Last week, Rob talked about his experience doing demos and interacting with woodworkers at a Rockler store in Milwaukee. We heard from a Weekly reader who shares Rob’s opinion about fellow woodworkers. – Editor
“I related so well to your opening comments about doing demos for fellow woodworkers.They do come in all shapes and sizes, to say nothing of the age range. If we ‘old heads’ do not pass along the knowledge and skills and techniques that we have learned over our years of trial and error, our favorite hobby will pass away silently.
“I, too, do demos at the closest Rockler Partner Store. I greatly enjoy visiting with mostly a new group every time even though I have some that come back to see put on my dog and pony show. I think the repeat visitors come back to see if I tell the same story a different way. I always have a stack of my business type cards on the table for people to pick up and I tell them to call if they need to ask a question or even if they happen to be in my area to come by and visit my shop; that is, ifthey are not allergic to cats, since I have three that live in my shop.
“I had a fellow who flies for FedEx attend my demo on band saw boxes one time. We visited after the demo and he told he that he was on an extended downtime so he made the demo. A week or so later, my phone rings and it is this fellow in Phoenix in the Rockler store and he wanted to ask what size router bit I used to ease the edges on my boxes. You are right on point about our tribe being a good group.” – Charles Buster
The same reader also had comments (see even more discussion on the article page) regarding last week’s question about spiders in the shop. – Editor
“In reference to Branden Watts’ question on how to handle spiders, Tim and Chris are right on consulting a professional. Unlike roaches and the like, spiders do not lick their legs as or after they walk, so a poison on the floor really is not the answer, but again, the professional will tell you all that. I live in the good old south where we have the old bodock/bois d’arc/Osage orange trees. The horse apples they drop are said to ward off spiders. Just put them in the basement every six months or so and all done organically. I wish I had a bunch to send Branden, but I am a city boy now and do not have access to any.” – Charles Buster
