Shopsmith Forums

No matter how the question was meant, I have done something to answer yes. In the midst of a rewire job in my shop, I strung out the extension cord and worked on a bed for my daughter. I drilled holes in the legs for dowels to mount the end rails head and foot. I mortised the legs for the side rail hardware and got set up to mortise the ends of the side rails for that hard ware. I called my son in law and we talked about his interest in wood working. He made me a very nice map of Vietnam, routed into a piece of very nice old pine. It is a treasured piece. He is interested in learning to do a lot of hand tool work, because he and my daughter will be in Africa or south America soon after she finishes her residency. I don't have any new pictures to post, but I will soon, assuming I can get the planer sharp and back together. As a former football coach, I find the criticism here on this forum to be very kind spirited, and for the almost always helpful. Don't leave us, we need everyone.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Incidently I do woodworking and I usually detail it if I run into to something I think others would benefit from hearing, but I don't post often post pictures for two reasons. One I don't usually have acccess to a digital camera. Second I'm not the type of person that posts pictures of my projects.

I post a picture when I have something to show that I think will help others or will better answer or ask a question. But just to post a picture of my past or present work to have eveyone's comment goes against my grain. Perhaps it is pride I don't want criticism or false humility I don't know but I don't do picture galleries.

Also I don't often make a comment about someone else's pictures, unless it contains something I intend to copy or is has some special value. So if anyone has posted a picture of a project and I haven't remarked about it understand I think it is great but saw no reason to post a comment to state the obvious.

I hope I haven't offended anyone

The question "Does Anyone Do Woodworking anymore"? seemed to have you (and others) irritated in a way that I simply couldn't understand. Something, that I could not detect, was bothering you. That is what prompted my sarcastic comment regarding your jock strap.

This was something that my dad and brother often said when I was out of sorts for reasons not obvious to them. Sorry about the sarcasm. It probably has no place here on the forum.

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Greitz, I think your idea of asking the forum to show whatever (I, you, we) are interested in seeing is a great idea. I'm currently building my 1st piece of furniture, a mission telephone/night stand. I won't show my progress, because I'm pretty much stumbling through it, but I will show it when it is complete or near complete. In fact, at that stage, I will be asking for recommendation on the best way to finish it.

Charlese, I too would like to see what others have made. Shadow boxes, boxes, turnings, furniture, whatever.

Gosh, here I go tossing my hat into the ring...

What I really find amusing is how the thread early on started a really fine look into how it does seem many folks just don't seem to do woodworking any more, it is not taught in many schools, and many folks just don't take the time (don't have the time?) to do it any more.

Then along comes the "Hey! Did he mean ME?" Then the "implied" offense to that. And then the "He's not doing it either!", so who is he to say that?

Well, it may or may not have meant this or that, but it certainly has been an interesting read! Thought provoking questions can be some of the best questions to ask, even if it gets your anal glands tight - that is when people that don't speak up will (like me?).

Now, as for me I have NOT been doing any woodworking lately & have NEVER posted a photo of my work here or anywhere. I won't even try to save myself with useless excuses. And, most of my posts have been "fluff".

What I have found FANTASTIC about this forum is:

1. Adults!
2. Great talk about the tool we love, the Shopsmith. Every thing from restoring, maintaining, fixing, parts, tips, and uses.
3. Some great project photos (I personally don't miss that there aren't more.)
4. The fun camaraderie of a bunch of folks, that even though they have not met in person, they seem to know each other all too well.
5. And just like all families the occasional flair up - but all seem to have made up in the end.

I've been lurking & participating in on-line discussion groups since the early days of UseNet & news groups, back in the 300 baud modem days. One constant has been how lousy humor, tongue-in-cheek, and honest comments can come across WAY out from any hurtful intent. We all come from different backgrounds & what may offend one another may find it humorous.

Now from what I've seen he NEVER said "(insert your name here), why aren't YOU doing more woodworking?"

So if you HAVE been woodworking, then why the offense?

If you have NOT been woodworking, and it provoked you, then maybe you need to get up & get to work!

