Bob156235

Civilian for the navy writing engineering instructions.
Went to a vocational high school to learn the (wood) trade, worked in cab shops for 5 years, then joined the navy at 24 to "get a life." Ended up in the northwest and was hired by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard back in 1981. Never gave up the trade though - it's in my blood. Have built a couple of homes, installed many-a-kitchens for friends and am always doing wood-working projects for self or others. Am about to retire (if I can sell my home), move to NC and finally get a little shop in the back yard.
Got house?

Bob

tccoggs

Started working in a woodshop at the high school I attended at age 13, worked summers and weekend making about $6.00 an hour. Once I turned 17 and could drive I got a truck and went into business summers doing kitchens, baths and basements to pay for school. Got my degree in Finance/MIS, all paid in cash thanks to my own 2 hands and got a job on wall street. Wasn't long before I figured out it wasn't for me and got a job with a contractor who recently started a shop/custom woodworking biz. Stayed there for 4 years and was managing the shop and programming all the CNC equipment when I left to go back to school. This time it was all IT training, which I have been doing now for 11 years and currently am a VP of IT for a mid-sized tech company. I still work part time and am part owner in a custom woodworkin biz as well, mainly doing CNC programing and design work.

garryswf

Thats right i do absolutly nothing that i don't feel like doing. Busted my behind 3 yrs. in the oil field drilling wells, and 26 yrs. in a coalmine, both jobs required long hours and alot of weekends, plus worked on the side in the construction trade while at the mine. So i kinda figure if i don't want to be busy on any particular day and someone wants something done "ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY" well it sucks to be them. What i enjoy most now is my little buddy "THE GRANDSON" I call him the Gavinator, what a helligan. OMT --- One of the things i do now is surf this forum, i truly enjoy looking at all the great projects, and if i may add, there are (IMO) alot of fantastic woodworkers that are involved with this site.

Kryptoroxx

I stumbled into the Marine Corps almost 7 years ago and it's been a good decision for me. I'm a Sergeant in Motor Transport and I train 18 year old crazies how to drive a 23 ton truck. I'm looking to get out of MT though. I've applied to become an officer and if that doesn't work out I'll go for (CID)Criminal Investigation Division. After getting married and settling down a little from a wilder youth I find a lot of pleasure and satisfaction in working with wood. It relieves a lot of stress and it makes me happier that I can look at something knowing that I built it. My dad taught me a little about wood when I was young but I really got my good advice from a Master Carpenter named Ray when I was working construction for a couple of years. From that point I have self taught myself and experimented and now that I want to try something bigger....well that's why I joined here. This is a great forum though.

wvcraftsman

I've been working for someone else for too long. I'm an electrician and electrical engineer by profession, but my passion is for woodworking and leatherworking. I've been an observer of this site for quite a while and have enjoyed all the information that I have come across. Keep up the great work!!!

MyMonkey

I am an attorney. I run my own law office.

www.JarmanLaw.com

toddj99

May have already posted here, don't remember for sure though. Retired out of the army 2 1/2 years ago, work for honeywell on post (FT Cambell) right now. Hate every minute of it. Looking at going voluntary retirement recall cause I miss the joe's. Started woodworking shortly after retirement and would love to do it full time on my own but I am not that disillusioned into thinking that I am that good - yet.

garryswf

Hey there MyMonkey ---- did you hear the one about, what do you have when you chain 100--------------------, oh you probably already heard that joke anyway. Just kidding, glad you're on the forum. I do have a sense of humor even though i am so old sometimes i forget i do

src54

Right now I am laid off, have been in the carpet indursty for most of my life, in the manufacturing and production part of the industry. The carpet industry had been hit very hard with the economy down slide and a lot of people have been laid off in this area. I have enjoyed woodworking for several years and would love to start a business doing custom woodworking. I am not sure how to go about getting it started. I have done a few "paying projects" mainly for friends and family. I do love woodworking and the satisfaction that I get from it.

