OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

1428 Patrick C Leger <blah+@andrew.cmu.edu> 1996‑06‑27 Greetings from a newbie
Hi,

Henry Sheard suggested that I check this list out for various bits of
hand-tool knowledge, so here I am.  Let me introduce myself...

By day, I masquerade as a hard-working grad student in robotics at
Carnegie Mellon University.  But by night, well, I just sorta sit at
home and putz around on my electric bass.  My bass is kinda okay, but
I really wanted a new one; unfortunately, the one I wanted would set
me back a few thousand dollars.  

So, I say to myself, "Hey, I could build one to my exact
specifications for *way* less than that, and I'd end up with a bunch
of tools, skills, and fond memories afterwards.  Well, maybe not the
fond memories; more like memories of blood and cursing and throwing
fits.  But still, it could be fun..."  

My dad wasn't a furniture maker or anything, but he's got a garage
full of tools and it seemed like I spent half of my formative years
helping him build stuff (which usually meant going to get another can
of Milwaukee's Best Light, but anyway...).  So I have at least a small
clue about tools and basic stuff, and I've built some simple acoustic
musical instruments (using..um...you know, the kinda tools that run on
the stuff that comes out of those holes in the wall).  Over the past
month or so I've been getting yer basic tools (bench plane,
spokeshave, oilstone, coping saw, etc), figuring out how to use and
maintain them (can't wait to try ScarySharp(tm)), doing a lot of
reading (on luthierie, woodworking, tools, and woods), and reading 
rec.woodworking.  So, I'm all qualified to be a master woodworker now!
Right?  Hey, guys, where are you going?  Aw, c'mon!  Come back!

So here I am; I'll probably lurk for the most part except when I
contribute innocent questions from a beginner's perspective.  

As we say in Pittsburgh, I'll be seein' yinz...

Chris



Recent Bios FAQ