Interviews for members

[Rossluck]

I like this idea on the Sawmill Creek forum of interviewing members. I think it's be useful for would-be woodworkers like myself to hear some of the backgrounds and approaches of the more professional or successful woodworkers on the forum. Perhaps it could be sent to them in the form of a questionnaire and posted to a thread when filled in.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=28

[echnidna]

The minor critiscm of the sawmill creek reviews is that they are predominantly about turners, instead of covering a broad spectrum of woodies.

[RufflyRustic]

What a brilliant idea!!!

So what questions should we put together for our own Questionaire?

Cheers
Wendy

[derekcohen]

The minor critiscm of the sawmill creek reviews is that they are predominantly about turners, instead of covering a broad spectrum of woodies.

I was interviewed (interview available on their website). The format worked for me.

Here is the master list of interviews to date: http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31388

And here is the link to mine: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=32656

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Lignum]

I was interviewed



Derek, realy like your Dads chairs. Very nice:D

[Gra]

Interviews,

Half of this mob wouldn't get in if we had interviews (Some nameless mods included...:D:D)

Seriously, could be interesting to read some of the answers

[HappyHammer]

Anyone care to add / remove any questions?

1. Name (and nick names)

2. Age/DOB

3. Location (present and previous)

4. Tell us about your family, do they like you.

5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations, convictions or prison stories.

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please)

7. Describe your shed

8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use

9. Your favorite cold chisel song.

10. Your favorite handsaw(s).

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.

12. Do you have a woodworking home page.

13. Do you have any influences in your work. Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer.

14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration.

15. What is your favorite project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why.

16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with handtools, alcoholic or otherwise.

17. How much of your work is done by handtools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use handtools even when they are less efficient.

18. What is your single most favourite tool, and why.

[Sturdee]

8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use

9. Your favorite cold chisel song.

10. Your favorite handsaw(s).

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.




Way too much emphasis on the neanderthal approach to woodworking.

I would prefer a more general approach as to tools, plugin or otherwise, so that the enlightened woodworker that uses the appropriate tool for the specific application can also be included.


Peter.

[journeyman Mick]

I'm not about to give out my full name on the 'net. As I'm one of only nine people in all of Australia with my surname it would be all too easy for some low life to find my shed and all the goodies that it contains. Also as Peter has mentioned it's a bit biased towards the darksiders, hey, I even try to avoid using plug in power tools, preferring to use stationary machinery wherever possible.

Mick

[Sturdee]

As I'm one of only nine people in all of Australia with my surname it would be all too easy for some low life to find my shed and all the goodies that it contains.

Mick


I'm like that too Mick. Anyone, anywhere, with the same spelling of my surname is a relation of mine.:D

A few years ago I saw that some yanks had the same surname as mine and further research showed that they were descendants of my great grandfather's brother who had emigrated to the US in 1910.


Peter.

[craigb]

I don't understand the point of it. :confused:

I mean, it's the internet :rolleyes: Anybody is free to make up any old crap.

If you want to know what a member is about, just read their posts.

[Wood Butcher]

One thing with Sawmill Creek is that members are strongly encouraged to register using their full name. Also if you wnat to be in their version of the Free Stuff Draw you have to be registered with you full name.

I would have no problem with the interviews but why not let people use their forum ID? I know with the couple of forum gatherings I've been too that a lot call each other by their username not real name.

But, the ultimate decision comes from Neil if you want a seperate section. Have to wait till he's said his piece.

[ozwinner]

Anyone care to add / remove any questions?

1. Name (and nick names) Randorlf the third

2. Age/DOB Star date 12.5.789

3. Location (present and previous) Outer Bloogymond, third rate

4. Tell us about your family, do they like you. Family is silicone based neo nanderforms, What is like?

5. How do you earn a living, Living? woodworking or other what is wood, any interesting previous occupations, Cheif standerform on the planet Xychorm convictions or prison stories. Non

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please) spanderex scanferx mk III, also non compliant derfrorod

7. Describe your shed non compliant with the federation

8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use Neo plasmatismn non static farkquare

9. Your favorite cold chisel song. Last hopper out of Outer Froefper

10. Your favorite handsaw(s). Also Neo plasmatismn non static farkquare

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use. Negative, my fave is the non plasmatic ferksong

12. Do you have a woodworking home page. fff.Xzorkok.autr.fed.gal

13. Do you have any influences in your work. Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer. Styles, Outer Xrexeron is the coolest stuff.

