I'm getting better

I'm relatively new to woodworking, less than 10 years dorking, but am
starting to see improvements in my skills. Some of the indications
that I am getting better:

1. Actually completing projects instead of lying to myself that I will
get to it later when I get stuck.

2. Doing less measuring and doing more fitting and marking of pieces
for cutting.

3. 'Leaving the line' and then tuning with chisels, files (sorry rasp)
or sandpaper.

4. Have more than just satin WB polyurethane in the cabinet.

5. Used a hand plane to scribe a piece instead of a belt sander
(twice).

6. Am starting to become torn between spending $ on better wood
instead of better tools. Used to be, "It will look great in pine if I
just had a 3hp, hydraulic driven, left handed router...", and I'm right
handed.

7. Bought a quart of Titebond and poured it into two smaller empty
bottles.

8. DC has now made the list of "tools I *need*"

9. Shop (garage) gets swept and blown out more than twice a year.

10. I might pull out paper before the saw for my next project.

Some areas I still need to work on:

1. Getting that darn pencil to stay behind my ear. This frustrates me
because I think I am not genetically disposed to dorking because the
pencil won't stay there.

2. Using something other than a stanley 99 to sharpen my pencils.

3. Sharpening more than one chisel at a time.

4. Building a real workbench. The old dresser is tough to clamp
things to but the drawers are great for storage.

5. Learning more about staining and finishing.

6. Sweeping and blowing out the shop more than once a month.

7. Using chalk to mark pieces like David Marks does. This doesn't
work for me because the pieces get 'moved out of the way' so many
times, by the time I'm ready for the piece the chalk is rubbed off.

8. Visiting the eye doctor to see if my 'close one eye' method is
really improving my vision.

9. Completing at least 50% of one project before starting on the next
one. This of course excludes sanding & finishing time.

10. Spending more time in the shop and less time reading magazines and
watching Norm, David, and Tommy.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Unexpectedly handy tools
    ... I opted for an old fashioned wall mounted pencil sharpener with a crank. ... The one thing that I bought and use a lot is a 25ft extension cord. ... shop and not too long as to get all tangled. ... sanding block, I've been amazed at how convenient and effective it is. ...
    (rec.woodworking)
  • Re: Pencil sharpener
    ... that the shop no longer sells pencils "because of health and safety". ... which the pencil was bought could then become criminally liable. ... Q What do you call 100 lawyers on the moon? ... it is amazing that I managed to survive child ...
    (rec.models.scale)
  • Re: One Word For Maronne - plus a bunch of these >> ! <<
    ... back to pushing that pencil or the boss will dock your pay. ... Maybe I should repost ShitFoot's post about how he run a print shop ...
    (alt.fan.howard-stern)
  • Re: Pencil sharpener
    ... Enzo Matrix wrote: ... thought that one of those big plastic pencil sharpeners that kiddies ... I was astonished to find that there were no pencil sharpeners on sale ... and so the shop from which the pencil was bought could then become ...
    (rec.models.scale)
  • Re: Pencil sharpener
    ... really - that I use for weathering the edges of panel lines on models and it ... plastic pencil sharpeners that kiddies have would be suitable. ... I was astonished to find that there were no pencil sharpeners on sale at ... that the shop no longer sells pencils "because of health and safety". ...
    (rec.models.scale)