What do you use for woodworking data retrieval?

[larry cronkite]

I've been "getting started" in woodworking for about a year and am trying to obtain and absorb all the info I can.

I have a 500gB hard drive about 75% full of woodworking videos, pdf files, etc., plus I have a dozen catalogs, about 20 woodworking books, over 150 woodworking magazines and several DVDs.

I started looking for an article on shop-made hold-downs (which I know I have seen somewhere) and when I couldn't find what I wanted I decided I needed a data retrieval system.

What do others use to (hopefully) quickly retrieve an article from their available information sources?

I'm using a Mac which has pretty good search capability but it doesn't help with magazines and books. One of my Macs also has Windows capability so either platform for software suggestions is ok.

Thanks

[Chris Parks]

I guess there are any number of cataloguing software(s) around, the drudge is actually doing the catologuing. I have only about 60 gig and I can't be bothered. I just roughly catalogue it into folders of interest tablesaws, jointers, finishing etc.

[Brian Effinger]

Try googling "Woodworking Magazine Index". It appears that someone has done the work with the magazines at least. I have not tried it because I don't have that large of a library, but it seems like it is a good idea.

[Chip Lindley]

Re-titling your files to relate directly to a searchable subject would be your easiest way to retrieve information. Keep like-information in specific folders. Anything .pdf is searchable word for word.

I see your biggest problem in searching actual paper publications. The publisher may offer an index which is downloadable. (for a fee, perhaps) Otherwise you will have to enter your own discription and location of articles for later retrieval.

Microsoft Excel can be an excellent database tool which can be searched or sorted as many ways than you have time to learn. You could enter discriptive links to everything on your hard drive. Any common database will be a huge undertaking to include the many different formats of your woodworking information! You may find you spend your time being a data base slave rather than a woodworker! Good Luck!

[glenn bradley]

I'm from the world before PC's so when they came along I took to the directory tree structure that I was comfortable with on the mainframes. Regardless of what O/S I happen to be using, I still think in a tree or outline structure.

My information tends to get divided by type like Shop Tips, techniques or Plans, then by some other significant descriptor like Shop Tips, Router Jigs or Plans, Rogowski and so forth. This sort of follows along with Chip's file or directory re-naming suggestion.

Depending on your interests, Wiki based documents don't take the hard line of a personal data base but still allow tags and other flexible sorting and searching functions. I work with this stuff all day so when I get home my brain is still hot . . . I go semi-Neanderthal on my home systems; directory tree sorted (or named) as described above.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Ok, I'll be the Ludite. My approach is to read it, and understand it once, and if it doesn't stick someplace in the gray cells, it probably isn't worth cataloging. Doing anything other then that sure sounds like work. Escaping work, physically and especially mentally, is the main reason I have this hobby/chronic obsession. If you must though, I'll second the Excel recommendation by Chip.

[Wilbur Pan]

The Spotlight feature on the Mac doesn't work well for this purpose?

[Bill Tims]

Brian

Thanks for the pointer, this looks like an interesting site and well worth the $3/year.

Larry

By the way Woodsmith Issue 70, page 30 talks about shop made hold down's.


Bill

[Skip Williams]

Larry,

Take a look at ShopFileR

Its a Windows program that has a magazine index where you can enter either index information for your magazines, scan articles and index those, or a mixture of both methods. Also an e-media section as well to use to keep track of a links to books, videos, etc that are on your computer or the internet. You can also associate your tool manual pdf files with your tool inventory.

Also allows you to store information about your tools, projects, links, etc. A bunch of other stuff for woodworkers as well.

Its free to download and try as long as you like.

Skip