Woodworking Resolutions for 2013: Terry Chapman

Well, it’s almost New Year’s Day once again and time for those pesky Resolutions. I went back and looked at the list from last year and I could just about copy that over again. Out of the twelve I posted last year, I get a full check on two of them, and a partial check on maybe three others. I did get the plywood out of the shop, and I picked up my rocker from the High so I can get that finished. I finished the second Shaker candle stand and donated it to a worthy cause and I bought the book for making my own mouldings. And I did go back and play that wonderful video with bass singer George Younce, though I have not signed up for the guitar lessons. Plus I went to the John Campbell Folk School and took the class I wanted in making a split bamboo fly rod. Be careful, I will show you the finished fly rod at the drop of a hat — it is beautiful, and very difficult to make.

1. I am going to a class on woodcarving at Roy Underhill’s School in North Carolina in February. Mary May is the instructor and I have seen her on The Woodwright’s Shop on PBS. She is excellent. Maybe I can learn to carve an acanthus leaf. Perhaps even sharpen my carving tools, but I want to learn to carve this year.

2. I am going to learn to sharpen. I am tired of constantly having to buy new tools simply because the old ones are dull. The only thing I really feel comfortable sharpening is my bowl gouge and that is because a I took a master class from Mike Mahoney a few years ago and he scoffed at what I had been doing and made me do it the way he does. I threw all the jigs out and now do it free hand. Maybe I can sharpen all the old tools and then I will have two of each.

3. I see where Christopher Schwarz is coming to the High to teach a class in February. “Make your own Layout Tools with Christopher Schwarz” is the name of the class and where I have never taken a class with Chris, I do read his blog all the time and I think he would teach an excellent class. On the other hand, I just noticed it is already sold out, so you are going to have to look for another one. Highland has a constant stream of excellent classes and I will soon pick out another one.

4. I hesitate to include the remaining resolutions from last year, but since they still stand, perhaps I should. I will include them here by reference.

5. And one more resolution not related to woodworking — I am going to pay more attention to our people in the military this year. I will thank them when I see them; I will pay for lunch when I have an opportunity to do so; I will remember that they also serve who stand and wait. I was flying from Connecticut to Atlanta Christmas night after a visit with my son. There was a young woman sitting next to me and when the flight got a little bumpy, we started to talk. She was on her way back home after a visit to her family and she volunteered that her husband left just two weeks before Christmas for deployment to Afghanistan. They have been married six months. She was headed back to their house on a naval base in the Carolinas, by herself, late on Christmas night, to a dark, cold and very lonely place. It will be Christmas again before he comes home to his new wife. His name is Wade and he’s a Navy Corpsman. I’m going to remember that.

Happy New Year!!