My name is Mark Wells.  I'm 37 and I live in Austin, TX with my wife
and young son.

I majored in computer science and math and write software for a
living.  Software I wrote helps validate student records collected by
the state departments of education in Wyoming, Alaska, Missouri, and
Idaho.

I did some woodworking as a child and learned from my dad.  My dad
wouldn't use a hand tool if it were the last tool on earth.

I started woodworking again in 2001 after my employer went bust.  I
went from a highly-sought-after engineer to unemployed in the blink of
an eye.  Unemployment changed my perspective on many things.  For one,
I had time to start woodworking again!

I started out with hand tools.  I kept reading about the joys of using
hand tools on rec.woodworking.  I didn't really have money to take
classes, so I read books, articles, and rec.woodworking.  I started
with a blue Record #5 (jack plane with a plastic handle, Jeff).  I got
the old Veritas sharpening guide, some sandpaper and glass, and tried
to "use hand tools."  I was able to get the blade sharp enough to take
some shavings.  I was trying to use the plane to the rounded edges
from a 4x4.  Based on that experience, I decided hand tools are too
hard and take too long.

Over time I stocked up on power tools.  I bought all the usual
machines (except a table saw) and built some nice stuff.

During this project
  http://www.mwells.org/woodworking/shaker-toy-shelves
I realized I really need a functional hand plane.  I also realized
that if I wanted my son to come in the shop, I would have to learn to
use hand tools.

Brent Beach taught my how to sharpen.  At one point Brent mentioned
the Old Tools List.  It took me several more months before I started
sitting on the porch.  That was sometime in 2007.

Since then I've been sliding.  I unplugged my jointer and planer.  I
wrote an evangelical hand tool children's book.  I sold my compound
miter saw.  I try to find other people who are interested in hand
tools and teach them the meager skills I have learned on my own.  I'm
in deep.

Recently my shop time has been limited.  I'm working on a queen-sized
bed.  I bought the wood in January of 2009.  (You all are such a bad
influence.)  After I finish the bed, I have a list of ideas a mile
long.  With a young son, a one-car garage, and an analytical mind,
most of my woodworking limitations are time, space, and courage.

I'm glad I found you guys.  I am convinced that my journey to hand
tools would have been shorter if I had started with a coarse crosscut
saw and a sawbench rather than a jack plane and a workbench.  I
probably could have skipped the power tools altogether.  Anyway, I'm
glad I finally made it on the porch.

Mark
http://www.mwells.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr Wells neglected to mention that the book he wrote is

Daddy, Can We Play in the Workshop?and available at

http://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Can-We-Play-Workshop/dp/1449918573/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF
8&s=books&qid=1291436728&sr=1-1

a great Christmas gift for young parents (or old parents who wish they could
do parts -not ALL-  of parenthood over).

Thomas W. Hoyt
Winchester, KY

On Fri, Dec 3, 2010 at 10:42 PM, Mark Lovett Wells  wrote:

> My name is Mark Wells.  I'm 37 and I live in Austin, TX with my wife
> and young son.
>
> I majored in computer science and math and write software for a
> living.  Software I wrote helps validate student records collected by
> the state departments of education in Wyoming, Alaska, Missouri, and
> Idaho.
>
> I did some woodworking as a child and learned from my dad.  My dad
> wouldn't use a hand tool if it were the last tool on earth.
>
> I started woodworking again in 2001 after my employer went bust.  I
> went from a highly-sought-after engineer to unemployed in the blink of
> an eye.  Unemployment changed my perspective on many things.  For one,
> I had time to start woodworking again!
>
> I started out with hand tools.  I kept reading about the joys of using
> hand tools on rec.woodworking.  I didn't really have money to take
> classes, so I read books, articles, and rec.woodworking.  I started
> with a blue Record #5 (jack plane with a plastic handle, Jeff).  I got
> the old Veritas sharpening guide, some sandpaper and glass, and tried
> to "use hand tools."  I was able to get the blade sharp enough to take
> some shavings.  I was trying to use the plane to the rounded edges
> from a 4x4.  Based on that experience, I decided hand tools are too
> hard and take too long.
>
> Over time I stocked up on power tools.  I bought all the usual
> machines (except a table saw) and built some nice stuff.
>
> During this project
>  http://www.mwells.org/woodworking/shaker-toy-shelves
> I realized I really need a functional hand plane.  I also realized
> that if I wanted my son to come in the shop, I would have to learn to
> use hand tools.
>
> Brent Beach taught my how to sharpen.  At one point Brent mentioned
> the Old Tools List.  It took me several more months before I started
> sitting on the porch.  That was sometime in 2007.
>
> Since then I've been sliding.  I unplugged my jointer and planer.  I
> wrote an evangelical hand tool children's book.  I sold my compound
> miter saw.  I try to find other people who are interested in hand
> tools and teach them the meager skills I have learned on my own.  I'm
> in deep.
>
> Recently my shop time has been limited.  I'm working on a queen-sized
> bed.  I bought the wood in January of 2009.  (You all are such a bad
> influence.)  After I finish the bed, I have a list of ideas a mile
> long.  With a young son, a one-car garage, and an analytical mind,
> most of my woodworking limitations are time, space, and courage.
>
> I'm glad I found you guys.  I am convinced that my journey to hand
> tools would have been shorter if I had started with a coarse crosscut
> saw and a sawbench rather than a jack plane and a workbench.  I
> probably could have skipped the power tools altogether.  Anyway, I'm
> glad I finally made it on the porch.
>
> Mark
> http://www.mwells.org
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ:
> http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/
>
> OldTools@r...
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outstanding! And, WELCOME!!!!


