That dude had way too little sex.
-overheard at the fabulous studley exhibit
The first real woodworking event I ever attended was the first WIA, in Berea, KY in 2008. It stands out in my mind for a lot of reasons, but mostly for the people I first met there. Many of them would become some of the best friends I’ve made in my adult life, and as a group have been stunningly influential on me. While I’d been seriously considering selling planes, after attending I would have sacrificed goats, limbs, and most of my vital organs to angry pagan gods for just the chance to be involved in this little world.
Nothing I’ve done since has managed to eclipse the intensity of worldview-shattering that happened to me in Berea. Nothing until Handworks 2015.
When people ask me if I had a ‘good show’, what they mean most often is if I sold a lot of planes. My response is always pretty equivocal on that front. In reality, that’s really never what makes a show good or bad for me. What I gauge the success of an event on is how high the adrenaline of enthusiasm runs when I get home. After a good event, I’m practically shaking to get into the shop, or get a pad and pencil to get ideas out. As someone who lives more or less like a hermit (albeit one with an intensely loud and anarchic family) most of the time, I need these gatherings desperately to give me a regular infusion of creativity and energy.
Man – did I get that last weekend. The list of projects and ideas I came back with is overwhelming. Fortunately, I also came back with the neurochemistry of a frat boy who just discovered spring break, so I might just have the energy to get some of them pulled off.
The other thing that stood out for me about Handworks was the average age, and the stunning level of skill, among the attendees. Every single person who wandered into the space I shared with Konrad Sauer was not just familiar with hand planes, they had obviously logged a lot of hours using them. Every single one. That may not sound shocking, but trust me when I say it was really unusual from my perspective. Between that and the sheer number of people who were in their twenties or thirties, I was fantastically heartened about the future of woodworking.
I came home with two objects that I’m really really thrilled with.
First is a spoon made by Jarrod Stone-Dahl. I absolutely love this spoon for all the reasons I outlined in this post about Seth Gould’s work. Even if you aren’t interested in spoon making (or spring-pole lathes, basketry, birchbark canoeing, etc.) Jarrod’s blog is one of my favorites for his serious thoughts on craft and wood.
Second was an incredible gift from a friend with an overdeveloped sense of generosity. Bill Carter is one of my favorite toolmakers, and when I opened this I would have been dangerously close to spoiling my curmudgeonly reputation if I wasn’t such a badass. Maybe the nicest gift I’ve ever received.
Even though I took an unbelievable amount of pictures (if zero is unbelievable, that is), you’re in luck if you want to see more because Bartee Lamar has a really spectacular collection of photos from the show at his blog.
Finally, because Jameel Abraham goes apoplectic if he doesn’t see my stooges t-shirt at least once a quarter, here’s a shot Konrad took in the hotel bathroom.
raney
Mike Hamilton says
So you’re the buyer of the other spoon!
I grabbed the first one Friday first thing. Jarrod said bringing any spoons at all was only an after-thought on his part.
Interesting that both spoons are now residing in Indiana.
As one of the “older/graying/balding” contingent, I was elated at the number of young’uns in attendance. A wonderful event in so many ways.
Regards,
Mike
[email protected] says
Hey Mike,
Apparently good taste resides in Indiana.
What part of the state are you in?
Mike Hamilton says
I live in Plainfield, just west of Indy on I-70. If you ever fly out of Indy, you’ve flow over our place,
Mike
John Paver says
You looked really busy at Amana. I was able to spend time with Konrad and order some of his fine work. Your big black looked impressive though it was way heavy for my work.
JP
[email protected] says
Hey John,
Glad you got a chance to try some tools out. Konrad’s work is magnificent.
As to Big Black, I’ve taken to calling it ‘the useless plane’ when anyone asks. Several people have inquired, but it’s not just too heavy for your work, it’s too heavy for any work I can think of except perhaps on the shooting board. I think my nickname for it may have something to do with not having sold it 🙂
Jarvil says
Huge fan of The Stooges. When Curly died, I cried myself to sleep for a week, even though I wasn’t born yet.
Raney says
Aluban, you motherless son of a circus freak – I thought I told you to never darken my comments section again with your inane drivel. Wait – scratch that. It doesn’t even rise to the level of drivel. Drivel spewers everywhere are surely shaking their heads slowly as I write this, muttering to themselves: ” man, that Jarvil guy just makes no sense”
As I’ve told you before, you need to find a more appropriate way to pass your silly moments in this planet, like simonizing undercarriages on a pig farm, selling nascar beer cozies. now begone, before I tell Reality TV where you live and it sues you for lack of taste.
John Paver says
I liked one of your smaller planes that had a very small throat I believe the mouth was only a millimeter or so. As stated you were busy and after a while it just got too difficult, bad back.
Do you have photos of the bases perhaps I can spot it. I make smaller things for the most part. All exhibition quality wood, mostly American. Some Ebony and Blackwood accents but I prefer the best figure and high end joinery aka Wendle Castle.
Please let me know.
Best,
JP
Joe Allen says
Handworks was definitely a good time. It was great to meet you and so many others whose work I had only seen online. While I’d say the median age was definitely still 50+, it was indeed encouraging to see so many younger folks full of excitement about working wood with hand tools; and so full of talent! I endeavor to keep up with them.
Keep on jammin’ econo.
-Joe
Jamboree Jack says
That’s not the t-shirt Jameel pines to see. Mention the Stooges and he’s thinking Moe, Larry & Curly. Not Iggy.