# Question Of The Week... ( 2019 week 21)



## ripjack13 (May 19, 2019)

*What is your greatest woodworking weakness? What are you doing to improve it?*










**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks, and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course, Doc and the wood spinner, and the crazy Floridian too....


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## woodtickgreg (May 19, 2019)

My greatest weakness is keeping the shop clean and putting things away. I tend to just pile things. It gets so out of hand.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 7


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## Nature Man (May 19, 2019)

I tend to put off projects where I will be using a new method or tool for the first time. I don't have a fear of new things, but inexperience tends to keep me in the familiar. I prefer to learn from experienced professionals, then replicate their experience. Best in person, but I watch a ton of videos. Fortunately, I tend to lean quickly. Chuck

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (May 19, 2019)

woodtickgreg said:


> My greatest weakness is keeping the shop clean and putting things away. I tend to just pile things. It gets so out of hand.


So you are saying this is not normal??

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 7


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## Mike1950 (May 19, 2019)

so many Ideas-so little time.....

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 3


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## Tony (May 19, 2019)

Mike1950 said:


> So you are saying this is not normal??



I certainly think it is.

Reactions: Agree 3 | Funny 1


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## Mike1950 (May 19, 2019)

Tony said:


> I certainly think it is.


It better be or I am screwed!!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Sprung (May 19, 2019)

Wrapping up all the little details at the end of a project - the final fiddling with things to make it all just so. At that point, I just want to see the piece done, but you spend a lot of time working on those tiny little last things. There's a few reasons why my kitchen hutch build has been stalled for a couple months, and this is one of them - I'm at the point where I have to fiddle with getting the drawers to fit better, then fiddle around with installing drawer fronts and a drawer. And then I'm done. But it's been sitting there for at least 2 months now.

I will also agree with what Mike said - too many ideas, too little time. There is so much I want to make and just not enough time.

And with Greg - I've had a tendency to let things pile up in the middle of a project. Then, before I can begin another project, I try to clean up and put things away. Though I am getting better about putting things away and cleaning up in the middle of a project - in a small shop space, you have to.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Eric Rorabaugh (May 19, 2019)

My biggest weakness.....having the $$ to get the tools I want. So I can find my biggest weakness in my woodworking.

Reactions: Like 4 | Funny 1


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## CWS (May 19, 2019)

Skill!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## T. Ben (May 19, 2019)

For me it’s a lack of attention to detail and a tendency to say it’s good enough. But thanks to a response by @ripjack13 I've been working on that.

Reactions: Like 2


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## ripjack13 (May 19, 2019)

T. Ben said:


> For me it’s a lack of attention to detail and a tendency to say it’s good enough. But thanks to a response by @ripjack13 I've been working on that.



Uh oh.....what did I say now so I can blame someone else?


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## justallan (May 19, 2019)

I talk lots on always looking for a new things to learn, finding new projects, creating projects to justify buying a cool new tool, etc. and knowing it will all help me in years to come. This is also my greatest weakness. I learn something new to the point that I like and change projects. I definitely need to stick with projects or styles longer and learn more about each one before moving on.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## T. Ben (May 19, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> Uh oh.....what did I say now so I can blame someone else?


Nothing bad,you had notice I needed to sand some more on the lip of a cup I made,which I had cracked and didn’t worry about finishing it up nicely,it has been bugging ever since. I fixed it yesterday. Thanks.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Tom Smart (May 19, 2019)

Being afraid to “waste” wood when turning. If it’s a great piece of wood or it was $$$, I get a bit timid about cutting it away and leaving $$$ on the floor. Often results in a turning that is less than it could be.

Reactions: Like 1


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## David Hill (May 19, 2019)

Sigh.....
Being ADD all my life, it’s _Cleanup, _followed closely by putting other tools back. (I know to look in first in the last place used— but apparently I use lots of tools)
I'm mot letting shavings get as deep, and the tools— once I find’m all......

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Lou Currier (May 19, 2019)

Getting out of my comfort zone.

Reactions: Like 1


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## CWS (May 19, 2019)

Lou Currier said:


> Getting out of my comfort zone.


That should be easy from you.


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## Lou Currier (May 19, 2019)




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## Blueglass (May 19, 2019)

justallan said:


> I talk lots on always looking for a new things to learn, finding new projects, creating projects to justify buying a cool new tool, etc. and knowing it will all help me in years to come. This is also my greatest weakness. I learn something new to the point that I like and change projects. I definitely need to stick with projects or styles longer and learn more about each one before moving on.



Once I think I have something down pretty well I get bored and move on. The guitar thing is sticking for now.

Reactions: Like 2


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## kweinert (May 20, 2019)

I'll list a couple of things:

1. Keeping the shop clean, a two part answer. 
a. The dust and chips laying around. This is usually caused by limited (at least in my mind) shop time so I tend to go as late as I can and then just leave. That stuff accumulates pretty quickly. I'm making a concerted effort to end just a little bit early and at least sweep up and take care of the major messes
b. Putting things away. I have spent the last bit of time in my shop creating shallow slide out drawers for all the lower cabinets. This gives me more organization so I don't lose stuff in the back and means that I have a better idea where things are

2. This is related to Tom Smart's answer - you get a good piece of wood and don't want to waste it. I have two large chunks of African Mahogany I bought from someone here and I'm really reluctant to put them on the lathe. Related to that is starting a furniture project. I'm not sufficiently confident in my skills that I can get over that initial hill of 'what happens if I screw up and waste the wood' thought. This last bit I'm working on as I have an orchid table to build and I plan on adapting some plans that I like for a bigger table (dining room, for example) but I'm thinking of using poplar and staining it so if I screw something up the pain is somewhat lessened.

3. Wood project ADHD. Like Allen I have a lot of interests and it's difficult to stick with one long enough to be comfortable with it. This is still a work in progress.

After reading the other responses here I guess I'm just a normal person after all. Or at least the club has a lot of members :)

Reactions: Like 1 | Great Post 1


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