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How do I get in gear?
I haven't done any woodworking. It's been a long time. There are things to build, things to repair, tools to maintain, and problems to solve. It isn't so much for lack of interest or desire on my part.
It is just that I have been having some health issues over the last year or so that have left me without the mental or physical energy to chisel, mortise, hammer, saw, or anything else to complete a project. I'm still not feeling too energetic, but I'm on the mend and slowly getting better.
My tools and shop have been sadly neglected. There is dog hair and dirt everywhere. The bench has stuff on it. The tools are probably starting to rust and need sharpening. I still don't have a tool chest. It is well under way, but a long way from being finished. My tools are mostly thrown together in a plastic container. I don't even want to look in there.
Most of the projects I had started are somewhat bigger projects that I just don't feel like getting into yet.
It's a sad tale of a hard year. Where do I start to get plugged in again to my unplugged shop?
—Luke
Hi Luke,
Sorry to hear you've been under the weather but glad you are on the mend.
I have some chronic health issues that sometimes leave me tired both physically and mentally. It is not easy for me to work in the shop during flare-ups and even if I can it is sometimes not a good idea as I am just "not with it" enough to do good work.
I find taking on small projects that can be completed in a relatively short amount of time to be helpful in keeping my spirits up. Sometimes it can be something as simple as cleaning off my bench or sharpening a few tools. I once found great satisfaction after spending an hour fixing a screen door; not as fulfilling as making a dulcimer but it was good for the spirit to see the tangible results of a job done well.
Once I was not feeling up to working but hand-planed some scrap wood for a few minutes just for the pleasure of making shavings.
So maybe taking on a few small tasks will help get the juices flowing for you. I think the fact that you are looking for a way to get started again says you've already won 90% of the battle.
Just my 2 cents...
All the best,
Doug
Doug,
I always enjoy your site and thanks for the encouragement.
—Luke
Luke,
I get this way from time to time especially when the volume of work to be done in the shop is high and it starts to feel more like work than fun. I like to put aside the big stuff and focus on very small things like trying a new joinery technique, flattening a board, or creating an appliance. Maybe just the action of cutting a dovetail or two will charge you up. Have you ever tried a blind mitered dovetail? That problem could spark your imagination. Hand tool work is so refreshing because there are so many ways and variations for simple tasks and tackling them all is a lifetime pursuit. Good luck with your "slump" and keep the faith.
Hi Luke,
How ironic that you, who have helped generate so much valuable interest in woodworking, should be sidelined in this way. I'm sorry to hear about your situation and am sending you good thoughts for an increase in health.
Have you done much whittling? That might be a great place to start. A sloyd knife and some scrap pine.
All the best,
Tico
@Shannon
Thanks for the thoughts. My joinery skills are definitely limited. Perhaps just playing around with some fun joints without making anything would be worthwhile. The blind mitered dovetail is definitely on my "wanted" list.
@Tico
Part of what got me into hand tool woodworking was looking for an outlet for my work-related stress. It is that same work-related stress that has been contributing to my health problems, but it has left me without even the energy for woodworking, gardening and other things I love to do. I am starting to do some gardening again now though, and I have started to do some maintenance on this site as well as some dreaming/thinking about where I want to take it.
When I was a kid, I wanted to get into carving or whittling, but I didn't know enough to start. Even sharpening and work-holding were things I just didn't know about until a few years ago when I got into hand tool woodworking. I really am not terribly artistic. I can appreciate good design and even come up with some reasonably decent stuff occasionally, but I don't have the eye for looking at something and making a 3D recreation of it.
—Luke
Luke,
I was wondering what happened to you. Sorry to hear you're down, and I'm hoping this post means you've turned a corner.
How about taking the "Eat dessert first" approach to finding that time and energy? I found myself in a similar situation once and changed my sleep schedule enough to allow me to treat myself to an hour of hobby time at the start of the day, before the dreadful job drained my energy.
Whittling? You can start real simple with a 1x1x6 inch of softwood, cedar or basswood. I bet you have something in the scrap pile. The simplest exercise is carving a ball on the end of that block. Important: Wear a leather glove on your work holding hand. Use a very sharp knife, even a box cutter until your proper carving knives arrive from the Internet. Go to YouTube and look for "Whitler0507" who has published nearly 600 videos, most intended for helping beginners do whimsical caricatures. Maybe this one? http://www.youtube.com/user/whittler0507#p/search/4/l9sObqxmYJY
Eat dessert first and get back to the things you enjoy.
