Psychology of a woodworker

[Man In The Doorway]

What drives the common woodworker? A deeply suppressed desire to please the long deceased father who never gave him love as a child? The need to be seen as an alpha male by everyone else around him? The insecurities of being a non-intellectual blue-collar common man with calluses on his hands and feet?

Why do hobbyist woodworkers feel the need to own the same caliber tools as the professionals? Is there really anything wrong with Craftsman or Black and Decker products? Probably not. Insecurity motivates too many woodworkers to waste hard earned cash on tools they have absolutely no use for. Why do they feel such a need to show off, when nobody really cares what they own? .... when nobody really cares about their projects? .... when anyone could go out and buy the same desk, futon, or humidor for half of what is costs to build one?

Insecurity!

[Andy Dingley]

A sordid and shameful fetish for wearing checked shirts.

Don't miss out my knuckle callouses ! I spent years dragging them on the ground to get those.

My local dealer in fine woodworking tools is (deliberately) sandwiched between two hospitals and the street of the violin restorers. The owner was a doctor, a great many of the clients are surgeons. Look at any group of really top-end amateur cabinetmakers and you'll find at least one surgeon in there.

[Ba r r y]

What drives a troll?

Probably.

Barry

[BUB 209]

Amen. Didn't Dostoyevsky write that novel, The Brothers Sawdustamazov?

[AAvK]

Rightious.

Alex

[Jim Behning]

[Man In The Doorway]

I wouldn't know. By all means, please tell us.

[Man In The Doorway]

It must be especially difficult reading for the typical woodworker. I don't say that to be nasty. Woodworkers are skilled craftsmen, in a primitive sort of way, but most of the ones I encounter have unusually poor reading comprehension skills.

[Charlie Self]

Durn. All these years, I thought that was The Brothers Karamatzoballs.

Didja ever notice that most sane colleges and universities only offer a single course on the Russion novelists in English?

Charlie Self "When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary." Thomas Paine

[Sweet Sawdust]

[mel]

What drives the intellectual analyst? An attempt to find the answer to his own flaws by attempting to identify similar traits in others? Could it be that the absence of his own paternal relationship doesn't allow him to possess the ability to correctly characterize those relationships shared by others? The insecurities of being devoid of all emotion and experience? The realization that intellect doesn't allow for an explanation to that empty void in one's soul? Why does the white-collar intellect feel so threatened by the so-called blue-collar common man? The realization that the dependency is one way? If we removed one or the other from the face of this earth who'd have a better chance of survival?

Insecurity motivates the intellect to attempt to point out a level of significance for his own life. A level he lacks the ability to earn. A level that only exists in his own deeply rooted desire to measure up to the standards set by a paternal relationship that never existed. Why is it this same boy will never matured into a self sufficient man? A lack of understanding the feeling one gets from seeing the product of one's imagination becoming a reality through application of skill, perseverance and effort? The lack of ability to achieve anything of significance?

Whether a hobbyist, craftsman or professional..... woodworkers possess one common trait. The ability to attempt without the crippling fear of failure.

[Tom Watson]

That were Dustoyevsky.

Regards, Tom.

"People funny. Life a funny thing." Sonny Liston

Thomas J.Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.) tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

[AAvK]

"Man In The Doorway"

What a load of crap. Tripe indeed. Personally I feel perfectly secure and I LOVE the beauty of classical woodworking and the classical results. What the hell is your problem??? Because, to quote my ever lovin' Mother:

"you're lookin' in a mirror"

Alex

[Jim Wheeler]

Geez, and I thought I just liked to play with power tools and make sawdust. jim

Insecurity motivates the intellect to attempt to point out a level of significance for his own life. A level he lacks the ability to earn. A level that only exists in his own deeply rooted desire to measure up to the standards set by a paternal relationship that never existed. Why is it this same boy will never matured into a self sufficient man? A lack of understanding the feeling one gets from seeing the product of one's imagination becoming a reality through application of skill, perseverance and effort? The lack of ability to achieve anything of significance?

Whether a hobbyist, craftsman or professional..... woodworkers possess one common trait. The ability to attempt without the crippling fear of failure.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

"Man In The Doorway"

I drives a Buick.

Nah, he was an acoholic and became a real PITA so we left him.

Everyone would be my wife. Kids are on their own. Neighbors don't give a crap.

I'm in management but I do have a callus on my foot. I make it a point to walk around the plant a couple of times a day so I don't get them on my ass from the comfy chair in my office.

I've owned both. Evidently you haven't yet or you'd know the answer.

Every tool I own has been used At least once anyway.

That's how we get wood ;)

Half? Maybe even a quarter. It isn't about money. IMO, it is more about security that insecurity. If you don' thave confidence in your abilities you won't ever start a project, let alone finish one that looks far superior that the generl cheap furniture foisted off ont he public today.

Hope yo had fun, but you should keep reading about physology as yo haven't quite mastered it yet. Try night school and take a class.

[firstjois]

[snip]

I've skipped most of this silly thread but -what the heck- it's the ability to work with our hands and by extension - tools. That ability must (?) be inborn with some kind of drive to use that ability. Look at the number of people who sail when motor powered boats would probably be cheaper and even safer. Garden when they could probably buy flowers and veggies for less money.

Josie

[RonB]

Man. Given the extremely small chance that this guy is a woodworker, he needs to call the suicide hotline!

Or.......maybe this is just some woodworker's wife.

[Dave Balderstone]

Me like hit board with rock.

[Phisherman]

...about running out of wood or glue !

[Wayne Cattanach]

I suspect that some need the designer label of power tools to add to their Testicular Circumferance - that Antlers of Manhood. But some of us paid attention in Mr Williams 7th grade shop class and enjoy the uniqueness and savings that can be had with all those little things we do.