You are the new-genre woodworker!
Back safe and sound in the UK after my US tour.
Travelling back from the US these past few days I focussed my thoughts on the work in the US, the UK and all other regions around the world. I have clearly seen a new-genre woodworker emerging over three decades. No one has as yet defined this new phenomenon even though many of us have been working with it for a long time. New genre woodworkers are not amateurs in the negative sense, they are not hobby woodworkers and it’s definitely not a pastime, which would be absolutely demoralizing. I want to disabuse as many people as I can that being an amateur has a purity and honesty about it that defies professionalism. The new-genre woodworker is you. You think about it as often as time allows, pursue every opportunities to progress your interest in every aspect of it, invest hard-earned time and income into establishing and advancing your skills and knowledge and you are willing to share with others everything you discover.
How can I help you?
My work is apprenticing my fellow woodworkers and my knowledge and skills are always free to anyone that asks. If I don’t have the answer to a question, I will find someone who does. The Real Woodworking Campaign has several hundred followers, New Legacy Schools in the US and UK have thousands of followers and The Woodworking Shows & DIY USA travel the length and breadth of the US hosting Master classes that support tens of thousands of woodworkers just like you and me.
Training programs for amateurs and professionals
My ambition for more than two decades has been that every woodworker should have the opportunity to go through a training apprenticeship regardless of who they are or what they do, where they live and regardless of status. To do that we must redefine goals and ambitions and change attitudes. It’s become increasingly clear that many if not most woodworkers I meet are amateur woodworkers. For me, that means they do it because they love to, would do it whether they got paid or not wherever and whenever they could. Again, you are the new-genre woodworker and the preservation and conservation of woodworking crafts is more likely to happen though amateurs like you and me than any other enterprise and it will never happen through the ‘Industry’. Amateur in no way diminishes status, work quality, professionalism or interest, but moreover establishes the increased potential for achieving higher level of accomplishment based on the purer motive of working wood regardless of pay, profit economy and so on.
I would like to take this further, but in the morning I have a full class and will ne posting on the progress tomorrow.
I am new to woodworking and have joined your real woodworking campaign (although I am not really sure what it is – and what someone who joins will do as a member). As of recently you have been sharing essential tools that are needed to get started. Is there any where that you have posted a complete list of the essential tools from your perspective? Also do you have any place you would recommend looking for tools for a new wood worker … Preferably used …. Other than eBay?
I really can relate to everything you said. I just wish I lived closer to you. I may never get to benefit from learning from master, but your words give a lot of encouragement and inspiration. So thank you.