Hope to hear you feeling better real soon Luke.
Bob,
Thanks for the ideas and inspiration as well as the link. That is a great idea and I am going to look into it and watch some of those videos.
—Luke
Luke, I hope you're completely healed soon. Sorry to hear that you've had a rough year. Everyone has offered such great advice. The only thing I can add is something I learned from my high school government teacher: when you have too many things to do and don't know where to start, just choose one thing.
And my advice is, choose the one thing you feel like doing, not the thing you think you should be doing.
Kari,
Thanks for reading and thanks for the encouragement. As unintuitive as it seems, I suspect your advice is spot on.
Thanks and have a great day!
—Luke
Yes, hope you feel better soon. When I'm not feeling myself, and my energy level is low, I either sharpen something (which, in turn, makes me want to cut something), or I just start making sawdust. Practice joints are perfect.
Most of this do this for the sheer enjoyment. So Kari's exactly right - do the work you WANT to do. The stuff you NEED to do will keep until you're ready!
Ross
http://bowsaw.wordpress.com
Luke... ah yes, the results of lousy health can take it's effect upon what we love to do! Speaking from long experience with health problems that change or reduce my capacity to do what I would prefer to be doing, I have a few suggestions, not all of which I act upon myself:
Don't get overwhelmed by the projects you wanted to do but haven't had the energy or time to do.
Don't fret over tool chests... unless it's something you really want to do. Just store the stuff in boxes you can get to.
Pick out smaller projects or goals that are within your reach. I fixed a door hinge that was coming apart. That was my success for that week. Called the plumber to arrange for some complicated repairs. Chore #2 done for that week. and so on.
It's the enormity of all that we want to do that is overwhelming. So do what I don't always do and take it all in smaller bites.
Gary
Sir,
I am glad to hear you are on the mend and starting to think about picking up again, I have put things down and had to figure out how to pick them up again myself in the past. The fact that you are beginning to think about it by itself proves that you are on the mend and getting better.
I cannot pretend to have the perfect answer to get you inspired to get "plugged in" again. I can only tell you the things that have worked for me. The first is just cleaning the shop, a good thorough cleaning. Maybe this includes rearranging the tools I keep on my pegboard or in the drawers of the tool chest. It doesn't seem like a big deal but sometimes just the feel of the tools in my hands has been inspiration enough to prime the pump. Other times it has been rearranging the lumber on the rack and finding a piece that "talks to me" all of a sudden. Don't get hung up on finishing something you were in the middle of, you can come back to it, find something that inspires you today.
The other thing that keeps me inspired is a tool that you have at your reach already, a web blog. I try to challenge to post something on mine about 3 times a week (maybe for you it will be 1, you can set that goal for yourself) but in order to post something, I have to have done something, even if I was just thinking about woodworking and I want to post my opinions and ideas.
Whatever way works for you, I'm sure you'll find your own path back to the sawdust. Share the journey back here with us, all the good and the bad, we're all in your corner man.
Cheers
Oldwolf
@Ross, Gary and Oldwolf
Thanks for the advice and best wishes. It's going to be a slow, hard road, but things are improving and I am learning to better manage and overcome the restrictions I currently have.
I expect to have a pretty full recovery, but it will likely take another couple of years or so. I probably won't ever be able to push myself like I did when I was younger, but that's OK since I have a brain now to make up the difference!
I do think I am starting to get to the place where my gardening and woodworking can be part of the recovery process.
Again, thanks.
Luke
Glad to read that you are on the mend. Hope it continues to go in that direction.
I think it really helps just to pick one little thing that you enjoy. If it is sharpening, pick a tools that is nearly there (don't jump into one that needs a huge amount of work), if it is exposing some great grain on a piece of rough sawn wood, make tracks. I hate the cleaning up part of the shop, so if I started with that, it would have me back to doing nothing pretty rapidly. Go for the thing that brings you the most enjoyment. The endorphins released are the most effective at making you want more.
Good luck.
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