Professional or amateur

[Anonymous]

Guys

I was wondering and thought it might make an interesting read to find out how many people on this forum are professional woodworkers and how many 'weekend woodworkers'? Just interested, that's all

To start the ball rolling I am a weekender however my dad was a full time chippy and so it must be in the blood

 

[DaveL]

I am Amateur (definitely with the capitol A).

I would love to do it full time but have been spoilt by working in the IT industry

My dad was an electrician by trade, but can turn his hand to most things practical, he is in to building model Life Boats from scratch , I have lost count how many he has done 5 or 6 at least 8)
Wish I had his patience :roll:

 

[Guest]

I'm not exactly a weekender, due to illness I'm more of a two hours a day man. My interest was aroused by Norm, who helped fill my hours following a major op. Can't manage the hand tools though, I think that is something you either have an ability for or, in my case, not.

 

[trevtheturner]

I'm an amateur, fairly new to woodturning, self-taught and building up loads of knowledge and skills about wood, drying, machinery, tools and sharpening. Enjoy woodworking, too, with hand tools and machinery (not much machinery at the moment - but, one day.....!). Probably a bit of a tool c**ll****r too.

Next venture is to get into some serious furniture making, to replace some of that which has turned out to be rubbish from furniture shops in the past - living & learning! :roll:

These forums are a tremendous help with so much info. and questions answered.

Trev.

 

[Pete W]

What comes below amateur?

In idle moments I dream about earning something from working wood, but then I have to sternly remind myself that I haven't actually made *anything* yet.

 

[Anonymous]

very amateur here..........read wood butcher. Weekends and evenings, when its warm, and the kids are out of the way.

 

[Anonymous]

oops

wood butcher = me

must remember to log in

 

[Anonymous]

Very much PART TIME!
I enjoy collecting tools, hand or electric.

 

[Philly]

"Keen amateur"-spend the day working in an office but the evenings ( after the babies sleeping) in the workshop. Except when it's really cold.
I've got too many tools to not have at least one project on the go or the Missus would kill me for wasting all that money!!
I enjoy making furniture with the odd bit of turning in-between to keep things interesting.
Philly

 

[Anonymous]

Amateur
I've been woodturning for about 15 years in a small shed but always wanted to make furniture. So I decided to build a new workshop I bit off slightly more than I could chew and it took me four years. But now I am enjoying setting it up and collecting the tools and machinery.I've made a few items but very much an amateur. I work with steel by day and wood by night

elmo

 

[johnelliott]

I do it all the time (making hardwood kitchens) which makes me a professional. Doesn't mean I'm any better at it, though. It does means that I have a different attitude to it though, not necessarily a better attitude. When it comes to choices of equipment or techniques I don't think in terms of what is going to give a better result. The quality level I need to achieve is set by the design and by my customers' expectations. Therefore I need to think in terms of what is going to achieve the required quality level in the quickest way

John

 

[Cutting Crew]

Hi all,

I've been a full time woodturner for many years, but, because I'm not involved in any form of repetition or production work I still enjoy my days as much as when it was just a hobby.


All the pieces I make are one-off, each with a different and often new problem, so I never find the time to get bored or go of it. I also get involved in tool development, testing and in writing reviews for web sites and magazines. As you can probably tell I don't have problems starting work in the morning.

CC

 

[Adam]

I'm a weekender! I work in electronics, but aged 18, I *almost* went and did a course in furniture design with the aim of being a professional cabinet maker. This followed on from me doing work experience at Senior Carmichael workshops in Surrey. http://www.seniorandcarmichael.co.uk/
However I'm happy now with just making bits and bobs at the weekend.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

I am very much an amateur wood butcher. No, let's re-phrase that as butchers are skilful.

I run a small computer company which doesn't leave as much time as I would like for woodworking.

I just want to get my workshop finished and I am hoping to start work on it again this month.

Then I can do some real work.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Alf]

An amateur, although like Adam I also came within a hair's breadth of taking a course when I was 17. I wouldn't have appreciated it then in hindsight, so it's just as well I didn't. On the other hand I do occasionally sell stuff for actual money, which maybe makes me a very part time professional? Despite the frequent tales of woe from pros who turned their hobby into their career and now hate it, I still would like to earn a living from woodworking in some way. Probably more likely to be selling tools than making high-end cabinetry.

But of course being an amateur of a professional doesn't give any indication of skill level :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Amateur me

Make a few quid on the odd hobble ie hanging doors, skirting dado rails
laminate floors

In my profession I use hand tools all the time, the tool is called a shovel

 

[woodshavings]

An amateur with a big A!!! Built a small workshop about 3 years ago and since then learning by trial and error and from some great people on these forums.
Do some turning and simple furniture construction.

 

[Anonymous]

I just found this site today and joined. I seem to be lucky in that I'm paid to instruct woodwork (reasonably but not excessively - paid that is) but I wouldn't class myself as a professional - I still have an awful lot to learn. Having trained late as a teacher, I taught design technology for nearly four years before my current job as a technical instructor in a medium secure unit: give me forensic patients over secondary school children any day - they're much more civilised. Having come in through the back door, I'm sure there are loads of 'amateurs' who could teach me a whole heap of stuff - some who have probably forgotten more than I will ever know. Ironically I spend more time helping others to produce things than making them myself, though I do find time for the odd project now and then. But then that's all the best part of teaching without the hassel of a school environment. I currently have a run on repairing chairs that some of our clients have smashed up....

 

[Chris Knight]

Rocker,

Good grief - do they all get to use the sharp tools?

 

[frank]

amateur making bits and bobs ,if someone had told me 12 months ago that i would be using a digital calipers in woodworking i would have said they where nuts :shock: