# GIVEAWAY: Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001



## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

We are so excited to announce that we have partnered with *Triton Tools* to giveaway a *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!

To enter, simply reply to this thread with your response to the following question.

*Why do you love woodworking? How did you get started?*

On *March 1, 2017* we will do random drawings from the responses in this thread to select the winner.

_Added Note: Responses to this thread should be limited to entering the giveaway by responding to the posted question._

*Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router 2400W / 3-1/4hp*

Powerful 2400W / 3-1/4hp electronically controlled motor. Single spanner ‘above table’ cutter changing. Automatic shaft lock and power lock-off during cutter change mode. Fast plunge depth adjustment with winder handle and fine depth adjustment with micro winder. Quick switching to conventional plunge mode. Removable plunge spring for easy lifting and adjustment. Effective dust port.

*Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*



1/2" and 1/4" collet for a greater range of bit fitment
3-1/4hp / 15A motor provides enough power for even the toughest timbers
Automatic spindle lock engages only when power switch cover is closed
Soft start and variable speed provides the perfect speed for all cutter types
Single button switches from plunge to fixed based router with rack and pinion adjustment
Micro winder enables continuous fine depth adjustment through the full plunge range
Rack and pinion height adjustment and table winder eliminates the need for expensive lifting mechanisms when used with router tables
Electronic speed control ensures a fine finish on all materials
Removable plunge spring for easy bit adjustment when table mounted
3-stage turret with direct reading scales for precise pre-set cut depths
Fully enclosed guarding provides maximum protection from the cut zone and assists dust extraction
Multi-function fence provides optimum control for hand-held use and circle cutting
Quick-fit pins for fast fitment and removal from the fence and RTA300 Router Table
Side air vents reduce intake of dust into the motor casing when mounted upside-down in a router table
Excellent dust extraction for a cleaner, safer working environment
Easy access brushes allows the end user to change worn brushes
Single wrench bit change through the base is achieved with the automatic spindle lock
Safety Switch Shutter locks closed in bit-change mode to prevent router being switched on







Sponsored by: *Triton Tools*


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## woodworker4800 (Feb 15, 2017)

I started building boxes, when I was about 12 to keep all of my Control line plane stuff in. I have loved woodworking ever since.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I love woodworking because it's a very versatile hobby that can be practiced well into old age. It's a hobby that can offer challenges even to the most skilled woodworker. As evidenced on our forum, woodworking spans a wide selection of projects from very small intricate toys to very large construction. Something to interest everyone.


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Cricket said:


> Why do you love woodworking?


It is all about the DIY possibilities that woodworking offers. For the most part, I get a lot of satisfaction from the completed project and expect some could call that love.



Cricket said:


> How did you get started?


I got started by a need and desire to do it myself on projects that center around fixing the house up. Hopefully, when that work is complete I will venture into some more difficult and challenging woodworking projects.


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## JamesTinKS (Nov 15, 2012)

*I love woodworking *
Because I get to do something I enjoy and then I get to make people happy when I give them the things I have made.
*I got started*
In 9th grade shop class. I got my own shop when I moved to a place that had room.


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## jdswarner (Feb 15, 2017)

*Nature and Woodworking*

I love woodworking because of the feeling of working with what nature gave you. It is a huge stress reliever for me. I love seeing people's amazement with what I have created. I really got started in shop class in high school. But my father was always letting me tinker and build.


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## craigwbryant (Jan 22, 2012)

Why do I love woodworking?


It allows me to actually create something. Even as an engineer, most of my "work" is done in the theoretical, I rarely get to actually see something created, with woodworking, I do. Also, as I have begun to make pieces that I'm not embarrassed to have in the house for others to see it is extremely rewarding. Lastly, woodworking is a hobby that can transcend ages. My father is a woodworker, and now my sons are beginning to be interested in what happens out in the garage while daddy is out there. I can see a time in the near future where my father, sons, and I will all be working together on a project.


How did I get started?


I had installed new hardwood floors in my house and I couldn't find any thresholds/transitions to cover the areas where the flooring went from tile to wood that I really liked. My father (as mentioned, a woodworker) had a router table, amongst other tools. I took some measurements, came up with a drawing of what I needed and he and I went out into his shop, found a piece of oak, and started working. After that I was hooked. I picked up one of his Wood magazines that had a plan for a blanket chest, make out of plywood with simple butt joinery and screws to hold it together. My wife was pregnant with baby number 1 at the time, so I decided to have a run at building it to add to the baby's room. From there the obsession just grew, built a few bookcases, some other small occasional pieces for the house, and most recently a new kitchen table for the family. Learning new skills and growing the arsenal along the way.


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## Dodis (Feb 25, 2013)

*Why do you love woodworking?* 
Have always been hands on, trying to see how things worked. Fixing things, tearing them apart, and sometimes getting them back together! Wood is an easy enough medium to work with and be able to build something useful for many different uses. Plus the compliments received when a project is done, and especially from people that are amazed that I didn't have to just go buy it. Took the same route as well for some welding, but equipment and material costs have kept that growth considerably slower... And since my paying work is sitting in front of a computer 8 hrs. a day, it is very nice to actually create something.

* How did you get started?*
Almost a family tradition, but not quite like those that worked their dad's shop. My grandfather and all his family grew up in West Texas, and had to either build it themselves or do without, especially during the depression. That ability turned into him becoming a cabinetmaker. Although, by the time I was old enough to pay attention and develop the interest, he was retired and in poor health. But my older bother took up the calling and got into carpentry for several years, so that kept my interest up. Then after my grandfather passed, my mom started making wooden toys as a way to best keep her memories of her father. Then as I started helping more and more, the interest built even more. Still has not turned into the full-blown hobby that it has for some, but being able to build some small projects, shop jigs, and cabinets as needed, plus make household repairs has been quite satisfying.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

*Why do you love woodworking? *
The beauty in the wood, to see it shimmer, to shape it to fit what I see, the chance to create something unique, the satisfaction of having an idea and seeing it become a tangible and useful object - all of these factor into why I love woodworking.

*How did you get started?*
As a young boy I began building things around the house, often with my Dad, and that transitioned into building and remodeling as I grew older and bought my first house. I would see something in stores and go home to replicate it in my shop. 50+ years later I'm still doing the same thing only most of what I build now is for someone else.


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

I love woodworking because it is such a varied hobby with so many different disciplines to learn and master. I am still super new and have tons to learn. I am fairly young and I know this hobby will provide me with years of excitement and challenges to enjoy solving  

I started woodworking after dating (and then marrying) a most wonderful woman whose family are world famous sail boat makers and seeing their shop and the amazing things that could be made from wood.


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## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

Woodworking for me is an enjoyable way for me to take an idea from a simple thought...all the way to a completed item. I got hooked when I was very young (about seven years old) watching my father create things from wood, and as I watched and learned. I remember that even at a young age, I could have done it differently. As I grew up I always had a passion for doing woodworking, and my skill improved as I learned by doing more challenging projects. I started with simple hand tools at first, then added power tools as I could afford them. Now after over 50 years I am more passionate than ever about woodworking. Woodworking is such a variable, creative, and thought provoking hobby for me and I have never lost interest...in fact I find myself thinking about it all of the time. It is truly a hobby that can teach you to accomplish! It is also something where your skill always improves by doing, and I highly recommend it!


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## MaintenanceMan (Jun 25, 2010)

I find woodworking fulfilling. I've heard many folks say that it's in their blood and I agree. It just seems like a skill I was born to explore. I got started making a box for our family bible when I was a teenager. Next I made a quilt rack for my Mom. Then I bought a house and it's been one project after another since. It really is a passion.


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## MrFrost (Nov 10, 2014)

Cricket said:


> *Why do you love woodworking?*


Allows me to express myself and forget about the stresses of my work life.



Cricket said:


> *How did you get started?*


I wanted to make my fiance a jewelry box, and she commented how she prefers hand made things over store bought items.


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## RoughDraft (Jan 9, 2017)

I get to make the people I love things that they want and I enjoy doing it. I was tired of spending money on a classic car, wanted my time and effort to go to something that wont disappear if I decide to sell a car. And I wanted a bench swing so I made a bench swing.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I love woodworking because it's a fantastic way to blow off some steam, going down into the shop and making something. It's also a lot cheaper to build a dining table than it is to buy something.

