Howdy ladies and gentlemen. It's time for our monthly series,13 Questions. Each person gets the opportunity to answer 13 random questions by me. Some of the questions are woodworking related, some are not, and some are off the wall.
Some of the questions will be the same for everyone and some will not, I have an ever-growing list of questions I will pick from.
I want to thank everyone that has already taken the time to reply to my private conversations about this and replied with their answers.
So let's get this shindig started!!
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13 Questions with @daniscool (October 2026)
Q-1- What project in the near future, are you most excited about starting?
A- I've got a small log of cherry that is still green. I'm hoping I can still make a small bowl from it before it dries out. I just haven't gotten around to it. Bowls require much more time commitment than spoons.
Q-2- What's a place you have visited that felt completely different than you expected it to be?
A- Ha! My (now) In-laws. I expected the usual awkwardness, questions and the usual. Instead I met some of the most welcoming people in the world. Wasn't the same for my parents. They weren't like that for my wife.
Q-3- Which tool in your workshop would you trust to be passed down for generations?
A- Many of them actually. A lot of my carving knives are handmade and top shelf. They should last many decades with appropriate care. The one I expect to be handed down the longest is my smaller sloyd knife. It has a handle that will fit most hands, is a bit thicker (so it can be sharpened more often) and is (due to it's size) not subjected to any large amounts of stress. It should last very very long.
Q-4- What other hobbies besides woodworking do you have?
A- I play the Irish flute and the trumpet. I am also trying my hand at blacksmithing. Or more correctly, I am trying to start blacksmithing. I haven't gotten anything done yet. I also like to cook. Stuff from many different cultures. Maybe a mix of them too. Oh and sharpening. I know most people hate it but I find it so meditative. None of our kitchen knives are blunt. Ever!
Q-5- You’ve most likely produced many finished pieces over the years, Are there any that stand out for you?
A- Yeah. The pieces of my first spoon still exist somewhere. I broke it. Many other spoons as well. I made an amazing jigsaw puzzle of a a couple holding a baby. This was back when I was broke and only had cheap wood. I stained it and gave it to my cousin who was getting a child at the time.
Q-6- Does having access to the latest technology inspire new ideas, or do you prefer using older, more traditional tools to challenge your skill and imagination?
A- I like the old ways of carving. It makes me feel grounded. However, new technologies like social media let me connect with fellow carvers (or woodworkers) and they can inspire me. For quite some time I have not had a power tools in shop apart from a drill, a grinding wheel and a router. I do want my bandsaw again but I can't use it with a crack in the frame of the wheel. Too risky. Maybe I'll get another one day.
Q-7- What’s your favorite thing about the area/city/state you live in?
A- I love how green Vienna is. It doesn't feel like a city (Well, as long as you aren't in the old center) Not like the American ones. Also, this leads to a large amount of fresh wood at the compost site in spring. Something I usually exploit. No big logs (those are auctioned off) but enough for a carver like me.
Q-8- What's something you'd regret never trying?
A- Working with stone. I see a lot of potential and I have been wanting to do it for a long time. Just didn't want to deal with the dust.
Q-9- Who is your favorite woodworker?
A- Jonathan Jekic. He is on instagram and after seeing just one spoon (or kuksa) of his you will know why. His ability to bring a pleasing shape out of wood, make it different every time and still keep a definitive style is mind boggling to me. He is decades if not a century ahead of me in skill even though we have carved for a similar amount of time. Raw talent with loads of skill and practice to boot.
Q-10- What was the most stressful project you have made?
A- I do woodworking to avoid stress. Though once I forgot my sharpening gear on a trip and decided to carve a spoon with a blunt hook knife. It took forever and every single cut felt unsafe. Never again. At worst I'll just buy sandpaper wherever I go.
Q-11- What’s the best thing that happened to you this year?
A- I went to an Irish trad music festival. It was amazing. So many good people and so much fun.
Q-12- What is one question you would like to ask me?
A- That's hard. Possibly question six. I like the different opinions and reasoning on the topic. It is quite divisive but I always like an animated discussion.
Q-13- How did you hear about Woodbarter, and What keeps you coming back?
A- I was looking for purple gidgee. Just because I wanted it and then Fred ( @Friedrich9 ) posted the board I ended up getting. It was a weird trade (and I wasn't used to the whole forum stuff) but it worked out.
As to the second part: The people. So much talent, kindness, knowledge and support. I don't know of any other internet forum like WB. I think I have to thank the admins and mods for that. The intro post is definitely a good thing. It keeps the bots and most scammers off.
