Young wood workers!!!

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 8:19 pm

I thought I would share this Blog site with you guys. This is my son in law who has moved his career out of the IT business into woodworking. I have seen some of his work in person and it is pretty good. He is just finishing up a woodworking program in the Tacoma WA area. Coolest thing I have seen of his a an "S" shaped miter joint on the corners of a table. http://jmswoodworking.wordpress.com/

BuckeyeDennis · Post by **BuckeyeDennis** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:26 pm

Those S-shaped miter joints are very cool indeed. I'm thinking that I could steal that idea, with the help of my bandsaw and sanding drum. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

Design-wise, the piece that really catches my eye is the pretty little writing desk. I think that I need to make a couple of those for my daughters, IF I can ever get ahead of the honey-do list.

On the career front, I'm still active in a parallel engineering field, and I can say with some certainty that IT is the just about the hottest job market out there right now. And having spent several years writing robotics code myself (back when dinosaurs still roamed the earth), I can also say that, for me, woodworking is more fun at my current stage in life.

So I am most curious: has you son-in-law figured out how to turn his obvious woodworking passion into an adequate income? Strangely enough, I know a guy that made the switch from engineering, turning his woodworking hobby into a reasonably successful business making high-end executive office furniture. But that guy made his fortune in electronics first, and his son was old enough to run the electronics business before he made the leap.

That said, my mind remains boggled at the business opportunities that the Internet offers to bright kids with a good imagination and boundless energy.

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:56 pm

[quote="BuckeyeDennis"]Those S-shaped miter joints are very cool indeed. I'm thinking that I could steal that idea, with the help of my bandsaw and sanding drum. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future

So I am most curious: has you son-in-law figured out how to turn his obvious woodworking passion into an adequate income? Strangely enough, I know a guy that made the switch from engineering, turning his woodworking hobby into a reasonably successful business making high-end executive office furn iture. [/

My daughter is a doctor! So he has some flexability.

BuckeyeDennis · Post by **BuckeyeDennis** » Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:22 pm

dlbristol wrote:
BuckeyeDennis wrote:Those S-shaped miter joints are very cool indeed. I'm thinking that I could steal that idea, with the help of my bandsaw and sanding drum. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future

So I am most curious: has you son-in-law figured out how to turn his obvious woodworking passion into an adequate income? Strangely enough, I know a guy that made the switch from engineering, turning his woodworking hobby into a reasonably successful business making high-end executive office furn iture. [/

My daughter is a doctor! So he has some flexability.

Got any more successful daughters? My 13-year old son is smart, tall and handsome, still unattached, and I could steer him in the right direction!

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:50 am

dlbristol wrote:I thought I would share this Blog site with you guys. This is my son in law who has moved his career out of the IT business into woodworking. I have seen some of his work in person and it is pretty good. He is just finishing up a woodworking program in the Tacoma WA area. Coolest thing I have seen of his a an "S" shaped miter joint on the corners of a table. http://jmswoodworking.wordpress.com/

Very cool - What program in Tacoma? I know Seattle Central Community College has a strong woodworking program, but wasn't aware of one down south.

Is he using a ShopSmith in his work?

dlbristol · Post by **dlbristol** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 11:10 am

The program may be in Seattle, they live, and she works in Tacoma. You are probably right.

Both my daughters are pretty smart, but one is taken and the other would probably want a "slightly " older man!:D

frank81 · Post by **frank81** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:43 pm

I'm trying to work towards opening my own manufacturing business eventually. I'm not married to a doctor, but I did leave a very expensive ex and am dating a nurse so hopefully that means its doable!

mrhart · Post by **mrhart** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 10:21 pm

dlbristol wrote:I thought I would share this Blog site with you guys. This is my son in law who has moved his career out of the IT business into woodworking. I have seen some of his work in person and it is pretty good. He is just finishing up a woodworking program in the Tacoma WA area. Coolest thing I have seen of his a an "S" shaped miter joint on the corners of a table. http://jmswoodworking.wordpress.com/

I did look through his site. Super nice work and I'm totally jealous of anyone woodworking for a living. And how cool would it be to have a school in your city?!

Gene Howe · Post by **Gene Howe** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:17 am

Really nice work by that "Young Woodworker". He certainly has the talent necessary to be successful. Best of luck to him in his endeavor.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:52 pm

Congratulations to your son in law. I hope he enjoys his new career.

Being one that has traded a hobby for a career once already. I would not like to become a professional wood worker.

I was a computer enthusiast and programmer / hobby level for a lot of years and finally made the transition to professional work (10 years plus now). While I still love what I do, I only do it for pay now and I found it left me no hobby. So I renewed my interest in woodworking.

I would not trade my enjoyment for woodworking for a full time gig. It turns into work and "Have to do things". Eventually, the passion does wane some.

IMHO one's hobby should have little or nothing to do with their profession/career. I have a strict "No Computers" rule in my shop. I get enough of them during the day job and I don't need any more at home.