OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

119306 David Charnon <dcharnon@w...> 2003‑06‑26 Bio...a bit long.
Greetings Galoots,

I've been lurking for a while and joined a week or so ago. In my
original post (about an Everkeen plane I found) I publicly stated that I
would post a bio, so since the GITs and the SWMBO are sleeping, I
thought this would be the only 10 free minutes I might have in a while.

I am married in my 30's, wonderful wife and two GITs (4 and 2 yrs old).
I grew up in Wisconsin, have a B.A. from Madison. I have an M.A. in
Theology and did Ph.D. work in the same field in Atlanta for 7 years
(never quite finished). It was hot in Atlanta. Lots of traffic too. And
smog. Did I mention the heat? Anyway, we moved back to Wisconsin when I
took a job working with computers (a natural progression from theology,
right? You gotta have faith in both fields. [Well, not really, but
that's a different story]). Here's where woodworking comes in. I now
have a basement, and a place to put tools. My father, who is a very
skilled woodworker, gave me his old t*bl*s*w and I became fascinated
with making sawdust. I would go downstairs to my "shop" and cut wood and
occaisionally emerge with a finished product. Nothing fancy, but my
skills increased until the point where people would compliment me on my
work. I was pleased I could Create Something. I began to religi! ously
watch Norm and drool over tailed tools of every shape and size and
price. Not being a rich man, this quickly became depressing. Still, I
made due, and was having fun.

And then my t*bl*s*w died.

Well, not died really. It still works, but there is an irreplacable part
that is worn and getting worse. I was lost. No longer could I Create.
Nights were quiet, without the sounds of sharp teeth slicing into dead
trees. My family slept. I was bummed.

I would read the wreck everyday, just to keep my spirits up.
Occaisionally I would see a post about someone named Stanley, who always
had a different number. Or scary sharp. Or the joy of handcut dovetails.
What's this? Sounds intriguing. People were actually working with wood
without power. I began to investigate this possibility, and I recalled
my father had an old Stanley plane. I thought I would give this a shot.
It was a Stanley Handyman, but I was undeterred. I fixed it up and
produced shavings. I was hooked. I visited the Museum of Woodworking
Tools. I couldn't stop looking at the Blood and Gore. I became
fascintated by the idea of shaving my arms, with humungous razors, so I
started to go to the Disstonian Institute for therapy. And I started
hitting garage and estate sales. My first find was two Atkins panel
saws. My second and third were a Millers Falls #67 and a Sargent #79. I
was in love. A neighbor gave me this beautiful Everkeen transitional !
plane (looks like a Stanley #26) and the way I looked at it the first
time I saw it made my wife jealous.

So I'm going down that slipperly slope. My wife doesn't mind as long as
I promise I will actually make something besides shavings. I'm not ready
to completely abandon all my tailed tools (I have my new t*bl*s*w all
picked out, just waiting for the funds to be released), but I have found
an unexpected joy in working with handtools. I have enjoyed the hunt,
the restoration, and the using. I'm just beginning, but I'm having fun.

The Porch has been a wonderful resource. It is now my lunchtime reading
at work (and sometimes my morning and afternoon reading as well). Expect
to see a lot of stupid questions from me, hopefully those will decrease
over time. Someday I might actually add to the answers instead of the
questions. Someday.

Well, thanks for reading. It's almost time to turn in for the day, but I
think I'll go cut another rabbet in some scrap piece of wood over in the
shop. The family is sleeping, but it's quiet work.

dave


Recent Bios FAQ