Just wondering if anybody else ever gets that "rushed" feeling in the shop? Example: This past week ive been on vacation, but with the rugrats still in school, i decided to re-roof my lawn shed, and spend as much Q-time in the shop as possible, (which i did). Even SHMBO told me to relax and spend all the time i wanted out there. But, i still catch myself with that feeling like..."ive only got 3 more days vacation....gotta get this table done asap".....which as you guys know, leads to mistakes, and accidents... How best to just relax in the shop?...especially when the 'daily grind' returns monday..... Any ideas?
On Fri 14 May 2004 07:11:23p, "sawdust" wrote in news:5Vepc.8308$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews5.bellsouth.net:
In my own humble experience, you can't. You just feel the time slipping away, it's almost over, and there's nothing you can do about it. I've found the only real cure is another two weeks off. Three weeks is about long enough to get the chores done, get bored, and then get comfortable with being bored.
But with two or three days left to go, the best you can do is change the "gotta get this table done" to "let's just see how much of this table I can get done *right* before the vacation's over". Plan on spending some Q-time in the shop in the evenings.
Just got back in from the garashop a few minutes ago. I was gonna do a glueup tonight but it's too chilly and damp so I spent about an hour or two sweeping up a little and sharpening the blade on the block plane. Made some nice shavings. Then I came in and spent some time scratching the cat behind the ears. According to me and the cat, at least part of the evening was productive. We just disagree about which part.
It is a matter of attitude. You have to condition yourself to eliminate deadlines. Assuming this is a hobby, you are out to enjoy yourself, not meet a customer's expectations.
Two years ago I started building a Tudor bench in April. My goal was to have it done for 4th of July. Well, it was done for Memorial Day . . . . of the following year.
What happens if the table is not done? Do you have to pay a penalty? Will you be incarcerated? Taxes go up? Hair fall out? If you answered yes, get your ass back in the shop. If you answered no, then take some time from the shop tomorrow, fire up the grill and cook dinner for the family, then take the kid for ice cream. Then go back and take the time for those little time consuming details that make your project a real show piece. Once you know it is impossible to have it done before going back to work, you can mentally "let go" and enjoy the rest of the work.
Instead of rushing to get the table done, start another project or make some simple fixture you've been wanting, or another push stick. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net
Decide what is more important. The quality of the time spent or the quality of the project. I spend time in my shop relaxing, sometimes its woodworking, welding, cleaning up, or just watching a ball game and the occasional nap. Whatever it is, it my time, in my shop.
Dave
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I took up woodworking just for the reason of not rushing. My whole goal is not to rush and to take it easy and putter, who freaking cares? why do you want to rush something you enjoy? Not to complete the project? Everyone knows that when you rush you cut corners or cut fingers ( ughh).
I have been building my basement shop for over a year. It's not done. Who friggin cares..I waited 14 years to really commit and enjoy woodworking. Either I did not have money, I had the kids to take care of, or I was traveling back and forth from Europe. I honestly don't care. I waited 14 years to start my dream. Why do I want to rush a good dream?
Who cares about projects? I'm juggling 3 big projects at work. My WW projects are not on my performance review, I'm not going to get fired, My customer is not screaming about the deadline.
I go down in my shop and I putz around, pound a few nails...I lose my day job work completely ( which is extra hard because I work from home)... It is great !! My job is a cooker especially when the quarter is closing and the heat is on. I go down in the shop and poof, it's like I have reached nirvana. Don't let the hectic pace of your day-to-day life ruin the one thing that brings you peace.
My advice is: Balance your shop time. Set the time aside when the kids don't need you and SWMBO is busy. You deserve it and you have earned it. Start off day doing something trivial. Sweeping the floor, moving a pile of scrap, sanding a table leg. Brain Fart and forget about the rest of it and smell the wood.
Never promise anything to anybody anytime.... even yourself. But we can seldom do that can we? Not and be the husbands and fathers we need to be. So the next best thing is to simply know your ability.
I've gone and let a good hobby become spoiled by money and now it's more of a job that's snowballing and with it comes expectations and deadlines. What I've had to do is learn how to estimate time needed and add a little cushion for the unexpected. If I get through early I can sit back and relax. If not I can still not rush myself because I've allowed myself enough time. Notice I didn't say relax? There will always be that time when it isn't feasible to relax. Rushing and relaxing are the two extremes.
I say that to say this. If you've ever read anything I've written, you know I have strong opinions and am not afraid to use them. From your post I gather these facts. You're married. You're a father. You have a regular job and you've selected woodworking as a hobby. You've decided to build a table but you don't say for whom but I suspect it's for someone you care about and you're eager to finish it. Now read this carefully...... It's ok to not relax.