14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration. Greap Groofender showed me what it is about

15. What is your favorite project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why. Recreating the so called Big Bang with Greap Groofender in a test tube

16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with handtools, alcoholic or otherwise. no

17. How much of your work is done by handtools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use handtools even when they are less efficient. What is a hand?

18. What is your single most favourite tool, and why. My Fronmtelzetzle, because it so cool

[Driver]

Randorlf! My long-lost evil twin co-eval life form! So this is where you've been decomposing all this time!

[ozwinner]

Yes it has been some time my half brother to my sisters daughter, but I am back.
Whmahahahahahahahahah....etc......

Ran :cool:

[Clinton1]

the interviews on SMC are in the hand tools section (neanderthal haven), explaining the emphasis on handtools.

Personally I'd like to see a move away from the whole Neander and Electron burner thing and go with what Sturdee said:


the enlightened woodworker that uses the appropriate tool for the specific application

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Somehow, the most important question has been overlooked: "Do you follow the code?"

[Lignum]

Somehow, the most important question has been overlooked: "Do you follow the code?"

League, union or rules... Rules is the only code:)

[Cliff Rogers]

Yes it has been some time my half brother to my sisters daughter, but I am back.
Whmahahahahahahahahah....etc......

Ran :cool:

Foilie Al, foilie.... get foilie.... put on head...... http://www.ubeaut.biz/viking.gif

& Col, you just go to the shed & stop encouraging him. http://www.ubeaut.biz/deal.gif

[journeyman Mick]

Yes it has been some time my half brother to my sisters daughter, but I am back.
Whmahahahahahahahahah....etc......

Ran :cool:

Oh deary me, Al is having another "episode".:eek: Those evil aliens that took over his body are back again. Al! how many times do we have to tell you, you've got to keep wearing the foil.:p


Mick

[Lignum]

Id love to see Shane, AKA Wild Dingo be the first to respond to our future 1st Forum interview;)

[Cliff Rogers]

Id love to see Shane, AKA Wild Dingo be the first to respond to our future 1st Forum interview;)

:D That reminded me of a very old Bill Cosby skit..... "Please miss, can I have another piece of paper?"

If you gave him 18 questions he'd out do War & Peace. :D

(Sorry Shane. NOT :D )

[Bodgy]

Id love to see Shane, AKA Wild Dingo be the first to respond to our future 1st Forum interview;)

The servers don't have the disc space.

[Cliff Rogers]

The servers don't have the disc space.
& we need the trees for timber so he can't have another piece of paper. :D

[RETIRED]

I doubt any here would live long enough to read it!:rolleyes: :D

[silentC]

On the one hand I agree with Rossluck. It probably would be interesting to learn a bit about some of the people here and after seeing that music stand, I would nominate Jacko straight up.

On the other hand, I'm not sure it really fits in with the style of this site. We generally try not to take ourselves too seriously. I mean, does anyone really think that knowing what Al's favourite tool is will help their woodworking :eek:

I wouldn't want us to be seen as taking the lead from those Americans, either.

[RufflyRustic]

1. Name (and nick names) RufflyRustic, Miss March, Miss Wendy, Darkside Sister, Wood Whisperer, Wood Listener's President, Honorary Bloke :D


2. Age/DOB Well, I think I'm supposed to be 35 but just between you and me I think I'm closer to 25 ;)

3. Location (present and previous) SE Queensland

4. Tell us about your family, do they like you. Yeah, they love me. Brother in Sydney, Sister in China, Mum & Dad in the same town as me. Aunt in London, Rest of rellies in Cairns/Cooktown or New Zealand

5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations, convictions or prison stories.
I'm a computer nerd, my job is a collaborator, negotiator, walking dictionary, jargon translater, hardware-sourcing tech-head, application architect, problem solver.

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please)
Lots of handtools, a few small power tools, with a growing tendency towards handplanes and chisels.


