The Building Works!
We moved in and the building team followed
The construction is going well and we are a third of the way through. Steel girders and beams, steel studs, insulation and sound-block plasterboard are all in place and, well, to be honest, it’s beginning to feel more like home again (whatever that is?). The mezzanine that cover my new workshop/studio /office took just a day and half to install. Once that was in the walls went up muy rapido and now we are ready to joint and plaster the walls, which should be done by Wednesday this week. With the messy work of first fix levels in each trade completed the next work entails ceiling work to bury the ducting for air circulation, heating and so on.
Upstairs we began our first filming pretty much on day one a month ago. Though quite cramped it all went surprisingly well. perhaps my nomadic travels have prepared me for such as this. We never missed a step. I do admit to occasional feelings of not belonging, but I put that down to living in the south of England which seems more foreign to me than i ever felt in the USA or Texas. But putting roots down at my age is probably more necessary than before. I’ve seen to much of the insides of airports to relish travel even though I have enjoyed taking trips for my work. What gives me my greatest security is my work and my tools. When they are in place I am settled somehow. In my travels and my setting up of workshops setting my bench in place and arranging my tools, my wood, my templates and patterns, shelves, glue bottles, clamps and so on anchor me. Is that silly? Well, no, it’s not at all. I’ve spent and spend a third of my life with one foot of my bench vise. What an anchor it’s been. I feel no shame or loss—I have loved it. Who can say such a thing on the journey since I was 15 all the way through to my age of 68?
I made my prototype trials beforehand and during the sycamore/maple version which is also well under way now. Over the next week or two we should be closing in on having the whole series filmed. It doesn’t seem two minutes since I went into Surrey Hardwoods to pick out my wood. The guys there are so helpful and they also ship too so if you can’t get there they will custom cut for you I believe. It did turn out nice wood.
Surrey Hardwoods is an inspiring place to buy your wood from.
The design itself came together in the prototype first with the critical consideration being how i developed the legs and the associated joinery within. So this is the first prototype built in the new building.
Pine works quickly with hand tools. Ploughing the grooves went well though in both the pine version and the hardwood. It’s a good workout and of course it parallels anything ai could get endurance-wise on my bike, running or walking. Why? How can I say that? Well, all three work mostly my legs alone. Benchwork requires all my body and then additionally strategising through critical thinking too. Who can argue with that.
My FitBit tells me I have usually done around 17,000 steps and then i walk/run on top of that before I start work and at the end of my day. Nothing can compare to my working at the bench.
So in a couple of weeks we will begin setting up my garage workspace. I do hope you will keep up with me as we see this grow. You are the only reason I do what I do.
Very spacious.
Hello Mr. Sellers I am very new to woodworking. I have a starter “kit”, I guess you could call it that. Can you please do a video on YT on how to get started. Like how to kickstart your woodworking “career”. Thank you
The decision to go with the rounded legs looks like it was the right one. They look awesome. Very interested in how you did this.
I would start with joining Woodworking Master Classes, then go back to the dovetails boxes, tool tote, maybe the shaker stool and then the tool chest. On the free side, start with the FAQs about sharpening and the move on to tool usage ones.
There is a section on this website for build progression as well. They broke the projects down to skill levels. I only recently found that and it might have been helpful at the beginning.
1. learn how t sharpen your tools
2. learn how to sharpen your tools
3. you know what comes next 🙂 …
Seriously, sharp tools make so much difference and there are a number of freebie youtube videos from Paul on sharpening. Additionally Paul doesn’t go overboard – getting a tool sharp enough to use well is the aim not sharpening for the sake of sharpening.
See Paul’s recommendations on the basic set of hand tools you need, then as many have said check out tool initialization and maintenance (sharpening and such). Then perhaps some of Paul’s videos on making what he calls “poor man’s” tools. Then start with dovetail boxes and other small projects such as winding sticks. Good luck on your journey into woodworking.
Mr. Sellers,
I hope your comment about having seen enough of the insides of airports does not preclude future teaching somewhere in North America!
Do you intend at some point to reactivate the school, either in the UK or US? Now that I am retired your class is my big bucket list item.
Great to see the progress Paul. As always, I feel fortunate that you share so much with us all. My favorite line in today’s blog is “than i ever felt in the USA or Texas”. Only someone who has lived in Texas refers to it as if it’s separate from the USA. It gave me a chuckle. Thanks. Scott
Hi Bro. Paul, good to hear that you are settling in and getting setup in your new shop. I was wondering or you could do s blog series on a typical day in the life of Paul Sellers ?
John
Mr. Sellers I’m excited for the new shop and videos I can only imagine how you feel. Looking forward to the next update and your first of many videos from the new shop.
Hi Paul I am very much enjoying to watch your journey into the new space. Congratulations on to all of the success you and your team has been having allowing you to grow.
I completely understand how the bench and tools anchor you. I’m starting to feel the same about my garage workshop thanks to your master class videos. For me, a big anchor in my life is my chemistry text books. I have used them repeadly in my career to learn, relearn, and solve all manner of problems at work. If I needed to do something new and unfamiliar at work, I went out and bought some books to self teach, learn about this new area. The books have really helped me earn a living. I am grateful for this and take good care of them.
Hey Paul.
I have been enjoying following you and have learned so much from you.
Pace yourself, life is sweet.
Thank you very much!!
Hi Paul,
Once you have the new shop set up, it might make sense to do a new video on the tools you are using in the new shop. Technically, you have plenty of blog posts on that already but given you are changing the back drop and streamlining what is there, it might be a nice video to include.