What makes a good woodworker? A good ‘woodsmith’? A good wood craftsman?
There’s no single answer that is correct. In my opinion however, it’s patience. Patience as a woodworker outshines nearly anything else. It doesn’t matter if you have the fanciest tools on the plant (although sometimes it helps) or if you have a gigantic shop that requires a golf cart to get from end to end.
Patience means applying your skills and knowledge, at whatever experience level you’re at, in a well thought out manner. It means taking the time to measure twice and cut once – the tried and true statement of craftsmanship.
I’ve written out three pillars of patience below that have served me well over the years. They can be a challenge to practice and bring into focus when you’re feeling pressure with a project. Stick with me though and give them a try.
ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME – This one applies greatly to woodworking but also many other aspects in life. If you’re trying to build a fancy dining room table or shaker chair, you don’t start by sanding and finishing the wood first. You look through a written set of plans, measure out wood specs, choose the timeline and start small. Take the ladder picture as an example – they both go to the same spot but which would you rather climb? The one with normal, small and manageable steps right?
MENTALLY GO THROUGH EACH STEP – This may sound a bit silly but it works. What will your first cut be? What’s the last cut? What grit sandpaper will you start with? Should you have extra time on the last day to go over any smaller pieces? Think about your project as a whole process and it’s own mini journey in a way. Your brain is GREAT at figuring out problems and planning things out (even while you sleep). Give it the knowledge and info to spark your conscience thought with that “ah-ha” moment during a project.
SLOW DOWN – Ever stop and think for just a moment how absolutely “warp speed” our world is? We consume data at such a larger rate than we did 10 years ago, 20 years ago and absolutely 30+ years ago. The internet and social media can be both great and detrimental this way. Take a pause with your project and reflect on why you’re building or making it. What’s it’s purpose? Why is it being done? How does the process of creating it make you feel? Excited? Stagnant? Bored? Happy? Slowing down for even just a bit of reflection on your project journey can be huge for allowing patience to shine through so you get each step done the way you’d like the first time.
The practice of patience is just that…a practice. A positive mindset and slower focus can really help achieve this for you as a woodworker. What are your thoughts on slowing down?