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Recent Bios FAQ

-729 "Tim Swihart" <Tim_Swihart@q...> 1970‑01‑01 my bio (Tim S.)

                                my bio (Tim S.)

Many of you may have seen various postings from me in rec.ww over the last
couple of years...hopefully, they've gotten better during that time.  :-) 
Mine are the ones signed "Tim S." ( a weird habit I picked up many years
before I found rec.woodworking because there were a lot of folks named "Tim"
all posting to the same place and nobody seemed to be able to tell us apart).

By day, I manage a group of System Software engineers for Apple Computer, Inc.
 By night, I'm a husband and dad with two kids (ages 2 and 4).  Somewhere in
between, I'm learning about woodworking.

I started woodworking in High School...10th grade...we had a
Vocation/Technical wing on our High School and 10th graders' only choice was a
survey class...one quarter was metal working, one was drafting, one was small
engines, the fourth was woodworking.  We had almost no instruction in the
metal and woodworking classes...here's the wood, there's the tools, don't cut
yourself, make a stool...it was a long time before I tried again (that course
was the ONLY course that used the woodworking shop...there were no follow on
classes).

After many years of programming computers for a hobby and a living, I decided
I needed a new hobby so that when I retire, I won't have to try to sling code
better/faster than youngsters that have been using computers since they were
two (like my kids).  I caught Norm (oops, sorry for the "N-word") on PBS and
it reminded me of High School (and he gave me more info than my High School
shop teacher...how's that for scarey?).

I bought a few Norm tools and made some kid-related projects that came out
pretty decent.  Then I found rec.woodworking and eventually stumbled onto
neander tools (I even saw the "birth" of the term "neanderthal").  Bought my
first planes from a couple of the email dealers...found a couple more at a
local flea market (including my first #3...minty fresh...twenty bucks)...and
discovered I needed to learn how to sharpen.

I did eventually learn how to sharpen fairly well and now have about sixty
planes (mostly from local estate sales, flea markets) which I'm learning to
use as time permits.  I also have a wide variety of other hand tools found in
the same channels that keep me busy.  My favorite tool?  My shaving
horse...made it myself loosely following the directions in one of Roy
Underhill's books. Now, I'm trying to learn how to sharpen handsaws...

I'm the owner of the world's ugliest Stanley #3...I'm guessing it's vintage WW
II when they used whatever parts were on hand because no two pieces seem to be
from the same era (a real joy to do a Type study on).  Even the handle and the
tote don't match.  Yes, I think it's all original (it came from a machinst
with only one other plane and most of his machinists tools were from that
era).  The handle's finish is shot...what's left is discolored (looks sick),
it was rusted, etc.  Everybody's first impression of this plane is that it's
junk and they wonder why I have it.

I figured there was no way I could harm it (and I got it free), so I've used
it to learn how to tune a plane (yes, I lapped its sole). It works great and
is one of my favorites these days even though I have much nicer #3's.  Once
you've used it, the ugly no longer matters.

I still use my Norm-tools from time to time...depends on the task at hand. 
For example, I'm making cabinets for my garage so I'll have somewhere to store
stuff...they're plywood, so dado's, rabbets, rips, crosscuts, etc are all done
with power tools. I'm getting better at cabinet making and plan to uild my own
toolbox later...it'll be solid wood, not plywood, and done with hand tools all
the way (which means I have several other projects ahead of it that will give
me time to practice my hand-cut dovetails, M&T's, etc).

My projects?  They range from tiny (stamp dispensers, custom picture frames)
to huge (outdoor playground for the kids...sandbox, slide, mutliple levels,
etc).  I'm exploring all aspects of woodworking and figure if I keep going at
this pace, but the time I retire (I'm 33, so this will be a while), I might
know what I'm doing.  :-)

Now, if I could just find a few more of those minty fresh 10 1/2's (malleable
iron) in the box for dirt cheap, so I can sell them to collectors and pocket
the difference, I could afford to keep hunting tools for myself.  :-)

Tim S.

My opinions are my own. They're my feet and I'll put them in my mouth if I
want to. Do not expose to open flame. Some assembly required. Under penalty of
law, do not remove this tag. Do not read while operating a motor vehicle or
heavy equipment. This supersedes all previous notices.



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Recent Bios FAQ