this" in the sig, so the correct email is juvenal at rude-tone dot com. I'm closing that down next week and the new email address is already set up at: timothy at tjwoodworking dot com.

I'm just putting the final touches on a new website

so a link would be swell. There will be a suppliers link page there as well, so it will be useful.

Thanks for the gift certificate! I actually have a bunch of goodies in my shopping cart there right now - I split my last order up so it's like having a birthday every week, instead of getting more stuff than I can play with anyway all at once.

Good luck with your venture.

-- Timothy Juvenal

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Link mounted. Gift certificate ordered. I'll forward it to you as soon as I get it from them. Thanks again!

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Just received and forwarded the gift certificate. Enjoy!

[Hambone Slim]

Thanks, I sure will! (See; LV gift certificates really _are_ something woodworkers like!)

I uploaded my new tjwoodworking site so your link will go actually go to something. Mostly complete, just gotta add the shop dog pics, pics of the shop, links, and some more samples of work pics, improve some of the wording, etc. Mostly complete though.

Let me know when you're ready to be nice to flyfishers. >8^)

-- Timothy Juvenal

[NiceToWoodworkers]

I'm ready now. If you've got flyfishing info, bring it on! Probably not here though. It's a bit too off topic, unless the woodworkers say otherwise.

[Hambone Slim]

rec.outdoors.fishing.fly is the appropriate ng.

-- Timothy Juvenal

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Posted over there!

[Prometheus]

You know, the question really changes a lot when you split in into professional V. hobbyist woodworkers. A hobbyist has a wish-list full of shiny tools, and a pro might like some of those things, but tends to already have most of them. So a hobbyist likes the tool gifts- but most of the guys I work with like beer, peanuts, and a couple of days off.

I'm trying not to be flippant here- there really is something to the idea of recieving some peace and quiet as something nice a spouse can do for you. I travel a lot for work, and live in motels most of the time. We put in rediculous hours carrying heavy stuff around and working like maniacs. When it's time to come home for the weekend, my wife always wants to go out and "do something." I'm all for maintaining a good relationship, but it's really tough to work up a lot of enthusiam for getting back in the car and leaving the house you never get to see for the sake of walking around a mall. With that in mind, I'd have to say that the best gift my wife could give me on almost any given day is a home-cooked meal in my own kitchen, a day of sleeping on the couch and an hour of quiet conversation that doesn't involve shouting over the sound of power tools.

I love woodworking- I do it for work, and I keep on doing it in my own shop when I get home. But when it comes right down to it, I'm getting tired of people giving me stuff that encourages me to work even longer hours when what I'd really like is just a good meal that didn't come in foam boxes in a paper sack and some much needed rest.

Just a different perspective- but one that probably has a lot of merit for the majority of people who are woodworking for a living, especially when travelling is involved.

On the other hand, I'd never turn down good extension cords. You wouldn't believe how many of those suckers you need on some jobsites.

None of the above. Head on down to the shop and watch what's going on for a little while. Even if you have no idea what is happening, the environment is 90% of the dinner conversation. Reading a book won't give you a feel for what working wood is like.

It's a nice idea, and I hope this project works out for you.

[NiceToWoodworkers]

Yeah, I know that one. My husband used to be an over-the-road truck driver. It took some effort to remember that, the few hours he was home, the last thing he wanted to do was go out to dinner. Sometimes he did it anyway though. :)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You nailed that one. My wife has some heart problems and at times, physical activity must be kept minimal. When I'm working in the (garage)shop, she likes to sit outside where she can watch what I'm doing. She may ask a question, but never tells me how do to anything or interferes. Of course, most of what I make is for her anyway.

[NiceToWoodworkers]

That's really really sweet. You made me make the "ohhhh" noise.

And before the gutterbrained among you chime in: *No*, the *other* ohhhh noise.

[Tim Taylor]

Gutterbrained?? Not here!!!

[NiceToWoodworkers]

One of your number just supplied Part 2 via email. A very nice piece from his wife who, judging from her essay, is already a fully qualified Spousal Sponsor.

Thank you all again!