Woodworking

      12 Comments on Woodworking

I started a woodworking class through the local community college this week.

In college, I worked extensively in the college theater scene shop, so I have a comfortable working famialiarity with woodshops and a variety of tools. I mainly intended to take this class as a way to get access to a decent woodshop so I could tackle some projects of my own. Schya, right.

Within the first hour of the class, the instructor unintentionally drove home the fact that I dodn’t know squat. More to the point, theater carpentry is an odd beast. You’re mostly working with cheap softwoods, because a staggering amount of a set gets thrown away after a play’s run. And you’re not building with extreme precision, because the closest observer is at least 15 feet away (the audience in the front row). So, you can get away with a lot.

But now I have it in mind to make a few simple pieces of furniture, starting with some bookcases; objects that I would like to last for many years, and should be a pleasure to look at up close. I’m chagrined to admit, maybe I should learn what I’m doing before I embark on such a journey.

So, instead of diving into my own projects, I’m going to follow the instructor’s tried and true path towards teaching one about the necessary tools and techniques for making lasting objects out of quality hardwoods. I will be making… [dramatic pause]… a breadbox. I know, you can hardly stand the excitement, huh? Oh well. I can take the class as many times as I want, so I’ll save the bookcases for next term. In the meantime… anyone need a rolltop breadbox?

12 thoughts on “Woodworking

    1. browse Post author

      Yeah, I am!
      I dig classes! I’ve done sailing classes, a ton of massage classes, a pre-med program I did last year, and now this woodworking class and a one-night class in Mexican cooking.

      Next on the list (someday) will be sewing and guitar.

      Reply
    1. browse Post author

      That’s a distinct possibility! A friend just gave me a jar of sour dough starter (what they call “bigga”). Next week I’m going to try my first loaf from it.

      When are you moving to WV? (And… WV, really? Have you been there before?)

      Reply
      1. sarahberkley

        LOL I am probably not moving to WV, there are times that I make comments like that because my brain wants to run away. I pick WV just because, I am actually not sure why. Anywho, I have two sourdough starter kits in my drawer, not sure who they are made by.

        Have you ever thought to put together a group of friends that enjoy cooking/baking, and get together and teach each other dishes and then sit, eat, drink and be merry?

        Sarah

        Reply
        1. browse Post author

          > Have you ever thought to put together a group of friends
          > that enjoy cooking/baking, and get together and teach each
          > other dishes and then sit, eat, drink and be merry?

          I haven’t thought about it, mainly because I haven’t met many area foodies yet. But it sounds like a good idea!

          We should (finally!) get around to doing the coffee thing and actually meeting. Lemme know if you’re free some morning and wanna meet at Cafe Delirium.

          Reply
          1. sarahberkley

            Okay I think I can find it. “Downtown” Gresham is pretty small 😉 Hey your woodworking class…they don’t happen to have an electric planer do they?

            Sarah

          2. browse Post author

            > Okay I think I can find it.
            So, does that mean you wanna? Say when.

            > they don’t happen to have an electric planer do they
            Yup, sure they do. Why, got some rough surfaces you need smoothed out?

            BTW, you can email me directly, if you prefer. browse at badexample dot org

  1. nosty

    Perhaps because I am single, but I cannot store bread in a breadbox. I have to put my bread in the refrigerator. Bread molds in a couple of days it seems otherwise.

    Reply
    1. browse Post author

      Huh. In such an arid clime, I would have thought bread would be slower to mold there. Most odd. Either way I don’t think it would be slower to mold if you were in a relationship. Not that I haven’t offered… 😉

      Reply

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