I can't remember exactly when I got started, woodworking has been one of those things I've just always done. I grew up with my father always building balsa wood model planes and the like, and I always loved tinkering. I really started getting all my equipment about 3 years ago and getting a lot further in to the craft


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

I love woodworking because I can make things that make people happy.

I got started because I needed some place to put my tools, so I built a multi purpose workbench. Then I started making small things for my wife and daughters, and moved on to bigger and better things.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I love woodworking as it is a way to physically, and visually complete something. I've worked in the virtual world of IT for all of my career, so projects don't always have an end, and you typically can't see that you completed something. In addition the things I create out of wood will likely be here long after I'm gone, which I think is pretty cool.

It all started for me in 7th Grade wood shop, I knew then that I loved working with wood.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

Why do you love woodworking?

I love woodworking because what you make will last for generations.

I take pride in my work, but in my previous life (before retirement) I owned a bicycle store, and as much as I enjoyed repairing bicycles, I knew the repairs would last for weeks, or months, or even years, but the bicycles would eventually become obsolete and discarded.

Now I build things that I hope will be passed down for generations and that brings joy to my work, knowing that what I create will be appreciated long after I'm gone.

How did you get started?

I started woodworking seriously after I retired. I had the time, the money, and my daughter and son-in-law bought a condemned 4500 square foot fraternity house with a 1400 square foot carriage house on the property, in equally bad shape. Lots of projects to keep me busy for years from carpentry to cabinetry. Plus I get to take over most of the basement of the 4500 square foot house for my workshop and wood storage. When I die, they get a well equipped workshop and I never have to worry about moving the machinery out of the basement.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## MatthewEOD (Dec 6, 2013)

I love woodworking because it allows me to make things that will last for my family instead of buying junk furniture. I starrd with my grandfather building a table for myself to use as a computer desk when I was 18, started up as an adult when I had a place of my own to do stuff.


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## Kerrys (May 2, 2016)

My first real job was working in a small cabinet shop. We mostly made kitchen cabinets but occasionally did custom jobs such as desks or tables and other projects. I worked in a couple different small shops and eventually ended up working in a large shop employing about 40 people and building mostly modular style kitchen cabinets. Somehow I became the shop manager in charge of production and the forty or so people working there. I was around 25, in over my head and I knew it. I left the shop and started my own business installing kitchens and doing finish work. This lead to myself and a 2 other guys to start framing houses which I did for about 10 years. I broke my back while building a house and had to give up construction work.

I spent the next 20 years or so working behind a desk. During that time I picked up a couple of hobbies. One of which was photography. I started framing my images for sale and once again acquired some woodworking tools to be able to do this. This rekindle my love for woodworking and I put together enough tools into a small shop to do little projects for our home. 

A little over 3 years ago I was diagnosed with a terminal illness and declared disabled and could not work. My disabilities also limited my ability to get around and I had to give up a lot of my photography and my other hobby, fly fishing. I could still work in my little shop and expanded it so I could spend more of my time working on projects. I can spend several hours a day working with wood in my small shop as long as it isn't to cold. Next addition will be to heat my work area. 

I still pick up my camera when I can get someone to go with me. I can't wade the rivers very well anymore, inspite of this I still pickup the fly rod on occasion but it is my woodworking that keeps me occupied mostly. Without it I would likely be an expert in soap operas. Not a place I want to be.


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## chuck.young.7568 (Apr 25, 2016)

I enjoy woodworking because I enjoy making a piece of plain wood into something useful. Got started by a need to do some repairs to some damaged furniture. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## myndflyte (Feb 7, 2017)

I love being able to create something that I know won't break in a year and have the satisfaction that that piece is something I built with my hands.

I occasionally did some wordworking throughout my life but it was few and far between. Now that I have a house and a garage where my shop will be, I'm looking forward to really getting my hands dirty.

P.S. Thanks for the giveaway!


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## Hooked (Nov 1, 2016)

I had a few projects around the house to work on, so I bought a cheap table saw to make it easier. Getting the first project done was quite the chore, but it made me realize that I could actually build something that looked good and that feeling of accomplishment got me hooked.


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## tugnut1 (Nov 9, 2011)

I love woodworking because it give me a chance to be creative not only in design, but how the projects get finished. I also love that no matter how long I continue to work with wood, I will always be learning something new. 

I honestly got started when I purchased my first house. I bought a few tools to start upgrading my house and in a very short time, I attempted my first real project....A mission style table. That is when I discovered pipe clamps and glue. I was blown away that glue could hold so well. I also started joining my boards with dowels. I've found ways to get this type work done easier, but I'm glad that I started off this way. It made me really think about how to actually build something.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=279058&thumb=1


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

Why do you love woodworking? 
A lot of good answers ... and many altruistic ones towards making others happy. I am a bit more selfish. My love of woodworking centers around me.
I love the smell, the feel, the touch of the wood. It is very cathartic for me. 
Sometimes, I build and chop out a rough piece of shelving for the garage. (When I need to "vent")
Sometimes, I spend vast amounts of time shaping a knife handle, or making a small box. (When I need to relax)
If someone else gets some enjoyment out of the things I make, so be it. But the wood working is for my own piece of mind.

How did you get started?
Dad built most of the house I grew up in. Helping him gave me all the initiative I needed.


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## Collin Brendemuehl (Feb 6, 2017)

1. Why do you love woodworking?

I like creating things. My creations come from b&w darkroom work, from writing, and from woodworking.
Creating things of quality is always about the process. It's about having a good darkroom technique, about setting up the outline, arguments, and resources, and about learning the methods, techniques, and nuances of hand-produced projects. 

There are lots of things that I still need to learn. There are things I don't intend to learn. Like lathe work. (That's a skill all its own. And besides, I don't have the space.) The plan is to develop my skills in a specific niche for making small furniture pieces of excellent quality. 

2. How did you get started?

That happened out of necessity. Before about 4 years ago I wouldn't touch a saw or drill but rarely. I sacrificed a number of trees in my futility. But my mindset changed. Our kitchen needed re-done. At 47 years old it was showing its age. But the cost of new cabinets was, well, out of reach. And there were some things that needed to be changed for which there was no out-of-box solution. So I invented a few things and re-engineered some others. The closet-type pantry was turned into two roll-outs with wheels on the bottom and bearing rails on the outsides. The old Scheirich cabinet doors (very high quality cabinetry from the late 60s) had oak strip overlays added so that they give the appearance of being panel doors. Just sand & repaint.

Those and other matters challenged me to try something new. After building one modest bookshelf (which turned out pretty well) I gave a run at a small table. Then I started watching woodworking shows on TV. Now I'm starting to build small furniture pieces.


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## desertsp (Apr 5, 2016)

My first project was a pair of bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer when I was in high school. Still remember the first time I turned on a router to cut the holes and, not anticipating the kick, let go of it! Somehow I didn't loose any flesh while it spun on the floor. 


What I like about woodworking is the creativity involved in coming up with a design, and then building it using equipment on hand. That, and being able to save $$$ (so I tell myself) and make things for people.


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## Wayne Twaddell (Feb 16, 2017)

What I love about woodworking:

The smell of fresh cut lumber
The feel of finished food
Watching my project come to life
Completing a piece and taking a step back to admire the creation while I beat my chest

How I got started:

As a young child I would build my own toys. Usually guard towers and fences for replica POW camps I saw in Chuck Norris movies. Then I'd blow everything up with homemade fire crackers for the final battle and start all over again. Now I make furniture and stuff... I don't blow up my projects anymore.


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## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

Many years ago I helped a friend build a shop on his property. It was a wood shop. Until that time, my exposure to woodworking was limited to wood shop in high school. After seeing what he could do in his shop, I was hooked. What I love so much is taking raw materials and turning them in to something that could become an heirloom for one of my kids.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I enjoy woodworking ...*

I've always enjoyed making or building things since I was about 5 years old. Whether it was with scrap wooden blocks or the old Erector sets I could sit there for hours. Now throw in some small farm animal and tractors and I was in "heaven" making buildings and ramps of dirt. My Dad and I built my first workbench when I was in 1st grade and it's just progressed since then from HS woodshop to college design classes to rebuilding and renovating my homes over the years. I also loved to use and collect tools of any sort or age including "finds" on the old family farm or brand new table saws or drills. It's a great hobby! :smile3:


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## Sean Kerwick (Feb 16, 2017)

*I thank my son*

I learned a little about woodworking in middle school shop class. I learned a bit about carpentry from my dad doing some basic things as a teen, and some construction skills in college as a carpenter's apprentice one summer. What rekindled my interest as an adult was when my teenage son asked if we could upcycle pallets into things. I told him I would love to try, and our adventure began about two years ago. 

