Welcome to our wondermous side of the slope.....

--- On Tue, 8/10/10, Jim Campbell  wrote:

> From: Jim Campbell 
> Subject: [OldTools] Bio: Jim Campbell
> To: oldtools@r...
> Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 1:32 PM
> When I was 10 years old, PBS aired a
> brand-new show called the Woodwright
> Shop. I was mesmerized by this show, and Roy's workshop was
> everything I
> wanted in a play house. I couldn't imagine a better place
> to be able to go and
> spend my time. Roy did these amazing things with mysterious
> and wonderful
> tools. I wanted to make those things, and Roy made it seem
> like I could do it
> even as a boy. I realize now that one of the hallmarks of a
> true craftsman
> is his ability to make the difficult seem effortless. This
> was my favorite
> show for years and years.
> 
> As a teenager I discovered computers and started
> programming them. I really
> enjoyed being able to get the computers to do exactly what
> I wanted them to do.
> 
> I eventually studied mechanical engineering at the
> University of Minnesota,
> specializing in computer simulation of structures and
> mechanisms. I thought
> that engineering was going to be the work of inventing
> amazing machines to
> solve the complex problems of humanity. I imagined
> something like Edison's
> shop, only with powerful simulaton tools. I was very lucky
> to meet an old Apollo
> engineer who became my mentor. He had a shop like Roy's,
> only it was a high-
> precision machine shop and optics laboratory. Like many of
> you, my mentor
> Bill would scrounge for old tools, metalworking machine
> tools in his case,
> and restore them to as good as new. Bill showed me how
> these 100+ year old
> tools were better made and usually higher precision than
> what was being made
> today. He made absolutely beautiful things with "his
> paintbrushes", as he
> called them.
> 
> I soon learned that 99% of engineering is actually more
> like accounting than
> anything that Thomas Edison, Roy Underhill or my mentor
> Bill did. After an
> initial learning curve, it looked like my career was going
> to be an endless
> repetition of fussy drudgery. I moved into the computer
> software industry,
> working for one of the companies who developed engineering
> software I had used.
> I'm now working for a large enterprise software company in
> sales, helping
> organizations with their product development processes.
> It's a good living,
> but it hasn't gotten me closer to making beautiful
> things...
> 
> I've always been drawn to the old ways of doing things,
> when people appreciated
> craftsmanship, and I love the feel of using quality tools.
> I shave with
> an old-fashioned straight razor (something I recommend to
> everyone on this
> group).
> 
> A few months ago, my Tivo got me a new(!) episode of the
> Woodwright Shop. I
> couldn't believe Roy was still doing the show, and it had
> the same affect on me.
> I'm 40 years old now, and after losing some people close to
> me, I realized that
> if I'm ever going to do some of these things, I'd better
> get on with it. We
> only go around once!
> 
> I'm starting completely from scratch, and I'm really
> excited about it. My first
> order of business is to get the books and tools I need to
> get started, and make
> myself some kind of bench to work on. I have a large
> basement area to use as
> a workshop. I was so pleased to find this group, and while
> I appreciate the
> craftsmanship of the old ways, I also appreciate the
> tremendous opportunities
> that technology gives us to connect with each other.
> 
> My longer-term goals for woodworking are to make some
> bedroom furniture in the
> arts & crafts style. I'd also like to make some a
> library table and a couple
> of dining chairs.
> 
> I'm in the Minneapolis area and would love to hear how to
> get connected with
> local old tools people, swap meets, gatherings, classes and
> other resources.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> hand tool
> aficionados, both collectors and users, to discuss the
> history, usage,
> value, location, availability, collectibility, and
> restoration of
> traditional handtools, especially woodworking tools.
> 
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> 

      
------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I was 10 years old, PBS aired a brand-new show called the Woodwright
Shop. I was mesmerized by this show, and Roy's workshop was everything I
wanted in a play house. I couldn't imagine a better place to be able to go and
spend my time. Roy did these amazing things with mysterious and wonderful
tools. I wanted to make those things, and Roy made it seem like I could do it
even as a boy. I realize now that one of the hallmarks of a true craftsman
is his ability to make the difficult seem effortless. This was my favorite
show for years and years.

As a teenager I discovered computers and started programming them. I really
enjoyed being able to get the computers to do exactly what I wanted them to do.

I eventually studied mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota,
specializing in computer simulation of structures and mechanisms. I thought
that engineering was going to be the work of inventing amazing machines to
solve the complex problems of humanity. I imagined something like Edison's
shop, only with powerful simulaton tools. I was very lucky to meet an old Apollo
engineer who became my mentor. He had a shop like Roy's, only it was a high-
precision machine shop and optics laboratory. Like many of you, my mentor
Bill would scrounge for old tools, metalworking machine tools in his case,
and restore them to as good as new. Bill showed me how these 100+ year old
tools were better made and usually higher precision than what was being made
today. He made absolutely beautiful things with "his paintbrushes", as he
called them.

I soon learned that 99% of engineering is actually more like accounting than
anything that Thomas Edison, Roy Underhill or my mentor Bill did. After an
initial learning curve, it looked like my career was going to be an endless
repetition of fussy drudgery. I moved into the computer software industry,
working for one of the companies who developed engineering software I had used.
I'm now working for a large enterprise software company in sales, helping
organizations with their product development processes. It's a good living,
but it hasn't gotten me closer to making beautiful things...

I've always been drawn to the old ways of doing things, when people appreciated
craftsmanship, and I love the feel of using quality tools. I shave with
an old-fashioned straight razor (something I recommend to everyone on this
group).

A few months ago, my Tivo got me a new(!) episode of the Woodwright Shop. I
couldn't believe Roy was still doing the show, and it had the same affect on me.
I'm 40 years old now, and after losing some people close to me, I realized that
if I'm ever going to do some of these things, I'd better get on with it. We
only go around once!

I'm starting completely from scratch, and I'm really excited about it. My first
order of business is to get the books and tools I need to get started, and make
myself some kind of bench to work on. I have a large basement area to use as
a workshop. I was so pleased to find this group, and while I appreciate the
craftsmanship of the old ways, I also appreciate the tremendous opportunities
that technology gives us to connect with each other.

My longer-term goals for woodworking are to make some bedroom furniture in the
arts & crafts style. I'd also like to make some a library table and a couple
of dining chairs.

I'm in the Minneapolis area and would love to hear how to get connected with
local old tools people, swap meets, gatherings, classes and other resources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------