Lawrie

Yes, these are beautiful tools. However, as much as I like being able to use some of my grandfather's and father's tools, the feel of sharp new planes, the smell of freshly-cut wood, and being able to create a piece of molding out of a rough hunk of wood, I think it is the human body that is sexy, not a couple of incredibly finely-crafted tools.
Please don't sell out with the rest of the "Top 25 This" and "Top 50 That" magazines, that refer to all sorts of crap as 'sexy'; just use your own resourceful vocabulary to describe them.
Lawrie

The ONE thing I would love to see in your articles about the construction of a particular piece is a simplified bill of materials. I am a learning woodworker and still have a tough time figuring out how much wood a project would require. I have one book of plans that just states "x feet of primary wood and y feet of secondary wood." Something as simple as this would help me a lot. Other magazines put in cut diagrams, but, as helpful as these are, I don't think you need to go that far. Thank you for everything else you do so well. Lawrie

I saw the article, video and photo of Mr. Hack's new workbench, and can't wait to read the article. I really like the breadboard idea and the other features he mentioned in the video.

I have Mr. Scott Landis' "The Workbench Book," published by Taunton, and over the years I have seen many other interesting articles on workbenches that contain things like designs and histories of different benches, accessories, vises, cabinets, etc.

I have written down a list of these articles on the inside cover of the book and thought I'd try to share this list with others who might be contemplating a new bench or improvements for their existing bench. I scanned the list and attached it to a posting in Knots/Workshops.

I hope it is of some use to at least a few of you folks.

Regards,
Lawrie Pinkham

I am a woodworker today because I was fascinated as I watched my dad do this stuff when I was a kid. We didn't live together after I was 10, so I started watching other people doing their work, and it always surprises me how I have some dim recollection of how to do some of these things.

I think one of the best parts about my shop, though, is helping a youngster learn how to make something--from their pinewood derby car to the invention from the scrap box.

My father did not, however, teach me safety. I had to learn it from trips to the hospital to have stuff removed from my eye, from lost hearing as a mechanic, and from a guy named Ian who threw a box of latex gloves at me to get me to wear them to keep chemicals out of my skin.

So I was bummed out to not see any ear plugs on this young lady, and I too was horrified looking at the long sleeves she's wearing (something "SawdustShoppe" pointed out).

This young lady is learning something wonderful and I love it. But please teach her the real essentials so she can keep loving it.

Lawrie