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

[Cian]

Start and finish my basement reno once and for all.

[Bill_de]

Finish the bedroom set I started last winter. It got put aside to get some outdoor stuff finished for spring. Then fishing season took over.

I should have stuck with woodworking.

[Latech15]

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.

[Gary G™]

I asked LOML to list and prioritize the projects she wanted.
She gave me a list with 5 items.
I took the list and added all the things she had actually asked for breaking some of them into separate projects.
For example, her list didn't contain the projects like this:
she wants the door to the storage shed moved from the east wall where it's exposed to the elements to the north wall where it'll be under a shed roof.
In my mind, that's (1) build a door, (2) cut the wall opening and frame and hang the door, (3) remove the existing door and seal it up with a window installed.
Most of the projects she wants are truly individual projects.
The finished list was more than one sheet of college ruled notebook paper.
I've completed about 2/3 of them.

In 2015, I think the 3 big projects are:
(1) build a big screen TV cabinet
(2) build a king size bed
(3) build a cabinet and install a convection oven

[Smoothjazz077]

I am going to concentrate on cutting dovetails and mortise and tenons by hand. I really want to challenge myself with hand tools in 2015.

[Gregory of Sherwood Forest]

I am going to try to accomplish one thing, and one thing only. I predict that I will fail miserably, and probably before February is over. Nonetheless, the attempt will be made.


I HEREBY AVOW THAT I WILL PURCHASE ONLY ONE NEW TOOL PER PROJECT!


Disclaimer - The following exclusions apply:

*Sets count as only one.

*This also does not include the tools that I purchase for rehab and future sale.

*Tools that hold collectible value and will increase in value do not count.

*Tools that are deemed too good to pass up for the price (not retail) are also exempt.

*Tools that look at me forlornly and with big, sad, puppydog eyes are also exempt.

*Tools that have the capability to call me by name in an auction box lot are also exempt.

*Tools that sneak their way into my shop without my knowledge are also exempt (somnambulance is a disease!)


Ummm... never mind. This was a bad idea.


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[BillN]

I'm going to finish and install the pantry cabinets I'm building then start building kitchen cabinets.

I'm also going to finish clearing out the garage so I can relocate our bikes from my shop.

Last but not least, get some of the stuff I never use out of the shop so I can move around without tripping over something.

[BrokenOlMarine]

I just finished and mailed the Widow's Box Project I started before Christmas. Next on my list was a new rack for handguns for the gun safe that would accommodate the breeding that has been going on in there. It's like the numbers have doubled in the last few years. It's dark in the gun safe so I don't know why I didn't expect this.

The new rack will have drawers underneath for the various magazines that accompany the semiautos and the speedloaders and speedstrips for the revolvers. Also a drawer for the extras like the tactical lights. Maybe even space for the little extras for a couple of the long guns.

I have been working on some sketches, trying to overcome the problem of the placement of the shelf the rack sits on. The drawers won't be able to run all the way across the front of the rack due to the edge of the door frame on the safe. Meh... I'll make 'er work. It's part of the challenge.

If that goes well, perhaps a box for a lower shelf on the same rack to hold the knife collection, this would free up the top shelf in the safe for a couple other things that need a home.

After that, possibly another Widow's Box for a friend, some presentation or keepsake boxes, and I want to try a wooden multicar toy train.

[ckx707]

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

2) Build a step stool for my son

3) Upgrade my electrical service (prerequisite for shop build and possible future addition to the house)

4) Draft a plan and budget for the shop build

5) Finish a project with shellac that doesn't come from a can

6) Get my daughter involved in at least one shop project

7) Attend either WIA or Handworks

8) Acquire a usable vintage crosscut saw or rehab one that I already own

9) Improve tool storage (get the planes out of the nest of shavings on the shelf on my Roubo bench)

10) Participate in the secret santa gift exchange

11) Stretch Goal - Start the shop build (ideally get the shell dried in)

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!

[ckx707]

Time for a mid-year update. The first half of the year has been crazy busy and more than most years plans have changed quite a bit since January.

I hope you guys are doing better than I am

-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.

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

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.

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...

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.

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.

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

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

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.

10) Participate in the secret santa gift exchange
7/7/15 - Still hoping to participate assuming our new little one isnt too much trouble

11) Stretch Goal - Start the shop build (ideally get the shell dried in)
7/7/15 - LOL...

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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