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title> Misc. Pictures from The Met
style> various time periods American and European
material> various
source> The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Went to The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently. One of my favorite museums in NYC mainly because you could spend a week there and still not see all of it. We kind of rushed through most of it because we were on a strict time constraint but I did get to snap some pictures in some of their period rooms. There is always amazingly preserved furniture there. I always wonder how long it took to make each of these pieces especially during the Baroque period where everything was just over-the-top ornate. Well, maybe I'll be able to find out how long it takes me to make one of these one day.
title> Kitchen Design
style> contemporary
source> Beagle and Pots Gallery
I've recently started working part time at Beagle and Pots Woodworking. They are a small cabinetmaking shop that only really deals with pre-veneered plywood. It certainly makes the operation much more simple when you aren't dealing with solid wood. I guess most cabinetmaking shops are structured like this. Since, I can't really afford to take classes right now I figured getting paid and learning at the same time was the best way to go. We've arranged a sort of exchange. I offer my graphic design expertise and they teach me woodworking. I hope it works out.
**update: looks like this isn't really working out...eh.
so i'm slowly collecting tools. I just bought my first ebay planes (a #4 and #5). Haven't recieved them yet but hopefully they'll be in okay shape, at least in good enough shape to be able to tune up. I also got a set of norton waterstones which I tested out today. I'm happy to report that i have happy sharp chisels now.
title> Sprial Staircase at Iowa Capital Library
source> flickr user: haylcron
whenever I'm thinking about what my "future" house might look like I always envision a library with a spiral staircase. it would be cool if I could build one as awesome as this, maybe a smaller version.
When I first decided that I might want to be a professional woodworker I went to a million woodworking forums to see what people generally felt about switching careers to woodworking. I thought I would post some quotes from responses I read at forums for anyone else who might be in the same position as me. These are a mix of people who want their own business and people who just wanted to work for wood shops.
Ultimately, I feel that anyone should go for their dreams but be smart about it. Things don't just happen overnight. And you don't have to reinvent the wheel either. Companies will spend billions of dollars in the research and development sectors. If you're trying to do something that you don't know much about then the first step is to admit it and do the research and learn everything you can about it. Also, you have to be patient and motivated. I'm still figuring it all out as I go so we'll see if I can turn this dream into reality.
Naysayers:
"Somebody will always do it cheaper than you will, and most people are driven by price. I've gone from a team of 6 to working by myself and still can't do enough to pay the bills unless I work 80 hours a week and my 50 year old body won't allow that anymore. So I'm working to get into construction management or something like that where somebody else is responsible for payroll and all those headaches that make the cabinet business much less fun than just building cabinets. " - contributor from woodweb.com
"I've been in the business about 10 years after leaving government at 30. Many days I wonder what I was smoking... No pension, ridiculously low income, fixing mistakes, etc. I have a good market and lots of business, but with average margins, all it takes is one employee's mistake, or my own mistake, and all profit is gone. We do a lot of what I consider beautiful work, but as I get older, the need to make money is taking over." - contributor from woodweb.com
"Bad time... worst market... no health insurance... no retirement." - contributor from woodweb.com
"This is the largest hobby in the US (and Canada?), so there are literally millions that have that dream of telling the digit boss to cram it, buying some flannel shirts, and walking off into the haze of a woodshop to be that guy they always wanted to be. I think it is just a daydream, a fantasy, to be out in the dust and noise and slam and bam of a woodshop as compared to clicking keyboards and electrons racing around flipping digits. Indulge that fantasy and what will be the next? " - contributor from woodweb.com
Yaysayers:
"I'm almost 60 and it's all in the challenge, pushing one's limits, learning something new. I'll probably never get rich at this. Mildly successful would be okay. You can't buy the personal satisfaction I take home every day. After all, money isn't everything." - contributor from Woodweb.com
"He wishes to be an employee, not start a shop. So if he's unhappy in his present career and thinks that he'll be happier learning the trade, well why not? Life's too short to not pursue happiness." - contributor from woodweb.com
"Yep, some people dream of doing something rewarding. And some go to the grave regretting that they never tried. Some will actually try and fail. Some will do it for 5 or 10 or 35 years and get sick of it and move on to something else. So what? Who said you have to pick one thing and do it for your whole life? (Except your parents and high school guidance counselor, that is.) " - contributor from woodweb.com
"I have yet to experience any sexist problems in the work place. I have worked in three different settings and every place I have been, the guys I worked with respected me for my work ethic and ability as a serious cabinetmaker. I have absolutely no problem asking for help from any of the guys, and every one of them is willing to spend the time and effort to teach me new skills." - contributor from womeninwoodworking.com
General:"I'm sure you know how important it is to have a business plan, and a backup plan. But just knowing this isn't enough. You have to actually follow it. Only you know if this is right for you. Many people have done the same thing. Many have failed, some have succeeded, some may not make much money, but are extremely content with what they are doing." - contributor from Woodweb.com
"If you're serious about crossing over to professional status, then take the time up front to accurately plan how you'll start, run, manage and promote your business. Get it down on paper so you'll have a clear and decisive direction to go in. This will help you work out a lot of the "starting a business" bugs most people don't think about until it's too late." - contributor from Woodweb.com
"Women in construction and woodworking trades are always treated with disrespect. My suggestion? Venture out on your own. Start your own home improvement business beginning with small jobs such as trimwork, painting, cabinet refacing, and a host of other small jobs." - contributor from womeninwoodworking.com
title> Wood Chandelier
style> contemp
material> probably recycled pine
source> unplggdI usually go for the ornate. But I find that there is something very pleasing about simplistic aesthetics too.
title> The First Table
style> shaker
material> quarter sawn sycamore and black walnut
source> made this in Woodworking 101
This little baby is what started my passionate adventures in crafting wood. I've always wanted to have a career in something creative. That is what led me to chose graphic design as my undergrad major. The gist of that story is that I ended up becoming more and more unhappy at the prospect of being a designer and a slave to the computer screen. It lacked a tactile, hands-on quality to it that made me yearn to be crafty. During my senior year I decided to fit extra credits into my schedule and take a woodworking class. This table is the product of that class and I realized that nothing made me more happy than when I was making wood sweat sawdust.
At the time, it was almost insane to think about throwing 5 hardworking years towards my degree away to switch to another career. It was by far the most idealistic and ambitious idea I had in my life. My carefully planned future had been thwarted by the invasion of wood. I thought that the rational alternative was to woodwork as a hobby and enjoy it that way. But i could not let go of the fact that graphic design was completely depressing me and I wanted a better match for a career choice.
I researched possible woodworking schools but my relationship situation brought me to NYC and there was no woodworking schools here to attend. I decided the next best thing was to get my foot into the door through a pre-apprenticeship training for building trades> Nontradional employment for Women (NEW). Building trade = cabinetmaking = woodworking and that would be a good place to start. Upon finishing program I found a internship at a woodworking shop> Hudson Furniture Inc. That was my first success and failure at getting a foot in the door of the woodworking world. Obviously, they make really cool furniture and it was a good experience but aside from it being the worst working environment, I was working in the office and not in the shop. I don't work there anymore.
So with that little bio-history, it brings me to today, the start of my blog. I have been in NYC for a year now and feel that my progress is worth documenting just because it consumes so much of what I am right now. I will be sharing my stories of success and failures and as well all the things that inspire me towards my goal of becoming a woodworker. One day when I've learned enough I hope to get my own design/build shop together but for now baby steps.
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