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128260 Doug Van Horn <dvanhorn@c...> 2004‑01‑26 Bio/Introduction
Gentlemen:

I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Doug Van Horn, I live in St.
Louis, MO, in the United States (located roughly dead-center of the
country). I'm a software code-monkey who's been fiddling around
woodworking for about a year now.

I spent the first six months of my woodworking life agonizing over what
to buy. I went from power tools (that's all I knew), to western hand
tools, to Japanese hand tools, and came back through again. I decided to
try and stick with western hand tools & Japanese saws, but mainly I'm
after quiet and convenient, in that order.

After I bought a few saws and a couple of chisels, I built the 'Good,
Fast, Cheap' workbench that I'm sure many of you are familiar with (it's
a 2x4, 2x8 lumber bench). The top is 'flat-ish', the base is pathetic,
and the metal vise is too small for the top thickness. Regardless, I
loved building it and it works well enough to allow me to plane and saw.

I just 'lit' my workshop (basement) which makes all the difference in
the world. I went from 2 100-watt bulbs to 10 4' 2-light T-8
flourescents with 4100K bulbs, which ends up being very nice. Now I'm
ready to build a few things. A good thing, too, as my financial backer
(SWMBO) is getting anxious about not seeing any productivity from her
investment. This isn't the dot-com days, she says...

My early list of things to build includes a sharpening bench, a
television cabinet for the bedroom, and toy chest/cabinet for my tools.
Or is it a tool chest for my toys?

The group here is a treasure-trove of invaluable information for
neophyte galoots such as myself (would the proper term be a palooka?).
Thanks to all for maintaining and participating.

Doug Van Horn (who knows that a Japanese saw coming out of its kerf will
cut a thumbnail)


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