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Greetings gentle galoots,
I have been lurking in this group for about 3 years on two different =
occasions. One of the reasons that I haven't posted before was that I =
didn't think that my skills were developed enough to pretend to rub =
shoulders with this august group. I have convinced myself that this =
shouldn't be a consideration. While I may not have as much to share in =
the experience department, I do have something to offer, even if it's a =
mistake that I've made that others can learn from. After all, it's our =
mistakes that teach us the most, not our successes.
I have been a hobby woodworker for about 25 years or so and own a wide =
variety of tailed tools both portable and stationary. My most =
challenging project so far has been a new dining room table. I wimped =
out and purchased the chairs.
Last year I completed the exterior of my lifelong dream, a workshop. I =
erected a 24 x 64 steel building to house my tractor and implements. I =
then enclosed a 24 x 25 interior space. So far I have installed the =
lighting, insulation and an A/C unit (must have items in Texas). I am in =
the process of adding base cabinets and wall cabinets which I am having =
a ball building myself.
I had read so many posts from this great group about the joy of using =
traditional hand tools, that I thought I should try them myself. I have =
just finished a laptop writing desk as a present for my wife (saw it on =
The Woodwright) that I made almost totally with hand tools. In the last =
2 years I have aquired 2 Disston saws, #7, #8, #5, #5 1/2, #4, #4C, #3, =
#93, #60 1/2, #110 Stanley planes, a Millers Falls brace, a complete set =
of Jennings bits, numerous mortise gauges, scribes, bevels and a comple =
set of bevel edge Sorby chisels 1/8" - 2". Egads, what a slippery slope =
this is turning out to be. I simply can't remember when I've enjoyed =
woodworking more than I have this last year.
I hope to be able to occasionally add something of value to the group. I =
ask nothing more than your tolerance and patience in the meantime.
Don Florida
Cleveland, TX.
May the farce be with you!

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DON FLORIDA WROTE:   
(snip)  
  One of the reasons that I haven't posted before was
that I didn't think that my skills were developed
enough to pretend to rub shoulders with this august
group. I have convinced myself that this shouldn't be
a consideration... (snip)

 I was expecting the next words to be: "...having read
several posts from this GAM character..."

  If there's room for me, anyone can fit in on the
porch; welcome Don, and don't get between Bob Rackers
and a split infinitive...
                    sincerely;  Gary Allan May

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Don Florida wrote:
> 
<>

You don't mention one, so I may be guessing wrong.
But it sounds like your next project should
be a nice neander-bench...

Welcome to the porch.

	BugBear

On Wed, 8 Aug 2001, Don Florida wrote:
> I have been lurking in this group for about 3 years on two
> different occasions. One of the reasons that I haven't
> posted before was that I didn't think that my skills were
> developed enough to pretend to rub shoulders with this
> august group. I have convinced myself that this shouldn't
> be a consideration. While I may not have as much to share
> in the experience department, I do have something to
> offer, even if it's a mistake that I've made that others
> can learn from. After all, it's our mistakes that teach us
> the most, not our successes.

Hear hear!  Nobody springs forth as a fully formed galoot
master.  We all get closer through failure after failure
(hopefully not the same one more than a couple of times ;-)
Of course, what keeps us going is the encouragement and
inspiration provided by the galoots more learned and
accomplished than ourselves.  I consider it my duty to those
even lower on the learning curve than me to share my puny
baby projects with the porch.  Plus, my junk reminds the
more skilled how far they've come ;-)

Welcome up into the light, Don.  Look forward to hearing
more from you.

jeffy
-- "Metaphors be with you." -- U. Utah Phillips

Dear Don and GGs, 

Welcome to the porch, Don. Sounds as though you'll have a lot to
contribute. When you mentioned giving others the benefit of learning
from your mistakes, it rang a bell. Probably the echoes in my
not-so-large head. 
	Last Sunday, I went over to sell at the local flea -- took lots of
tools and some other stuff. Well, two of the tools were a real nice
brass-backed Diston tenon saw and a sweet little steel-backed dovetail
saw. Long about 11:30, my wife stopped by and I was pointing out a
couple of items on my table and I noticed that the tenon saw had a crack
in the handle; in fact, it was a complete break. The crack was large
enough that the wood on either side of the crack had separated. I said,
"Damn, that must have happened this morning." Then I looked at the
dovetail saw and it had a crack in about the same place. 
	Anyway, it turns out that it had gotten pretty hot that morning and it
was enough -- especially with those attached saw blades -- to shrink the
wood and cause a break in the short grain. I'm still teed off at myself
about that. Should have known. 
	So, if my oversight (sounds better than stupidity) is a reminder to
someone else, I'll be glad I posted this. 

Good fortune to one and all, 
John