Moving Past Woodworking

[Rich Riddle]

My neighbor had a 60th birthday party on Saturday. One guest there explained that when he was younger that he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these days. Out of curiosity, I asked what proved more challenging to perform. The answer was fly fishing. Sounds like he became tired and wanted a less challenging hobby, or less work. What do you think? I don't anticipate "moving past" woodworking. Dad is 83 and still does it on a frequent basis.

[Fred Perreault]

I am not sure that it would be called "moving past" woodworking, but some persistent physical issues have caused me to re-assess how I do my work and how much of it I do. The whole episode has caused me to look at other things to occupy my time and be productive in some way, be it "entertaining", volunteering, producing finished projects, or odds and ends around the home and yard. My fondness for all aspects of woodworking, and working with my hands and mind in general, leave me a little lost as to the changes occurring over the past year. But, moving past woodworking would mean that stuff will never get fixed around the house, improvements won't be made, and pride/satisfaction in accomplishment would not get satisfied. By the way, I know of a few people who were recreational woodworkers for some time, and got scared off due to one dangerous episode or another. Some went fishing, some took up pottery, and one even took up firearms and became a champion skeet shooter.

Different strokes I guess........... :-) :-)

[Bruce Mack]

Hi Rich. Sharing a few minutes of insomnia with you.
After 20+ years I'm glimpsing how very much in woodworking I don't really know. My current project is a painted wall cabinet (copied from a photo) for which I am preparing stock. Thinking about attaching the shelves and sides - mortises, dowels, biscuits, dovetails, something else? - I took out my Tage Frid book and saw that there is a universe of experience around me. Woodworking and its variety, shoji screens to nailguns, is limited mostly by the blinders we wear. Beyond the mechanics there is the esthetic, the history, the pleasure of gifting, the nurture of hand work largely absent in our present existences.

[Chuck Wintle]

My neighbor had a 60th birthday party on Saturday. One guest there explained that when he was younger that he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these days. Out of curiosity, I asked what proved more challenging to perform. The answer was fly fishing. Sounds like he became tired and wanted a less challenging hobby, or less work. What do you think? I don't anticipate "moving past" woodworking. Dad is 83 and still does it on a frequent basis.

my take is that people change over time as do their interests and hobbies. A few years ago I was gung-ho on RC model aircraft.....now not so much to the point where I am selling it off.

[Rich Engelhardt]

he enjoyed woodworking but had since "moved past" woodworking and focused on "more challenging" things these days

I would submit to you that he was not a real "woodworker".
He was a "pattern and directions follower" with a shop filled with power tools and store bought jigs and fixtures that made up for his lack of skill.

There's little challenge to things when the instructions say to cut it this long, put a dado in it this deep and use this type of glue and these screws to assemble it.

This isn't a slam against him or anything since I'm exactly that sort of "woodworker" myself.
In my defense though, I have a real need to do "woodworking" and I have very little time to learn and practice so - I have to "buy a lot of my talent".


& yes - there is a real lack of satisfaction when I churn out something I made by following someone else's plans.
Something I create from scratch and use my limited skills to make it happen?
Night and day difference.

[George Bokros]

I agree with Rich. Most everything I have done so far, last 5 or 6 years, has all been without using someone else's plans. I am now working on a closet organizer that was in Woodsmith but I have made it larger to provide more storage and am adding face frames. The face frames are added because I wanted to learn how to use my Woodline beaded face frames router table jig and bits.

As I write this I guess this is of my own design just using someone else's basis.

George

[glenn bradley]

Perhaps he just tired of it and is really challenged by fly fishing. There are those who can take any activity to a high art form and fly fishing is one of them. Maybe he was just being funny . I also know people who constantly change hobbies throughout their lives since they enjoy getting ready to do something but, don't actually enjoy doing it. These folks feel they are ready to "move on" once they have acquired all the trappings of a given activity and might have to actually get down to doing something. Getting "ready" seems to be a hobby in and of itself but, not one I understand. I like getting ready but, I like doing more.

