why is hobby woodworking in decline?

[Shan]

I've been pretty intrigued by the thread and hearing about other people's stories.

I was fortunate enough that my father was a carpenter and so I had the opportunity to play around with woodworking at a young age. He was an old school carpenter that didn't touch electrics, plumbing or painting for example. Built the family home and the sparky, plumber etc all got equal hours paid back so no exchange of money. This was typical in NZ where I was brought up.

Also took up woodwork at secondary school which planted the seed for turning. Left NZ mid 20's and spent 20 odd years in the UK. Due to not having the time and space any woodworking was simply DIY on the home front. Cutting skirting boards on the footpath wasn't a good look so didn't really have the opportunity to pursue any interest in the wood field.

However when I left the UK and moved abroad was fortunate enough to have more spare time and space to work in. So that allowed me to purchase a 2nd hand lathe here in Portugal and dedicate time to something that I had been introduced to year's ago but had never had the opportunity to do.

So I guess if you've had a father/uncle whatever to observe their line of work and/or the opportunity at school to learn woodwork then that would be a great shoe in. However I guess a lot of kids don't have that opportunity as if it's not taught in schools and if they don't have a role model to follow?

Hopefully it won't be lost forever and will make a resurgence down the line.

 

[profchris]

Role models don't always work as expected.

My own father did a lot of DIY and once made a serviceable kitchen table, but he specialised in destroying things and rebuilding them with 6 inch nails, 8 inch if he had them.

I make ukuleles and guitars.

I guess I learnt that you can do most things yourself, but rather neater if you research how and don't rush the job.

 

[Jameshow]

Role models don't always work as expected.

My own father did a lot of DIY and once made a serviceable kitchen table, but he specialised in destroying things and rebuilding them with 6 inch nails, 8 inch if he had them.

I make ukuleles and guitars.

I guess I learnt that you can do most things yourself, but rather neater if you research how and don't rush the job.

My dad was a bee keeper - no way I'm going to be a bee keeper! Ouch run ouch cry!!

 

[throbscottle]

If this thread degenerates into a political bun fight it will be a pity. It will, though.

Another unfortunate thing is that in Germany for one an engineer is an engineer, not the chap who replaces a bit of your car, washing machine or television.

So true. I feel like fake because my job title is "field service engineer" - I fix tills and some back office computers. Anyone with a bit of training and can read a manual could do it. It's not what I call engineering.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Role models don't always work as expected ...

Sometimes it's better to be horrible warning than a good example.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My dad was a bee keeper - no way I'm going to be a bee keeper! Ouch run ouch cry!!

So was I until one of my bees nearly killed me.

 

[Jameshow]

So was I until one of my bees nearly killed me.

That's what happened to my dad, had a bad anaphylaxic reaction...

 

[sammy.se]

Cost and space.

I have little money for woodworking and even less space. Its a chore to get tools out and pack them up..I don't have a workshop.

If I didn't love making stuff so much I would have packed it in due to cost and space.

I don't have an interest in making little dovetail boxes. I want to make furniture