Since then, we have made several Craigslist purchases, and have grown to have not just the basics (hammers, clamps, chisels, circular saw, drill, etcetera) but a drill press, table saw, band saw (antique Boice Crane!), jointer, planer, sander, biscuit cutter, trim router, and more! We've done this on a shoestring budget in our rental home garage. His first piece is a oversize coffee table which we use in our living room, and the next was a set of end tables and a sofa table made from pallet wood and angle iron.

A good router would definitely be helpful, especially when leveling planks after glue-up when then are wider than our small planer. Also would give us a way to create stronger joints that we currently are. It seems everyone wants to sell their nail guns and table saws on Craigslist, but very few good routers!


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## MikeBaucom (Feb 16, 2017)

1.Why?

We mimic our parents, and in my case my dad was a framer. He would come home every day and have wood dust all over him because it stuck to his sweat. He had that smell of pine sawdust. He always sat his nail apron down by the door and I would always go to it and grab his hammer and a few 8 penny nails and go find me some scrap wood to make a box or something crude. I held the hammer choked way up near the head as a 20oz Estwing isnt easy for a 10 yr old to hold. 

We would take him lunch sometimes when we could and I would look from the car and see the houses he was framing and be in awe about how the bundle of 2x4s on the ground became a house. When I got to the point in school where I had to start adding and dividing fractions, he taught me how to read a tape measure. How the 1/4's became halves and wholes. I got reprimanded at school because we were tasked to show how we got our answers using the formulas they taught us, but I could do it in my head, all the while seeing my dad and how he showed me the tape measure and I never would write out how I came up with the correct answer. So now I have passed that method on to my 10 year old. I have her reading a tape measure and she can do the same thing as I did. 

2.How?

My answer here falls back on how # 1 was answered. Fresh out of school I found a job at a local cabinet shop, the only requirement was the ability to read a tape. Thanks, daddy! I was shown the ropes and how to measure for cabinets and how to install them. It wasn't long before I was leading the shop and building custom cabinets. I was young, 19, and leading a crew of guys. The entrepreneurial spirit in me was strong, and I soon left there to break out on my own. I sourced tools off of local craigslists and yard sales so that I could get myself some form of a shop together and I was soon doing pretty well. My dad even came along on an install or 2. Since then its been up and down, now I do decks, adirondack chairs, pergolas, porch swings, remodels all on top of still building cabinets. 

In the end, it can all be attributed back to my dad, math class mistakes, the tape measure and the smell of my dad's sweat and sawdust at the end of a long day framing houses.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

When I was about 10 years old my father built me a jigsaw out of a Briggs and Stratton engine, I spent many cold Canadian prairie winter evenings in the basement cutting doodads out of apple box wood. 
My son grew up working with me in my shop and now I am going over to his shop to use his tools, woodworking is a bond we will always have, and best of all his son is getting old enough to join us.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

I love woodworking because it scares my cat when I run electrical power equipment and I get to make things for the people I love..
I don't really recall exactly how I got started because it goes pretty far back, but I didn't really get serious until a few years ago when I had to repair a wooden floor and rediscovered just how much I enjoyed myself working with wood. Now it's how I dispose of all the extra piles of cash I have sitting around creating a fire hazard. 
Ok, that last part isn't true. I'm usually broke, but I do save the leftover change in coffee cans.


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## WesTex (Jan 5, 2014)

I retired from all my jobs about 3 years ago. My mother still had my dad's woodworking tools and, although I had never done any woodworking I got to fiddling around with his stuff, and found out I liked it. I cleared out my farm shop and rebuilt it. It's now my Grouch Cave, where I build grandchildren's toys, boxes, a little furniture & occasionally shop cabinets. 
The Cave is temperature-controlled, so I can play in comfort, even when I must slog through a blizzard of 1/2" of snow to get to it. 
I particularly like hand tool work. It requires patience & attention to detail. Plus I get to use all the beautiful hand tools. 
I also use power tools. I have a nice start on a well-equipped shop. 
I don't really like applying finishes, but I do it anyway. 
Woodworking is strictly for my enjoyment so I do nothing for pay. I buy all my own materials, work at my pace, build what I want, and suffer no stress from outside demands. This makes for a thoroughly enjoyable hobby. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## nxtgeneration (Feb 22, 2016)

Why do I love woodworking: There is so much pride to be had when a project is completed and the recipient, whether it is yourself, a friend or someone else you may have commissioned your talents, is awestruck by the pure beauty that can be created with wood when a person takes the time to properly build said project. 

How did I get started: My father was a building contractor/carpenter and I grew up building houses, remodeling, building cabinets, ect. with him. I always enjoyed working with wood but life/college always got in the way and I never really started on my own until a few years ago which, unfortunately, was a few years to late for my father to see my creations. After he passed away I kept many of his tools and being I was fairly newly out of college and had just gotten married and purchased a house there were ample opportunities for my to try my skills around the house. That is when the addiction began and now I find myself in the garage almost nightly working on various projects.


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## Protosci (Feb 16, 2017)

Why do I love woodworking?
With my busy schedule it gives me the chance to relax and not think about anything else.

How did I get started?
I am always in search of new things to learn and learning new hobbies. My wife suggested woodworking for me, and I am loving it so far.


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## gmcooter#2 (Oct 22, 2016)

Why do I love woodworking? How did I get started?
I love working because I like working with my hands. I like looking a piece of wood and see in mind what I can make out of it. I like looking at the finished product and see something I did myself.
I got started in woodworking as a child. When I was about 5 years old my grand father gave me a hand saw ,hammer,and a bucket of old rusty nails. I started making things for family and friends. I've made furniture and toys,and did carpentry work on the side or other jobs and as a job for years. I now do mostly toys and models to sell at craft shows sense I had to retire in 2012.


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## Rodrat (Aug 31, 2016)

"Why do you love woodworking? How did you get started?"

I love that each piece is unique and I enjoy the "warmth" that wood applies. It doesn't hurt that my grandfather was a woodworker as well and I greatly admired him. 

I got started by simple boredom and looking for something to do. I wanted to do something worthwhile with my time and wood working seemed to strike my fancy.


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## sharbin (Feb 21, 2013)

I love woodworking because of the satisfaction I get from making something useful or beautiful. 

I got started just a few years ago when my wife asked me to make an art table for our granddaughter. Even though i didn't know what I was doing and had limited tools, I was up for a challenge. It came out pretty well and my four grand kids still use it. 


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Something I forgot to mention is as a kid I was a very talented artist and planned on doing just that for a living, but somewhere along the way I was exposed to some nasty chemicals which really messed up my nervous system which in turn messed with my ability to draw a straight line with a pencil. One thing that didn't leave was the ability or perhaps love of creating things right out of my imagination. I very rarely make things from existing plans and usually begin just cutting a board and build around that board..
Even with woodworking I have to make allowances for the fact that my hands often shake, sometimes violently so I have found ways to work around that most days except today.. It's been bad today, but it'll be better tomorrow and I'll get right back to creating something to last.


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## Cripper (Feb 17, 2017)

*Why do I love Woodworking? How did I get started?*

I would have to say that woodworking is in my blood. My great-grandfather and my grandfather, and my father have all been woodworkers, and now the hammer has passed to me. When I hold a piece of wood and feel the gift that God has put in me, I think of the generations of fine craftsman before me who’s knowledge, and skill has in one way or another filtered down to me, and it gives me a thrill of pride to be able to make whatever I make, as if they are standing there watching me. Hopefully they smile! I got my start in this trade at my dad’s feet, following him around and asking dumb questions, until my questions became not so dumb and eventually worked with my dad. Later in life, when he lost his vision to macular degeneration, I became his eyes as he still wanted to do woodworking, but just couldn’t see. Today I have some of my Grampa’s tools, and many of my Dad’s, now that he has passed away. Wood is good, indeed!


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## grnspot (Feb 5, 2017)

I simply enjoy making things!

I started as something to do while working nights as a firefighter some 40+ years ago!


