Sep 062016
The Highland Woodworking family has discovered a trend: “Prime Woodworking Season.” It seems that people get more interested in working in their woodshops in September and October. There’s no arguing that it’s hot in July and August in the Southeast, especially if your workspace isn’t air conditioned. Everything combines to make Fall the perfect time to work in wood: The kids have gone back to school. Humidity is dropping and moisture range isn’t so extreme, so wood movement is minimized.
Several years ago our Wood News Online editor asked whether I had a story about my summer woodworking projects. I thought “summer woodworking” was an odd idea. I’ve always had the same concept in mind about woodworking as I do fishing: When is the best time to go fishing? Whenever you can! I’m a long way from retiring, so woodworking and fishing have to take a backseat to everything: work, the house, the yard, and a million other distractions. Most veterinary practices have their busiest times during summer, which translates to minimum time in the shop for me. Hence why my prime woodworking season is whenever I can find the time to get in the shop.
I started a project for our two youngest grandchildren on the unofficial start to summer: Memorial Day weekend, 2015. I thought to myself, “I have all day Saturday off and all day Monday. I can probably knock this little job out, or at least be ready for finish by the time the holiday is over.”
You could say I was right on one thing: When Memorial Day was over I had finish on the table and three benches. Memorial Day, 2016, that is. That’s right, all through the Summer of ‘15, and Fall, Winter, and Spring I worked on it when I had time. So much for ambitious thinking.