A New Years - What are you planning on doing this year?

[ckx707]

Happy New Year!

Revisiting this thread has become a bit of a tradition each year and it is always interesting to look back on what I set as goals vs. how the year actually played out. This year offered much less time for woodworking than many in the past but I was able to check off a few items on the list in between taking on a new role at work and adjusting to life with 3 kids. My progress report from 2015 is included below and I'll post some goals for 2016 later on after a bit more consideration.

How did you all do this year and whats the plan for 2016?

-Chris

ckx707 said:

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Plans are worthless but planning is everything.

Despite the fact that plans and priorities are likely to shift over the year I really enjoy the process of looking back at past progress and setting goals for the coming year. Here are the woodworking/shop related goals I'm shooting for in 2015:

1) Finish the walnut queen bed I've been working on since September
7/7/15 - Minimal progress the last few months. Currently finishing up the long side rails and surface prep before assembly and finishing. See thread for details.
1/1/16 - No significant progress since July, finishing this will be high on the list of woodworking priorities for 2016 with the realization that if it doesn't happen soon it is likely to turn into a 3 year or longer project if we end up moving this year.

2) Build a step stool for my son
7/7/15 - On hold pending completion of the bed and other projects. I'm currently hoping to do this as a group build with a few buddies during our bi-weekly "woodnight" if they can ever get their darn Roubo benches done
1/1/16 - I ended up ordering a tapered tenon cutter and reamer from LV and started on a "staked" stool during our group "woodnight" shop time but it is not quite done yet. This is my first attempt at this type of joinery so this may end up being a "prototype" unless I get lucky and it turns out well enough to use as-is. I'm hoping to wrap this up once things settle down after the holidays.

3) Upgrade my electrical service (prerequisite for shop build and possible future addition to the house)
7/7/15 - Done. We ended up deciding to finish off a room in the basement in the same corner as the electrical panel which forced this up on the priority list. Unfortunately the basement project took priority while most everything else has been set aside. Framing is now complete, electrical is mostly roughed in, and most of the drywall is up. Assuming I pay someone to tape and mud I figure I'm about 50% complete.
1/1/16 - The basement room is now nearly finished. I have some painting and trim work to finish up and carpet is scheduled to be installed in mid-January. This wasn't in the original plan for 2015 but it will be nice to have some additional space and/or the bump in value if/when we move.

4) Draft a plan and budget for the shop build
7/7/15 - On hold again... we are expecting again in October and are continuing to debate our long term house plans with a current lean towards moving vs. a major addition. Until we make up our minds on where we are going to be living long term a shop doesn't make sense. Someday...
1/1/16 - We are currently house shopping so planning for a shop doesn't make sense at this point. The main focus now is finding a house/property with a shop or at least the potential to put up a dedicated building.

5) Finish a project with shellac that doesn't come from a can
7/7/15 - On track. I ordered some garnet shellac flakes form shellac shack and have tested a batch on few scraps. I also picked up one of the cheap HF HVLP guns and am planning on that for at least part of the finish schedule for the walnut bed. I'm still undecided on whether to start with a coat of BLO under the shellac and/or topcoat with something more durable but the garnet is a given based on the life it adds the color of the walnut.
1/1/16 - Stalled waiting for the bed to be ready for finish.

6) Get my daughter involved in at least one shop project
7/7/15 - Technically we haven't done anything significant in the woodshop but she has been helping with the basement project and just helped drive a few screws to hand a sheet of drywall tonight. I need to come up with a small quick project for us to work on as a team once the bed is done.
1/1/16 - Unfortunately this didn't happen based on the overall limited time I spent in the shop. She just turned 10 and I think this is the prime age to get her more involved so this will also be a priority for next year.

7) Attend either WIA or Handworks
7/7/15 - Done. The wife had made arrangements for me to attend WIA as my Christmas gift but we had to audible when we found out we were expecting around that same time so I ended up heading down to Handworks again and had a great time. My buddy and I brought along the sliding deadmen from our benches and got autographs from Chris Schwarz and Roy Underhill... guess which one was marginally inappropriate
1/1/16 - The Handworks trip was a blast but given how little actual woodworking I did this year I almost feel silly for spending that weekend hanging out oogling tools vs. locking myself in the shop to get something done.

8) Acquire a usable vintage crosscut saw or rehab one that I already own
7/7/15 - Done. Picked up nice pair of older D-8's from "enjuneer". I haven't given them a good workout yet but based on a few test cuts they are a decent upgrade from my dull old saws and modern plastic handled junk
1/1/16 - I've had a chance to use the crosscut saw a few times now and it is a pleasure compared to the plastic handled Irwin I'd been using prior. Thanks again "enjuneer".

9) Improve tool storage (get the planes out of the nest of shavings on the shelf on my Roubo bench)
7/7/15 - On hold based on the same excuses mentioned above. I did check out the Schwarz's video showing the build of a traditional "like" toolchest using plywood and screw joinery and will likely do something like that when time allows. I know it is cheating but by the time I'd finish a true anarchist's tool chest most of my tools would have rusted away or been lost in the piles of shavings under my bench.
1/1/16 - No progress but I have been debating which approach to tool storage would make the most sense for me. A floor chest vs. a wall cabinet or some combination of the two. This is high on my "wants" list but given everything else in progress it won't hit the top for awhile.

10) Participate in the secret santa gift exchange
7/7/15 - Still hoping to participate assuming our new little one isnt too much trouble
1/1/16 - Done! I had more fun with this than I had expected and am glad I finally jumped in. Assuming life cooperates I'd love to participate again next year.

