Are there many of you out there that didn't start your woodworking hobby until you retired? How long did it take you to really become effective at it once you started?
Is woodworking a hobby that a healthy retiree can safely pursue into the twilight years, say into your late 80's or 90's? Any woodworkers out there in their 80's and 90's? If there are some of you out there, what if any limitations are placed on your hobby as a result of your advanced age?
Not retired yet myself but my wife's grandfather was woodworking up to his late 90's, about 98 or 99. Lived to 102.
Well, I'm not in my 80's, but I've found that the most frustrating experience is my loss of close up vision as I age. I've been woodworking for over 40 years. I'm not sure what you mean by "effective." It doesn't really matter how long it takes to complete a project when it is a hobby. It's really never too late to start woodworking.
I'm not retired but started at about 55. Plan to keep going as long as I'm going.
"Effective" is a relative term.
I've made many pieces that I'm proud of, but they pale in comparison to others right from the start. So what? I like what I'm doing and satisfied with the results. I'm always trying to go to a higher level and I'm gaining on most every project. If you don't think you are up to making a full set of cabinets for the kitchen, make a bird feeder to start. Useful, fun, not stressful from a quality POV. The important thing is to get started. I started with doll furniture for my wife and granddaughters. Not real fancy, but far better than the stuff in the stores. You can see some on my web page.
If you think you are interested, just get going. Take a class. I attended one at Woodcrafts a couple of years ago and at my age, I was about the median.
Have fun. get going.
I started when I was 49. After about five years, I'm pretty sure I'll want to keep doing this after I retire. I agree with Phish about the eyes part. I need LOTS of light and the workbench keeps getting shorter. I remember reading something by Frank Klausz, saying he was building himself a taller workbench so he could see the work better.
Other than that, the big trick will be finding the kind of stuff you like to do. I'm not sure yet if I like building small stuff like boxes and puzzles or larger stuff like tables and nightstands. SWMBO wants a set of matched dressers/laundry hamper/TV stand in the bedroom. She loves the nightstand with the door that opens on the side she wanted with the shelf right where she wanted and the drawer at exactly the right height. Making stuff to her specs and having her satisfied with the results is a reward I don't get from anything else. It's not perfect but she's always happy with it.
This is where near-sightedness becomes an advantage. :)
My understanding of it is that the myopic eye is arranged such that focusing on the close stuff is "enhanced" and loss of near vision is less or non-existent as the eyes lose their flexibility. Don't get that corrective surgery!
er (looking forward to his old-age, but it's still too far to focus on!)
I hear that. At first I was beginning to worry... then I found out that it was normal. The little muscles that make our eyes focus become a little less "stretchy". The result is difficulty focusing close up.
The cure, as many I'm sure are aware, are the magnifying reader glasses you see at the store. They are a godsend when doing ANYTHING close up. I've found however that with these glasses, more is not better. Use the weakest power that will enable you to comfortably read small print in average light. Some store displays even have a chart with recommended magnification for your age group.
I was fortunate to find a store in my area (Marc's in NE Ohio) that sells decent quality glasses for 88 cents each and I have them littered around the house. At first I was a little self-concious about them, but I soon came to the realization that squinting like dope and holding things at arms length and STILL not being able to see it was no fun at all. So now I just slip on the nearest pair of old man reading glasses and that's that.
Joe Barta
Sam Maloof is in his 90s. Some older people like Sam Maloof look and act 20 years younger than they are. Others seem to fall apart in their
60s. I have good genes for longevity assuming I take care of myself, which I have so far. It's weird. I'm 35 and can already feel the affects of getting older. I need more light to see. I have more aches and pains. My hearing is deteriorating (right on schedule). My vision started getting worse again. On the up side, I seem to need a lot less sleep than before. I'd say whether or not you're able to woodwork into your 80s and 90s depends greatly on the person. I think the main goal should be to keep moving. Exercise for strength and range of motion is critical at those ages.brian
My grandfather kept at it until the day he died at 87. He wasn't much into machinery which permitted the rest of the family not to worry about what he was doing so long as I got to do the laborious stuff like surface plane his stock, drive to the lumberyard, and make turnings. He was content in his last several years to make simple items like magazine racks, birdhouses, small tables, bar stools from parts largely supplied by me. Can't say I learned nearly enough from the guy by the time I went off to college.