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## Sean Kerwick (Feb 16, 2017)

Sean Kerwick said:


> I learned a little about woodworking in middle school shop class. I learned a bit about carpentry from my dad doing some basic things as a teen, and some construction skills in college as a carpenter's apprentice one summer. What rekindled my interest as an adult was when my teenage son asked if we could upcycle pallets into things. I told him I would love to try, and our adventure began about two years ago.
> 
> Since then, we have made several Craigslist purchases, and have grown to have not just the basics (hammers, clamps, chisels, circular saw, drill, etcetera) but a drill press, table saw, band saw (antique Boice Crane!), jointer, planer, sander, biscuit cutter, trim router, and more! We've done this on a shoestring budget in our rental home garage. His first piece is a oversize coffee table which we use in our living room, and the next was a set of end tables and a sofa table made from pallet wood and angle iron.
> 
> A good router would definitely be helpful, especially when leveling planks after glue-up when then are wider than our small planer. Also would give us a way to create stronger joints that we currently are. It seems everyone wants to sell their nail guns and table saws on Craigslist, but very few good routers!


I guess I forgot to say why: Because I love working with my son on projects and seeing our hard work come to fruition. Each project is a new learning experience we will share forever.


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## bassadict69 (Jan 10, 2017)

Although I am just getting started in woodworking, I like the feeling of looking at anything I have done on my own and knowing I did not buy it, I made it!

I have always been the type to try to build it myself, repair it myself, etc. From a pole barn off my shed, to a fish cleaning table to a simple work bench for the shed. I have yet to build my first true woodwork item but will be starting by trying to fumble my way through remodeling my wifes craft room...I cannot wait!


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## Dennis OReilly (Feb 17, 2017)

*Dennismor09*

I got into woodworking in the 1960's when i was twenty four; i started turning candlestick holders on a shop smith lathe in my father's garage and giving them as gifts to family members. I love the fact that i am working with a natural, fragrant material and can shape it into so many different useful and beautiful forms from picture frames to furniture and even sculptural pieces.


Cricket said:


> We are so excited to announce that we have partnered with *Triton Tools* to giveaway a *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!
> 
> To enter, simply reply to this thread with your response to the following question.
> 
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## Dennis OReilly (Feb 17, 2017)

I started in woodworking back in the 1960's when in my twenties i began experimenting with creating turned candlestick holders on my father's ShopSmith and giving them as gifts to family members. I love the fact that i am working with a fragrant natural material which can be shaped into so many useful and sculptural forms.


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## tjdux (Feb 3, 2017)

I built my first car audio subwoofer box when i was 14 with a few cheap power tools(table saw missing it's fence) and had to rebuild several times to make it remotely correct. Spent weeks and now i can build a rough one on an hour or two along with so many other things. I love it for so many reasons. Being able to build, repair, provide functional, beautiful, things my family and I need and want often cheaper and higher quality, and far more personal than anything store bought.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


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## renraw9002 (Mar 19, 2016)

I got started doing woodworking regularly a little over a year ago now. My thought was it's actually a little cheaper to build things myself, makes things of better quality and sturdiness, Than what I can buy from amazon or wal-mart or something. I've built things here and there for as long as I can remember, but I'd say my first "real" project was a microwave stand I built for my wife and I's little apartment because there's not really much counter space and we desperately needed more because it was being eaten up by our microwave and toaster oven. I found other projects to do since then and the more I learn the more I love making things and I feel a sense of pride when I finish something and show it off with the thought of "This used to be nothing but a heap of lumber and supplies, but now look at it." I'd like to have an opportunity to work with something nicer than what's listed as common board or whitewood at Home Depot or Lowe's, but with my wife's medical expenses and other little things like food and bills getting in the way that's a dream for another day.


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## wickedsolo (Feb 17, 2017)

*Why do you love woodworking? How did you get started?

*I started woodworking when I was a young kid - my dad was a general contractor, so being around power tools was pretty commonplace. 

However, I never really paid much attention and I didn't appreciate it at all. 

Even when I was active duty in the US Navy, I had access to an entire woodshop at one of my duty stations. They had fantastic equipment too...Powermatic table saws...drum sanders...jointers...

I never even used them. I dont know why, I guess I just hadn't really "discovered" it yet. I don't have many life regrets, but I do regret not taking advantage of that woodshop. 

Now that I'm in my early 30's, I have a house, a family, and I finally got some space for a small shop. I don't think that I'm very good at woodworking, but I've gotten a lot of enjoyment out of it as a hobby. You see, I sit at a computer all day for work. I do a lot of programming and analysis. I enjoy my profession, but I do often day dream about getting down into my shop and making something. While programming, I may complete an entire project and not know where I made an error. There are very few times in programming where you can measure twice and cut once. It's very tedious and can be stressful. 

I love watching videos of other woodworkers and see how they do things. I find it fascinating and inspiring when I see guys making a new jig out of leftover scrap wood or making a bed out of dimensional lumber. Any time I watch someone like Jay Bates, Nick Ferry, or even Mathias Wandell make something I have to go try and do what they did (although...I don't see myself creating a fully functional band saw out of wood like Mathias...whoa). 

When most folks I know go home and get on their computer again or play video games, I find it refreshing to come home and be able to work with my hands for a few hours in the evening. It's invigorating to think about projects I'm working on in a structural and aesthetic perspective. It's even better when I finish a project and it works how I planned. 

I've done several projects around the house such as built-in book shelves in my living room, a built-in decorative coat rack with beadboard in my front hallway, a closet desk and rolling printer table in my study, and so on. I've also re-finished several pieces of antique furniture and even made a profit on some that we just didn't have the room for. Eventually, I'd like to try my hand at making little things like cutting boards, coffee tables, picture frames, boxes, steampunk fixtures, etc.


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## jeffmason (Feb 16, 2017)

I love woodworking because, besides being magical, it is a connection to my dad.
Not including the random boards nailed together, my first projects were completed with my dad in the Cub Scouts. Birdhouses, neckerchief slides, pinewood derby cars and the like.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Got involved with woodworking when I was a kid. I saw the rustic projects that my grandfather and father would make and I got bit with the bug. I haven't stopped since. I'm 48 now and still working with wood every chance I get. Why do I love it so much? It's the ability to take something that others would see as useless and turning it into and heirloom that will outlast me. Something that will carry on, long after I'm gone and forgotten.


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## michaelpugh (Dec 31, 2013)

I started by building an outdoor table out of old deck wood. Then I built a headboard. I love taking something that would've went to the dump and making something awesome out of it. Every piece I build is better than the last.


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

*Why do I love woodworking?
*I enjoy seeing a project come together knowing I built it. I have never built anything from someone else's plans. I have used them as reference but I usually make changes as the project comes to fruition.
*How did I get started?
*I got involved as a young man working with my dad building horse barns in the early 70's. Later I started making kraft projects...and I just haven't stopped.


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## James_A (Dec 27, 2016)

I started woodworking as a kid watching my dad who was an amazing DIYer. I enjoy the satisfaction of making something out of what seems to be nothing 


Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Techsniffer (Feb 19, 2017)

My grandfather taught me some of the basics of woodworking when I was young and I would help him build a multitude of things in his barn garage. One of the last things we built was a doghouse for my then puppy before he passed. I have gone and lived my youth away from the hobby, but the desire to create and learn how to do new things has rekindled a lost love in word working that makes me think fondly of my childhood with my grandfather and makes drives me to build things I think he'd be proud to see me make with the skills he taught me.


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## d_slat (Apr 10, 2012)

I love woodworking because it is something that I can enjoy inside when the weather outside is not nice, and it is a skill set I can pass on to my son. I got started by taking a couple of classes in high school.


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## Tree Hugger (Sep 1, 2011)

I love the medium , taking something that was once living for maybe 75 years or more and building a piece of furniture that will last even further.
My (woodworking) neighbor says I over build things ..he's right , I will turn over in my grave if any of my pieces aren't still giving good service a 100 years after I'm gone.


A couple of years of classes in High School got me started over 40 years ago.
Life got in the way, dabbled here and there and just a few years ago is when I got serious about it.
When my Son isn't chasing girls or working on his race car I have him lend a hand at times just to start that ember .


