Hello from WNC

Josh Wolff

Member
Messages
40
Hello. My name is Josh, and I have exactly zero experience with woodworking. I have some experience in construction, and I spent several years as a professional tile-man setting all kinds of awesome tile for moderately rich people before the Great Depression of '08 kicked my feet out from under me along with about half of the construction industry. :)

Having recently re-discovered a passion for making useful stuff (after years of riding a desk) during a Master Bath remodel, I started tearing into my Honey-do list.

Until I got to: build a picnic table. Apparently my wife found a picnic table on Pinterest that has beer-cooler tubs built into it, and she just has to have one. God bless Pinterest, btw. This ain't yo momma's window-shopping.

Now, until a couple months ago, I had always viewed woodworking with approximately the same attitude that my kids might have watching a magic show: with wonder and amazement, and absolutely no idea what in the world is going on. And like a kid at a magic show I didn't really want to how the magic happens.

But now, as a result of doing research for this picnic table project, I do. I am excited to be starting down a path that I hope will:

1.) Provide a virtually limitless supply of new skills to learn

2.) Allow me an outlet for the productive drive that I haven't had since laying tile

3.) let me build cool stuff.

4.) ... and over time, force me to buy a bunch of cool new toys that I can't afford. :)

I have some experience using this style of forum, and I can work a search function pretty well, but I hope you will forgive me if I ask a dumb question from time to time. I spent an hour earlier tonight looking at a "mallet swap" thread and trying to figure out what the heck a mallet was for.


Anyway, if anyone is still reading... well, that's it. I guess I'm done. Thanks in advance for letting me take advantage of your knowledge and experience.
 
Welcome to the clubhouse, Josh! :wave: No worries about asking questions. The only dumb ones are those not asked. ;) We've got a broad range of woodworking (and life) experiences represented here, and if we don't know the answer, chances are someone will make one up that sounds pretty good anyway. :D Fire away!
 
Welcome to the forum Josh. Might want to let us know where you hail from, may be some close by members that could really help. Mallets have many uses that I know of. Tap chisels when using them, tap chip carving tools, I use mine to tap wood, that I don't want hammer marks on, into position, or driving in pegs in joints. I'm no expert on this stuff, but there are a lot of experts here and they will add more uses. I know I made one years ago and I pick it up to use often.

Glad you are here, get out the wallet, wood is expensive, tools are expensive, time is precious.

I guess you told us you were from WNC. I will have to ponder that, not sure where that is.
 
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Welcome aboard, come on in the water is fine, there's plenty of eggs in the basket, ... :wave:

Don't buy tools until you really need them, do buy them when you really need them. Try to figure out the difference between the two (and if you do.. please let us know). Learn to use the basics first, there's a whole lot you can do with a handsaw, 2-3 chisels, a mallet, a hammer and maybe a screwdriver.

Share your projects, often someone who's already done that will ask "but what about" and :doh: but you've fixed it before it got to far anyway.

Oh yeah - and you can use free firewood if you get into turning ... its just the tool count that gets you there :D
 
welcome josh.. show us a picture of this new style of picnic table and it will help us in the making of ideas for you:) and i to advocate ask the forum before buying tools there are lots of poor tools in this woodworking just as there was in your old tile business yet the good ones make the jobs go much easier.
 
Welcome to the forum Josh. Might want to let us know where you hail from, may be some close by members that could really help.
I guess you told us you were from WNC. I will have to ponder that, not sure where that is.

Paul, I think that is West North Carolina

Enjoy,
JimB

By the way, I am glad you are far enough away that you cannot shoot me for the above.
 
WELCOME!

Glad to have you with us Josh!!!

It is a great group except for a few odd balls like me. However, they even put up with me.

PM your address to me and I will make you a hard maple mallet and send it to you as a "Hi there" present.

Enjoy,
JimB

Jim C Bradley for the PM message
 
If you have the money, pick up a GOOD stable table saw. It's a good first big tool to buy.

And then learn to use it safely, because if you don't, your fingers will go away forever!
 
Welcome aboard, Josh. Glad you found us and really glad to help you buy cool new toys you can't afford. We like living vicariously through the tool purchases of others:)
 
Welcome to the forum Josh. Might want to let us know where you hail from, may be some close by members that could really help. Mallets have many uses that I know of. Tap chisels when using them, tap chip carving tools, I use mine to tap wood, that I don't want hammer marks on, into position, or driving in pegs in joints. I'm no expert on this stuff, but there are a lot of experts here and they will add more uses. I know I made one years ago and I pick it up to use often.

Glad you are here, get out the wallet, wood is expensive, tools are expensive, time is precious.

I guess you told us you were from WNC. I will have to ponder that, not sure where that is.

WNC

My Guess ----- Winston North Carolina

I was thinking Western Northern California. Or maybe Wonderful New Caledonia? :D

Paul, I think that is West North Carolina

Enjoy,
JimB

By the way, I am glad you are far enough away that you cannot shoot me for the above.

Is there a "thanks" button on this forum? I can't find it so... thanks everyone for the warm welcome. :) Also, you are correct, Mr. Bradley, WNC stands for Western North Carolina. I apologize for the vague reference to my location; I had thought that WNC was more commonly understood. Here is a link to the Wikipedia entry on WNC if anybody is interested. :)

Here is the outdoor table my wife found on pinterest that started this whole thing rolling. outdoor table with beer cooler.jpg
 
now thats looks easy enough to make and well worth the time:) use some good screws and plug the holes with some dowels and give it a coat of good outdoor varnish, epithane, to last longer and then fill it up and start the party:)
 
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