Some of the questions will be the same for everyone and some will not, I have an ever-growing list of questions I will pick from.
I want to thank everyone that has already taken the time to reply to my private conversations about this and replied with their answers.
So let's get this shindig started!!
........................................................................................................................
13 Questions with @daniscool (October 2026)
Q-1- What project in the near future, are you most excited about starting?
A- I've got a small log of cherry that is still green. I'm hoping I can still make a small bowl from it before it dries out. I just haven't gotten around to it. Bowls require much more time commitment than spoons.
Q-2- What's a place you have visited that felt completely different than you expected it to be?
A- Ha! My (now) In-laws. I expected the usual awkwardness, questions and the usual. Instead I met some of the most welcoming people in the world. Wasn't the same for my parents. They weren't like that for my wife.
Q-3- Which tool in your workshop would you trust to be passed down for generations?
A- Many of them actually. A lot of my carving knives are handmade and top shelf. They should last many decades with appropriate care. The one I expect to be handed down the longest is my smaller sloyd knife. It has a handle that will fit most hands, is a bit thicker (so it can be sharpened more often) and is (due to it's size) not subjected to any large amounts of stress. It should last very very long.
Q-4- What other hobbies besides woodworking do you have?
A- I play the Irish flute and the trumpet. I am also trying my hand at blacksmithing. Or more correctly, I am trying to start blacksmithing. I haven't gotten anything done yet. I also like to cook. Stuff from many different cultures. Maybe a mix of them too. Oh and sharpening. I know most people hate it but I find it so meditative. None of our kitchen knives are blunt. Ever!
Q-5- You’ve most likely produced many finished pieces over the years, Are there any that stand out for you?
A- Yeah. The pieces of my first spoon still exist somewhere. I broke it. Many other spoons as well. I made an amazing jigsaw puzzle of a a couple holding a baby. This was back when I was broke and only had cheap wood. I stained it and gave it to my cousin who was getting a child at the time.
Q-6- Does having access to the latest technology inspire new ideas, or do you prefer using older, more traditional tools to challenge your skill and imagination?
A- I like the old ways of carving. It makes me feel grounded. However, new technologies like social media let me connect with fellow carvers (or woodworkers) and they can inspire me. For quite some time I have not had a power tools in shop apart from a drill, a grinding wheel and a router. I do want my bandsaw again but I can't use it with a crack in the frame of the wheel. Too risky. Maybe I'll get another one day.
Q-7- What’s your favorite thing about the area/city/state you live in?
A- I love how green Vienna is. It doesn't feel like a city (Well, as long as you aren't in the old center) Not like the American ones. Also, this leads to a large amount of fresh wood at the compost site in spring. Something I usually exploit. No big logs (those are auctioned off) but enough for a carver like me.
Q-8- What's something you'd regret never trying?
A- Working with stone. I see a lot of potential and I have been wanting to do it for a long time. Just didn't want to deal with the dust.
Q-9- Who is your favorite woodworker?
A- Jonathan Jekic. He is on instagram and after seeing just one spoon (or kuksa) of his you will know why. His ability to bring a pleasing shape out of wood, make it different every time and still keep a definitive style is mind boggling to me. He is decades if not a century ahead of me in skill even though we have carved for a similar amount of time. Raw talent with loads of skill and practice to boot.
Q-10- What was the most stressful project you have made?
A- I do woodworking to avoid stress. Though once I forgot my sharpening gear on a trip and decided to carve a spoon with a blunt hook knife. It took forever and every single cut felt unsafe. Never again. At worst I'll just buy sandpaper wherever I go.
Q-11- What’s the best thing that happened to you this year?
A- I went to an Irish trad music festival. It was amazing. So many good people and so much fun.
Q-12- What is one question you would like to ask me?
A- That's hard. Possibly question six. I like the different opinions and reasoning on the topic. It is quite divisive but I always like an animated discussion.
Q-13- How did you hear about Woodbarter, and What keeps you coming back?
A- I was looking for purple gidgee. Just because I wanted it and then Fred ( @Friedrich9 ) posted the board I ended up getting. It was a weird trade (and I wasn't used to the whole forum stuff) but it worked out.
As to the second part: The people. So much talent, kindness, knowledge and support. I don't know of any other internet forum like WB. I think I have to thank the admins and mods for that. The intro post is definitely a good thing. It keeps the bots and most scammers off.
