I received my first power tool — an olive green, single-speed jigsaw — when I was in the fourth grade. It was a Christmas gift from my parents that I desperately wanted that year. I’m not quite sure how they mustered the courage to let a 10-year-old play with a power saw — they weren’t “tool” people — but they set me loose on a pile of old scraps in our basement to learn what that saw had to teach me. And teach me, it did! I loved the ability to carve out little creations of wood with that vibrating dynamo, and I think my time with the saw was one of the most important formative experiences that encouraged me to continue woodworking. Sadly, the saw’s flat-bladed screw chuck and motor eventually wore out, and it was discarded. But my memories of it are still very vivid.
Did you have a similar experience with a special tool that helped galvanize your love of woodworking? I’d love to hear a few sentences about it, and we’ll share these stories in an upcoming issue of the Weekly.
Chris Marshall, Woodworker’s Journal
A Bit About Abrasives
Save Those Pizza Savers!
Cherry Dog Kennel
Slab Top Sofa Table
This rustic sofa table uses wood sourced from a local sawmill. At just over 3″ thick, this lumber provided our editor with a workout and a hefty piece of furniture at the end of the process.
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