7. Describe your shed
Solar kiln in summer, ice box in winter, currently filled with slap-dash shelving, 10 silkyoak casement windows, an old makeshift workbench aka ironing board and lots of bits of timber, scraps, dar and a wheelbarrow, oh and lots of shavings and sawdust and spiderwebs


8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use

Stanleys and a Defiance. My favourite would be the block plane, easy to use, fits my hand and whenever I use it, I think of my Uncle who gave it to me. The others I haven't really gotten into using fully yet, but I will.

9. Your favorite cold chisel song.
Any of them

10. Your favorite handsaw(s).
One that's sharp enough

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.
Still trying out a range to find what I like the best

12. Do you have a woodworking home page.
Yes

13. Do you have any influences in your work. Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer.
Ruff, Rustic, don't mind a bit of Japanese influence or Shaker


14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration.
Have found out that I have engineers and woodworkers on both sides of the family tree. It all seems to have come out in me, well, the woodwork bit anyway.


15. What is your favorite project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why.
At this point, it would be the miniature Treasure Chest. It gave me so much trouble, but I learnt so much and it turned out brilliantly. Just hope my nephew likes it.


16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with handtools, alcoholic or otherwise.
Absolutley!!! http://www.ubeaut.biz/ms.gif


17. How much of your work is done by handtools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use handtools even when they are less efficient.
90% handtools. Depends on whether I can be bothered to heft the power tool out of the solar kiln and set it all up, including dust extractor. So yes, I tend towards the handtools more often than not.


18. What is your single most favourite tool, and why.
My drill. The Best Christmas Present. it comes in a big red box, has two batteries, and is always up for whatever I ask of it and it's not too heavy for me to use and use and use :D

19. Future plans, ideas, directions
Get myself a proper Shed this year
Finish my silver ash and jarrah workbench
set up said shed and start getting through the projects that have built up due to the need for a decent workbench and shed, eg Order for a personalised coffee table, a redgum slab coffee table, my bedhead, kitchen dresser, bathroom cabinet and maybe even my kitchen, plus a multitude of boxes, chests, tool cabinets, picture frames.

20. Do you know about and/or follow The Code
Absolutely where physically possible:D

21. Favourite Wood-related Book
UBeaut's Finishing Bible
Book of 400 Boxes

Cheers
RufflyRustic

[Clinton1]

does anyone really think that knowing what Al's favourite tool is will help their woodworking

Al is my favourite tool! :D

[RufflyRustic]

:rolleyes: Yep, Jumping in with both feet.......:)

[HappyHammer]

Hey Ruffly, didn't want you to be out in the cold....

1. Name (and nick names) Happyhammer, Oi you!

2. Age/DOB 37, although I think age is a state of mind and my minds in a state so it should be of a range, so anywhere between 20 and 60 depending on the situation.

3. Location (present and previous) Beautiful Port Macquarie

4. Tell us about your family, do they like you. Yeah, they love me. Wife and two kids one of each. Most of my extended family is back in England, poor buggers!:eek:

5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations, convictions or prison stories.
I have worked in IT for just over 20 years but have left a couple of times (Taxi driver, Landscape Gardener, Bartender...) as being behind a desk is not really my thing but it has paid the bills so I'm not complaining.

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please)
Various hand tools, only one plane a muji plane from Pauls in Sydney. Some powered hand tools, Drill, Orb Sander, Plane, Skilsaw and a Triton WC2000 with Triton saw and a Triton Router table with Triton Router.

7. Describe your shed
A complete mess. A single garage I can't swing a cat around in but the builders have arrived and the brickwork is going up right now to complete a second 9mx4.5m second garage that will be my workshop.

8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use
Just the muji I mentioned before.

9. Your favorite cold chisel song.
Who are Cold Chisel?:D

10. Your favorite handsaw(s).
Have four saws, one big one small, one big bush, one small bush.

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.
Don't care where it comes from as long as it works. Would prefer to buy Australian if the price was comparable.

12. Do you have a woodworking home page.
Yes this forum.

13. Do you have any influences in your work. Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer.
Only timber, I love nice timber, particularly hardwoods. Woodwork is mostly an escape for me rather than a passion.

