Woodoworking Experience/Expertise

[Kris.Parker1]

Guys,

After being invovled in forums on this web site now for a couple of months, it has come to my attention that we actually have a large amount of experience in wood turning. Where else would anyone go for answers. As a result I decided to conduct this poll to ascertain exactly ho much experience is on this web site and try and work out in a couple of weeks how much experience is actually here. So don't be shy, have a go, put down your experience level and lets just see what is out there...

[Kris.Parker1]

Just a quick reminder, try and be as truthful as possible as this would aid in a more accurate record.

Cheers

Kris

[echnidna]

Because there are so many different facets to woodworking the questions dont show skill levels in specific areas.

[PaulS]

Kris,

It is always hard to measure experience, when i thought about it, i actually fit into the 6-10year gap, but I would consider myself inexperienced. Being a weekend warrior, there have been big gaps inbetween drinks at times. The desire and wish has been there, but the time hasn't. Oh well I will just keep on fighting the good fight!!

Paul

[Sturdee]

Although I voted in the 46-50 range there have been gaps in between when I did not do any woodworking. However making up for this now. :D


Peter.

[Kris.Parker1]

OK then hows this, enter your details as they pertain to a cummulative total of years in which you believe you are experienced. I hope to cover all facets in this poll so whether you're a restorer, turner, novice expert, just select what you believe is applicable. Just in nine votes things are looking good. Keep it up.

Cheers

kris

[Robert WA]

Have been at it, off and on, since I was a kid. The number of years should not be read as a measure of skill or expertise.

[Shane Watson]

Gotta agree with Robert on this one. I've seen people just pick a tool up and its like they've used it since they were born and others that have been using the same tool since they could hold it and are still butchering stuff......But then I guess both could be mistaken as 'experience' but certainly not as 'expertise'

[craigb]

In my case, as with afew others on this board I suspect, I was first intoduced to woodworking at school 35 years ago, where I did it as a subject for two years.
However, I've only seriously returned to it in the last three years, although in the intervening time I've also rennovated two houses.

So it's really hard to answer your question. As to my level of expertise, I would classify it as at the low end of the intermediate stage.

Craig

[Driver]

My experience is very similar to Craig's. In the nearly four years since I've taken up woodworking seriously I've managed to build up a reasonable (and growing) collection of good tools and I'm developing some useful skills.

Over the last couple of weekends I have been hanging some internal doors at home - to replace existing ones that my dear wife has fallen out of love with.

On previous occasions when I have attempted such simple carpentry, I've made a bit of a mess of it. I am pleased to report that, on the current job, using handplanes and chisels I've been able to to trim the doors accurately to size and cut hinge mortises. With a power drill and forstner bits, I've cut the lock mortises efficiently and accurately and, using a garden spade as a lever (a trick I picked up from a real carpenter), I've managed to hang them on my own.

I don't claim to have a lot of either experience or expertise but it's really gratifying to be able to do a few simple jobs with a modicum of confidence, using the right tools correctly.

Col

[Wood Borer]

I'm like Craig and Driver except I have been doing woodwork on the weekends and any other spare time for longer probably in the 21-25 years range.

[gemi_babe]

I chop alot of wood, I burn alot of wood. I loved woodworking at school and hope to in the future take it up again, I have no experience at all with the stuff, but am learning heaps from this one brilliant place the "woodwork forums"


I would like to attempt to put back the verandah that was once there around the front of my house, but I'm frightened by all the mumbo jumbo stuff about bouncing decks and rot... If I had a plan of attack to follow step by step I could probably do it. Researching and the internet.... I love you! LOL

[AlexS]

I'd like to say I had 15+ years of experience, but sometimes I think I've had one years experience 15 times. This especially applies when I make a mistake that I know I shouldn't have made.

[silentC]

My earliest recollection of making something from wood was a boat I made when I was seven. I've been around the building industry most of my life and worked in it for a few years too. Most of my 'wood-related' experience has been in building, renovating, and commercial joineries.

It's only been in the last couple of years that I've started to get serious about woodworking and actually tried to learn the 'correct' way to make furniture. I discovered this site after reading about it in a Triton newsletter and it has opened my eyes to a lot of things.

I'm very comfortable with power tools and machines, much less so with the hand tools. I understand a lot of the theory behind the use of handtools in dimensioning stock and joinery but have quite a long was to go before the actual skill catches up. I've got the bug and the long term goal is to be able to rely less on the machines. In the meantime, I use what I need to get the job done.

[ozwinner]

Over the last couple of weekends I have been hanging some internal doors at home - to replace existing ones that my dear wife has fallen out of love with.


