# Question Of The Week... ( 2017 Week 22)



## ripjack13 (May 28, 2017)

*Why should people be interested in your woodworking projects and what can they expect from seeing them?*








**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement*.*
Primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the  , naturemen, woodmen, and blue colored glass men too...

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Blueglass (May 28, 2017)

Doesn't matter much as long as I enjoyed myself and maybe learned something in the process. People should expect to see wood that likely would go through a chipper if I hadn't gotten a hold of it.

Reactions: Like 5 | Agree 1


----------



## woodtickgreg (May 28, 2017)

This is an interesting question that can be viewed from to different perspectives, that of my peers, and that of the average person who is not a wood worker. So for conversations sake I guess I will try and answer from the non wood workers perspective.
When the average person views my works they are usually a little surprised when they find out that all of my wood comes from tree's that I either harvested or salvage and then milled. I usually have to explain the milling process and how I chain saw mill and dry my own lumber and process it. To a non wood worker that is usually interesting to them. Then they can appreciate all of the work that goes into my projects. 
What can they expect to see?
Wood in all of it's beauty with all of what some people call defects, knots etc. They can also see diversity in my works from turnings of all forms , to flat work and furniture, to some pretty detailed scroll saw works.
Why should they be interested in seeing my works ?
Hmmm...............I'm not really sure on how to answer this. I think I would like it if they could understand the love I have of the craft and the passion that goes into all aspects of my wood working and not just the final piece or end product. I would hope they would appreciate where the wood comes from that was used in the piece, and understand that it didn't come from a big box store where all the wood is sterile and of no character. I would hope they would be interested in my work knowing that I harvested the materials for it from a tree. I love it when a person just has to touch one of my works and run their hands over it, or pick up a bowl or turning and examine it and feel it. That is my reward! I would hope they would be interested in the simplistic beauty of the wood.

Reactions: Like 6 | Great Post 1


----------



## Tony (May 28, 2017)

I honestly don't know why people should be interested in my work. I've said many times that what I do is in no way unique or special, a 10-year old could do it. There's plenty of people here who's work is mesmerizing, not mine.

People who do find my stuff interesting generally do so because they think I color the wood in some way. When i explain that all of it is naturally colored they find it fascinating. So it's really God's work they find interesting, not mine. 

What they can expect to find in my work is just simple woodworking that is the best I can do. Nothing more, nothing less. Tony

Reactions: Like 4 | Great Post 1 | +Karma 1


----------



## Mike1950 (May 28, 2017)

Really do not build with other folks in mind. My projects all start with either of 2 motivations- Can I do it? Or, Kathie has drawn it and I build it. Expectations- hopefully a good use of the wood, boxes give you a chance to highlight special pieces of wood. In furniture- mostly it is the unseen joinery that makes or breaks the piece- the look is just the frosting.

Reactions: Like 7


----------



## Mike1950 (May 28, 2017)

I am going to answer for @Tclem ..... Wood!

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 6


----------



## Lou Currier (May 28, 2017)

Most people who walk in my shop and see all the logs, processed blanks, and finished pieces seem to be amazed at what you can do with an everyday log picked up on the side of the road. Most people usually just see the logs as firewood and not anything else. 

What can they expect? I would say unique and original pieces that are not only artistic in nature but functional as well. My main reason for woodworking is to give me that little place to get away and get lost in what I am doing. I don't plan many pieces out instead I let it emerge as I turn it. I have a general idea what I want to do but the final shapes don't come until I am usually half way in. 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1 | Way Cool 2


----------



## CWS (May 28, 2017)

Most of my woodworking projects are gifts so you almost always get a positive response. They should expect something that is to used and not stuck on a shelf or in the closet.

Reactions: Like 6 | Agree 1


----------



## rocky1 (May 28, 2017)

Never really gave much thought to either, but it isn't really about what other's want unless I've been hired or commissioned to build a piece; it's about meeting my own expectations, it's about pleasing me, about what I want to do in exploiting the beauty of a particular piece of wood. If others find it appealing, which they typically do, it simply means they appreciate my tastes in the art of wood working.

Reactions: Like 5


----------



## justallan (May 28, 2017)

HMMMM Tough question to answer.
I feel a lot of folks see the cribbage boards and signs that I make and think WOW mainly because there's a bunch to them, you could use them as a weapon if need be. I will say that they are beautiful and are definitely going to be seen be anyone that enters your home and people like to have nice things. Word of mouth gets me more work than I have time to do and I let everyone know if it's not what they wanted to say so, so far no complaints.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 1


----------



## Tclem (May 28, 2017)

Mike1950 said:


> I am going to answer for @Tclem ..... Wood!


Thanks. At least somebody knows what I would have answered

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


----------



## DKMD (May 28, 2017)

Seems like most of the interest in the stuff I make has to do with the fact that I made it... I think the generally unfavorable, neanderthal stereotype of ortho surgeons lowers expectations considerably. In other words, they're amazed that I'm capable of making anything remotely useful and/or attractive!

Reactions: Funny 5


----------



## Mike1950 (May 28, 2017)

DKMD said:


> Seems like most of the interest in the stuff I make has to do with the fact that I made it... I think the generally unfavorable, neanderthal stereotype of ortho surgeons lowers expectations considerably. In other words, they're amazed that I'm capable of making anything remotely useful and/or attractive!



This is true... ..... Hold it- he controls the buttons now............. 

Kidding aside- Kathie's ortho- converted from engineering was a woodworker. QS straight grained white oak was his favorite wood. You sure break that mold- wild and crazy wood is your favorite.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## rocky1 (May 28, 2017)

Maybe they wouldn't question your abilities to make useful and attractive, if you did the occasional boob job Doc, !

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 7


----------



## justallan (May 28, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> Maybe they wouldn't question your abilities make useful and attractive, if you did the occasional boob job Doc, !



My money says you already have a set, but please we DO NOT want pics!

Reactions: Funny 5


----------



## woodtickgreg (May 28, 2017)

Ortho's have put me back together twice now, I hold them in high regard!

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


----------



## DKMD (May 28, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> Maybe they wouldn't question your abilities to make useful and attractive, if you did the occasional boob job Doc, !





justallan said:


> My money says you already have a set, but please we DO NOT want pics!



What about you two boobs? I've got you two, right?

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 4


----------



## woodtickgreg (May 28, 2017)

DKMD said:


> What about you two boobs? I've got you two, right?


Yeah but you can't fix them.

Reactions: Agree 3


----------



## David Hill (May 28, 2017)

Hmmm, I started making stuff with the lathes initially just because I found it to be really relaxing---just takes the stress out. After a little while I looked forward to seeing what the grain patterns were going to produce, then after being involved with a local club, got to know that there were actually techniques for what I'd learnt on my own-- and then some! As for what folks should expect?-- to see what nice thing was hiding in a plain ol' piece of wood. Fortunately some like to donate to my tool fund.

Reactions: Like 4 | Way Cool 1


----------



## kweinert (May 30, 2017)

They usually see more in my work than I do.

I see all the places where things didn't go quite like I wanted them to. Or that the final shape isn't quite what I had in mind but either the wood or my error forced a rethink. I see where it could be smoother. Or have a better shape.

From what I've seen people are interested in my work once they've seen it - but I'm not sure that it's *my* work they're interested in or just the fact that it's wood that interests them. 

I have gotten a couple of commission pieces after folks have seen my other stuff so I guess it can't be as bad as it looks to me.

Reactions: Like 3


----------

