A small victory
In woodworking, as in everything else, sometimes it’s the smallest of things that give the greatest unexpected pleasure.
In woodworking, as in everything else, sometimes it’s the smallest of things that give the greatest unexpected pleasure.
Finishing a project or commission, buying a new machine for the shop, scoring some really great wood – all can make you feel great. Then again, you can sometimes get just as big a kick out of minor things.
A big ol’ winter storm came up the East Coast last week right when I needed to make a run for a load of 2x4s for a framing project. Buying and loading was no big deal – there was a covered loading area – but I was resigned to letting the load sit in the car when I got home till the storm was over.
With that in mind I parked in the garage just to keep the car clear of snow till I could pull it out later to unload. I flipped up the tailgate to grab a few bags of odds and ends, and on a whim thought I’d try getting a 2x4 out.
To my utter delight, even with the garage door closed (and a storm literally howling outside) I was able to angle that 2-by out of the car with mere inches to spare. From that point, it took only a short time to get out and stack the whole load.
A small victory, to be sure, but it’s the kind of thing that can make you feel good for the rest of the day.
A.J. Hamler is the former editor of Woodshop News and Woodcraft Magazine. He's currently a freelance woodworking writer/editor, which is another way of stating self-employed. When he's not writing or in the shop, he enjoys science fiction, gourmet cooking and Civil War reenacting, but not at the same time.