You *all* have better shops than I do!

[Bill Lantry]

Forgive any potential unseemliness, but I guess the etiquette is to introduce oneself. My name is Bill Lantry, and I work inside the beltway. A few years ago, Doorlink and I bought a rundown but pretty big house just *outside* the beltway, which backs up on the northwest branch of the Anacostia river, so even if we're in a big city on a foreign coast, it feels like the countryside in the west, where I grew up. I claimed the one car garage as my first shop, and I've been building it on the cheap since then. Just so you know, I have never yet managed to make a square cut in my life, so everything I make is crooked... but they're a little less crooked than they used to be. Doorlink and I have six boys, ranging from 22 to 2 1/2, so there's no shortage of things to be done. Right now, I'm trying to make my first bench... but like I said, it's on the cheap, so I'm making it out of hem fir... in other words, 2 x 4s...

I've spent a bit of time on another forum, but the dissonance there is a bit much for me, so here I am: searching for peace and harmony and a little woodworking...

Thanks,

Bill

[Rennie Heuer]

Hello William! Welcome.

I, too, came her looking for peace and civility. I do not think you will be disappointed. You will also find a tremendous amount of experience here (something to which I contribute infintesimally) and great people willing to share their time and experience.

Cheap is good! Don't downplay it. My first bench was a 36" x 96" monster with 4x4 legs, 2x4 stretchers and a face-to-face laminated SYP 2x4 top with 3/4" oak T&G flooring for a work surface. It was HEAVY. I built it over 30 years ago and gave it to a friend of mine when I moved west 12 years ago. He still uses it every day.

Where "out west" do you hail from? Why are you 'in the beltway'?

Don't forget to post some pictures of that bench when it's done!

[Don Baer]

Welcome and remember one thing we like pictures. The folks here are great and don't be afraid to ask questions. There always someone with the snwers. This is intended to be a Family friendly forum and we don't tolerate shenanagins..

[Jay Lock]

Bill

Welcome! This is a kinder gentler place, but we still like to kid each other so don't hold back.

My first woodworking project was a coffee table built

out of 2x2 that I glued up to make a BIG finger joint to join the top and legs. I was so green it never occurred to me that I had to make sure that the wood was all the same dimension! When I got to joining up the top and legs there was a whole lot of paring and filling that had to be accomplished -- can you say plastic wood?

Anyway, it stayed with us for many years, 20 I think, before it was banished to the scrap pile.

You'll find lots of support here, we look forward to your posts

Jay

[Ned Bulken]

what's a physical shop look like again? I forget

welcome!

[Marty Walsh]

Welcome Bill...

Not a lot of folks here probably know what "inside the beltway means"...but Denise and I sure do. We had a townhouse in Chantilly and a home in Warrenton before we sold both and moved south to Georgia a little over a year ago. We sure don't miss the urban "sprawl and crawl" of the NoVA/DC area.

But I understand the feeling of countryside near DC if you're on or near the river. I spent many many hours fishing the Potomac...completely forgetting how close I actually was to all that mess!!!

BTW folks...for those that might not know, Bill's referring to the Washington DC Beltway (I-495)...one of the WORST roadways I have ever had the displeasure to commute on!

Now Bill, as for that first bench, there's nothing wrong with using construction lumber. Heck, my first bench in my big ole shop is made out of pressure treated lumber left-overs.

Hope you enjoy your stay. Don't be afraid to ask questions, post pictures, make comments, or just sit back and watch. The choice is yours! Whatever you decide, glad you decided to join us...

- Marty -

[Jesse Cloud]

Welcome Bill - glad you found the family

I've lived inside and outside the beltway for 20 years. Used to live in Bowie, MD and worked downtown, so I probably drove near your place a few times. Two years ago I escaped to semi-rural New Mexico. The last month we lived there, my wife and I resolved never to go on the Beltway again - wasn't easy, but we enjoyed a few new back roads.

By the way, don't worry about stuff being crooked. I'm taking a Fine Woodworking course in Santa Fe and getting grief because everything I make is square - they want me to be more creative.

Anyhow, just jump in - its a good gang here and we are pleased to have you.
Jess

[Frank Fusco]

Welcome and congrats on the first shop. Don't worry about doing it on the cheap. If I revealed how much some of my tools cost, guys here would be bringing bags of groceries to the house.
And, don't knock crooked furniture. If you try to sell, just mark it several thousands of dollars and call it art.
Squared of stuff is ordinary, everybody does that. Not really original.

[Robert Schaubhut]

Hey Beltway boys, I lived in Winchester then moved to Falls Church,Va. when I was working with disturbed boys, now I am one. But I like woodworking, does that count? Welcome William!
Shaz

[Frank Pellow]

Welcome Bill and don't worry we all have to start somewhere and I expect that most of our starts in woodworking were quite humble.

And Marty, thanks for the explanation of what the beltway is. I did not have the fainest idea (even though I did live in the USA for almost seven years).