Project Motivation

[Just Jim]

Good Morning-

I am new to posting here, but have lurked for quite a while. I am a fairly new woodworker, though I am not a complete novice. I did the typical shelf and cd rack in high school, then made a cheap little pine table at home. I have to say I find this quite rewarding. I am a tool and die maker by trade so I spend my entire day working stee. Everything is so high tolerance at work and it is nice to go home and work some wood. It's a most excellent stress reliever, and it also produces a beautiful end product. It's not cold and dirty like the stuff I make at work.

I am currently working on making a nice gun case. I am fairly far along on this project, and its taken about 4 weeks so far. Everything went mostly well until I moved on to nearly the final construction steps. I was installing a sliding drawer and mounting the keyed lock assembly. That was a major pain in the ass. Followed by a seemingly never-ending stream of problems on the doors for this cabinet. The doors are 3/4 stock by 2" frames that will have a glass center. It seems as if the building of this project has turned from enjoyable to a constant fight with Murphy. As such I seem to be losing the motivation I had 4 weeks ago. It was easy to stay motivated when things were happening, when there was an end result after only a couple hours time. A panel glued up, this trim piece routed, a base assembled... But now as things slow down I am having trouble getting back into the garage. This will be a beautiful piece IMHO. I just hope to finish strong here.

I guess I am just wondering what it is that you do to keep motivated when you have hit a few bumps and to keep pushing on. I have set aside this entire weekend to hopefully finish construction and begin sanding and finishing. I am really looking forward to getting out there again, I just hope things go better than they have been. Sorry for the rambling.

Jim

[booger]

Jim,

You're not the first one, nor will you be the last to experience this. A lot of folks I've talked with over time have at this same "wall" when they were getting started in woodworking, and will admit that occasionally they still do from time to time. I'm currently at the point of having a large mantle 90% complete, leaving the finishing touch up and tehne the final finish to go. It's been at the 90% mark for a couple of weeks now and I've been having trouble getting motivated enough to get back out there and get that last 10% done. I've decided that I'm going to have to give myself a swift kick in the butt to get over the "hump" and get back out there. One thing I have found that helps is having someone, whose opinion I value come over and take a look at what I'm doing. It seems to give me that extra "boost" of pride in my work or whatever you want to call it to get the project completed, so I can show off the end results.

Now go make some sawdust.....

[rickluce]

[Jack Casuso]

Others may have other ways of motivating themselves, I look upon the problem as a challenge to be overcome. When resolved it yields its own satisfaction. Generally, I try to learn new techniques and develop new skills for each project, seldom making two of the same thing. Learning, overcoming problems and finishing with a project with new skills under my belt is my motivation. Current projects involve lining a silver chest (thanks to all those who offered suggestions) and chip carved boxes. Have never lined nor chip carved but looking forward to both.

[Teamcasa]

snip

Jim, I build delay time into my projects. When I need to get-it-done, I figure out a method that requires me to build a new jig and or buy a new tool. These distractions actually aid me in finishing the project. Second, I almost never build anything for myself. It's the giving of a completed project that gives me a sufficient amount of joy to inspire me to make the next project.

This morning, my daughter is in labor with my future grandson! I'm looking forward to spending many hours in my shop with him! Maybe I should wait till he can at least walk!

Dave

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[Jonathan W.]

It's not just the workshop type projects that suffer from this syndrome, either. I have been in the last 10% of finishing a barn build out, for the past 2.5 months..... a solid 10 days of effort will probably do it, but......

It's easier, (or so it seems) to do things for others, as then there is usually a deadline involved.

Perhaps you can plan a Halloween unveiling party, invite your friends over to show off the piece? That gives you a deadline, an incentive.....

Jonathan

[LQQkIE YONDER]

Congrats! But I disagree on waiting till he can walk. Spend time right now with him in a rocking chair in the shop talking with him, planning things with him, just being with him. I spent a lot of time with my grandson doing those things with him and I have a thousand, or so it seems, pictures to prove it. Now he is just over 2 years old and he walks and gets into everything. I have been trying to get him to call me "grandpa" ever since he was

4 hours old. Just last week, I heard him call me "poppa" for the very first time! That's a great feeling. And I get to babysit him this afternoon so his mother can go to work. Ain't life grand!!!!!

[Mike Berger]

It's not just the precision that's different! I used to do a lot of metalwork and recently started working with wood. One thing that I noticed is that, with metal, the piece usually is held tight and you move the tools. With woodwork, the tools are stable and you move the workpiece!

It still feels strange to work with tolerances of more than .001". When I worked for a company that built precision gages, we had tolerances of 10 millionths on some of our equipment!

[Just Jim]

Yes, this being my first major project it was really hard for me to do this job with a tape measure. I found I kept looking around my garage going "Where the hell did I put that caliper??" Then I'd remember that if I tried to measure and cut everything that way I would go insane. I'd also catch myself thinking about how to do something like make a cut or a dado, but in terms of the machines I have at work, not in the garage. Once I got over all that and remembered that a little putty can fill a little gap and its ok, everything got easier.

Jim

[nlbauers]

I recently read an interview with an author I have read often. He said something to the effect- I like being an author, I like coming up with ideas for a book and I like it when I finish a book. But I don't always enjoy the process of writing.

Such is also my feelings for woodworking. It is a psychological hurdle that almost every hobbyist experieces. Push through it, one step at a time. Soon the momentum of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel will take over.

[brianlanning]

Usually, for me, this is a sign that I'm going too fast and focusing on getting to the goal as quickly as possible rather than focusing on the process and the step I'm doing now. I've done maybe only four projects to completion now. And I've abandoned one that was too ambitious.

