Introduction of sorts

[toolemera]

Folks... I must confess I never scrolled far enough down the list of forums and so never stumbled upon where I should be. Usually I hang out in various hand tool forums or the Oldtools eMail list. While my primary focus is on books about tools and trades, I have a long history of working wood which has, unfortunately, fell by the wayside these past years due to a variety of those physical ailments that have a habit of plaguing us. Which is not to say that I am most desirous of gettting back to working wood.

Name: Gary Roberts. Place: Dedham, Massachusetts, USA. Work: Librarian, Archivist newly retired out on long term disability. Driving forces in life, besides my wife and cats: books, wood, old tools, ephemera, anime, movies, more books. And not necessarily in that order, with the exception of my wife and cats (who always come first).

My woodworking days slipped by due to a loss of most of the sight in one eye, double vision (which explains the constant crop of bruises and scratches on my shins), and arthritic feet. In retirement, it's high time I get back to what started me on the path to accumulating mounds of books on early tools and trades... woodworking!

Spinning powered things do scare me, so it's back to start with hand tools again. I look forward to reading posts here, learning from those who have experience and trading stories as we grow and figure out how to do what we want to do.

Best from Dedham
Gary

[wheelinround]

Gary G'day just bookmarked the links looks like more hours this winter reading for me LOL

We all have afflictions here the main one being the forum itself :; can't help but check it daily for tall tales n true.

Ray

[Woodwould]

Welcome Gary. Your site is one I visit regularly.

[jerryc]

Welcome Gary,

It's a cliche that determination overcomes adversity , but it is true. If you have an interest strong enough then you have a focus to make the quality of life better.

At the moment I am working hard to get my physical strength back and in the last two weeks I've started back in the workshop. I have a heart problem (won't go into details) but after three months in hospital and being told I was for the scrap heap, I was too weak to walk and was wheelchaired out of the hospital with atrial flutter, told my pacemaker wasn't able to do much. Quite honestly I started planning my funeral.

However I was lucky. I met a cardilogist who believes that the better the musclar fitness, the better quality of life. I could't walk the length of the corridor from my bedroom to the bathroom but he sent a physiotherapist to my home who set me a set of exercises.
Heart still not working properly', I'm waiting to be zapped but because others encouraged me and gave me the will to fight, I'm back in the workshop.

In the matter of being afraid of spinning objects, I can understand your problem, but you can overcome it. I read of a case here in Oz where a legally blind guy was wood turning. So much is feel. I know this example is not woodwork but I hope it will serve to overcome fear. When I was ski-ing we knew about slope fright and did our best to overcome it. One day in a white out I ski-ed a slope and could only see as far as the front of my skis. Next day I looked a the slope and knew that had I been able to see, I would never have tackled a drop like that. I had the technique but fear held me back.

Good luck and let's hear from you soon about successes you have had, no matter how small.:U

Jerry

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[toolemera]

My thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. It's lucky for me that I prefer hand tools. I have all my fingers to begin with, despite many years of light and heavy machinery use. My preferred powered machine is a bandsaw to begin with. Once I figure out some guard arrangements, that will be back in operation. Otherwise, I guess I use my inbred fear of spinning objects to keep my digits in place.

Who knows, when I get my next pair of zeiss lensed glasses, things may be clearer than before! Darned things cost enough.

Ray: I take no responsiblity for people losing themselves in my website.

Gary