How old are you and are you passing on a woodworking legacy?

[Jay Hart]

I'll be 78 this year. Always loved working with wood going back to 7th grade shop class. In the beginning it was mostly hand tools (didn't have the budget for a real shop). When we got the three kids through college in the 80's I was able to begin adding some stationary equipment in the basement and now have all the basic gear as well as a huge collection of accessories. Our youngest son, now 47, has shown an interest in the craft but he seldom has the time and his house is not suitable for a shop. It's not clear how much longer my wife and I can keep running this house but it is going to be tough to dismantle the shop where I have spent so many enjoyable hours.

[John K Jordan]

67 here, grandsons enjoy playing in the shop and learning to make things.

What I like best is introducing and teaching woodturning to kids of all ages.

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JKJ

[terry gearhart]

Hello, I'm 60 and have been doing woodworking fo 45 years. I did not have anyone to pass the trade on to until my 2nd marriage and a few yours till the wife's son and I could see eye to eye together. Some thing snapped and he wanted to learn how to turn pens. Not surprised, he picked th skill up fast and efficiently. Today, he and I do a lot together and he looks up to me and often asks for my opinion

[Dave Gagnon]

I am 32 and have been woodworking since I started walking. I have photos of when I was 5 working with my father who is now 57 and still wood working. He was 14 when he began. I now have a 9 month old son who I periodically bring in the shop to show him around in hopes he takes an interest one day... When I bring him in the shop, he becomes very attentive and interested, especially when he sees my hand planes and chisels

[John K Jordan]

I am 32 and have been woodworking since I started walking. I have photos of when I was 5 working with my father who is now 57 and still wood working. He was 14 when he began. I now have a 9 month old son who I periodically bring in the shop to show him around in hopes he takes an interest one day... When I bring him in the shop, he becomes very attentive and interested, especially when he sees my hand planes and chisels

Nice! When my grandson was 2 I'd set him on the floor in the shop with a soft piece of pine and a gimlet and let him drill holes. He's 7 now and still likes to make holes, as does his little brother, 2.

JKJ

[Gary Cunningham]

54 years old. We have one son, about to start college. Unless it has wifi he shows no interest.

I have been working wood (not laying claim to being a woodworker yet) for about 3 years.

Over the years I have built my house, and helped my dad build three others. No one in my family has done 'real' ww'ing.

I have learned from books/mags, and the interwebz.

[Patrick Irish]

Im 35 and picking up the hobby past 5 years. Father is a very detailed oriented good general contractor so tools have been in my hands early on. We do but heads on putting screws into everything haha! When I have kids we'll spend a lot of time in the garage.

[allen long]

I'll be 60 this year and both my grown sons are just now starting to get into woodworking.

As far as "not getting it" I suspect that underneath it all, the legacy most of us want to leave is that our children will have fond memories of their tool-loving loved ones as they use a tool that was passed down to them.

I love and cherish using any of the tools my dad left me and think of him with love every time I pick one of them up.

That is the legacy I wish to leave.

I don't get why someone would not want to leave that as a legacy.

Many Kind Regards . . . Allen

[david beck]

54, No children but neices and nephews etc have no interest. They said it seems my interests dont involve cell phones and may cause cauluses.

[Steve Arnold]

64, and I think because my 2 kids were already adults and had kids of their own when I started turning, they've shown no interest in taking up the hobby.

They do enjoy seeing my various creations though!

[Jim Mackell]

Coming up on 71. Oldest son not interested, his 2 daughters have enjoyed the stuff I've made for them, but otherwise if it's not electronic, they're not interested. Youngest son is lukewarm interested. He's done a few things with great skill. But he's 650 miles away and doesn't have room for more than very basic tools. His 11 year old boy has some minor interest that I encourage every chance I get. When I croak any tools they don't want go up on Craig's list I guess.

[Matthew Springer]

I'm squarely in the middle cohort here. 43 with two young kids (4.5 and 2) both very, very tall girls. Working tech but started woodworking as an offshoot of guitar amp building trying to figure out how to make dovetailed square boxes. I went and got a Master's in Elec Eng thinking that would teach me how to build electronics but it taught me to do math.

So in my case it skipped two generations. My great grandfather was a general contractor in Cleveland (he did all those slate roofs in Shaker Heights). I grew up with basically no hands on anything which is ironic because my dad is the best commercial construction manager I know. But he can't really hammer a nail. So I picked it all up as an academic exercise watching youtube, books, etc.

Also just a lot of trial and error.

The biggest thing I hope to pass on to my daughters isn't the techniques of woodworking, it's the ability to self directed learn by diving in and trying it and possibly failing (safely). That and never get on a motorcycle.

[Phillip Gregory]

I grew up with basically no hands on anything which is ironic because my dad is the best commercial construction manager I know. But he can't really hammer a nail.

I hope you are not surprised that a manager has absolutely no clue how to do any of the work of the people they are managing. If you are, then keep your job as long as you can as you are VERY VERY LUCKY to not have seen this nearly universal fact. The manager that rises through the ranks is as rare as finding a MiniMax 20 in mint condition for a dollar as a yard sale any more in these days of outsourcing and everything being run by transient short-term Master Bullcrap Artists solely seeking their multiples when they pump and dump a business.

[Matthew Springer]

Not at all surprised. My Dad's core skills are and always has been working with people and keeping track of the money. He's really really good at it.

Almost all of his major 1M + sqft commerical projects came in on time, under budget and everyone was still speaking to each other at the end of the day. It's OK if the manager doesn't know how to _do_ the stuff he manages as long as he or she KNOWS they don't know that. Delegation and specialization are good skills too.

As far as legacy, I've tried to teach him to use a #5 but he's just not that into it, but he's only 71 so he's got some time. Sigh. Parents these days....

[Thomas Pratt]

I am 89 and still doing woodworking. Over the years I have accumulated most all of the tools one would have in a hobby shop. Now I have a problem: all the grand young'uns do not have room for a shop and do not really shoe an interest in woodworking, so I am wondering what I am going to do with a shop full of tools when my time comes (hopefully in several years). Any ideas?