Returning to the world of online woodworking

[Mikey RR]

Hi everyone,

I'm returning to woodworking after a break of a few years during a period of poor mental health.

I've done some rough carpentry during this break but nothing at all like instrument or furniture making.

I've recently bought my first house so I'm now going to be embarking on some built in bookcases and then I'll be making my own kitchen.

I've attached a photo of my second guitar, still the prettiest thing I've ever made.

 

[Mikey RR]

I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions over the next few months!

 

[Fitzroy]

I find the woodworking space to be very helpful when my mental gremlins come visiting. Glad to see what you turn out, that guilty is fab.

 

[sploo]

Welcome.

Excellent bass. Love the choice of timber and finish for the body.

 

[Dynamite]

Wow the guitar is amazing. You have some skill I’m envious of Mikey. Being in my Worksop does wonders for my mental health and one of the main reasons I have it to be honest.

welcome aboard anyway Mikey. Looking forward to your input and seeing some of the fruits of your labour.

Kind Regards… Rob

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Hi Welcome

 

[Mikey RR]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm still recovering from a breakdown I had nearly four years ago. I'm still the same person but my capacity for mentally taxing work has been hugely diminished.

I'm going to be learning how to make nicer things out of sheet materials. I now have a tablesaw and a track saw, which should speed things along.

 

[Bingy man]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm still recovering from a breakdown I had nearly four years ago. I'm still the same person but my capacity for mentally taxing work has been hugely diminished.

I'm going to be learning how to make nicer things out of sheet materials. I now have a tablesaw and a track saw, which should speed things along.

Sorry to hear of your ill health , I’m a year on now from having to leave my job as a gas engineer of many years . I certainly didn’t need the additional stress and company cow pat and although I do miss my colleagues and the customers life is much easier now as I work as I need to and don’t do the gas side anymore. Currently I’m gutting a large house back to brick as it’s going to be renovated. I’m knee deep in plaster and brick dust but as happy as a pig in a sty. It was about 8 months before I went near power tools especially my table saw so please take extra extra care as the table saw can be extremely dangerous more so if your mind is elsewhere. I stuck with hand tools until I felt confident again around power tools . Take care and look after yourself-give us a shout if you need help or advice. Probably for different reasons but I’ve struggled with my mental health for a similar period of time.

 

[Mikey RR]

Sorry to hear of your ill health , I’m a year on now from having to leave my job as a gas engineer of many years . I certainly didn’t need the additional stress and company cow pat and although I do miss my colleagues and the customers life is much easier now as I work as I need to and don’t do the gas side anymore. Currently I’m gutting a large house back to brick as it’s going to be renovated. I’m knee deep in plaster and brick dust but as happy as a pig in a sty. It was about 8 months before I went near power tools especially my table saw so please take extra extra care as the table saw can be extremely dangerous more so if your mind is elsewhere. I stuck with hand tools until I felt confident again around power tools . Take care and look after yourself-give us a shout if you need help or advice. Probably for different reasons but I’ve struggled with my mental health for a similar period of time.

Thanks @Bingy man for sharing your story! I'm quite jealous, maybe some day I'll get to fully renovate my own house.

I take your advice quite seriously. I put off buying a tablesaw for so long because of the prospect of kick back, or worse. In fact, my old neighbour lost multiple fingers to a drill press when he worked on the oil rigs in the 60s. Spinning metal is no joke.

Luckily, I'm in no rush to replace the kitchen. I can do it slowly and in stages. I suppose there's never any escape from the gant chart.

 

[Bingy man]

Thanks @Bingy man for sharing your story! I'm quite jealous, maybe some day I'll get to fully renovate my own house.

I take your advice quite seriously. I put off buying a tablesaw for so long because of the prospect of kick back, or worse. In fact, my old neighbour lost multiple fingers to a drill press when he worked on the oil rigs in the 60s. Spinning metal is no joke.

Luckily, I'm in no rush to replace the kitchen. I can do it slowly and in stages. I suppose there's never any escape from the gant chart.

No need for envy lol it’s not my house , my neighbour has purchased a run down 5 bedroom house and it’s nice being my own boss . Yes for sure the table saw can bite back but so can a lot of tools if you’re distracted or just not thinking about what you’re doing. Lots of really good safety threads on table saw use on this site - worth a read . Hope you get over your gremlins as it’s a long road with ups and downs along the way as I’m sure you know.

 

[thetyreman]

nice bass! when I made my first p-bass it was a kit, presume that's a scratch build? if so good job, I like the flamed maple capped top, and 24 frets.

 

[Mikey RR]

nice bass! when I made my first p-bass it was a kit, presume that's a scratch build? if so good job, I like the flamed maple capped top, and 24 frets.

Thanks @thetyreman! Yes, I made it on a course with Jon Shuker, though the design is entirely mine. Normally, Jon supplies all of the templates, but I wanted something slightly different, with a smaller body and longer neck, so I made my own templates in advance and brought them to the class.

The drop top was also non standard, but I wanted to learn how to curve it around the forarm carve, so I asked and Jon said we could do it.

 

[Jameshow]

Hi everyone,

I'm returning to woodworking after a break of a few years during a period of poor mental health.

I've done some rough carpentry during this break but nothing at all like instrument or furniture making.

I've recently bought my first house so I'm now going to be embarking on some built in bookcases and then I'll be making my own kitchen.

I've attached a photo of my second guitar, still the prettiest thing I've ever made.

I know how you feel!

Struggled with poor MH esp depression often due to over stretching myself.

Have short attention span and struggle with organisation and administration etc. Prob due to dyslexia.

Little skilled compared to most on here a pine wood butcherer at best!

Well done on the guitars and best if luck with the bookshelves and kitchen!

 

[Ollie78]

That's a nice bass, i like the PRS style maple effect. I am about to make a quitar as well I have been saving a bit of figured maple for ages.
I hope mine turns out as good as yours.

Ollie

 

[Mikey RR]

I know how you feel!

Struggled with poor MH esp depression often due to over stretching myself.

Have short attention span and struggle with organisation and administration etc. Prob due to dyslexia.

Little skilled compared to most on here a pine wood butcherer at best!

Well done on the guitars and best if luck with the bookshelves and kitchen!

Burnout often manifests as ADHD like symptoms. If you have access to a counselor or therapist, I would definitely recommend making use of them!

Take care a treat yourself kindly!

 

[Mikey RR]

That's a nice bass, i like the PRS style maple effect. I am about to make a quitar as well I have been saving a bit of figured maple for ages.
I hope mine turns out as good as yours.

Ollie

Cheers @Ollie78. When building guitars, it's all about getting the details correct. The nut, frets, and bridge have to be in the right place; the fretwork must be clean and the frets well seated in their slots; the neck joint must be sound; the truss rod cannot rattle and carbon rods can be nice insurance policy.

Everything else is just ergonomics and aesthetics, and varies with taste.

I've also got a stash of curly maple, I'd love to get back to guitar building!