# Question Of The Week... ( 2018 week 42)



## ripjack13 (Oct 14, 2018)

*Beyond being something that you enjoy and being something that you find solace in, why do you think it's important for men and women to have the capacity to build something with their hands? *










**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course the hurricane experts and a soon to be new daddy too....

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Oct 14, 2018)

I don't remember where I found this, but this was something I had saved to my computer some time ago. I want quality furniture that won't fall apart, but will last - and certainly can't afford to go out and buy a whole house of custom furniture that is designed to the design aesthetics of my wife and I.



 

I think it's also valuable to have some skills that allow you to at least do some of the work and maintenance and fixing around your home. You can save yourself a lot of money by being able to take care of even only some of the most basic kinds of repairs, etc. around the house. It also allows you to have the opportunity to help those around you in your life who may not have the skills (or be able to do those things) to be able to do things for them.

Plus I just love that look I get from my wife when I give her something I've made for her. Same for our two boys. Their reaction last Christmas to their own little workbench I had built for them was priceless.

Reactions: Great Post 2


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## Mike1950 (Oct 14, 2018)

cause that is what hands are for. They need to be used- keeps your mind active. Nothing quite like using something YOU built. anybody can buy something not everybody can envision something then build it. Whether you are a builder, crazy doc, farmer, hawaiian crazy bird feeder maker or a wacko floridian bee keeper- you need hands to do it and the mind to drive them. Separates us from the rest of the critters in the world - hands.....

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## Lou Currier (Oct 14, 2018)



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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 14, 2018)

Sprung said:


> It also allows you to have the opportunity to help those around you in your life who may not have the skills (or be able to do those things) to be able to do things for them.


This is my favorite part of that. I enjoy helping people out. I've give a lot more of what I've made away than sold. But I enjoy making someone happy

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 4


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## rocky1 (Oct 14, 2018)

Mike1950 said:


> *cause that is what hands are for. * They need to be used- keeps your mind active. Nothing quite like using something YOU built. anybody can buy something not everybody can envision something then build it. Whether you are a builder, crazy doc, farmer, hawaiian crazy bird feeder maker or a wacko floridian bee keeper- you need hands to do it and the mind to drive them. Separates us from the rest of the critters in the world - hands.....



Damn... I thought they were for scratching your ass, pickin your nose, and... Well I ain't goin there, but Tony knows I'm talkin about.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## rocky1 (Oct 14, 2018)

The ability to modify our environment, design and build everything we need in life, is what sets us at the top of the heap. The ability to do that yourself, rather than having to rely on others is what sets us individually at the top of the heap.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 14, 2018)

Speakin of farmers and working with hands.

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## CWS (Oct 14, 2018)

Mike1950 said:


> Speakin of farmers and working with hands.
> 
> View attachment 154090


That a powerful [email protected]

Reactions: Agree 2


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## David Hill (Oct 14, 2018)

Having and making things that aren’t out of a mold or production machine— seems the last & the new generations are obsessed with that stuff/junk. Unique items come from the minds and sweat of artists snd craftsman——how many of you have heirlooms that are one-offs from a production line?

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## justallan (Oct 14, 2018)

Other than my CNC router (which at some point will be a way to afford to live) I feel that for me it's about having the ability to help myself and others out. I don't believe that I've ever sold a single thing. I donate towards Toys for Tots and our local Christmas tree program, the yearly medical clinic support auction where I live and different fund raisers helping folks in crisis. I get asked to make things on occasion, but for me to do so would take the fun out of it and make it a job.
At some point in the future I WILL be turning it more into a business, but right now it's more about helping others out, making some very cool gifts and feeling good doing something that others haven't had the chance to learn.
I do feel anyone with a heartbeat should at least try to learn as many basic skills using your hands as possible. It's a confidence builder and most will want to try other new things as they go along.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## CWS (Oct 14, 2018)

justallan said:


> Other than my CNC router (which at some point will be a way to afford to live) I feel that for me it's about having the ability to help myself and others out. I don't believe that I've ever sold a single thing. I donate towards Toys for Tots and our local Christmas tree program, the yearly medical clinic support auction where I live and different fund raisers helping folks in crisis. I get asked to make things on occasion, but for me to do so would take the fun out of it and make it a job.
> At some point in the future I WILL be turning it more into a business, but right now it's more about helping others out, making some very cool gifts and feeling good doing something that others haven't had the chance to learn.
> I do feel anyone with a heartbeat should at least try to learn as many basic skills using your hands as possible. It's a confidence builder and most will want to try other new things as they go along.


I agree with you. My reward comes for the look on peoples face when they receive one of my turning. But someday I will be making my CNC work at least to pay for supplies.

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## Herb G. (Oct 14, 2018)

I come from a long line of dirt poor immigrants.
When they came here, all they had was their hands, some initiative, and the will to make a better life
for their families & themselves. They didn't have fancy tools or enough to eat.

So, many of them went into physical labor type jobs and built a better life thru hard labor & the sweat of their brow. They had the knowledge of using their hands to build things to make that better life for their families, because of internal drive, lack of money to buy, or a combination of all these elements.

