Welcome. I'm new to blogging so I'll start off with an introduction.
Hi. My name is Mark. I've lived in Texas all of my life and professionally speaking, I am in the computer industry. My passion, however, is woodworking. My father started my interest as he began to investigate woodworking as a retirement activity. I had a new home in need of a stereo cabinet and a father eager to use his new tools. The result was a functional cabinet with a side affect of a new addition. Regrettably, I have no pictures of this first project.
Norm Abram started his show shortly after that which added to my interest. But who can afford all of that equipment?
I had tried other hobbies. Computing was too much like work. Amateur astronomy was a great hobby but horrible hours. Golf? Let's just say I'm better at other sports. If woodworking was my next attempt, I'd better be certain I stick with it. So, I decided to enroll in a class at Woodcraft to ascertain this possibility. I suppose that a sore face from smiling all day was the required decisive evidence. So I bought a hybrid table saw and dust collection to add to my Hitachi router.
Fast forward 10 years and I've made several upgrades. The table saw was upgraded to a Delta Unisaw. It was well worth the investment. More power and a 52 inch fence was a great improvement. I built a router table based on a PC 7518 with a router lift. Added a 6 inch jointer and the DeWalt 735 planer. (By the way. There's no better bench top planer than the DW735.)
Two years ago I made another upgrade. I purchased a used MiniMax CU300 Smart system (table saw, jointer/.planer, shaper and mortiser), cyclone dust system and a MM16 band saw. The best part of this system is having a 12 inch jointer.
This year I purchased several slightly used Festools to add to my TS55, still my favorite power hand tool. But the primary recent additions to my tool arsenal are hand tools.
Which brings be to the purpose of this blog. I am using this blog as a catalyst to improve my hand tool skills. I have taken a few steps in this direction. The best step was taking the Six Day Foundational Joinery Course at the Homestead Heritage. The instructors practice what they preach and I have become friends with the staff.
So I need more practice. I declared Sunday as 'Hand Tool Sunday' and started a project making a tool chest. This has taken a back seat as I have a commission that I don't have enough free time to complete but I am using hand tooling when possible.
But my next step is attending the Woodworking in America Conference in 6 weeks. Many of my hand tool friends (some I have only met in cyber space) and my woodworking idols (Roy Underhill!) will be there. I decided a blog is necessary to share the experience and push me more toward acquiring hand tool skills.
So let's see how things progress.