Time to refocus on your skill / craft

[chromesphere]

This came up on my facebook page today.  Its a post by Paul Sellers (a woodworker).  I really enjoy his videos and posts.  He has a deep love for his work.  He'd want to, hes been a hand tool woodworker for over 50 years and has stuck with hand tools through the introduction of electric power tools. 

Anyway, this post seemed to ring true for me and thought it might somewhat apply to others that are involved in our special niche.  Often times when you are so involved with one skill or hobby, to the point of obsession, you can become disheartened when things start going WRONG.  Its a rollercoaster, you have your tough times, much like life.  Its nice to refresh with some encouraging words and refocus:

When you start your craft you start because you feel something. You can't altogether explain it and you can't show it to someone but you feel it. Don't try to explain it until you can.

Problems come up and you question your choices. Hardships come up and you question yourself. Doubts start nipping at your peace. Stop there. Go back to the decision you made and remember what you felt. Talk to yourself about it. Answer your questions.

What did it mean choosing your craft? It didn't have anything to do with being good at it. It had more substance than that. It has to do with a sense that something belongs to you and you belong to it. It's a right fit. Belonging matters. Belonging is vocational calling.

[cooder]

Very good way of putting it. Thanks for posting that, Paul.

[jubal81]

Thanks, Paul. I need that today. Two weeks of breadboarding something and right now I feel like I'm worse off than where I started. I'm trying to focus on the fact that I've learned a lot of new things and challenged myself.

[Frank_NH]

I also do some wookworking (building guitars), and can say that there's nothing like the feel of a well sharpened plane digging into some premium tonewood.  I prefer hand tools as they are in many cases *faster* than setting up a machine.  It takes some time and experience to become proficient at hand crafting, but in the end it's well worth it as you definitely feel "closer to the wood".

[Cortexturizer]

wow! fantastic Paul! thank you for this, it's really really good stuff.
my father is a woodworker and I hope to learn even a bit one day.

[chromesphere]

I think ANYONE can learn ANYTHING, some mountains are just easier to climb for each individual.  Woodworking is something I always wanted to be good at but never really got anywhere.  I don't think it was from lack of talent that I didn't succeed.  I just didn't sink enough hours into practice.  Practice practice practice. That old story. I must say though I do enjoy taking a blunt chisel and sharpening it to a polished edge!  That's about the limit of my woodworking skills though

I guess there are a few similarities with hand tool woodworkers and pedal builders.  Both (somewhat) niche skills / jobs / hobbies.  Both using industrially proclaimed 'obsolete' tools / materials.  Both have a fine attention to detail.  Both can have catastrophic consequences with small mistakes.  Its odd match up, but seems to fit in my mind.

[Luke51411]

Great post! The two hobbies do meet up in a few places. I've been thinking about woodworking as I would eventually like to build a cabinet for an amp that I build but I've just got my firs amp kit and cab on the way so maybe the second amp I build I'll do the whole thing or try at least.

[chromesphere]

Paul (Sellers) is a joy to watch (youtube) and his facebook posts are often full of good advice:

(todays post)
You may need help understanding that rhythm is the pulse of the crafting artisan. On the wheel clay rises to a pulsing beat and between the forge and the anvil the hammer shapes by pounding steel still red with heat. In my book I wrote:
"The weight of a mallet must be lifted and dropped to the chisel with a quick and rhythmic arm and wrist movement. At around 60 vertical mallet stroke lifts per minute equalling 3,600 strokes in an hour, and with a 2 lb mallet, that's 7,200 lbs of lifting in an hour ( well over 3 metric tons or both the short or long tons) driven with the exact force to deliver each blow to an inch diameter. A momentum grows and the whole dynamic of shape and size needs to match the craftsman. Here you see the marriage of the mallet to the hand of the man that made the mallet. It's an until-death-do-us-part marriage you see."
So find the rhythm and the pulse in your craft and train your bodies to exercise that thing we call control.

[alanp]

Woodwork is one area (like butchering) where quality tools of a high standard kept in tiptop condition are essential working with a blunt, crappy knife is just making a rod for your back.

[mrclean77]

I really like that!!! I got into disc golf a few years back and constantly see a classic quote from the inventor himself ("Steady" Ed Headrick): "He who has the most fun, wins."

I still have a great desire to improve and look up to so many other builders, but I am sure I have as much fun doing it as most.