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January 11, 2008
Hoarding Wood, It's a Beautiful ThingWoodworkers are notorious for hoarding wood. This is a subject that I wrote about in our last newsletter. Wood is precious to the woodworker, or as Smeagol might put it from The Lord of the Rings, 'My precious'. Some woods are just plain special to us, so we're hesitate to use them. I thought it would be good therapy for us to confess how long we've held on to a piece of wood. Tell us why you held on to it for so long as well, or why you're continuing to hold onto it. I'll start out by confessing to holding on to some white oak for over ten years (and counting). Now, for those that have kept up with our blog, you know that oak is not my favorite wood to work with. So why hang on to some white oak for so long? Sentimental reasons. These boards came from my great aunt's old barn that was on her farm. The barn itself is over 150 years old and this wood is left over from the building of that barn. It's grain is tight and the color is absolutely beautiful. I've only built two things with it, a coffee table and a keepsake box. I may eventually make something else from it, but you know what, even if I don't, just having that wood around my shop to look at, is a good feeling. So, what's your story? |
Comments (4)
it seems as though every project i decide to make isn't "good" enough for the wood i already own. i have approximately $3000 worth of wood, but i'm always buying more for the latest project. there is always some reason not to use my current stock. i've had some 18" wide pine for many years and thus far it has graced the top of one small bedside table. naturally, it was too wide and too good to use for the balance of that one table.a cherry board is also about the same width and has only been used on one table at the very time i bought it.
clearly as anyone can see from these descriptions, i don't hoard wood i just don't use it and it builds up over time.
greg
Posted by greg | January 19, 2008 7:14 PM
Posted on January 19, 2008 19:14
Greg,
Great response. It seems you just don't use "left overs" I feel the same way about food :)
Sometimes it's hard to explain to our families why we need to buy more wood when we already have so much.
I'm lucky. My wife sews, and completely understands the need to buy more "stuff" when you already have so much to begin with (you should see her fabric stash.)
-Craig
Posted by (WR) Craig Stevens | January 19, 2008 9:47 PM
Posted on January 19, 2008 21:47
did you ever see thos. moser's comment about some planks he owns? it seems that he has 5 antique boards about 40 inches wide and 12 or so feet long. he too doubts if he will ever be able to bring himself to use them!
Posted by greg | January 20, 2008 12:33 PM
Posted on January 20, 2008 12:33
Well said.
Posted by Oneida | April 22, 2009 1:56 PM
Posted on April 22, 2009 13:56