Col
Goad Moaning
Leets hoop eet stoops weath the doaurs? :eek: :D

Chairs, Aloon :)

[Dusty]

Love the accent, Al. Reminds me of the old back pain adds "Back pain, doont tack it layin' doon"

Interesting poll, Kris.

Firstly, I still have and use the two coffee tables I made in secondary school, way back when. So I musta done something right there.

Secondly, I've been sanding and polishing floors for the past seventeen years and every week I have to rip out and replace either rotten, stained or broken boards. Along with that I also get lumbered with replacing floors where walls have been removed and a gapping hole has been left, plus I then have to replace skirtings, quad, architraves and on it goes.

So, with the repair side of things, I used to do it hard, just using a circular saw, some chisels, a plane and a lot of paitence.
Every time I went to Bunnings I used to watch the Triton video and think to my self "This has got to be an easier way than what I'm doing now"! To the point that I actually folded up the display workcentre to see how heavy and/or awkward it would be to lug into the homes I work in. To my pleasent suprise no worries. So I bought one, and the Router and table and biscuit joiner and finger jointer and super jaws and on it goes.

Simply, from at first 'needing' the workcentre for work, to now using it and all the other gear weekly to make things has turned me into a woodworker, of sorts.
I feel that I'm pretty damn lucky to be able to use the gear every week at work, as it has given me the opportunity to learn just what it's all capable of, and what I'm capable of. To the point that I have made up a jig to rout out the ends of the boards I'm replacing, making it both faster and neater. Also, I'm able to make my own floorboards from wider stock if I have trouble finding a rare, narrower size.

All this practice at work has given me a lot of confidence for my in the garage type work. Currently, I'm knocking up a dining table, which my wife is taking step by step photo's of along the way, so I'll be able to share the project with you guys.

I gotta admit, the more I use the woodworking gear the more I love it.

[Alastair]

Wot Craig and Driver sed...


I did WW at school, then handyman stuff on my house. When I started turning, (~1996) In also started with making odd furniture pieces, in between the turning, so based experience from that time.

Alastair

[Driver]

Goad Moaning
Leets hoop eet stoops weath the doaurs? :eek: :D

Chairs, Aloon :)

Er you traying to toke the puss?

[Christopha]

As the son of a cabinetmaker, the nephew of a carpenter,the grandson, the great grandson and the great, great grandson of carpenters and a carpenter myself then just how many years should I admit to? :confused: :confused:

Why don't you expand the poll to include those who are tradesmen?

[Zed]

why not just ask how old everyone is ????/ the old pharts (like midge, oz, doorstop, soil-lentC etc....) can then say "when I was a lad, we used to live in a shoe box by the side of the road eat raw gravel fur breakfast AND pay for the priviledge, wake in the morning 4 hrs before we wen' to to sleep and work in a coal mine for tuppence" in between all thier bleedin' whinin' they will give sage advice like "respect yurr mutha", yabba yabba yabba..... "yes I remember when I was a lad the master usta beat us apprentices for wasting a nail or spilling some shellac... you could say we got a darn good shellaking Hahhhahhhhhaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, you young'ins dont know 'ow good youse got it... ow, me gout is playing up, must be going to rain tonight..."

I myself have less than 1 yrs experience (see my age...) I'm a fast lerner.

[Barry_White]

I spent 5 years as an apprentice patternmaker, spent 15 years in all trades areas of the building industry including building my own 33 square home and only outlaying $350 in outside labour because the council wouldn't let me do the septic.

Because the plumber I got did such a rotten job I had to redo half of it. All he did was glue up the poly pipe (and missed half of the joints) and organise the council inspector.

[silentC]

See, the trouble with young people today is that they have NO RESPECT...

[E. maculata]

Whats that Guys???,
Can't quite hear youse, bit deef ya know

[Harry72]

Can I count my 10yrs+ building car/home Audio, all MDF Fibreglass and car bog!

[MathewA]

When combined with the poll on how many fingers do you still have - you get a pretty good idea on skill level:D



Because there are so many different facets to woodworking the questions dont show skill levels in specific areas.

[Kris.Parker1]

Guys, we are almost thee, we need four more people to look at and use the poll in this thread to see the average yers of experience. Thanks to all those who have participated.

Cheers

Kris

[Kris.Parker1]

The results are in and overwhelmingly, it seems we have a lot of experieince in the 1-5 year bracket (42%). This is great, being that many people are obviously using this forum to gain tips and advice from the experts out there such as 27% of people reporting they have over 20 years of experience.

Thankyou for participating in this poll and taking the time to reply. Don't forget to keep voting in it as it might be interesting to see those figures agin in a year or so.

Cheers

Kris