I noticed several things in the projects that I worked on so far. One is that my shop was woefuilly inadequate. Not enough clamps, not enough work surfaces, too cold/hot, some machines ok, but some really bad, and nowhere near enough storage. I took a step back and made some decisions about my shop. I decided that I needed a critical mass of tools, certain things I deemed necessary, before trying to start on another project. I dumped most of my bench top tools, and started investing in bigger/better stuff. And along the way, I decided to focus on simple shop projects to impove the usablity and storage.

So whenever I get a new tool/toy, I play with it for a while, not really worrying if I'm making "something". Rather, I just enjoy the time in the shop doing something or nothing. It's supposed to be a stress lowering experience so I don't really set any goals for myself other than to get the shop set up and comfortable while learning about the tools I have

I'm currently nearing the end of what I consider an ambitious shop project. I had major problems ripping 4x8 sheets of ply. So I built a large cabinet that incorporated my contractor's saw, but also a router table, outfeed table, dust collection, and storage. I'll probably finish it this weekend.

I learned a lot about the tools I have and procedures for doing things. For example, I edge-banded some melamine for part of the outfeed table with southern yellow pine. Even though I had the biscuit jointer set correctly, it's still not exactly flush. Next time I'm going to try tongue and groove with my new router table. We'll see if that works better. I think building a set of processes that work best for you and your tools is key to a low stress experience. And learning on the shop furniture means that I can still use what I make without worrying about my level of perfectionism.

I also strive not to evaluate a procedure based on the amount of time it consumes. In most of my life, my time is at a premium. So if I think a certain step is taking too long, it gets frustrating. It's exactly at these times that I make a conscious effort to expend the extra time, even if I feel it's a waste. Sometimes I come away thinking I didn't get anything acomplished in the shop. But my real goal is to enjoy my time in the shop, which is the real acomplishment.

I guess to answer your question, I make an effort not to care so much, and to focus on the step I'm doing rather than the goal.

brian

[Stephen M]

One thing that I

With FWW, you mill your lumber straight and assemble. When framing (a house) just make sure the floor joists all "crown up" and when you want to use that slightly bowed 2x6 as a wall cap, you beat it into submission with a nail driven at an angle.

-s

[charlie b]

Sometimes leaning into it will only cause you to slide backwards as you push. Take a break, do a small project or two in order to keep your blood/sawdust levels up and solutions will come to you. Sort of like not looking directly at a pale star. After a while the mental block will come unglued and solutions will present themselves - all in good time.

Though it's a gun case you're making, go fishing. Great excuse for sitting around "doing nothing" while your mind wanders all over hell. It just might wander onto "an easier way" to get around your road block.

When a project stops being challenging AND fun, it becomes work. Vocations have deadlines, budgets and other folks to please. Avocations have none of that (unless you're married, in which case all bets are off). Far as I know, no one has ever died of stress related illness in amateur/hobbyist woodworking.

Take a break, do something else and the piece'll get done - without a lot of angst.

charlie b

[Vic Baron]

I approach it a bit differently. I plan ahead how much time I'll spend each evening or weekend on the project and quit when I've done that. Of course, I'm building things for myself and have no SWMBO overseer so I can work at my own pace. For example, working on an oak 6' tall liquor cabinet with leaded glass doors and a wine rack. Last night, my 'project' was to install the hinges and test hang both doors. Gave myself about 90 minutes. When 90 minutes was up, the doors were hung but not operating smoothly. Called it a night and went in to watch TV and have a beer. No frustration - no burnout. In the past, I would have stayed with the door alignment, even though I was tired - leading to mistakes and frustration. MUCH easier my new approach. Went out next night and finished he door hang.

It helps me.

Vic

[Teamcasa]

It sure is! Thanks for the tip! Maybe, if I start him early, he will learn to sharpen his tools with stones, use a real Skilsaw Mag77, never touch pocket hole screws, careless about left or right tilt, not ground his dust collector pipes, believe that Harbor Freight is trucking company by the port, have Robin Lee (Valley) on speed dial, learn the value of tuning a scraper, buy a quality 18" bandsaw and 8" jointer.

Well maybe. Dave

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[Robatoy]

That's how people are different. My calipers keep me sane. I measure EVERYTHING under 4" with them. I use it as a depth gauge, to measure the inside width of a dado, the thickness of a kerf...I'd be lost without them. I tried to upgrade to a dial version...then a digital..nope brought them back... just my oldies-dead-nuts-to 1/128"

[Todd Fatheree]

I'm about to embark on some kitchen cabinets. My motivation is that SWMBO will kill me if they're not done in time.

todd

[Ron Truitt]

I love the quote about being sick of looking at it.

I think that sums it up.

I started remodeling my back porch/deck about 4 weeks ago and boy is it eating my lunch. I am definitely sick of looking at it. We did some roofing last weekend. It was only 88 degrees and I was stopping early before I would keel over from the heat.

I'm ready to sit on the back porch instead of working on it...:)

RonT

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Put aside the parts that are cut and any assembled so far. Put them away on a corner, under the bench, whatever.

No page through the magazines. Stop as some simple project, like a basic box, stool, and build it. Or take some scraps and make a 16 x 16 table for next to your favorite outdoor chair. Nothing fancy, just slap it together with 2" slats on the top.

OK, now that you took a week or two off, get back and finish the original project and the problems will be gone. Last time I started getting frustrated, I put all the parts away for 6 months. It was a snap to finish and I liked it so much I made another for a friend that admired it.

[bridger]

I have the 6" vernier I bought 20+ years ago. I use it quite a bit. works for me.