I'd say it's perfectly safe as long as you have a reasonably steady hand, aren't getting too forgetful, and don't attempt to turn logs into lumber. It's even better if you can find some amenable high school kid to keep you company.
J.
Philly wrote:
we be ol' farts by gimminy...
been sniffin wod al mi liffe and work it now n than.. *spit*
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Joe.. next time you can't quite read something, try reaching for a light instead of a magnifier... helps a lot!
I've found that as I get older, my eye exams stay about the same (glasses for distance, non for reading) but my night vision sucks and I need more light for fine work..
When I'm working on something inside the computer, I find that a focused beam of light on the print or whatever helps much more that magnification.. YMWV
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Frank Klaus now has a workbench he can raise and lower but I think its more for the benefit of his back than his eyes. I've found after I hit the big
I think it all depends on particular person and his specific health. I'm 70, had to give up one hobby several years ago due to arthritis in hands of building fishing rods (rod wrapping). I also like to build radio electronic projects but eye sight makes this difficult when trying to solder in a cramped circuit board. I do still enjoy an occasional session of making saw dust with my wood working gear which I have done since I was about 12 years old and my parents gave me a craftsman 36 inch jig saw for Christmas. It's not the age, it's the specific health of the person. I have a brother in-law that rode dirt bikes until he was 74 then continued riding his Harley, making trips from Okla. to both the east and west coasts until he was
Philly:
Looks like my original reply didn't go as expected.
Anyways -
To your question about limitations - use what you have! Many replies have been about woodworkers (Krenov, Maloof) who are still creative into their 80's. I think Sam has enough wood collected to last him several more lifetimes. But the thing is from what I gather is that they are still enthusiastic about woodworking.
My wife's grandfather was active in woodworking to the end of his life (91). He made things for his grandchildren, while not artistic, were certainly labors of love. Everytime I see the pedestals he made, I think of him and hope I'm as good as he was.
I'd say, you will always be in learning mode whether or not you're 25, 45 or 75. There's enough headscratching exercises in woodworking that it should keep a person mentally healthly, which I understand is a crucial as we "age". I won't worry about achieving a specific level of "success". It will be whatever you reach and willing to strive for.
MJ Wallace
Let's see - Sam Maloof is in his late 80s or early 90s, James Krenov's in his late 70s and is phasing out of woodworking - to make time - to play TENNIS! Tage Freid was wodworking 'til he died in his mid to late 80s.
charlie b
I'm not retired ( quite yet) and not 80 ( 69) but I've been woodworking for a long time. Main difference I've noted is that I can no longer lift the pieces that I make by myself without straining - and I avoid that. However, one DOES learn how to move things along without lifting the total weight. You get craftier as you age .:)
In my case, I had double lens replacement surgery so my eyes are pretty close to 20/20. Main concern is dust so proper consideration should be given to dust collection, face masks etc.
Main thing? ENJOY!!!
Vic
I'm only 57 & semi-retired. (have been WWkng for 30 years) The one thing I have learned is that the dust may well kill you- or keep you from your hobby. I'm about to order a DC (clear vue) cyclone, but have to build a small out building first- as I hate the noise. Then I can build all I want. Read about the dust hazards at Bill Pentz's website
I have been retired since 1998 but I sure am not in my 80's yet...and I started woodworking as a hobby in my 20's...
Only brand new hobby I picked up since retiring is Astronomy .. and it is much harder to persue then woodworking..(its always cloudy..and damn it gets cold in the winter sitting on your ass, eye glued to a
350 dollar eyepiece with the wind blowing at 1 AM trying to focus good enough with frozen fingers to see one of the moons of Saturn... Bad eyes however can be corrected ..just switch to different eyepiece..Woodworking is a snap compared to that...walk out to the shop turn on the furnace .stay nice an warm... relax and go to it.. when the wife calls you to lunch you can wrap up what you are doing in under an hour and walk up to the house and get yelled at (nothing really changes does it) .
Seriously the only limitations That I have encoundered are minor.. I am noticing I have more trouble handeling rough cut lumber, need a little bit more light, and have to take more frequent rest periods or else my work gets sloppy... AND I get real grouchy when I have to replenish my lumber rack,.,,just not used to blowing the entire SS check on lumber....ouch...!
Bob G.
I would have sworn you were gonna say "pee" instead of "rest".
.... and I get grouchy when "lunch" fits into either of those categories.
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