Simon_M
Seedling
Hi, my name is Simon and I live in a small village near Romsey in Hampshire.
About three years ago I had the misfortune to have a fire that destroyed my garage and my 3o+ year collection of DIY handyman tools too. The garage was rebuilt (at great expense) and I started the slow journey to replace the tools that all went up in smoke, one at a time, as required.
I remember the excitement of buying some replacement screwdrivers, a hammer and a couple of handsaws and it’s been a blur ever since. More followed and soon I had to think about storage – cupboards and a tool rack etc. I’m still at the “thinking” stage and (I’m sure it gets easier) still planning my first real tidy up.
As a child I grew up with Dad’s metalworking lathe in the garage – I used it for making wooden “stuff” – it wasn’t ideal because needs of a metalworker and a woodturner crossover (but not by much). The best thing I remember was being able to cut super fine threads in wood and my “automated” skew cuts were immaculate – no skill required; you see.
My big breakthrough with the garage was delaying putting a car in the garage and realising that it's not just a dumping ground (site) that's somewhere between the house and the local tip. I’m still thinking about it but it now looks to be unlikely as some larger tools and a workbench have setup home in there. There’s not much space but it’s beginning to look more like a refugee camp for the retired.
My interest in making stuff again has been in trying to remember how to be a woodturner again and it helps that I’m now with a woodturning club. The monthly demonstrations are a great inspiration, although I see lots of things to “add to the life list” to try – but some things stick too. Maybe a few mistakes made with getting a first lathe. I should have known that one “never assume you made the perfect choice and won’t upgrade anytime soon” and “It’s easy to think the lathe is the thing - but it’s just the start”.
The woodturning “journey” continues and with the need to add some homemade jigs and other stuff I find there are some other woodwork “cul-de-sacs” – it can take forever to make a jig – getting it just right or some Man Shed furniture that I must make.
I’m recently back from the Yandles show. It’s a “free woodwork show” but when I was there wasn’t too much evidence of wood/tool purchase abstinence – happy souls (beaming all over) and carting off their latest collection of timber – certainly a true example of an Aladdin’s Cave. I think I may be cured – almost managed the whole day there, without buying anything and (after the tills were closed) completed a single purchase - a 1” scraper (I know I’m not a true woodturning purist – but needs must!) – we all need at least one more tool to make it happen – or so we imagine.
Some favourite things: favourite colour (blue), favourite woods (beech and cherry) favourite tool (my sharpening setup), favourite activity (planning my next project), favourite room (the garage/workshop) and of course, favourite pastime (creating designer firewood). :text-lol:
Kind regards
Simon
About three years ago I had the misfortune to have a fire that destroyed my garage and my 3o+ year collection of DIY handyman tools too. The garage was rebuilt (at great expense) and I started the slow journey to replace the tools that all went up in smoke, one at a time, as required.
I remember the excitement of buying some replacement screwdrivers, a hammer and a couple of handsaws and it’s been a blur ever since. More followed and soon I had to think about storage – cupboards and a tool rack etc. I’m still at the “thinking” stage and (I’m sure it gets easier) still planning my first real tidy up.
As a child I grew up with Dad’s metalworking lathe in the garage – I used it for making wooden “stuff” – it wasn’t ideal because needs of a metalworker and a woodturner crossover (but not by much). The best thing I remember was being able to cut super fine threads in wood and my “automated” skew cuts were immaculate – no skill required; you see.
My big breakthrough with the garage was delaying putting a car in the garage and realising that it's not just a dumping ground (site) that's somewhere between the house and the local tip. I’m still thinking about it but it now looks to be unlikely as some larger tools and a workbench have setup home in there. There’s not much space but it’s beginning to look more like a refugee camp for the retired.
My interest in making stuff again has been in trying to remember how to be a woodturner again and it helps that I’m now with a woodturning club. The monthly demonstrations are a great inspiration, although I see lots of things to “add to the life list” to try – but some things stick too. Maybe a few mistakes made with getting a first lathe. I should have known that one “never assume you made the perfect choice and won’t upgrade anytime soon” and “It’s easy to think the lathe is the thing - but it’s just the start”.
The woodturning “journey” continues and with the need to add some homemade jigs and other stuff I find there are some other woodwork “cul-de-sacs” – it can take forever to make a jig – getting it just right or some Man Shed furniture that I must make.
I’m recently back from the Yandles show. It’s a “free woodwork show” but when I was there wasn’t too much evidence of wood/tool purchase abstinence – happy souls (beaming all over) and carting off their latest collection of timber – certainly a true example of an Aladdin’s Cave. I think I may be cured – almost managed the whole day there, without buying anything and (after the tills were closed) completed a single purchase - a 1” scraper (I know I’m not a true woodturning purist – but needs must!) – we all need at least one more tool to make it happen – or so we imagine.
Some favourite things: favourite colour (blue), favourite woods (beech and cherry) favourite tool (my sharpening setup), favourite activity (planning my next project), favourite room (the garage/workshop) and of course, favourite pastime (creating designer firewood). :text-lol:
Kind regards
Simon
- Rob