
I've been messing about with woodwork for nearly as long as I have electrical things, certainly before I started having Woodwork lessons at school.
Due to personal circumstances, which I'll bore neither you nor me by relating, I did very little from my mid-twenties to my mid-thirties; all I did was what could be called Essential Maintenance and that was done in the quickest, dirtiest fashion possible.
When I did start doing things properly again I expected to be pretty hopeless as I was so out-of-practise. However, I found I was much BETTER. I can only put this down to maturity and advice like "Measure twice, cut once" having finally sunk in.
Most of the things I do are repairs rather than making things from scratch. I rarely work to plans and am of the "Measurement is the Enemy of Accuracy" school. If it looks right and fulfils its purpose it's fine by me.
My preference is definitely for hand tools. This isn't some sort of philosophical choice; I simply find that for the sort of things I do, and with the limited skills I have, they are quicker and easier to use than power tools. I'm no masochist and use power tools when I feel it appropriate.
Due to personal circumstances, which I'll bore neither you nor me by relating, I did very little from my mid-twenties to my mid-thirties; all I did was what could be called Essential Maintenance and that was done in the quickest, dirtiest fashion possible.
When I did start doing things properly again I expected to be pretty hopeless as I was so out-of-practise. However, I found I was much BETTER. I can only put this down to maturity and advice like "Measure twice, cut once" having finally sunk in.
Most of the things I do are repairs rather than making things from scratch. I rarely work to plans and am of the "Measurement is the Enemy of Accuracy" school. If it looks right and fulfils its purpose it's fine by me.
My preference is definitely for hand tools. This isn't some sort of philosophical choice; I simply find that for the sort of things I do, and with the limited skills I have, they are quicker and easier to use than power tools. I'm no masochist and use power tools when I feel it appropriate.