Or, if you take it the "Why isn't more folks (outside of those of you that are woodworking) doing woodworking?", then lets get back to ways of encouraging the younger generation or even our adult friends & neighbors to start woodworking.

But, even with myself being more content to READING about woodworking than actually making sawdust, lets leave the offense laying on the floor with the dust. Now if he came in here and said, "Hey, you Shopsmith users are a big bunch of loosers!", then LOCK & LOAD baby!

Oh, and here is a picture of a long time project that stared pre-Shopsmith...

[ATTACH]4708[/ATTACH]

I plan on having cutoff storage to the right, & to the left a roll around workbench under the top that will extend to the chop saw & then to the other side of the chop saw. The chop saw is on a hinged shelf that when lowered will have a removable top piece so that the workbench is one long 10' bench. The pegboard will come down & be replaced with... Not a solid thought on that yet. Also, once the drawers are complete I may just put in shelfs on the right instead of the cutoff storage.

So, am I somewhat vindicated?

Steve, How did you cut all those parallel dadoes?

I think this thread, what started as a little question, has gotten more responses in just the two days it's been here than any other thread.

That simple question has touched a lot forum members, in all sorts of ways. Simple question, big answers. I have even chimed in with some long responses to this thread, and I have enjoyed reading everyone's responses too.

Fifty-seven responses in 48 hours, more than one reply an hour. Wonder if thats a record on this forum.

Dusty,

On my old Ryobi BT3000 working my way up each side, that is cut both bottoms dados, the the next two (L&R) up, on and on. Since the start I've been reading a lot, and would have done it quite different now.

Woodburner,

Exactly! It has been "fun".

FWIW; My initial interpretation of the thread starting question was BOTH ways. I was NOT sure if he was referring to this forum or the 'world in general'. After a few posts, I thought the responses were an indication of which way.

THEN the other interpretations started. Both were correct in understanding the apparent dropping interest in 'Woodworking'.

As short a time as 5-6 months ago there were several 'projects' posted. I was encouraged by them ALL!

Then along come a couple of threads which really went into the restoration realm. These threads were far more interesting simply because they addressed areas which many of us were unfamiliar with. The help obtained by the 'restorers' was terrific and an education to us all.

And there have been the ongoing "HELP -My SS is sick" threads which also educate us further.

TRUE there have been more of the 'maintenance and repair' category than the Lookey Lookey what I made category. The next 6 months may be a completely different mix.

There IS room for ALL of the subjects ANYONE can think of.

Be thankful for it ALL!:)

A similar "warm discussion" arose a few years ago on an antique tractor list I belong to when a couple of guys took exception to a group of us long time members who were prone to wandering off topic now and then. My comment at the time was that we were always ready to jump in with help for any question asked even if it was repetitive and we had all known each other for so long (since 1996 in my case) that we were all friends and had camped together and visited at each others homes enough that we all had many interest in common. I then made the statement that upset a few guys... I said that while we always tried to jump in on newbie questions and while we are all newbies at something it was also true that you can only explain to someone new what a tractor steering wheel is used for so many times before it loses a little of its glamor... When those questions came up we were prone to wait quietly and let the newer guys that had already learned what a tractor steering wheel was used for answer those questions. We were still always ready to offer help if a question didn't get answered right away. Mean while we kept our friendships as a group going by talking about almost anything including what kind of trailers we hauled our tractors on and what kind of trucks we pulled those trailers with and what show we were going to travel to next.
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The owner of that list (who has been to my home and I his even though he lives in NC) has often given some of the best list advice I have seen. I repeat it often to members of the dozen email lists that I own. It is simply:
"If you do not like what is being discussed start a new thread about something you want to discuss and if it is of interest to the group it will become the discussion.The interest of the group as a whole decides the direction of the list".
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Another thing that is prone to occur on that list that since many of us are good friends off of the list we tend to have a lot of running private jokes between us and new guys panic when they read things we say to each other and try to chastise someone for what they see as an insulting message when the people involved and older members are sitting around laughing over a jab they have seen off and on for maybe 10 years.
The written word is easy to misread... I don't get to use emoticons for most of my writing and I often struggle with being clear about intent.
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I hope I always have time to explain what a tractor steering wheel is used for.