Burt

I am a television broadcast engineer by profession. Went to school and earned an electronics degree, then end up working for leading manufacturer of broadcast television equipment. Got tired of that, then went to work for many video facilities in the Hollywood and Burbank area for 11 years. End up in Wyoming and was key technical support team that designed and integrated a mjor DBS uplink center for Dish Network (7 1/2 years). Now working for Starz Entertainment in Denver area for 5 years. This all totals 28 years in same industry and yes, I love it. Finally got a property that I can have a woodshop in and have been building the shop slowly, over the last 3 years. Starting to build a few things now, mostly outdoor planters, shop funiture. Hope to start some houshold furniure soon.

Gorp

I feel for you my friend. I got laid off in February and have been able to turn may wood working skills into a job until I get back into the IT field and on my feet. I have been blessed with my skills and after the first big job I completed I now have a backlog of work.


Hang in there and Godspeed to you.

trimworks

Have been running my residential trim business,since 1986. High end to moderate priced homes.Built ins and other things here lately!

wfahey

Retired from the Air Force in 2000. Landed a great job with a Credit Card company that folded (Enron type of deal). Took a job installing software on the East coast of Florida but got laid off after only 4 months. Moved back to Texas and found an IT job with a health care company. I now oversee all the support techs accross the US and UK. I spend about 2 weeks a month traveling but get to work from the house when in San Antonio so it works out. Have always enjoyed working with wood and making things, would like to take my skills to the next level.

__________________
Bill
San Antonio, TX

Skeaterbait

I've been a computer nerd for 20+ years, mostly on the desktop side of things. Been at it long enough that I can't stand them anymore. I have loved woodworking since high school though I never did anything about it until recently. Right now I am sitting with nothing more than a concrete slab waiting for the weather to give the contractor enough of a break to finish the new shoplette. (It's only 18x20)

don murtha

I was a fireman for 35 years and a union truck driver for about the same . Never worked in the woodworking industry but have a lot of experiance putting out burning wood.

Ledhead

Information Technology - System Administrator at a GM Assembly Plant. I've always liked building things, starting with watching my Dad build stuff like decks, dog houses, etc. Then took wood shop in high school and sucked at it, but still liked it. My first "table saw" was a plywood box with a circular saw mounted underneath. Then in my late 20's started getting tools and paying more attention to detail and stuck with it and am now in mid 40's and still have that "I can build one of those" mentalities. I enjoy building jigs and fixtures for my shop.
I admire the work you all do and enjoy reading about and seeing your pictures of projects.

__________________
Dale
Wentzville, MO

MyMonkey

I always love a good lawyer joke. Cop jokes too. I'm an ex Cop.

John in Tennessee

I always said you should stop working in your 40's and have a good time and at 50-55- work till you croak. It was a hard life. Through the week I had to decide was I going to shoot pool at night or go fishing in the morning. There are 2 things you don't do on weekends. Thats drink and fish. You run into amateurs doing both. Well when I hit the bar I shot pool and I don't drink while I'm shootin pool. Now I'm 5 minutes from the lake and I have a pool table in the Den. Darn thats why I started messing with woodworking.
I forgot. My buddy on the left takes a lot of time. Now If I could teach him to find the Smallmouths...

tc778302

I work for a company who buys and sells warehouse racking. We tailor to woodworkers with storage systems for laminate and other sheet goods. 95% of our customer base are woodworkers or laminate distributors and we find a lot of good leads from woodworking forums. Obviously, with the territory comes an interest in woodworking and I have definitely seen some extremely interesting and amazing projects.
http://www.edwardsstorage.com

Diver Doug

I'm in the Australian Army as an education officer, presently working as an instructional designer for the MRH90 helicopter project

__________________
Check out my Blog :
WoodenPlayhouseInfo.com - for various tips, tricks and ideas for that special place for your kids !