My Dad taught me how to read fractions before I could read words. I'd help him work on his car by handing him a 7/16" wrench, or a 3/4" socket, etc. I was lucky that I inherited that ability to use my hands.
I took any shop class I could get into starting in Jr. high school. I have always enjoyed using my hands to build or make stuff with.
It keeps my mind occupied, and keeps me engaged in the real world.

I feel sorry for the kids of today with their mindless video games, and their computers that think for them.
Hell, I bet 95% of all kids these days can't change a tire. Let alone build something with their own hands.

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 2


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 14, 2018)

Just take one look at most of the millennials today, they barely know what end of the screwdriver to hold on to let alone be able to build or repair anything. When us old timers with the know how die off they are in trouble. 
With all the cut backs in the schools and the elimination of the school shop programs the young people are missing out on some important lessons for life skills.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 4


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## Sprung (Oct 14, 2018)

woodtickgreg said:


> Just take one look at most of the millennials today



At the same time there also seems to be a resurgence among the millennials that appreciates well made, and often hand made, items. And a lot of support for people who make and create. And a lot of them into making/creating/building, though the medium isn't always wood. But you're largely not going to find them on forums like WB, you'll find them more involved in social media, on sites like Instagram.

Certainly there are some traits about millennials that may be less than savory, but be careful to not paint too broad of a stroke. Every generation has had the previous generations bad mouthing how awful they are. The baby boomers got a bad rap from generations before them and, while not perfect, that generation had some good qualities about it too.

At age 35, I fall into the upper age range of millennials. I've also done study on millennials, especially relating to my work as a pastor. In many ways, previous generations rail on millennials because of how different they are - they are a generation that has been, in large part, misunderstood by previous generations. But, let's be honest, times change. Society changes. Family life and structure changes. Technology changes. They are children of the world in which they live. Honestly, my very strong opinion is that it's not a generation, whether it be millennials, baby boomers, or some other generation that is causing the break down of American society and the learning of important life skills that many like to grumble about, but it is rather the break down of the family unit. That is, children growing up in broken families or with only one parent. Studies have shown that children thrive best and are better prepared for life in a home where both mom and dad are not only present, but married and not divorced or boyfriend/girlfriend.

Sorry for getting up on my soapbox and ranting a bit, but I do a lot of work with families, people, relationships, counseling, etc and this is an area that I have done some study in. To say, "Oh, those darned millennials..." or "Just take one look at most millennials today" is a gross misunderstanding of an entire generation of people - a generation that makes up roughly 25 to 30% of the US population and roughly 50% of the workforce - and passes the blame under the thinking of "Well, my generation is so great. This new generation is different, so they must be awful." At one point people said, "Oh, those darned baby boomers..." Now it's, "Oh, those darned millennials..." Someday it'll be the millennials saying, "Oh, those darned ________..." That type of rhetoric divides, rather than builds up or seeks to overcome or work together in spite of differences. The type of thinking that says someone, or some group of people, is bad because they're different has been used to justify things such as racism, wars, genocide. We are all too often quick to point out the flaws of others, while at the same time painting an idealized picture of ourselves.

Sorry, I'll step down from my soapbox now.

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Tclem (Oct 15, 2018)

Because I can’t build anything with my feet

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 15, 2018)

Sprung said:


> At the same time there also seems to be a resurgence among the millennials that appreciates well made, and often hand made, items. And a lot of support for people who make and create. And a lot of them into making/creating/building, though the medium isn't always wood. But you're largely not going to find them on forums like WB, you'll find them more involved in social media, on sites like Instagram.
> 
> Certainly there are some traits about millennials that may be less than savory, but be careful to not paint too broad of a stroke. Every generation has had the previous generations bad mouthing how awful they are. The baby boomers got a bad rap from generations before them and, while not perfect, that generation had some good qualities about it too.
> 
> ...



Amen on the breakdown of the family unit. When we started the war on poverty, mid 60's, African am. single parent homes were double White single family homes. at 25% experts said it was not sustainable. Now 17 trillion later we have those numbers up to 75%/25%. This is not millennials fault. parent of 5 millennials or at least close to that group 32-38 and mentor to many more, to assume they are not handy is a big mistake.
I agree with Matt, putting any generation into a box and passing judgement on them as a whole is a pretty closed minded act. as a boomer at 21 with past shoulder length curly locks the previous generation passed judgement on us. as a generation for us to do the same, considering we were going to change the world and did, seems pretty shallow and narrow minded. The next generation will have all new hurdles to get over. They will end up being  and hopefully be considerably more open minded to the hopes, goals, and dreams of the next generation then it seems some of my generation is......

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (Oct 15, 2018)

Tclem said:


> Because I can’t build anything with my feet


Yikes..... so ya tried yer feet first???

Reactions: Funny 2


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## rocky1 (Oct 15, 2018)

The moral decay of our society began back there about the 70s, when it became necessary for both parents to work full time in most households, to provide a home and support children with anything left over. That's also about the time the government stepped up the share the wealth program, which added to that burden

Reactions: Agree 2


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## ripjack13 (Oct 15, 2018)

Tclem said:


> Because I can’t build anything with my feet



So then you have tried?

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## kweinert (Oct 15, 2018)

Tclem said:


> Because I can’t build anything with my feet

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 3


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## rocky1 (Oct 15, 2018)

The Mississississippippian just needs more practice it seems!!

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