14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration.
No except my Dad who has always been great with his hands whatever he does, would like to build something and have my Dad say "That's great mate I didn't know you had it in yer."

15. What is your favorite project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why.
Haven't completed much in the way of furniture have built decks and some other structural stuff but about to start a day bed with some Red Mahogany I've just acquired and really looking forward to getting started on it in my new garage.

16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with handtools, alcoholic or otherwise.
I don't believe there is a spiritual dimension to anything, I treat everyone as I'd like to be treated and if they don't return the favour I avoid them. I have a core of very good friends and even fewer acquaintances, don't have the time or inclination to be nice to people I don't like or respect.

17. How much of your work is done by handtools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use handtools even when they are less efficient.
Whatever is the best tool for the job or in my case the best tool I have to do the job.

18. What is your single most favourite tool, and why.
My dead blow hammer that I tacked on to the Bessey Clamp purchase through this forum. I'd seen them on TV and I love the way it just stops dead without any recoil up your arm.

19. Future plans, ideas, directions
Get the garage finished and start my daybed, that's as far forward as I'm looking at the moment.

20. Do you know about and/or follow The Code
No and no, don't like rules much.

21. Favourite Wood-related Book
UBeaut's Finishing Bible
Book of 400 Boxes

22. What will be the next tool you'll buy?
Thicknesser because I'm keen to recycle timber and buy it cheaply rough cut.

23. Do you have a tool you've never used?
Yes a plumbers spanner. Saw it in Bunnings only two dollars in the old stock bin and couldn't resist.

24. What do you want on your gravestone or plaque?
He died happy.

HH.

[Auld Bassoon]

:D That reminded me of a very old Bill Cosby skit..... "Please miss, can I have another piece of paper?"

If you gave him 18 questions he'd out do War & Peace. :D

(Sorry Shane. NOT :D )

With all the elegance of Tolstoy. Or then again...

Sorry Shane too :D . Not much really :D :D :D

[Auld Bassoon]

Ok, I'll weigh in with a Bassooned view of the world (weird outside of it don't you know?)

1. Name (and nick names) Auld. Bassoon

2. Age/DOB 50, going on 25 and counting.

3. Location (present and previous) S. Eastern 'burbs of Melbourne; Canberra :confused: ; Sydney:mad: ; South Africa:rolleyes: ; England (again) :( ; New York City :cool: :mad: ; most of Europe at one time or another :rolleyes: ; England; Jersey :)
4. Tell us about your family, do they like you. What family? :confused:

5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations, convictions or prison stories.
Planning for yesterday, with tomorrow's technology and next year's budget. IT if you hadn't guessed :D Of course, I'm fully qualified: my first degree was in History :rolleyes:

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please)
A modestly decent set of hand tools, including handplanes of most sizes in all sorts of types; chisels of many a kind, spokeshaves, handsaws (some great, some good and some for collecting cobwebs with), scrapers, some nice turnscrews, and whatnot; a couple of h/held drills and ROS sanders, a bunch of corded noisy screaming thingys and a few stationary machines (12" T/S, 14"B/S, 6" Jointer, 12 1/2" Thicknesser, 2HP D/C, Radial floor mounted Drill Press, Morticing machine, 850mm Drum Sander (shop made), Belt Sander, Router Table), plus half a ship load of clamps, bars, racks and other gizmos, etc. Quite a few files and rasps - Nicholson;s are nice! A couple of benches - one Sjoberg and a big mutha of a shop-built one.

7. Describe your shed
Ex double garage with no room to swing the cat's prey in - so lots of moveable bases - and bashed elbows and knees :o

8. Tell us about the handplanes you own, and your favorites one(s) to use
A bunch of LV (most of them), a decent few LNs (not enough :( ), a Spiers #7 infill smoother replica (that I made from a Shepherd kit), a couple of older Stanleys including a nice 8C with LN iron & cap-iron) and a small collection of wooden moulding planes and jointers. The best one? Hmm - the one I reach for most is probably the LV LA BU Jack or possibly one of the two LV LA Block planes.

