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11735 Michael P. Montague-Smith <mpms@c...> 1997‑01‑09 belated bio, longer than it should be
Hello all,
        I have been lurking for about a month now, but have been laid low
by a pair of nasty viruses, so have been negligent in writing this up.
        My introduction to anything resembling a woodworking tool came
rather late, as I grew up on several of the small islands of Micronesia,
where the climatic conditions immediately turn anything made of iron or
steel into rusty blobs. I came to the US as a college student in 1974, but
dropped out prior to graduation. Then followed an eight year stretch during
which I held a variety of jobs, including furniture design and building. I
acquired an interest in hand tools and woodworking during this time (got my
=DErst #45 in 1983, $65, complete save one long rod, type 11).
        At some point in there, I returned to school, finished my BA, and
then decided to go to grad school, which I finished up 2 years ago. Grad
school had a very negative effect on my woodworking and tools, as no time
and no money made for few shavings, and 5 years of no maintenance and
multiple moves yielded lots of dull edges (and several broken teeth on my
beloved dozuki).
        I am currently pseudo-employed in that purgatory known as 'post
doctoral fellow' at the Chemistry Department at Duke University, where I
occasionally try to do biochemical science.
        As befits the family of a non-student, we (spouse and one
offspring, age two, male) got a house. Happily it came with a garage in
which I quickly created a shoplet. I have found that woodworking is not
like riding a bike; my skills, such as they were, have deteriorated. I've
gotten to the point where I can make a marginal dovetail joint (will an IT
help?). I have been practicing on small boxes, along with spending lots of
time sharpening. The whole process is wonderfully enjoyable though...I'm
having a good time. I am planning on a coffee table as the first big
project, soon as I finish chopping up the trees that fell on our property
during hurricane Fran (yeah, I use a chain saw...).
        All of my tools (dozen or so planes, couple dozen chisels, a range
of saws, braces, bits, a decent layout set, etc) are pretty much users
except a really nice folding boxwood rule I got out of my grandfathers
garage (near Niagara Falls, NY) when he died and a Gage G4 I snagged a junk
shop here in Carolina for $5. And I love them all.
        Probably the neatest part of getting set up to molest wood again is
the interest that Nathan (the offspring) shows in the whole thing. When I'm
out in the shop, he always wants to come out and watch, and has developed a
real facination with Dad's push drill. It's a blast to interact with him.
        So. There you have it.

mike

Michael P. Montague-Smith, Ph.D.        Voice: (919) 660-1592
P.M. Gross Chemical Laboratory            FAX: (919) 660-1591
Duke University
P.O. Box 90349
Durham, NC 27708



Recent Bios FAQ