Born in West Virginia, and now living in Northeastern Ohio (via South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Washington state, and Southern California courtesy of USMC), I'm in my early 60s. I learned woodworking pretty much from "trial and error" and through observation and analysis of others' work. "Visiting" with other woodworkers on
various Internet forums and in other woodworking areas has also helped me build my knowledge base, and has given me many helps, hints, and suggestions for techniques that have helped me improve the quality and my enjoyment of my woodworking.
I've been a 'regular' on several different woodworking sites/boards for about twenty years, now. I've made many "electronic friends", and have actually visited with several of them when they, or I, have been in one another's home towns. It's always enjoyable to meet face-to-face someone whom you've "known" for several years through the forum.
Although I've always had a tool box and "tool collection" in all the places we've lived, I set up my first "permanent" amateur wood shop in the first house I bought in 1972 and have continuously added to it as I needed (or could afford) it. Now in its fifth location, my shop is now a 'work in progress' in a
dedicated 26' X 32' building.
I prefer to build one-of-a-kind furniture, but being a homeowner, I also end up doing a lot of home maintenance and home repair projects as well. I've built everything from
red oak kitchen cabinets to a rough redwood garden shed. Recent projects include a tambour fronted birch hamper, an oak wine rack/serving table, a Morris chair, a kitchen island, and a complete kitchen's worth of alder cabinetry.
Other recent projects are a new fireplace mantle and book cabinet surround, and new headboard & side cabinets for the bedroom.
I've built much of the wood furniture in my house - all the tables and chairs at least. One of my better projects was the Morris chair which I adapted to my own liking, using three different sets of plans/drawings as the basis. I guess I should call it a "DeLaney Chair" what with all the 'adapting' of it.
My other interests include computers, gardening, cooking, ... the list goes on and on!
I've been married to Mida, my high school sweetheart, for 39 years now, and am looking forward to at least 39 more! We have no offspring, but do have a Schnauzer that we treat and spoil like a child. Mida is an avid sewist and quilter, and participates regularly in several Crafts forums and various Sewing-related web sites, along with belonging to two local guilds.
I built her a complete 'sewing room' as one of my first projects when we moved into the last house.
We dismantled it and brought it with us to the current house, too. It has an "L" shaped work area around one corner, with cabinets and book shelves on each end, and thread cabinets underneath. Now that we've moved to yet another house,
I'll be building another, but bigger and more elaborate, sewing room setup for her. Her sewing/quilting studio in this house is a 14' X 40' basement room.
I've also built her a roll around, drop-leaf cutting table that's 16' X 40" closed and 80" X 40" open. Plenty of cloth cutting space on that one. Made it from hard maple and maple ply. Only drawback is it's very heavy, and Mida is pretty small, so guess who
usually gets to roll it around for her.
A retired Marine (22½ years), I worked as Director of Technical Programs for a national trade association for several years before setting up my own consulting business - specializing in motorized recreational vehicle safety & emissions standards compliance consulting. I also did that on my own for nearly eight years, but was also doing something similar at the trade association, so I had over fifteen years experience at
it by the time I 'moved on.' In 1999, I bought a Homeowner Association (HOA) management company, and ran it by myself until late 2004, when I sold it and Mida and I retired.
She quit her job of 26 years with an electronics company, and we sold our
California house and moved here to Ohio, where the cost of living is much more affordable, and the pace of life is considerably more laid back. We're both really enjoying our retirement after a combined total of nearly 80 years 'in the workforce.' We hope to do some traveling around the country in the coming Summers, and look forward to perhaps meeting some
more of our 'electronic friends' along the way!
