Where It all Began

 I have been asked how long you have been woodworking. My usual answer is since Avery was born. Avery is our oldest daughter. She was born in 2010. I had dabbled in woodworking a little before Avery was born. Nothing too serious. I did build a couple basic benches, doll house and a toy box. I didn't have many tools at that time. After I bought my house I purchased some tools I thought I could use as a homeowner. I got a table saw, jigsaw and sander. I already owned a hammer, circular saw and chisel set.

With tools I purchased, I started doing projects like replacing the privacy fence to the entrance to my rental unit. Building a railing around the deck to the rental unit.  Then I decided I needed a shed. I bought all the lumber for the shed from the local sawmill. While picking up this lumber I was asked by the yard person if I wanted any Pine shorts. I had no clue what the yard person was talking about. So she took me over to a few stacks of pine shorts.  Lumber shorts are lumber under 6 feet in length. I remember buying 3 stacks of pine shorts. These were random thickness , widths and lengths. Honestly at the time I didn't care. Getting this deal on the Pine shorts felt like I won the lottery. I really had no reason to buy this lumber. I brought the lumber home. It sat in the yard in a nice neat stack and covered up from the weather.

The idea of building my niece a toy box for her birthday. This lumber was rough sawn. So I need to use my brother’s planer and jointer that was in storage at my parents. The only experience I had with these tools was in Woodshop in Public and High school.