OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

251385 Jeff Oberg <jaoberg@g...> 2014‑10‑25 Greetings and a Bio
I signed up to do Galootaclaus this year and discovered I haven't submitted my
Bio. Here for your consideration, because I would like to participate.

I grew up in the Midwest, Texas and Minnesota. I live in Miami, Florida now.
Miami is a strange place and if you have a few hours I'll be happy to tell
stories.

I grew up with a couple of grandfathers who liked to make things. One was a
serious wood worker and made furniture and whirligigs.  He also made some wooden
toys that survived myself, my cousins, and now my children.

I have always enjoyed working with my hands. I am, by training and vocation, a
chef. I don't cook professionally right now because I have young children.
Restaurant life and family life don't mix well. So now I am a stay at home dad
and spend more time as a taxi driver than as a cook. I returned to wood working
because I need something to do that works out the nervous energy that
accumulates when I don't make things.

I found my way to hand tools because of my grandfathers also. One managed to
shorten three fingers on his right hand with a table saw. I have and use a
contractor's saw. I respect it, knowing from the kitchen that fear gets you cut
as surely as inattention. Still, there is the young children thing. I'd rather
enjoy the work and have my kids able to work with me. That and frankly I hate
sawdust like vampires hate the sun.

I watch woodworking shows and for the longest time Woodsmith was the only one on
my local cable system. I discovered St. Roy and his chapel online. One of the
first few episodes I watched was Chris Schwarz singing the praises of the
traditional English floor chest. So I bought "The Anarchist's Tool Chest" and
enjoyed the read. I'm still on the fence about what I increasingly see as
hipster woodworking. I'm sure my opinions are poorly informed.

I have accumulated most of the recommended tools at this point and use them less
than I would like. I recently found a sawmill about half an hour from my house,
so good lumber has become much easier to find. I have accumulated a small
library of Hayward books, which recommend a tool set remarkably similar to the
one outlined by Mr. Schwarz, and raided the Gutenberg project for old
woodworking books. In most cases I prefer to refurbish old tools rather than buy
new. When I can, I enjoy making tools rather than buying.

I have managed to source a 6' long, 6" thick, 23" wide slab of live oak. So my
next project is likely to be a Roubo style bench made of live oak. I'm not sure
where this is going to take me. I'm considering vice hardware for the bench.

Projects currently on deck:
- Clean and rehab three Disston 12s and one 112 recently acquired from eBay. 
- Complete my tool chest, a Dutch chest built to live in my shop
- Clean the garage so I can start on the cabinets my wife wants in the laundry
room.
- Plane down a gate so it stops sticking. 
- Complete the transitions for the hardwood floors 
- Adjust the wide gate in the fence. 

All of that before I get to building my work bench. There are about a hundred
household things waiting for woodwork after those are done. As usual I have
taken a very large bite. I'll try to update this now and then as the project
list and my work evolves. For now I'm trying to speak when I have something to
add and otherwise listen. I've enjoyed the discussions so far and look forward
to many more.


Jeff------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recent Bios FAQ