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
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