I get up something after 5am and am escorted to the kitchen by two grateful cats, I get out two cans of food which are quickly devoured, and am ignored by two ungrateful cats. Check with LOML to see if she wants to do aerobics this morning. Put on an old Gilad tape and get the blood moving. Crank up the coffee pot. Fix myself some breadfast (cold leftover enchilada and a can of warm root beer yesterday). Get the newspaper, turn on some network news, eat, and watch last night's Daily Show (gets the jo4hn recommendation). When LOML gets off the computer, do some correspondence, read the wRECk, a few hands of solitaire (I think we actually have a couple decks of cards somewhere).
Stand up, stretch, pick up a couple CDs (Stanley Brothers and Pavarotti yesterday), get some more coffee, and head out to the shop. Start the music and survey my domain. Two projects: an m&t redwood bench for the mudroom (ends are dry fit and rails cut out) and a production run of one for a bathroom medicine chest (boards laying in the "gotta get this done before the Memorial Day sales" pile). Plus a bunch of fir soffits waiting to be installed in a new church kitchen (hide the pipes and wires) as soon at the plaster board is taped.
The Stanleys are gettin' it on and so do I. I remember that LOML wanted a few more fancy hurricane lamp bases for a craft project for the sale. Rummage through the cutoff bin (the Nathan Burnbox) and select some half rotted redwood and some well knotted fir. Clean up, resize, remove sharp edges, cut circle for base, finish, lunch time.
The leftover chow mein is best for breakfast (with milk and sugar) so I settle for a bologna and peanut butter sandwich (low carb diet indeed) and a diet cola. Check email and the wRECk one more time. Nap while "Starting Over" is on. Not a bad show actually but sometimes I don't want to know about other folks' problems. LOML and I walk to the post office, stop to talk with neighbor Rod who has work fixing a broken bathroom in somebody's rental cabin, Bruce who is rebuilding a Jeep truck, Ruth who wants to chat about mandatory trash pickup, and Roger who complains that he has too much business (real estate). Pick up mail and have an eneventful walk home by the lake.
Talk with LOML about trash pickup. Big deal in a mountain community with narrow winding steep streets, snow, bears and coyotes, and mostly weekender cabins. Who wants to pay for something you never use? Women's club (de facto town council along with the mutual water company board) should fire off a letter to the county. Grow beards and put on flannel shirt for next Supervisor's meeting (Norm, we need you).
Go into shop, put back the tools, vacuum dust and crud, collect CDs (Luciano was in fine voice too), turn off lights, and leave door ajar so cats can explore. Turn on TV, BBC World News is on and LOML has moved into her workshop (excellent cook by the way). Snack on a few bits of pickled herring in wine sauce and drink a diet Squirt. Dinner. News hour and Jeopardy. Check for programs of interest and look at email and the wRECk once more. If Survivor is on, play Pinball and Mahjongg. More TV. Beddie bye.
Didn't get anything done on the important projects. Oh well, there's always tomorrow. mahalo, jo4hn
p.s.Won't get much done today either. Going down the hill to a party for the granddaughter of old friends who just graduated college. Sweet. j4
Very well put! I think sometimes we all get caught up in the rush of "really would like to get this done" and forget about why we're doing it in the first place.
Woodworking is not just a hobby for me, it is also a business. This, unfortunately, can take some of the enjoyment out of a project. This year we stopped providing customers with completion dates for custom pieces. I simply explain to them that in order to provide them with the highest quality product, I need to remove the pressure of a deadline (within reason of course). Not a single client has had any problem with this arrangment. I actually raised prices considerably this year (almost double last year's rates) and have more work than ever. The products we are turning out of the shop are superior to those of past years. I'm happy, my staff is happy, and the clients are happy.
I go into the shop when I want, If I want, work on what I want, No promises no deadlines, no expectations. Sometimes I just sweep, organize and drink beer. Otherwise it would be work.
yep, did the same from the start on my business. custom only and it will take a while to finish (I still have my day job). I do keep the customers informed on the progress but until the finish is drying, they don't get a delivery date. I will sometimes narrow it down to a quarter if it is a small piece.
When I do a custom piece I keep the client updated on the progress by posting pictures with a private url/directory on my woodworking website. Saves me answering questions, and gives the client the satisfaction of seeing the various stages of fabrication.
My main product being what it is I don't usually have the luxury of dead line. If I feel I can't meet the built in deadline I turn the job down with explanation. Occasionally, if I can come close, the customer will say go ahead anyway
Since, at the behest of a customer with limited on line access, I added a section detailing construction methods it has become popular with my customers to have their piece documented also. I've been doing it by e-mail but I like the idea of a specific URL they can go too. Hope you don't mind if I borrow the idea.so I can give my customers a choice of e-mail or URL.
Go ahead ... the royalty fee is tax deductable. :)
Absolutely. I have an older Sony Mavica that uses floppy disks. While not the best for good pictures of finished work, it does a good job in the shop for these kind of shots.
Using PaintShopPro and the "Send To:" context menu in Windows, it takes less than five minutes to resize a picture, make a thumbnail, and post both across the net to my web server.
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