11) Stretch Goal - Start the shop build (ideally get the shell dried in)
7/7/15 - LOL...
1/1/16 - This seemed so possible 12 months ago yet so ridiculous looking back now. I completely underestimated the exponential decrease in free time going from 2 kids to 3

The list of furniture and other projects on the to-do list is quite long so I'm hoping to knock off a few more (end tables, night stands, toddler bed, dresser and desk for my daughter, etc...) but those will quickly get sidelined if we decide to pull the trigger on starting construction of the shop this year.

Happy new year and best of luck with all of your goals and resolutions!

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[ianab]

ianab said:

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Main project - Tidy up the shed, at least enough so I can actually make something.

----> Partial success, then I bought a new bandsaw and was given a lathe. Back to small and cluttered.

Secondary project - make a loft bed for my daughter.

---> Actually completed. Now daughter 2 wants / needs one as well.

Third project - find some trees to mill to replace the wood I use for project 2.

----> Still working on that.

Ian

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[Latech15]

Latech15 said:

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I think this is a good exercise.

1). Frame and finish the inside of my shop. (Insulated metal building now, I plan to frame up the interior and put up osb for wall paneling.
2). Finish my "practice" workbench.
3). Work more hand tools into my woodworking. I have a decent compliment of planes and a decent set of chisels, but have no idea how to use most of them.
4). Build more furniture for myself and my family. All of my best stuff is in other people's houses.
5). Buy one heirloom tool. Jointer or planer preferably. I have been limping by on small shop stuff. I want to start early buying lifetime tools. Big, heavy, wide, helical head...stuff my kids will be proud of when they sell it at the garage sale.

That's probably plenty for now.

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Well, I did at least one of those things last year.

I still need to go work on my workbench.

I bought the big tools, but I need to finish the details of getting them into production shape.

I have built some pieces for myself and my family, but still have a rather large list.

Still need to finish the inside of the shop.

[ckx707]

Woodworking/project goals for 2016:

1) Finish the room in the basement so I can finally do some woodworking.

2) Finish installing the Shelix head in my planer.

3) Finally finish building the walnut bed and try spraying shellac.

4) Organize, clean, and purge as much as possible from the shop in preparation for the move.

5) Complete a few smaller projects (step stool, basic tool chest, Christmas gifts, etc.)

6) Move and define a plan for shop space at the new house.

[Cian]

Cian said:

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Start and finish my basement reno once and for all.

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Well that didn't happen.

[Ray Newman]

Looks like 2016 will be the year I finally bite the bullet for a Saw Stop. Waiting to hear back from the dealer as to whether a local sheet metal fabricator can cut off ‘bout 4” from the ICS or PCS cabinet bottom as I work from a wheel chair and need a top 30” high. Would like a Hammer K-3 but Hammer said there is no way to cut off/lower the cabinet.

As for projects, really should build a larger wall hung tool cabinet. My collection of tools still grows since I made the current cabinet in the mid 1980’s. Also need to design and build a quilt chest (really need a walk-in closet!) and rack for the Squeeze’s growing quilt collection.

[xv144]

try steam bending

improve lathe skills with bowls

[LoftGuy]

Maloof rocker.

[ckx707]

So I'm a bit late this year but it has become a tradition for me to bump this thread each year, update progress on my goals for the prior year, and outline a few goals for the new year. Below are my updates.

Woodworking/project goals for 2016:
1) Finish the room in the basement so I can finally do some woodworking.
Done.

2) Finish installing the Shelix head in my planer.
Done.

3) Finally finish building the walnut bed and try spraying shellac.
Unfortunately, with the move and shop setup at the new place, progress on the bed was limited.

4) Organize, clean, and purge as much as possible from the shop in preparation for the move.
Well I did purge some stuff and we did move so I'm going to call this done but as I am starting to finally unpack in the new shop I clearly have more junk to get rid of.

5) Complete a few smaller projects (step stool, basic tool chest, Christmas gifts, etc.)
Like the bed, this goal was a victim of the move and new shop setup.

6) Move and define a plan for shop space at the new house.
Done+. We found a house with a detached 26x30 garage for a shop space and moved in May. Since then I have rewired the shop, insulated the walls, and installed a heater so I am basically all set for shop space which is much more than I expected to accomplish in 2016

Goals for 2017:
1) Finish the bed before the 3rd anniversary of starting that project in September of 2014
2) Turn something for my wife as a thank you for the lathe she surprised me with for my birthday
3) 5th anniversary gift for my wife... #5 is traditionally wood so I really need to make this one count

4) Turn a bowl
5) Turn a Christmas ornament of some kind
6) Insulate the shop attic and garage door before next winter
7) Complete at least one other piece of furniture
8) Get my daughter involved in at least one project

What did you guys get done in 2016 and what are you looking forward to in 2017?

-Chris

[Duane N]

My intentions for the new year is to build custom frames for a lot of the images I capture photographing wildlife.  I'm planning on printing out this image of a Snowy Owl captured last week at 24" X 36" and building a walnut frame and hanging it over my fireplace.  I also plan on attending a couple of local wildlife exhibits and setting up a booth to sell some of my work.  I'd rather be out in the field photographing stuff but I think I need to approach photography as a second source of income.  In the long run I would love to be able to incorporate both woodworking and photography and make those my primary sources of income...I have a few more years to go before I can seriously think about doing it.