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## Old Coot on a Bike (Feb 17, 2017)

Why do I love woodworking? Because I am constantly amazed at the beauty and functionality that can flow out of a few boards, with a few tools and a bit of labor. Because of the inherent warmth of the medium, both visual and tactile. And because it connects me to the past.

How did I get started? Well, it sure wasn't because of my dad. He was a bootlegger during Prohibition, was a ladies' man, not a hands-on type at all. But Mom's dad, a Swedish farmer, could do anything. I still have some of his furniture. A brace and bit were an early Christmas present, and seventh-grade shop was a blast. I've had fun over the years, but I'm still hoping for a well-equipped woodshop...


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## Farback (Dec 10, 2011)

I got started as a kid building very dangerous go-carts we'd ride down our steep driveway.

Having survived that, I enjoy woodworking for a few reasons. It's a world away from technology and industry, which has paid the bills for 40 years. I build kayaks, most of which I give to family, in addition to whatever else they ask to be built. I've survived one heart attack recently despite being a fit firefighter, and the next one is out there somewhere. I like the idea of the kids and grandkids having something tangible to remember me by


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

Woodworking has sort of saved my life. 

Well, maybe not that drastic. Over the last few years I've had some adversity, with wildfires around my house, constant ups and downs financially, deaths in the family. Just normal adult-type stuff I suppose, no kids with cancer or anything like that. But in my own bubble where by this time I was supposed to be somewhat successful and stable. Living the dream. 

Well, in late September all that came crashing down again when my wife told me our marriage was in trouble. Since we lived in a remote mountain valley a long way from where I'm from, this meant I would be moving back to the Seattle area out of necessity. I can't make money enough to support myself and kids on my own working the 8 months a year they do over there. So I'll manage.

What does this have to do with why I love woodworking? 

When so much of life is empty, one must find a way to fill their soul. Woodworking does that for me. The idea of taking something as simple as Douglas Fir 2x4s and turning them into a beautiful sculpted outdoor bench, it gives one a purpose. It fills others with joy when you've created something for them, and that in turn fills me with joy. 

Even though I'm fairly new to woodworking, I've found it so important that I will be buying a cargo trailer to use as a mobile workshop while I am in my transition phase from married to single life. I can tow it wherever I want, it will always be a constant, some stability. And even when I build my dream shop and settle down into a life, a little different than the one I thought I had, I will still keep it stocked as a mobile shop, so I can take it to others and help them "fill their bucket." 

How did I learn it? This site, YouTube, and making mistakes.


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## jalex59 (Feb 13, 2017)

I have built many different things over the years, tables chairs benches ect. Also turn somethingon the lathe now and then. My latest project a cedar strip canoe.


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## JLyons (Feb 20, 2017)

There is always something new, I love trying different things and tend to move around in the hobby from making bowls, to pens, to knives, and.. Oh! knives are metalworking but I love using exotic woods for the scales (handles) like Desert Ironwood, Cocobolo, and many others. I Love to see what happens when you open the wood and let the figure out... Wow!!!


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

I love the challenge of a new project....most of mine are one of a kinds and unique.

I got started due to it's in the gene pool...we build, fix or create. BUT I remember in 1983 an old retired man gave me advise."...beat your pieces with a chain or hammer to make it look older and quit using that shiny glassy finish..." . It took 30 years for it to sink in....MAN I should've of listened to him THEN and I'd be ahead of this craze going on now of rustic.


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## Jason Green (Feb 22, 2017)

I caught the bug as a young child working with my grandfather building a picnic table and started on some of my own make shift projects. I remember building a night stand out of particle board and 2 x 4 it was sure a piece of junk but proudly kept it in my room for years. I love creating something out of nothing taking my time and putting the detail in my work that you just cant find in a retail store.


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## Tadner (Jan 4, 2015)

I love woodworking because I love to make stuff. I love welding because I love to make stuff. I love concrete, plaster, paper and cardboard, plastics and paint, motors and engines, because I love to make stuff.

I've been making stuff since I was 5 years old, more than five decades ago. I managed to assemble a small collection of tools from those my family had around our home, my grandfather, and birthday and Christmas gifts. The first project I remember was a "basket" (wood box) for my bicycle. I progressed to skateboards, forts and a crude but functional desk/storage unit. In my early teens I made a cardboard chair and a bass guitar.


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## glitchkb (Feb 22, 2017)

I love woodworking because it allows me to work with natural materials and in many cases these materials directly come from my immediate surroundings. I feel like I preserve a part of my local environment and to hopefully a future generation. I got into woodworking six years ago because we spent all our saved up money to buy a house and for the first year we pretty lived in an empty house because we were broke to buy any furniture. I saved up some money for a circular saw and a drill and decided to build something. I watched some YouTube videos and with 2x4s built my first piece of furniture - a dining table. Soon after building that table, I realized that I really enjoyed working with wood and continued to build more furniture. Now I have completely fallen in love with woodworking and it has become my passion! BTW that dining table I built, still stands strong and some chairs we bought to go with it from a Swedish furniture assembly store are all gone!


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## grweldon (May 23, 2012)

My grandfather was a machinist and a woodworker. I followed in his footsteps. My career started out as with me being a machinist. I enjoy woodworking as a great hobby for the last 30 years or more. I make small boxes from exotic and domestic figured hardwoods...


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## Rick Ferris (Apr 18, 2011)

*Why do you love woodworking?*

Woodworking does threefold for me,
1. Work with my hand thus relieving stress.
2. Allows some artistic abilities to ooze out of my old brain.
3. Makes me smile when I give friends & family my homemade gifts.

* How did you get started?*

Growing up in small town America many craftsmen were available to show their work. I always admired that people made things with their hands and it just grew into a love over the many years.


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## mkushin (Jan 22, 2017)

I got started with woodworking later in life, although I've always been a tinkerer. My grandfather built his house himself, and his father built his house himself. He was always making things, and I always wanted to be like him. When I was in my early 20's I took a furniture building class at the local junior college, which was my first experience with larger woodworking machines. Since then, I've slowly accumulated tools and been growing and having fun with it ever since.


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## Stan P. (Jan 11, 2010)

I love woodworking because I am a creative person and it allows me to experiment with a variety of ideas and designs. Stepping back and looking at a freshly finished project cannot be described with words. Just apply a coat of Danish Oil to anything spalted and you'll understand. Plus! It's the worlds greatest hobby; the one that keeps you home (my wife likes that).

I got started in woodworking in my twenties working alongside my father in his garage shop. Many hours were spent there learning and meditating. The smell of freshly cut Black Walnut has almost no equal (bacon rules, sorry). I have since built a multitude of projects (check out my "Black Walnut Rocking Chair" on this site). Woodworking is probably one of the oldest crafts known to man and it's exciting to see it enjoying so much popularity today. In a world where technology rules, you just can't beat showing you latest project to someone for the first time and hearing them say, "Wow! Did you make that?" 

'Nuff said!

Stan P.


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## Johnnie_dr (Apr 16, 2016)

Having a hobby of sculpting stone, I have a sense of design and working with natural materials...love to work with my hands and explore the nature of the material and see and feel how it speaks to me. Upon retirement, I felt it time to explore wood. As a kid, I remembered working down in my fathers small shop and making toys, skateboards (before they were popular), sling-shots and such out his scraps of 2x4's.

So I converted my basement into a small shop...not really knowing or planning what I was going to build. But after building a workbench...a workcenter (with tablesaw) and getting a few sticks of 2x4's from the home-center...it all started to gel...just like when I was a kid. 

I love the creative process, the smell of the wood, the exploring of different wood species and how each behaves and looks. How each feel and works differently, especially when using hand tools (a must). I've moved through making functional furniture, for friends and family to making more art-focused pieces, much like I have done with my stone sculpting in the past.

I'm self taught, with the help and wisdom of craftsmen, viewed through woodworking magazines, books, and videos. Having always liked a challenge, I never have said "gee...I don't know how to make that"?? Instead I say "gee, I'm gonna figure out how to make that"....and I do. Even though there may be bumps, bruises and a few do-overs along the way. Whe getting supplies at the local Woodcraft store, I tell them what I'm trying to build and they usually look at me askew and say "good luck".

Isn't that what's it's all about... ;-)

John


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## gunsofthenavarone (Aug 7, 2014)

I love woodworking because I enjoy transforming wood from its rough form into something beautiful and functional. I got started because I wanted a washer/dryer stand and couldn't believe the price they were charging at retail stores. I did some research and built a stand myself, and I've gradually transitioned into more complicated joinery and overall higher quality products.


