[OP]
Member
My wife and I are getting ready to move back east. My plan was to stock up on some tools and use a 2nd bedroom as my shop. That plan went out the window yesterday when my wife gave me some unexpected news....Looks like instead of a workbench, I'll be building a crib...and buying diapers instead of chisels.
Totally worth it!
Contributor
Congratulations...
Contributor
Jon,
Congrats!
Ken
So much to learn, so little time.....
Member
Congrates John,
Sell the tools while you are a head I hardly get to use mine anymore. My harley will go first though. Kids are great my daughter just turned 6 months, she is my little princess.
Member
Congrats to you and your Wife!
Sawdust is some of the best learning material!
Member
You'll have your very own galoot in training before you know it. Great fun awaits.
Member
Congrats to the both of you! Kids are almost as fun as tools! You'll like 'em!
Willing to consider trades for Native American Artifacts (arrowheads and such) - Peace!
Contributor
Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of fatherhood.
Maybe you can try for a bigger place with a room that can be a shop.
My son, daughters and grandchildren have all enjoyed the items that are made especially for them as gifts and such.
Heirlooms have to start somewhere.
jim
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
All I have is half of a garage and it gets me by. I'm just a hobbyist (aka: use it as an excuse to hang out in the garage and drink beer) but its more than enough for a strictly hand tool guy.
The only thing I do anymore is make toys for the kids and it is by far the most satisfying thing in the world. I just finished my daughters dutch style crib and my 2 year old felt left out so I made him a plane just like dads. I can't wait for the oil to dry and see him playing with it. That boy can work his little saws and hammers. You feel like the king of the world watching your kids play with the toys you made them.
Here's the plane...rough around the edges but not bad for a couple hours of work...
Contributor
Did you make it so he can have a real blade in it when he gets a little older?
I know what you mean about the joy of watching the kids play with the toys. Even by long distance through still pictures, you can see they love them.
jim
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Member
Originally Posted by Jim Koepke
I didn't plan it but I could. The bed angle is right and its sturdy. It fits the width of a stanley block plane iron, but I wanted the plane to be like the old goodies so I made a big hefty wooden "iron". It's tapered and triple the thickness of the stanley plane iron. If I wanted to make it a user I could just make a thicker wedge.
Next on the bench will be a small carpenter's sandwiched mallet and I'm going to try and tackle the horn handled smoothing plane. Those, a couple more little goodies (maybe a dovetail saw and assorted marking gauges?) and a little pine workbench for Christmas should keep him in one place when he's in the shop with me instead of me freaking out wondering if there is a razor sharp something or rather within his little reach.
Member
Jon,My wife and I are getting ready to move back east. My plan was to stock up on some tools and use a 2nd bedroom as my shop. That plan went out the window yesterday when my wife gave me some unexpected news....Looks like instead of a workbench, I'll be building a crib...and buying diapers instead of chisels.
Totally worth it!
Don't sell your tools yet and don't give up on doing woodworking with a new baby on the way/in the house.
I only have 2 months and 2 weeks until my son (our first born) arrives. I'm not selling my tools or closing up shop. And my wife isn't going to give up on any hobbies she has, either. I don't have some unrealistic notion that my life isn't going to change and that I'll be able to do just as much (or as little, lately) woodworking as I usually do. But I'm also not going to just give up on a hobby I love.
Communication is key to a happy marriage, and especially important when something this huge is going to have such an impact on it. My wife and I have already had several discussions about how we want to make sure the other doesn't "lose out" on things in life they enjoy and plan on making sure we take the new sprout by ourselves to give the other person some "me" time.
While I fully understand even THESE plans won't stand for long and that we'll be subject to the whim and will of the baby, and I also understand that my priorities will probably change to something where the baby is more important than the woodworking, I think it is also important to always have some sort of creative and meditative outlet. You lose that and you lose your sanity.
Good luck with your new little one! I hope you're as excited about being a new father as I am.
Member
Great points. I forgot to mention that my kids are 2 and almost four, so believe me there was a while there where I couldn't do anything and I had to do my other hobbies for a while. The wife needs lots of help, you need to bond with the little one, and CLEANLINESS is a huge issue.
I used to be a plumber so filth, grease and blood go unnoticed in my world...but once your wife has the baby she'll be white gloving you and the house...crust under the fingernails??
The secret is to make toys for the kids. If you are making other stuff the wifey will get pissed (unless it makes money)...but if they're toys for the kids she'll think its sweet and you get to drink your beer and sling chips!
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