Who helped you?

Re: Who helped you?

Fog Tanner

>The same person that is still helping me, Fog Sr. Even though I buried him three years ago, what he taught me still helps me in this world. He was that special generation that lived through a depression and fought a war. They came home with the hope of a family and making a life. To work hard for an honest days pay, never ask for any handouts or government programs. I was brought home to a two room sawmill shack. But is was home. My father had burning desire to never be in debt to the company stores that went along with the east Texas samills. Like a lot of other GIs, he turned what he learned in the war to a livelyhood for his family, and got a job as an airplane mechanic. I watched as he worked two jobs for those extra things. He was never afraid of work and never complained. I once asked him why he worked such long hours. All he would say was "the work was there, and someone had to do it". That has always stuck with me.

The only thing he ever asked of me, was to do my best at whatever I did. That was what he did at anything he did. The best he could do. A lesson I still strive for each day. Being and airplane mechanic and the type of person he was, he was never afraid to try anything within its bounds. As a kid I would ask him if he could fix this or that and I always got the same reply, "I can fix it or fix it so noone else can". I understood what he meant later in life.

So, my hero, or the role model I have is not some airhead jock, but a real person - who to me is still bigger than life. He still gives me a target to aim for. I am forever grateful that I was allowed that time in life to growup among such a wonderful group of people. Everyday I read the obits and see another of that generation and it saddens me that part of my life is slowly fading away. A part of history that is slowly being written into the books. For those that missed that time, a phrase in a movie sums it up, "those things that should not be forgotten are, for none that remember are alive. History becomes ledgend and ledgend becomes myth". If you are a boomer, you were helped more than you know.......I turn wood because its there and someone has to do it, and I can turn it or turn it so noone else can.

Fog

My Mom.

steve antonucci

>When I was going to Freshman year in high school, I wanted to be a carpenter. Growing up in a blue collar (Teamster) household, I never knew any better, but my Mom did.

She told me I was too smart to work with my hands all my life. So I took a computer class when no one knew what a computer was. At 14, I was a college level programmer. Eight years later, I had a degree in Engineering, and a white collar job. I was the first in my family to graduate from college.

16 years later, I find myself in the odd situation of being tired of "the game" and looking for my next challenge. Much like Fog Sr. and Charley, I can do anything I chose to put my mind to. But I owe it to my kids to give them the best chance while they grow up. So even though I'd like to be a carpenter again, I'll probably stick out the next 10-15 years in "the game", just because it gives my kids things I didn't have.

Hopefully, 20 years or so from now, one of my two will answer this with "my Dad".

Steve

Re: Who helped you?

Eaglesc

>I guess I would have to say Al Gore.

Mostlt of the forums and articles on the internet.

Re: Who helped you?

Dick Hines

>My family. They went through a lot as I was growing up. Dad broke his neck in a boating acedent. Had to learn to do everything over again. Dress himself, walk , drive and the like. Mom set in the hospital for six weeks making sure he ate and took his meds. He got a job weighing trucks in a sand pit and took classes and before long he was an inspecter for VEDOT. Mon tooka job and worked until 8 years ago when she had a stroke. She never complained. They are both goin now but I can see their faces and hear them tell to do the right thing every day.

Along with Mom and Dad I had 4 great grandparents. I was in my 40's before the last one died. They were like an entention of my parents.

"If you are going to do something do it right and the best you can" I heard it a million times growing up. The only thing I regret is not spending more time with them.

Re: Who helped you?

David Hammond, in Powder Springs GA

>My father, more than anyone else. From day one I was told, "It's not worth doing if you're not going to do it right." I've heard that so many times, about everything from learning to weedeat thoroughly, to learning to hang crown. And now, as I've embarked on this woodturning journey, I know his constant encouragment with those kind of statements has made me pursue the highest level of excellence I can in my woodturning, and to continue to push for new levels of acheivement. And, I would simply be wrong not to give credit to Terry Daniels for his help in learning about turning wood for money - and to the internet in general, this forum, and the woodturning community who is always willing to help out another turner.

David Hammond

My Dad & Me, Inc.

Different people...

BubbaBob

>...for different things, but on two subjects, specifically, I have to thank Terry Daniels for teaching me to turn, and a couple of guys named Bill W. and Dr. Bob for teaching me how to live rather than exist.

