A Change of Pace…
It’s not the wedged through tenons, or the gap free miters (with contrasting splines), it’s not even the “I’m a real woodworker” half blind dovetails. All of these skills come with time, practice, practice, and more practice. The most difficult, most challenging, and most grueling aspect of woodworking for me is learning to pace myself.
Throughout my “career” in woodworking it’s always been about getting things done ASAP. We often learn more about taking shortcuts then we truly do about the skills and techniques that go into what we are building. Whether it’s a simple free standing bookcase, or a large slab coffee table, or even those finicky dovetails. We are always looking for a way to get to the finish line faster. Why? So we can move onto the next project? Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate deadlines and realize that time is money but is that really what fuels you? My concern is that at what cost to the knowledge and experience we gain during the journey are we willing to sacrifice just to get done quicker?
Occasionally I get asked if I get tired of being around wood all the time? You figure I am covered in it 10 hours a day, and I’ve spent numerous weekends and late nights rushing out side work. Even at the end of a long work day, followed by the evenings with my wife and five kids, there is nothing that keeps me more grounded and brings me more contentment (other than maybe cuddling with my wife and watching “Charlie St. Cloud” I love you dear!) then spending an hour or two working wood by hand in near silence.
The beauty of it is that everyone has their own pace, by the definition of the word, PACE (verb transitive) means : To set or regulate the rate of speed for . I think that the goal of any woodworker should be to find their own pace and accept it for what it is. Whether it takes you a year to finish a small shaker table (I’m almost done mine!) or if you are able to produce multiple projects a year. Finding your own pace will bring peace & contentment to your work and your life.
-bt
