Woodworking

I love woodworking.  I love working with my hands and creating things, especially if they are useful things.  When I first came to America I used to hand out in the local Base woodworking shop.  I learned how all of the tools worked and even built prototypes of furniture, which were offered as new product lines for the local Sears store. 

But, we moved to Colorado so I never got to see how the offer was taken by the Sears buyer.  Now in high school, I was able to continue my woodworking through the school.   I built the furniture for my bedroom at the time as well as numerous items for people whom liked my work. 

It has always been my desire to continue woodworking – but life occurred in there somewhere and I lost a few decades.  Such is the nature of things.

So, I have been reading my old books, seeing what I have to play with and dreaming for years.  I do have an interesting stock of wood on hand; it does seem to follow me home whenever I see a bargain, sale or an “oh, that is nice!” piece being offered.  After all, I do want to do woodworking someday!  Tool wise though, I have nothing anymore I can use.  Most of the stuff was sold off years ago to finance car repairs and the like.

Then in fall I saw an ad in the paper for a Beaver planer.  I am pretty sure that Beaver Tools never built a planer, but they did build a very fine little hobbyist jointer.  Sure enough, that is exactly what it was and I bought it on the spot.  Although built sometime before 1953, when Beaver was bought out by Rockwell, the tool is like new!  Turns out the guy’s grandfather bought it brand new and just never used it much.  Cool!

Next, I was able to pick up a small Duro band saw of roughly the same vintage and a combination disk sander/belt sander.  So a small shop and all for under $100 (more or less!). 

I hope to teach my son woodworking, should I get it all lubed up and space found for a work area.  I think he will like it because he is good with his hands.  Oh wait!  It might involve fractions!  Well, we will have to cross that bridge when it raises its ugly head….