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## cma (Apr 9, 2014)

I love woodworking because I can be creative making functional items but they can also be a form of art. I just love wood in my home and one day hope to build my own log cabin. I am looking forward to having a woodworking shop built in the backyard so I can get out of the garage and spread out. My husband gave me a wonderful Dremel saw for Christmas that has helped with my projects. I add to my tools as I can afford to.

I got started making kits when I was a child and as an adult I have made items for my children, such as Barbie dollhouses, furniture, and other toys. I have now started making American Girl dollhouses for my grandchildren. I love the idea that items I create for them will be passed down to their children.


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## martinsono (Jul 10, 2011)

I got started into woodworking because I couldn't afford the furniture my wife and I needed. I soon realized it would be cheaper for me to build it. Since then it has turned into a passion because I love the satisfaction of having built the furniture with my own two hands.


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## tomd514 (Jun 1, 2008)

I got started with woodworking when we bought a home built in 1907 which was lived in by a professional craftsman woodworker. The house had become rundown after his passing but the fine wood mouldings and trim compelled me to do the best I could at re-finishing rather than replacing. It's been over 30 years at this same address and my children have finally understood why I never threw away a piece of moulding ('because you never know where you might need it").

For those places I didn't have the correct moulding or trim I often had to make them which often necessitated tool purchases. The best outcome of my woodworking hobby is I have spent time with each of my children (and now grandchildren) in the workshop and someday I hope the tools and techniques we learned will be leveraged for their own projects.


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## renovatio (Jul 4, 2011)

I love woodworking because it is using something that was once alive and useful and beautiful to create something that is still useful and beautiful; and in a sense prolong its "life". I learned woodworking from my dad.


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## Clint (Nov 27, 2007)

I love woodworking because I like being able to use what I make. I got started with basic carpentry needed to build things around the home and yard.


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## Chris Arias (Nov 1, 2016)

My dad taught me basic woodworking when I was a kid. I pursued it as an adult till my kids got into school. Then life got a little crazy and I had to set it aside for a while. Now, our youngest is in high school and I'm cranking it back up. It's great to be back!


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## Bob Vaughan (Oct 29, 2008)

My tactful ballet instructor suggested woodworking would be a more suitable endeavor. She was right 
Like many here, I started on the late 1960s making needed shelves and stuff while going to school on the GI Bill. Shelving pine, Doug fir plywood, "Walnut" stain, and gloppyurethane finish.


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## Ron Ludington (Feb 23, 2017)

33 years ago, I decided to build my home. After the general woodworking was done, I went to purchase my kitchen cabinets. Holy Moly, 10k for a set, when my budget for the whole house was 30. Ok. Time to go to sears and buy a radial saw and router. And my woodworking adventure began. Adding tools and learning along the way, Now I can say 95 percent of everything wood in my house I have made. Molding, cabinets, furniture.. everything but the doors and windows. I enjoy it tremendously, and am always looking for something else to build to add into my home.


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## Chris Arias (Nov 1, 2016)

When I was about seven, my dad started teaching me basic woodworking. I pursued it as an adult till my kids got into school. Then life got a little crazy and I had to set it aside for a while. Now, our youngest is in high school and I'm cranking it back up. It's great to be back! Currently working on a cedar outdoor couch.


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## dadoftim (Nov 1, 2009)

Nice, I like it I am going to make a place to put it away in my shop....LOL


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## Stovebolt48 (Oct 21, 2014)

*Why I love Woodworking*

When I was about 12 I bought myself a saber saw to use in building a go cart with my friend. The go cart never got built, but my younger sister had a small turtle and I used that saw to built it an enclosure, complete with a cutout for a pan of water and hardware cloth for sides. I was pleased with the outcome and so was my sister. That one small project was enough to pique my interest in designing and building things from wood, and I'm still at it 56 years later.

Tom Rossman
48 Malalrds Landing South
Waterford NY 12188


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## dataman (Feb 25, 2013)

Why do you love woodworking? One can be so creative with wood! Its a natural product with many varieties of looks and feels. 
How did you get started? Basically as a teenager I was self thought and then experienced wood shop in high school and learned the right ways not to hurt myself with tools plus the real basics.


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## T32 (May 17, 2011)

My love of woodworking comes from my dad

The first woodworking project I remember was making a shoe shine box. I did everything except my dad cut the grooves I wanted on the foot support on top of it with his table saw because I was not allowed to use power tools at that young age. 

I also remember the sheets covering the windows to his woodworking shop behind our single car garage leading up to Christmas when my two young brothers and I all got tripod-style desks identical except for color with a seat over one foot, two front feet, a big slightly inclined writing/drawing surface and a piece of cove molding along the top edge to hold pencils, crayons and the like.


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## SantaWalt (Feb 8, 2017)

I love woodworking for the beautiful and useful items I can build. I am just getting started and am about to order a dovetail jig to moved further into quality items.


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## Lenny Howard (Mar 25, 2016)

My dad started me in woodworking at a very young age. He had an old, all metal, 5 or 6" circular saw he let me use. Next I got lessons on what was his dad's wood lathe which had originally used the old wide belts from a power take off. 
I have loved woodworking ever since.


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## Robc84 (Feb 24, 2017)

Always been into carpentry and that brought me into woodworking.


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## Jonny0708 (Feb 24, 2017)

I love woodworking because it is a release from my every day. To go out and work on the next project takes me to my place of zin and really removes my mind from the stresses of my day job. From carpentry class in high school to my makeshift shop in the garage I still enjoy putting my own touches on things. I grew up whittling sticks and now I'm building valances, fireplace mantles, and coffee tables on the weekends as a hobby. Truly an enjoyable experience for me.


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## bridger (Aug 9, 2012)

I have always made things, and I come from a family of artists and technicians so it would be much more unlikely for me to NOT involve my hands in my livelihood. Much of what I make is wood-centered but I do use other materials.


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## Tom-G (Nov 11, 2012)

I love working with wood as it is so versatile. Wood type and grain, color, finish options, the possibilities are endless. Just being able to create something, especially with hand tools, is very satisfying. I started as a DYI'er and expanded into wood working.


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## Boss O' The Shop (Mar 21, 2012)

Built simple things with my dad using hand tools and then moved on to stationary tools in jr. high school shop class. Have always enjoyed working with my hands and, after a career of sitting on my butt, I'm dreaming about building a retirement shop and getting back to those roots.

Woodworking is therapy from the rest of life.


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## Hillbillybrand (Apr 14, 2016)

I love woodworking because of the way the finished wood looks and the way it feels in my hands. Wood is warm and strong at the same time and smooth as glass when sanded.
I got started in wood shop class in high school. That was the first time I was exposed to all the amazing power tools, glue techniques and many different types of beautiful wood.


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## pbsoo (Feb 24, 2017)

*Why I love woodworking*

Working with wood allows me to transform one type of beauty, into a completely different form. It has taught me to go into the woods and look beyond me. Wood is truly a wonderful, sustainable resource. It is beautiful, yet resilient. Look about you. Wood is... well... wood can be almost anything.


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## jaguar1201 (Sep 7, 2011)

I find woodworking to be relaxing and an outlet for my creative engineering talents that i honed over 50 years in the high pressure automotive industry. It is very satisfying to complete a piece of furniture that was self designed and constructed.
Enrico caruso
ohio


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## lilburl (Sep 20, 2016)

My Grandfather got me started when I was about 7 yrs old. My very first experience was him teaching me to use a Stanley No, 48. It took me a while, but I learned patience and dedication to a task from him. A lot of knowledge disappeared when he passed. I still miss him today. He made quite an impression on me. 
I have taught my own son how to work with wood, and now I am handing down knowledge to my grandson and granddaughter. As I tell them, every project is a learning experience, you will never know it all, but just enough. Always leave room to learn. So they are learning by using hand tools and by watching how to use power tools.


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## ragim666 (Jan 7, 2011)

Ten year ago I had seen some intarsia project and it catch me very strong!
This "infection" took place very quickly and swallowed me without a trace 
And now, when I come to my workshop - I get into MY world, with my desires and creations.
How can I not love it?!!


