Two weeks

I haven’t done any woodworking for two weeks. For 14 days I’ve not turned on a machine, picked up sandpaper, or even so much as touched a piece of wood.

I’ve discussed here before that woodworking takes many forms – writing about it, designing a project, purchasing materials, or even gathering information on the Internet can count as woodworking to my way of thinking.

But literal woodworking can only be one thing: Picking up a piece of wood and doing something with it, and I haven’t done that in two weeks. I haven’t done related things either, like tuning a machine or even sweeping the shop floor. I haven’t touched a piece of wood in the shop. For that matter, with the exception of needing something that’s physically located in the shop – like needing to use the pencil sharpener mounted just inside the shop door or gaining access to the attic through the pull-down stairs located there – I haven’t even been in the shop.

I can’t think of any time that I’ve gone that long in the last dozen or more years. Sure, I’ve gone longer without producing much out there, but even then I’ve done some kind of woodworking – maybe just using the bandsaw to cut something, or grabbing a tool I needed in the house, or cleaning, tuning up or organizing my stuff. But these last two weeks, nothing at all.

Yep, I’ve been writing up a storm about woodworking lately. I’ve done four exploded drawings for the book I’m working on. I’ve bought some hardware and other supplies. I’ve even done a few household repairs (I re-hung some cabinet doors), albeit using tools from the kitchen junk drawer. But I haven’t done a thing in the shop. Nothing at all.

This is a milestone in my woodworking life.

And it’s not one I like.

Till next time,

A.J.