--- On Fri, 12/3/10, Mark Lovett Wells  wrote:

> From: Mark Lovett Wells  Subject: [OldTools] Bio Update
> 2010 To: "Old Tools List"  Date:
> Friday, December 3, 2010, 9:42 PM My name is Mark Wells.=A0 I'm 37 and
> I live in Austin, TX with my wife and young son.
>
> I majored in computer science and math and write software for a
> living.=A0 Software I wrote helps validate student records collected
> by the state departments of education in Wyoming, Alaska, Missouri,
> and Idaho.
>
> I did some woodworking as a child and learned from my dad.=A0 My dad
> wouldn't use a hand tool if it were the last tool on earth.
>
> I started woodworking again in 2001 after my employer went bust.=A0 I
> went from a highly-sought-after engineer to unemployed in the blink of
> an eye.=A0 Unemployment changed my perspective on many things.=A0 For
> one, I had time to start woodworking again!
>
> I started out with hand tools.=A0 I kept reading about the joys of
> using hand tools on rec.woodworking.=A0 I didn't really have money to
> take classes, so I read books, articles, and rec.woodworking.=A0 I
> started with a blue Record #5 (jack plane with a plastic handle,
> Jeff).=A0 I got the old Veritas sharpening guide, some sandpaper and
> glass, and tried to "use hand tools."=A0 I was able to get the blade
> sharp enough to take some shavings.=A0 I was trying to use the plane
> to the rounded edges from a 4x4.=A0 Based on that experience, I
> decided hand tools are too hard and take too long.
>
> Over time I stocked up on power tools.=A0 I bought all the usual
> machines (except a table saw) and built some nice stuff.
>
> During this project =A0 http://www.mwells.org/woodworking/shaker-toy-
> shelves I realized I really need a functional hand plane.=A0 I also
> realized that if I wanted my son to come in the shop, I would have to
> learn to use hand tools.
>
> Brent Beach taught my how to sharpen.=A0 At one point Brent mentioned
> the Old Tools List.=A0 It took me several more months before I started
> sitting on the porch.=A0 That was sometime in 2007.
>
> Since then I've been sliding.=A0 I unplugged my jointer and planer.=A0
> I wrote an evangelical hand tool children's book.=A0 I sold my
> compound miter saw.=A0 I try to find other people who are interested
> in hand tools and teach them the meager skills I have learned on my
> own.=A0 I'm in deep.
>
> Recently my shop time has been limited.=A0 I'm working on a queen-
> sized bed.=A0 I bought the wood in January of 2009.=A0 (You all are
> such a bad influence.)=A0 After I finish the bed, I have a list of
> ideas a mile long.=A0 With a young son, a one-car garage, and an
> analytical mind, most of my woodworking limitations are time, space,
> and courage.
>
> I'm glad I found you guys.=A0 I am convinced that my journey to hand
> tools would have been shorter if I had started with a coarse crosscut
> saw and a sawbench rather than a jack plane and a workbench.=A0 I
> probably could have skipped the power tools altogether.=A0 Anyway, I'm
> glad I finally made it on the porch.
>
> Mark http://www.mwells.org
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> OldTools is a mailing list catering to the interests of hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
>
> To change your subscription options:
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>
> To read the FAQ: http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html
>
> OldTools archive: http://swingleydev.com/archive/
>
> OldTools@r...du
> http://ruckus.law.cornell.edu/mailman/listinfo/oldtools
>



------------------------------------------------------------------------