[Rich Riddle]

Perhaps I am more simple-minded and remain content with woodworking. However, I am mostly the woodwork Rich E. described and follow plans much of the time. When building large projects such as additions, decks, etc. the design gets based on creativity and outside influence. Perhaps being simple-minded helps one stay content in the hobby.

In the past, I acquired skills and necessary equipment for those skills, such as working on cars. Those were never hobbies though. There always seemed to be more time than money to pay a mechanic.

When discussing the former woodworker who made the comment, he didn't seem to be joking or have much of a sense of humor about himself.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I guess I kinda get it. I woodwork because I like the creative part. Same with all the other hobbies I've had in the past. It's the desire to do something hard, and enjoy the feel of success. The reason I've been woodworking for 30 years or so, and the others have come and gone, is that there is really only the limit of your imagination that is realized with the relatively limited financial constraints that i have. I'd imagine that hunting would be mentally stimulating if I could afford to travel the world to keep it new. Same with drag racing, both of those reached my financial limits though, and stagnated. Woodworking only requires a stack of wood, which you can even cut yourself if you want, and creativity, so it has a fresh feel every time I do it. I think Rich E has it, he probably wasn't getting the positive feedback that comes with using the creative muse.

Perhaps h

[Myk Rian]

A few years ago I was gung-ho on RC model aircraft.....now not so much to the point where I am selling it off.

Same here, but with helicopters. Used to be RC boats 20 years ago. That turned into flying kites.
I was gung-ho when starting WWing. That's slowed down a bit, as I enjoy restoring the machines.

[Brett Luna]

I think it's difficult to reach conclusions about our woodworker-turned-fly-fisherman friend based solely on what a party guest said. Me, I pursue both but then, I'm one of those people who has/had a lot of hobbies. It isn't because I just enjoy gearing up for something new...okay, that's part of it...but it's more that I like learning something new and I like working with my hands. That's probably why, until recently, I've had more invested in fly tying than in actual fly fishing. It's both meticulous and artistic, as evidenced in a #24 Baetis and a 6/0 fully dressed, free-style Atlantic salmon fly, respectively.

It troubles me that one day, I may have to "move beyond" the both of them sooner than old age strictly requires. I'm 'only' 53 but I have rheumatoid arthritis and while the meds reduced the flare ups and I have no active joint damage happening yet, I have the strong and nagging feeling that I'm woodworking and fishing on borrowed time.

[Dave Anderson NH]

We all move through various stages in our lives and as such, sometimes interests change. Relatively few of us stay with the same hobbies and pastime throughout our lives. I can remember in my twenties and up until my forties rockclimbing and snow and ice climbing. Though the thirties and until about 60 it was whitewater and sea kayaking. I have always worked worked wood and it still continues though at a higher level than when I was younger. This past Saturday I taught a class on wooden hand planes at a friends shop. He turned 91 last month and is still producing furniture, small boxes, and doing a bit of turning. He says he has always worked wood and it keeps him young. John does admit though that he is slower than he used to be.

[Jim Rimmer]

I used to be an avid golfer (note: avid, not necessarily good). I played 2 or 3 times a week, subscribed to golf magazines, made my own clubs, watched tournaments on TV and now I haven't played in 6 years. There are many reasons that I won't go into here but it echoes the comments already made that sometimes interests change. However, I have been a woodworker for most of my life. More active at different times but always interested. I guess as one poster mentioned, home repairs probably falls into my definition of woodworking along with making fine furniture.

[Jim Matthews]

Unless he's taking on fish that are big enough to eat him, I fail to see the increased challenge involved.

Some people love it, but I find fishing dreadful.
There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.

[Rich Engelhardt]

There's a fine line between angling and standing in a creek like an idiot.

You have to always remember though......only you know you're an idiot.
To everyone else, you appear a "dedicated sportsman"! LOL!