I've never had any training in wood work.

[danmart77]

Dan - I was hoping to meet you at the picnic as I've read many of your posts on the forum. Didn't realize you were there yesterday. Perhaps we saw each other in passing.

After the meal, it was tough to find folks. I think the mingling happened before the food and like I said - I was late.

https://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=60512&highlight=windsor+chair+class

I'm the guy with the 2 tone ball cap on that looks confused int he thread above. Maybe next time you see me wondering around looking lost, you can pull me aside like Hank did at the sign in table.

Dan

 

[PeteStaehling]

Although it sounds as though Im in the 'older' demographic at 44

I am in Tallahassee, but at our club meetings you would be the youngster in the group. The young guys are probably in their late 50s.

 

[Grimmy2016]

I’m a woodworker under 40. I have two kids, 5 & 3, and a third on the way. I have a full time job and am a part time PhD student. I haven’t meaningfully used my shop since Christmas. Lately, I barely have time to mow my yard. This site is basically my only connection to the hobby.

Do I still qualify as a 'young' guy at 42 this year? One can only hope..... LOL

 

[Graywolf]

Do I still qualify as a 'young' guy at 42 this year? One can only hope..... LOL

Seeing how middle age doesn't start until some where in the fifties range.... then yes you are a young whipper snapper!:rotflm:

 

[VTHokie]

Seeing how middle age doesn't start until some where in the fifties range.... then yes you are a young whipper snapper!:rotflm:

Whew!!! I thought for a second that I had passed completely out of the young whippersnapper phase of life without even knowing it!

 

[bowman]

Whew!!! I thought for a second that I had passed completely out of the young whippersnapper phase of life without even knowing it!

At 57, I have been one of the younger members at a few Outreach events I have volunteered at...I may fall into the old whippersnapper phase!

 

[Mike Davis]

I did host a turning workshop with Alan and Millissa Dewey at my home several years ago and learned some proper spindle turning techniques.

But other than that brief encounter I don't know any teachers, never went to a school, don't have any training or instruction to fall back on.

Everything I do I had to learn the hard way, I got the tool or made a tool and played around til I made it work. Sometimes I ruined the tool, ruined the work, or had to visit the ER. Eventually I figured out a way to get things done.

That is a long, hard, expensive way to go. And I'm still struggling with some things, but some things I have down pat after 15-20 years.

My biggest regret is that I didn't seek help while I was younger, had more time, and was better able to learn and retain information. I would be so far ahead now.

So, I see the same thing going on with a lot of you younger guys, but you have this unbelievable resource at your fingertips. You can ask any question and have an answer or even several answers in a matter of minutes. Sometimes it took me years to find a source or get some basic information.

And you have people willing to teach you how to do almost any aspect of woodworking for such a low cost. I can't believe we don't have workshops scheduled every month. I don't understand why there is not a waiting list to get into these workshops.

In today's (I'm offended) world I guess I should know this would be taken as criticism rather than as the fatherly advice way it was offered. Do today what others won't so that someday you will be able to do what others can't.

 

[Graywolf]

Mike, I get it and I think several others get it as well. Do I have an answer. In a word no. Do I wish I had an answer. Heck yes, I do. My take on this is that some folks may think that there is another agenda, some folks are afraid that if it doesn't come with a proven providence, then it's bad info. And you know some folks are truly that busy. But then again, I do find it interesting that most of the woodworking and craft schools have a waiting list at 100% to 60% higher rate in cost.
I too have learned a lot from the school of hard knocks. At the same time I have had vocational training while in school as a teenager and a vocational degree from GTCC in the late 80's. But I also can direct modern cannon fire. There is not not much use for that in the shop or any where else except a battle field. That was silly, but the point is there are a lot of us who might not be a well known celebrity but we have a lot to offer and want to share, and you know what is right disappointing when some one takes offense to a little fatherly advice. You know what, that's on them and that's their lack of maturity. I can't fix or change that, I can only take it for what it is. I'll offer up a couple more workshops this year and see how it goes. It either happens or it doesn't.

 

[Breakyr]

I guess I'm on the younger side at thirty. I'm actually working towards making woodworking a career right now. Unfortunately, my wife has cancer and I can't do much traveling. Also, right now it doesn't seem that there is a very active community in my area.

I want to go to the picnics and workshops, but life is making things difficult. Another thing, I had probably been searching the Internet for months maybe even a couple of years before I found this forum. Unless you are specifically looking for it, it just doesn't pop up. I didn't even think to look for a forum like this, just stumbled upon it.

I wouldn't get disheartened. This is a craft on the rise. More people will come. The new members forum seems to be constantly flowing. Of those, if you can convert 5% to an active member, growth will come.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Rick M]

Lot of woodworkers have moved to social media. Most of the young people are there but a lot middle age and up too. Lot of X and Y gen on reddit. The more serious woodworkers tend to be active on IG. FB is the busiest with woodworkers of all ages. Forums are mostly Boomers. Nice thing about social media it tends to be up beat, it's mobile friendly, there is an emphasis on show instead of tell, bickering is rarely tolerated, and there is less anonymity on IG and FB. Good thing about forums is they are great for long term discussion and archiving information. I believe one day there will be an evolution of social media that will be more forum like.

 

[VTHokie]

In today's (I'm offended) world I guess I should know this would be taken as criticism rather than as the fatherly advice way it was offered. Do today what others won't so that someday you will be able to do what others can't.

Mike - I absolutely appreciate the offers by members to share their knowledge, particularly in the form of hands-on workshops. I was not personally offended by your advice - to the contrary I welcome it. Unfortunately it isn't uncommon to hear someone somewhere today taking advice as criticism but I assure you that I appreciate your willingness to offer advice, just as I appreciate any of the advice that I can get from the NCWW group. Thanks and please continue to offer any advice that you have - I'll take whatever I can get! Eventually I plan on making the drive down to NC to participate in a workshop and I look forward to making that happen (I offered to 'let' my wife take our girls to Disneyworld while I attended a workshop in NC to decrease the cost but for some reason I couldn't get her to go along with it)...