BubbaBob

Bill Grumbine and Dave Smith

David Propst

>I am a turner thanks to all the wonderful folks I met on Badger Pond. My first bowl was turned at a Pond get-together at Andy Halterman's in late Dec.'99. I kind of knew what turning was, but my interest was in becoming a flat woodworker. Dave Smith taught me enough to get the bowl off Andy's lathe (Although no stranger to the lathe, he had just turned his bowl a few minutes before). It is of spectacular spalted beech from Andy's firewood pile. It is on the shelf above where I am sitting.

I had the bug and within a couple of months I had bought a used Delta lathe from another Ponder, Randy Taylor. I fooled around for a few more months, blowing up far more than I finished. That summer I got to visit Dave at his home where he showed me a good bit more. Then in early October of 2000 I had the opportunity to visit Bill Grumbine for a lesson. My eyes were opened! It was a great day that really gave me a lot of confidence.

Without the friends I met there to encourage and teach me both online and in person I would have maybe never been a turner or it would have been a long time before I tried it. There are many more who have helped me with my turning, but I will always be very, very grateful for Dave and Bill for getting me on the right path!

David

Bill Grumbine

Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont

>Hi,

As for wood turning I owe a great deal of gratitude and thanks to Bill Grumbine. In the spring of 1999 Bill was kind enough to accept many visits from a Canadian off of Badger Pond and allow me to learn at his lathe. Bill never asked me for a thing and we were friends on our first visit. His original greating for me was one of legend "Friend Or Foe?"

Above the woodturning is Bill's family, they have always been kind and warm to me, now how could I not learn any better than that.

Woodworking, well almost all of it is self taught, but like turning most all of my inspiration comes from the posters on the net, and the sharing of ideas that is common place amoungst woodworkers, without these inspirations my woodworking and turning would be a long lost hobby of the past.

Take care,

Jim

Re: Who helped you?

Harry B. Pye

>I guess of all the people I've known, the person who helped me the most was my grandfather. He was a stairbuilder in the days when stairs were built by hand and not shipped to the job site in a box. He went to work every day in his 1937 DeSota. His tool box contained nothing but hand tools. Except for the little table saw in his basement and a home made lathe, none of his tools had an electrical cord.

In the early forties I was a Boy Scout and wanted to earn the Woodturning merit badge. He taught me to turn on his home made lathe that used angle iron for the ways and a dead center that he made from oak and a big, long screw that looked as if it came from the inside of a piano. He had three turning tools: a skew, a gouge (maybe two) and a parting tool.

The most important thing I learned from him was pride of workmanship and honesty. He was a great man who I will remember forever.

Badger Pond & Bill Grumbine

Gerry in NE Maryland

>

Re: Who helped you?

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>Bill Grumbine, Wally Dickermann, Russ Fairfield, .....

Badger Pond and Bill Grumbine

Dave Smith

>When Badger Pond started posting pictures of projects the turning boys were very prolific. When I started turning I got a lot of good answers to my questions on Badger Pond. The power of the inter net is evident when people can write an answer without me seeing and hearing them laughing at me. After a year of turning I decided to take a lesson and traveled cross country to Bill Grumbine's shop. I was asked why I didn't take lessons closer to home and I replied that I knew Bill. I felt comfortable with someone I knew. The hard part was explaining that I had never met the guy in person but I knew him from posting on Badger Pond. I was not disappointed when I took my lessons. I learned to use a skew watching Larry Hancock turn. Wally Dickerman has taken the time to help me understand form even if I wasn't ready.

Nearly everyone I know that started turning has moved up to a better lathe. David Propst went though 5 or more lathes before getting a Poolwood. I am still turning on a used Jet 1236 which draws on my vast store of Navy language from time to time.

Dave Smith

Wood turning has been very good to me in Longview, WA.

You're a good turner in spite of me.

Dave Smith

>

Now Dave, The Poolewood Is My Third!

David Propst

>I started with the 1970 Delta which rattled across the shop whenever I put more than a spindle on it. I quickly moved up to a Conover when a great deal came my way. It is a beautiful machine and when I sold it I made sure it had a fine home where I had visitation rights.

The Poolewood was a splurge in more abundant times, but I sure do not regret it. If I had started with a 1236 I doubt I would have upgraded as quickly. I like to turn big wet wood so it suits me well.

See ya in '05,

David