Age of woodworkers.

[Dave Lehnert]

I was talking to a person who worked for a woodworking power tool manufacture and he said their biggest problem is the lack of younger woodworkers. Said their market is older and they have less of a need for new tools. They tend to buy replacement parts. This was at a factory event and I was the youngest one there by a long shot. I'm 39

So I was wondering what is the average age of us woodworkers on here.

[Glenn Howard]

41 here...but then again, I'm a noob so that may do more to confirm their theory than not.

[David DeCristoforo]

It's right around 99...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Pushing 60.....

[Ron Dunn]

I'm 48.

Without knowing the manufacturer, I think they should be looking in the mirror rather than at their customers.

Where is the innovation in woodworking machinery? Why, for example, is there no replacement for the Inca thickness planer? Instead, every manufacturer has a clone of his competitor, often all made in the one small set of factories.

Where is the innovation in sizing? I know it is popular for people in these forums to recommend bigger, heavier, more powerful machines; but market demographics and housing are changing, and people need smaller, portable or benchtop equipment. Most of what is out there SUCKS.

Perhaps they need to look at the quality of their equipment. Older users may be prepared to pay for HIGH QUALITY, ACCURATE machinery. "Fettling" should be a thing of the past, or an occasional maintenance task ... not something which requires 2-3 days of effort before a newly delivered machine starts to deliver good work.

Hmm. I'm ranting. But you pressed a button with that manufacturer's perception of a problem with his market, rather than his product.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The fact that a lot of woodworkers are older might just be the natural progression of raising a family. I make above the national average salary plus overtime yet, while I had kids at home or in college, I couldn't have afforded to have the woodworking tools or the shop that I have now. Once we got an empty nest and got a few bills paid off, then I could afford to build a shop and outfit it with tools.

Prior to that we were too busy feeding, clothing and educating children and running them to their activities.

[Paul Snowden]

28 years old

[Mark Rios]

I don't see my category listed. I'm 167.

[Rick Fisher]

I agree with Ken.
I am 41. I have been woodworking for 6 years. During my 20's, I wasnt into it. Early 30's I couldnt afford to think about it. Mortgage took 45%??

Anyhow, as I got older, money became for fluid and I could afford to buy the odd tool.

The interest came about 5 years before the ability.

[John Schreiber]

That's me. I'm

too busy feeding, clothing and educating children and running them to their activities.

They are getting more independent now and I can actually spend hours at a time in the shop, but it's still a rare thing.

Since you asked 45 yoa.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I don't see my category listed. I'm 167.

Months?

[Seth Poorman]

Im 46 !
I must be getting younger cause my wife says Im better looking than I used to be.....

[Seth Poorman]

Months?

Moons ... .... LOL

[Norman Pyles]

Fifty seven in a few months. But yesterday I was only forty.

[Chris Kennedy]

33. I pretty much agree with what's been said. I started earlier when I had a lull in my life, but now with wife and a kid and a mortgage, I am getting to spend less and less time in the shop.

Cheers,

Chris