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

why I love it? I guess because it is something I can do somewhat satisfactorily
how did I get into it? my dad did carpentry, and I wanted to be like him


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## Jeff Peters (Dec 3, 2016)

I began wood working in high school in the 9th grade, in a wood working shop class. Learned how to square wood up 2 edges using a Plane. Took me almost a month to get it right. Then we learned how to use a jointer to do the same thing.
Never used a plane again. First thing I built was a HI FI cabinet for a AMP kit I bought from a a mail order company, I found in a Popular science magazine.There was a record player that could do 45s and 33s record's. It also house 12 Speakers, plus it also had a radio in it.
A lift up top to get to the record player.
So that was my start into Wood Working. 
From their I built home furnishing for my wife and kids. 
Was a mechanic on heavy equipment for the firs 25 years, All the while making furniture, for us and friends.
Bought a house and put 2 room additions on it, doing all of what it takes to install plumbing wiring and heating and framing. Then I got laid off from the equipment business, with 6mos pay. So I decided to see if I could make furniture for a living, and yes I could. I had a 2000 sq ft show room and 1800sq foot shop to build the furniture. Sold everything for the home or business also did kitchen cabinets. Did that for another 24 years before retiring. To restore Mahogany Wood boat that we bought. Also built a 14ft Mahogany Runabout with a restored 1961 Mercury 45 hp out board. Bought land at a near buy lake and build a 1600 sq ft lake house.
Still love wood working to this day.
Jeff


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## Bob Silkensen (Apr 13, 2009)

*Hi from Bob*

Why do I love woodworking?

Guess it goes back to my childhood, working with my grandpa and uncles in construction. I always loved the look of wood and the more figured the better. When it came close to retirement I had to do something so I built up my shop and now I turn out gifts for all our friends and relatives.


How did I get started in it?

Like I said when I retired I had to do something. So when I retired we bought a new house and the first thing I did was mark out a spot for the shop and started buying tools. Now I do mostly turnings/


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## aclose (Nov 11, 2007)

i love being able to create something cool/useful out of something that may not be.
i got started while/after trying to refinish my basement and deciding i liked collecting tools


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## darins (Feb 24, 2010)

I love woodworking because of all the beautiful things that can be made. I got started when we bought our first house ( a fixer-upper) and thought it would be cheaper to do things ourselves.


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## Jim bates (Jan 26, 2015)

Cricket said:


> We are so excited to announce that we have partnered with *Triton Tools* to giveaway a *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!
> 
> To enter, simply reply to this thread with your response to the following question.
> 
> ...


*Why do you love woodworking?
*I love woodworking because it brings out individual creativity and occupy's time , love working with my hands and it is better than mass produced products. It is the appreciation of making things by hand .

* How did you get started?
*I got started in Jr high school and carried on through the military - engineering then continuing on as a DYI projects and some contract work


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## staledale55 (Apr 9, 2010)

Always loved to build things,starting with hot rods and now woodworking. I just love the feeling of accomplishment when you build something nice.


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## Earen (Sep 6, 2014)

I think I first started with a need to create a set of shelves for the house that were more useful than anything I could buy. When that project went well, it was an eye opener that I could make what I wanted and use the materials and design I wanted instead of what was available. I have always loved the look of real wood and now I have limitless options for the look of a project. I love figuring out how something needs to go together and problem solving things that have a simple end, if not a simple solution. Finally, much of the effort is meditative, applying and sanding a finish, planing a board to the proper width, or even making all the cuts after getting all the marks laid out.


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## Project510 (Sep 27, 2014)

When I was 8, my mother bought me a kids woodworking kit. It had the usual tools, hammer saw, sand paper, ruler but it made me feel like I could create something, anything. We didn't have much money so I tended to find scraps of wood and tried and failed to make boxes.

We moved several times and in the rush the kit was lost. I always had an interest in architecture and woodworking but never had the opportunity to do anything about it.

Now, I am finally taking the time to learn. Adding this to my basic set of mostly hand tools would be awesome!


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## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

learned the basics of hammer and saw watching my father and older brother as a child as they went about the carpentry necessary to maintain a household. Later worked in the rough and finish carpentry trades between other career changes. Since retiring, the shop with its smell of fresh wood and the construction of hand wrought projects are a pleasure afforded by few other hobbies.


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## Trevor7045 (Feb 22, 2014)

*Giveaway*

I love working with wood because you can build just about any thing and be really creative on what you build. I got started by helping my dad out in the shed when I was young, then it turned into him telling me what to build and I built them myself. When I was 12 we were building our house and I was building wall and stairs by myself


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## Jimbo1953 (Jan 16, 2017)

*Why Do I Love Woodworking?*
I love wood working because it's in my blood. Growing up I saw my Dad make cabinets and furniture for our house to help save money while working a full time job. Seeing him make useful things from wood inspired me as a kid to want to work wood. Shortly before my Dad's passing he gave me his tools. So now when I work wood, and particularly when using his tools, I feel a certain connection to him. However, the responsibilities of caring for and supporting a family while working in an industry that never shut down and operated around the clock did not afford me the time to pursue my hobby, woodworking, but now that I am recently retired I am ready to jump in and reconnect with my Dad through his hobby and now mine.

*How Did I Get Started?*
At a very young age and watching my Dad work his "magic" with wood I expressed my interest in woodworking to him. Since I was too young to use power tools he gave me tasks requiring the use of hand tools to "help" him with his projects. I always loved hearing the whirring sound of his table saw and the smell of sawdust. So when he felt I was old enough he allowed me to use his power tools. From that moment on I was hooked.


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## aa040371 (Dec 14, 2011)

*Why do I Love Wwoodworking and How Did I Get Started?*

I like to make stuff out of wood. Some time ago I wanted to make a cutting board for my kitchen. And make some simple birdhouse with my kid. And a wooden bowl for some candy on my desk. And some wood signs for my garage. And a pen set for my nephew's graduation. And make my own bedroom furniture set. And build some shelves for my kid's dorm room. So I started making.


Do you want to make something? Do you want to learn to make something? Do you want to help someone else make something? *Of course you do!* And I wanted to as well.


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

I love woodworking because it gives me a sense of accomplishment when you actually finish a project. 
I really got into woodworking when I started high school, but I have always liked putting things together. My woodworking classes taught me a lot, I would have much rather been in that class than any other one. 
Nick


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## Spiontek (Dec 25, 2015)

*Why do you love woodworking? How did you get started?*

I love the feeling of taking a pile of wood and being able to create something out of it. I started out by finding things around the house that needed repair or that I could build a replacement for and slowly am turning my garage into my wood shop.


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## LateOutDrsMn (Feb 9, 2017)

Well I just found this forum, and have been mostly reading. This would be my first post.

To be honest I sort of took woodworking for granted growing up. My father has always been into and loved it. But as a kid I never took an interest, and spent more time working on cars and with metal. That was until I got my own house and now have my own family. Now woodworking is a must. 
I have completed about a dozen repairs and upgrades (side gates, picnic tables, nursery doors, garage shelfs, spice rack" etc etc) and I'll bet I've got three times as many on my list to research and complete. The more projects I complete, the more I love that sense of accomplishment, and love the craft. 
My tools for the craft have grown from a power drill(now dead) and a grinder(which works better for metal than wood), to what looks like a legitimate wood workshop on one side of my garage(workshop). Most of it I've gotten off Craigslist, a few I earned with projects, and I even inherited a couple tools from my grandfathers. 
My YouTube watch list now is half full of woodworking projects, which is how I found this site. 
Would love the Triton router in this giveaway, but I'm just happy ready and learning on this sight. 

Thx


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## woodedheavy (Feb 26, 2017)

I've always loved working with my hands, and wood was the medium that called to me the loudest. I had a short gig running a saw shop making door stiles and rails for milling companies, but it was the spark. It lasted just long enough for me to fall in love with the smells, the sounds and especially the feel of working with wood.


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## dadoftim (Nov 1, 2009)

dadoftim said:


> Nice, I like it I am going to make a place to put it away in my shop....LOL


I got started in High School Wood Shop, I enjoy it because it is relaxing


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## ristwood (Jul 23, 2014)

I'm an old retired person that came to woodworking late in life... Our home burned to the ground in 2012. Since then, I retired to work on rebuilding and I included a small wood shop in our plans. I now make boxes to supplement my SSI income. In the past 4 years of making wooden boxes, I've learned techniques from the start (my dad didn't have a clue about carpentry or woodworking), practiced and practiced various techniques and joint making, and feel I'm just coming of age as a beginning craftsmen with my trade. I've tried to become as accurate and precise with the tools I have available in my wood shop. My shop is small by any standards but efficient for the woodworking I do. I now sell my boxes through Etsy and my Rist Wood Works part-time business is exceeding my expectations as supplemental income. 