9. Your favorite chisel
Any of the LN bevel edged ones - but the Robert Sorby ones are nice too.

10. Your favorite handsaw(s).
LN Dovetail saw, followed closely by the LN Independence Carcass Saw. A Coping saw is pretty handy too! A couple of old Diston panel saws are just great to use too.

11. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.
Both, but I prefer western saws for fine joinery. Japanese saws are good but don't last very long in Aussie hardwoods.

12. Do you have a woodworking home page.
Yes this forum.

13. Do you have any influences in your work. Certain styles or designers you follow/prefer.
A lot of what I see on this forum! Krenov - and history!

14. Do you have any ancestors who were woodworkers that served as inspiration.
My Godfather (a retired RN Commander) was a keen woodie - he and I built quite a few sailboats when I was young. [Edit: he built them, and I got in the way a lot :rolleyes: ]

15. What is your favorite project, or part of a project, you have ever done and why.
Red Gum Demi Lune table: I liked this simply because of the intricacy and, I might say, the end result!, the Jarrah curved hall table to my own design - and the Spiers replica :)

16. Do you believe there is any spiritual dimension to woodworking with handtools, alcoholic or otherwise.
No. But a few ales or sips (!) of red after a days work in the shed is always pretty good :)

17. How much of your work is done by handtools. Do you use whatever is best for the job or do you use handtools even when they are less efficient.
Whatever is the best tool for the job, but with hand tools where I can. It's a hobby, and I don't like being screamed at by my hobby :p

18. What is your single most favourite tool, and why.
My little Colen Clenton square - because it looks good, it feels nice to hold and use - and mostly because I can trust it :)

19. Future plans, ideas, directions
Big commission in Blackwood just about to start - followed by a Swetenia Mahogany dining table & chairs for moi - when I can get around to it :(

20. Do you know about and/or follow The Code
Mai oui! (you don't think that I'd admit to NOT following it here do you :p :eek: :D )

21. Favourite Wood-related Book
"Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking"; Krenov's "A Cabinetmaker's Notebook" and Neil's "A Polishers Handbook". Heaps of others too.

22. What will be the next tool you'll buy?
Domino! (and a large bottle of Valium!)

23. Do you have a tool you've never used?
A concertina-like spiked equidistant measuring "thingy" - looked good in the store, came back to the shed and asked myself and the universe "?"

24. What do you want on your gravestone or plaque?
What marker?

[Narelle]

I aren't a woodworker but Happy Hammer suggested I do one..
(http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=36802)

1. Name (and nick names) Narelle, Naz

2. Age/DOB 35

3. Location (present and previous) Sunshine Coast, QLD. And a 5 year stint in the Riverland, SA.

4. Tell us about your family, do they like you. Married (or close enough) with two teenagers. One at home. I think they like me most of time.. hmm maybe not. Who know with teenagers?

5. How do you earn a living, woodworking or other, any interesting previous occupations, convictions or prison stories.
Webdeveloper and editer of some new local sites about to be launched. So I am both self employed and contract. Aussie Crafts is my baby, which is how I ended up here telling you about myself. (see announcements) I do come from a craft background though.. when I left school I did a pottery apprenticeship and had a studio. But I got divorced, wanted a change of life and an income so I went to Uni and got a design degree.

6. Equipment overview (hand tools and other, no here please)
Hmm. As far as woodwork goes I think a sander and a drill is about it. Have always wanted to have a play on a lathe though. The PC is now my trade equipment :( and sometimes I hate these damn things so much I want to test how far I can throw them!

7. Describe your shed
Messy

8. Your favorite chisel
Cold

9. Do you use western tools or Japanese, why do you prefer the ones you use.
I hear Japanese ones are smaller... :confused:

10. Do you have a woodworking home page.
Not exactly but theres Aussie Crafts (http://www.aussiecrafts.com.au)


11. What is your single most favourite tool, and why.
:)

12. Future plans, ideas, directions
Well I do have a 1930's tallboy type thing that I am planning to convert to a case for our media centre and projector (home made)

13. Do you know about and/or follow The Code
Aussie Rules

14. What will be the next tool you'll buy?
A jigsaw for the above project.

15. Do you have a tool you've never used?
Lol theres gotta be a husband joke here

16. What do you want on your gravestone or plaque?
What the hell am I doing here?