The wood working that I do is very basic stuff. I am limited somewhat by my handicaps and tools. My weakest area is wood sizing in thickness.. I don’t have a jointer or planer. I could hand plane but I am not well equipped there either.

So I work with mostly manufactured dimensional lumber. The problems with that source are warped boards and sometimes bad surface finish. Wide boards are factory produced glue-ups. However I manage fairly well with what I have. Far better than the neophyte wood hacker but no where close to the realm of a really fine quality master craftsman.

I have read and studied “Fine Woodworking” magazine since my mid twenties. That works out to more than 45 years. I also have a decent library of quality woodworking how-to books. I know what is required for real high quality woodworking. I have studied the craft well. I have often lusted over some of the beautiful work I have seen, but just never became that committed in building a proper wood only workshop.

I have posted elsewhere that I (and my brother) grew up playing and working in our grandfather's wood working shop. I literally have a lifetime of experience.

I know if I didn’t have so many and varied interests, I would be more of a craftsman in fine woodworking. But then I would not have had so much fun with metalworking… My plan has been to develop a fairly broad diversity of skills.

I am not complaining. I have been making my own decisions and I am fully in charge of my destiny. I am just stating for the record, that I know my abilities and the quality of my own work. I make no pretensions to be more than I am, a humble woodworker who enjoys what I do.

I believe I am good enough to do professional work If I so desired. The key is desire. My desire is to do as well as I can with what I have with my level of tools and knowledge. I am satisfied with myself and know I always can improve the more I put into increasing the desire to make a bigger commitment..