I love working with wood!! I've advanced my trade to the point that I'm no longer making other people's box designs, but start with a vision of a box and go to it... So nice seeing your own work come to fruition.


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## mangorockfish (Feb 27, 2017)

Just found this site and just got my account setup. I'm a late bloomer as far as woodworking is concerned. My dad has always enjoyed it and I'm am now. Thanks


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## MJC (Nov 21, 2016)

I got started in woodworking about a decade ago out of necessity to restore my historic victorian home. The more I got involved the more I loved the ability to create something out of pile of wood. Knowing that my grandfather was a woodworker, learning about the furniture that he built and replicating some of his designs provided me with a connection to the past. Now I am starting to teach my kids the process as a way to connect to the future.


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## [email protected] (Nov 28, 2010)

*Junior member*

I have been involved with woodworking for fifty years. Although I chose a career in law enforcement, I never lost sight of the saw dust in my veins. Over the years I finished basements and built additions on houses that I owned, remodeled, and built furniture for our own use and for family members. I am retired now and still love the smell of saw dust in the morning, ha. I build small boxes and many things for children like picnic tables. I still enjoy the challenge of custom cabinets and other large pieces. I am 74 and still able to rip a mean board.
That is how I got into woodworking and why I love it.


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## bargoon (Apr 20, 2016)

I love woodworking because I can stand back and appreciate the project that I have taken from bare materials to completion. I love altering plans to fit my situation or planning projects from scratch and seeing them coming to fruition. Woodworking gives me a great sense of accomplishment.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I've always been drawn to things artistic and woodworking does it for me. I don't remember ever getting started, it seems like I've been doing woodworking my whole life. Perhaps it started with Lincoln logs. I know I was always trying to make something the logs wouldn't fit and wished I had the means of modifying them. Then in the second grade of school they had a craft thing and I built a tall ship out of wood. It might look like a second grader built it but I made it from what scrap wood I could find cutting the parts with a hand saw and nailing it together. Then in High School I took four years of shop where my senior year project was this grandfather clock. Then about five years after school I found someone teaching woodcarving and about five years later completed this table.


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

This thread will be temporarily closed while I do the drawing.

I will re-open it when that is completed.


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

*Winner Announcement!*



epicfail48 said:


> I love woodworking because it's a fantastic way to blow off some steam, going down into the shop and making something. It's also a lot cheaper to build a dining table than it is to buy something.
> 
> I can't remember exactly when I got started, woodworking has been one of those things I've just always done. I grew up with my father always building balsa wood model planes and the like, and I always loved tinkering. I really started getting all my equipment about 3 years ago and getting a lot further in to the craft


Congratulations @epicfail48! :grin:

You are the winner of the *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!

I will be contacting you shortly for shipping information.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Cricket said:


> Congratulations @epicfail48! :grin:
> 
> You are the winner of the *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!
> 
> I will be contacting you shortly for shipping information.


Huh, well how bout that. Have to say, my first reaction wasn't fit to print! Cheers


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

epicfail48 said:


> Huh, well how bout that. Have to say, my first reaction wasn't fit to print! Cheers


I sent you a PM requesting your shipping information.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

Congratulations, Epic !!!


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## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Congrats, bud.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Congrats!! Can't wait to see what you make with it.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Congratulations!!!!! I'm glad for you. We want a review when you get the chance to play with it for a while!!!!!


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Kenbo said:


> Congratulations!!!!! I'm glad for you. We want a review when you get the chance to play with it for a while!!!!!


Will do, should be a fun upgrade from my Craftsman router!



difalkner said:


> Congrats!! Can't wait to see what you make with it.



A mess, most likely



MT Stringer said:


> Congrats, bud.





mikechell said:


> Congratulations, Epic !!!



Cheers guys!


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## Wayne Twaddell (Feb 16, 2017)

Congratulations epicfail48! I'm happy for you but at the same time I'm extremely jealous...


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Congratulations! I was one post away!


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

epicfail48 said:


> Huh, well how bout that. Have to say, my first reaction wasn't fit to print! Cheers


Way to go, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, congratulations.


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## mobilepaul (Nov 8, 2012)

I love woodworking because it allows me to focus my attentions on something that has meaning to me, to my family and to others that I build for. For the time I am in my shop, very little outside the door holds much of my attention. Zen-like.

My beginnings into woodworking started in jr. high school (60s), I made surfer's crosses and sold them to fellow students, but fell away from the craft until I was in the Army (70s). During that time, I worked part-time restoring furniture in an upscale antique store. I fell away again until some point in the 90s, I had become a contractor and found myself needing to build more and more built-ins. Finally, after I had calls for work post-Katrina I built a proper shop and now do my work in it.


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

mobilepaul said:


> I love woodworking because it allows me to focus my attentions on something that has meaning to me, to my family and to others that I build for. For the time I am in my shop, very little outside the door holds much of my attention. Zen-like.
> 
> My beginnings into woodworking started in jr. high school (60s), I made surfer's crosses and sold them to fellow students, but fell away from the craft until I was in the Army (70s). During that time, I worked part-time restoring furniture in an upscale antique store. I fell away again until some point in the 90s, I had become a contractor and found myself needing to build more and more built-ins. Finally, after I had calls for work post-Katrina I built a proper shop and now do my work in it.


You realize the giveaway has ended, right? :smile3:


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Cricket said:


> Congratulations @epicfail48! :grin:
> 
> You are the winner of the *Triton Dual Mode Precision Plunge Router TRA001*!
> 
> I will be contacting you shortly for shipping information.


It's the same as mine this week...I'll get it to him in a few.....hummm....weeelllllll sometime ...that's after I get it broke in and all the kinks worked out...you know how them new tools are...LOL!!!!

CONGRATS EPIC!!!!


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## Noumenon (Mar 9, 2017)

Why do I love woodworking? Because I can make functional beauty. When did I start? When I was about ten, but I had a 40 year hiatus.


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## mobilepaul (Nov 8, 2012)

Yes, I did realize that. I didn't think that it mattered if it was over or not. I just wanted to post it...


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

This was sent out Monday, so the winner should have it by now.


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## Jig_saw (May 17, 2015)

Winner, you router is in the mail


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Cricket said:


> This was sent out Monday, so the winner should have it by now.


Not quite yet, though there's every possibility it got delivered just after I left for work today


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## Admin (Jan 4, 2010)

epicfail48 said:


> Not quite yet, though there's every possibility it got delivered just after I left for work today


If you don't receive your shipment in the next couple of days, please let me know.


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## Kojak5150 (Oct 20, 2016)

*Why I got into Woodworking*

Congrats to the winner.


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## rfprice62 (Mar 28, 2017)

I became interested in woodworking back when I was a kid while watching and later working with my father. I really enjoy taking pieces of wood and working with my hands to create something useful. For me it is such a stress reliever to go out into my workshop. And even though my Dad has been gone for awhile now, I feel him with me when I'm out there working with his old tools building something.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## awsmark (Apr 28, 2017)

First off, I am not an everyday woodworker and just getting into it at 50....better late than never! I just built a lap jointed barn door slider for an inside door my wife wanted. To answer the question, I like woodworking because I don't think there is anything that looks better than something well crafted out of wood, especially when there is no fastener used or at least visible.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*it's over guys*

THE GIVEAWAY IS OVER!
FINISHED! DONE WITH!
:frown2:
READ POSTS ABOVE!


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Here's your SIGN!!!! Thanks woodnthings!!!

Can admin just close this or block any from adding to it....MAYBE put a big last post signage saying " IT'S OVER....NOT RECEIVING ANY MORE POSTS!!! CLOSED!!!!" I'm sure they can due to they done it a few years back on one that got heated....They didn't remove it just stopped being able to add to it.


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## Gregmeckes88 (Mar 24, 2017)

*Woodworking Love*

I love woodworking because its always a challenge and involves critical thinking skills. 
I got started by helping my neighbor when I was a kid building amazing wood tables and with my dad in his garage.


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