Tuesday, November 17, 2009

VC's Top Ten Tips for Wives of Woodworkers

1. Sitting in the shop and staring at a pile of lumber counts as woodworking.
2. When your spouse says, "Don't buy that armoire—I can build one for you," just smile and say "Great!" Then go back to the store in a month and buy it. Because he's either forgotten all about it or has been feeling guilty for not having started the project, and you will be letting him off the hook.
3. Sometimes your husband will buy wood just because it's pretty and he has no idea what he plans to do with it.
4. Expect a Sammy Sadface when you hand him a Honey-Do list.
5. Yes, he does need 5 routers. And 6 marking gauges.
6. Heaping mounds of partially- or un-read woodworking magazines are a fact of life.
7. Never ever EVER remove anything from the shop unless under close supervision. No, not even a screwdriver.
8. It takes exactly 3 weeks to make a small trinket box.
9. Plan a shopping trip, go for a walk, meet friends for coffee—just get somewhere safe—if he's getting ready to glue up a project.
10. What might look like a junky old tool at a flea market is really a monumental find and source of joy for him. Harness that happiness. Now's a good time to ask him to take you to dinner.