german news: Family traditions... - Woodworking Talk

09-27-2011, 10:20 AM

? #1

Thumb Nailer

Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: League City, Texas. A.K.A. Hurricane Alley

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One of the joys I get from woodworking, is following in my father's footsteps as it were. When I was growing up, my Dad had a shop, as did his father, and all of my uncles on my Dad's side of the family, and most of the uncles on my Mom's side... And it didn't stop there, the woodworking gene goes back as far as family records go, from the first settlers building their homes, and furnishings, along with throwing their own sweat equity in to the homes, barns and furnishings of their neighbors.

I remember Christmas mornings, among the boxes of factory made things, there ware always wooden toys. A toy truck, a Biplane, one of those tethered paddle ball things... And our home, I remember the coffee table we had in our living room, while it was made before I was born, I remember hearing stories of how my dad made that. The end tables, and night stands. These were all things made by my Dad's hands.

Some of my Dads woodworking from back then was out of necessity. Dad is a world class bargain hunter, and doubtless every last tool in his shop was second hand, and most likely from estate sales where the original owners heirs had no idea what they had or the value of it. And access to lumber for him was a bit easier due to proximity to family owned property, and a great uncle with a sawmill...

This is part of my family legacy, and in turn, a small part of American culture that I want to keep alive and well.

God willing, I will have sons and daughters of my own to pass the traditions down to. But barring that, I do what I can to keep this tradition alive, and keep this vital piece of American Culture healthy, and vibrant. I don't know when I will feel I have been successful at this. Because for me it is equally important to keep the craft and the tradition alive as it is to actually make something of lasting value.

Am I alone in this perspective? Do many of you have long standing family traditions of woodworking? If so let us know about it!

If you are blessed enough to have children, and / or grand children, does your love of woodworking have any influence on this Xbox generation? Are you succeeding in passing on woodworking as your family tradition?

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09-27-2011, 10:53 AM

? #2

Old School

Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: So. Florida

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I admire your family history. To have a craft that ties a family together must be nice. All my immediate family members were craft oriented, but not entirely in woodworking. My father was blessed with a natural talent with woodworking, and did his best to offer me opportunities and guidance. It wasn't his vocation.

So, I must say, that I'm the lone ranger, and whatever I have achieved that could be passed down will die with me. Maybe sharing what I can on forums might get passed down/around, so all is not really lost.

09-27-2011, 11:17 AM

? #3

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Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Overland Park, Kansas

Posts: 155

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Much like Cabinetman, my folks were all Plumbers on my dad's side of the family (16 all together). All thru high school I wanted to take "shop" classes, but was always told "no take another math class, it'll come in handy when you start in the trade". So I had never had a shop class not so much as auto mechanics class.

I got married and started my own Family in 1977, in 1978 I decided I needed to do something to make more money and landed a job at a manufacturing facility running a metal lathe.

Today I?ve been a married for 34 years, I?ve worked as a machinist / shop supervisor for the last 33 years, started doing real woodworking about 10 years ago. Needless to say I didn?t follow in the plumbing line. The extra math has helped over the years, and I know enough about plumbing to not have to call one.

As for the passing of the WW tradition, I?ve passed the love of woodworking to my kids (both girls) and my sons-in-laws. I?ve been blessed with two grandsons this year and Lord willing I?ll be around long enough to pass it down to them. Thanks for asking this stirred up a few tucked away memories.

__________________
"Dear Lord, lest I continue in my complacent ways, help me to remember that someone died for me today. And if there be war, help me to remember to ask and to answer, 'Am I worth dying for?'"

Eleanor Roosevelt

09-27-2011, 12:59 PM

? #5

Senior Member

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: North Bend, WA

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While I didn't inherit (directly anyway) my love of woodworking from my father, I did get his handiness with tools. Dad is a retired auto mechanic. His father was a baker. So again no direct transfer there.

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That bowl was perfect right up until that last cut...

09-27-2011, 01:08 PM

? #6

Thumb Nailer

Join Date: Jan 2008

Location: League City, Texas. A.K.A. Hurricane Alley

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Well, due to health issues, and radically downsizing his place, Dad got out of the craft years ago. A sad thing if you ask me... I am a bit shocked at the responses so far. But then again, it is all in perspective. I grew up with woodworking, and the arts being a huge part of my family. Pretty much everyone in the family is artistically inclined. Although not all are woodworkers. And even my in laws, are artistic people.

In the family we've got musicians (singers, drummers, bass players, guitarists, pianists etc...), auto mechanics (custom car, and truck builders), painters, sculptors, graphic artists, upholsterers, jewelers, glass blowers, and other various crafts or trades aside from just woodworking. So yeah, there is a huge family bent here.

Last year, I unfortunately had to go to Ohio for my sister in laws untimely funeral. While up there visiting with family, we took a drive to visit my great aunt, who is 90 years old now. I recall family visits to their home for the holidays as a boy, there was always some wooden doo dad that one of my great uncles, my grandfather, or my dad made up there for us kids to play with. The toy box shaped, and painted to look like a 1960s Volkswagen Microbus. Not hippified, but a bus none the less. When we were up there, the toy box was long gone, but there was still this rube goldberg type falling marble toy that was still there. And years after my great uncle's passing, the shop is still there, and although no longer in use, still smells of saw dust...

I guess for me, working where I do, and living in an almost urban environment, I wonder if what I thought was normal, really was the exception to the rule. I mean on my block, with the exception of the next door neighbors, all of the kids I knew growing up, their dads had a shop of some sort or another in the basement, or the garage... I see so little of that now, and among the folks I work with.... well so few of them know which end of hammer to hold on to...

There are things that define a culture, the way we treat each other, our beliefs, and what we chose to surround ourselves with. Architecture, art, furnishings, music. I would hate to see the things that make the American culture so great, simply disappear into shelves crammed with particle board garbage at Ikea.

Sadly, I think that far too many people are interested in the immediate gratification of our disposable particle board society. Need a chest of drawers? $99.00 at WalMart or Ikea. Who cares if it only lasts a couple of years and will end up in a land fill when the particle board fails? Who cares that there is no warmth, or connection with family history there. It's just there to hold up your shorts anyway right?

I am far from expert on woodworking, and produce far less than I would like to. But I will say this, I have pieces spread around the family now, that Lord willing, if there are generations yet to come, well maybe my grandchildren can hear the stories of how this or that was made by Grandpa Dave... I can hope and pray...

Last edited by dbhost; 09-27-2011 at 01:10 PM.

Today, 06:15 PM

? #7

Member

My dad did not have the time or interest in doing things with his hands. He was a great dad though. Loved him. I still think that I should call him but don't have the number for heaven.

I learned woodworking when we had a house that was too small for our family and we couldn't afford to buy a bigger one. So my neighbor and I cut the roof off our house and threw it in the back yard. Neither of us had done anything like that but once the roof was off, you are pretty well committed, We had checked out a Time Life book from the library for directions. It took us six weeks of working every night till we started cutting all of the wood wrong and every weekend till we couldn't walk anymore. Twenty some years later it is still standing.

I used the tools we bought to start making toys for my kids and then for craft sales to make a little extra money.

Then I started making furniture for us. Two of my three boys inherited my love of making sawdust. But surprisingly my daughter in law married to the son who doesn't love the smell of sawdust, has become a woodworker in her own right.

I hope my kids want the furniture I have made and the tools I have gathered up over the years when I can't use them any more.

Domer