A Grateful Greeting

**J.E. Mike Tobey** · 19th October 2007, 01:47 PM

Hello to all of you. Thank you for allowing me to join you. My primary interest is handtools, but I most enjoy restoring and improving tools. I have just in the last week begun to make some infills; I am starting with a few box-miter planes. I am particularly fascinated by shaping and honing edged tools. I have participated in the WoodNet forum for a fair amount of time. Of course, I have had the privilege of talking and sharing some things with one of your finest members.
I am directly spoken but I work hard at not being mean spirited. Occasionally I do get edgy but it is usually when a friend has been unfairly disparaged. I am not jealous of my opinions and I am, I know, often in error. I do have an ornery sense of humor. I especially like to learn by talking to similar folks wordwide. I am at my best when I can share something with another that makes their enjoyment of handtools and woodworking better with the exchange.
I am also a self taught welder and metalworker. I have been a slave to interesting automobiles since teen years and built and drove winged open wheel midgets and sprints- retired in 1999 because of vertebral compression fractures that finally made it beyond my stamina to prepare the cars and drive. I would still do it if there was weekly help. Sometimes I am more proud of my racing life than anything else I have done.( I do have a 28 year old daughter- she is really the best thing I have had a part in.)
The bulk of my professional life has been devoted to the prosecution(mostly violent crimes and homicides) or defense of persons charged with crimes. My path marked me as a frequent defender of those charged with homicide(s). Iowa does not have a death penalty but our life terms are exactly that; one convicted dies in prison. So, it has been a challenge to maintain some aspects of humanity, but I honor my oath as a lawyer.
I am a hunter and fisherman as well. I know that the hunting is a difficult issue for Australians- at least as regards firearms. However a great deal of my life with steel and wood involved quality gunsmithing. I learned so much about shaping and finishing wood and steel in that experience.
I want to make a genuine contribution here. Again, my thanks, Mike

**Pusser** · 19th October 2007, 03:29 PM

Welcome,

I hope you enjoy it. I know many of use would be interested in seeing the tools you are building. In measurement terms are generally bi lingual so you dont have to speak metric.

Again enjoy

**namtrak** · 19th October 2007, 03:43 PM

Now that is an introduction!

**J.E. Mike Tobey** · 19th October 2007, 04:09 PM

I'll wager Derek C. will come by and fill in the bloody awful details. It is good of you gents to reply. Did I already do something wrong here with that long, revealing introduction? Mike

**namtrak** · 19th October 2007, 04:24 PM

Quite the opposite, I think you've set a standard actually!! A few photos of works in progress wouldn't go astray though!

**silentC** · 19th October 2007, 04:26 PM

Did I already do something wrong here with that long, revealing introduction?

Well, I was just thinking "a lawyer AND a yank, this poor bloke is off to a bad start"!

Welcome aboard.

**rsser** · 19th October 2007, 05:13 PM

Good intro.

We Aussies are a bit more laconic about these kinds of things.

**Groggy** · 19th October 2007, 05:15 PM

Great introduction Mike, welcome to the forums!

**derekcohen** · 19th October 2007, 05:18 PM

Hi Mike!!

I did post a welcome on another thread. But, knowing how doddery you are and that you fall asleep in the middle of a sentence, a second welcome won't go amiss!

Now listen up folks, Mike is a master sharpener - there is little he has not tried - and is putting together a DVD about sharpening in the nude. He is looking for volunteers, either sex, the only condition being that you have to be capable of sensible conversation --- which leaves most of us out!

Welcome Mike. Watch the Aussie humour. We are full of it!

Regards from Perth

Derek

**MikeW** · 19th October 2007, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by derekcohen

...Watch the Aussie humour. We are full of it!

Full of what, Derek?

Welcome Mike!

Take care, Mike
yeah, the scrapers are one of these days...

**KevM** · 19th October 2007, 05:43 PM

Mike,
You ain't heard nothing 'til you a get a welcome from Dingo. That's if you can understand it.

In the meantime welcome aboard.

**chrisb691** · 19th October 2007, 06:27 PM

G'day Mike, welcome aboard.

**wheelinround** · 19th October 2007, 06:55 PM

Welcome Mike hope you like what you see I have for the last few months.

Now if I can just purswade my lawyer mate he could save his life by taking up woodwork and get some sanity back and lower his blood preasure it would do him the world of good.

Since he hit the big 50 he's on a downhill run

**J.E. Mike Tobey** · 19th October 2007, 10:51 PM

Thank you for the welcome. Folks who know me understand that I am quite open about myself, including more than sufficient flaws. I thought you might want to know about me as well because I will likely wade into discussions up to my neck and soon.
Where do I find the protocol for adding photographs? Thanks, Mike

**Caliban** · 19th October 2007, 11:24 PM

Don't worry about setting the record straight from the start. We tolerate all kinds here, there was an anti yank episode a few years ago but Bob Smalser's knowledge and reality seems to have cured that.

We even allow school teachers to make occasional contributions

and worse still, computer types, and cops and even pshrinks.
Its all good, they all need some down time away from the daily grind.
But nude sharpening! what happens...nah forget that line of thought.

Welcome aboard the good ship...

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