New to FF and TF

[isaacpopp]

It is about time I made my first post on this amazing forum that I have been lurking almost every day for a month now.
So a huge HELLO! to everyone on here.

There are so many knowledgable people here that are more than happy to share their wisdom and the atmosphere of this forum is like a big family. It really is great to find somehting like this with so much positive activity and information.

Anyway, My name is Ben and I am from Florida, though now living in Omihachiman, Shiga, Japan. My wife and I are very interested in tradition methods of doing almost anything and plan to start a small farm/homestead when we return to the States in a few years. I have some woodworking experience but not much to speak of. This is where my questions come in.

I am wondering how to get started in woodworking (specifically working towards timber framing, though that may not be feasable with my situation now in Japan.) I know some members here have some Japanese connections and woodworking experience (Jay - I always find your posts interesting!) and though I am not wanting to pick up a certain style specifically, I feel it make sense to go with what you have at hand. Any suggestions on how to start would be appreciated or let me know how you got started in timber framing. (I am half way through Sobon's book now)

Very glad to be here and finally starting to post.  8)

-Ben

[Jay C. White Cloud]

Again welcome, I will send you a private message with info. Thanks for joining the Forestry Forum, you will learn much here, I'm sure

Regards,

jay

[mesquite buckeye]

Welcome. ;D

[jander3]

Welcome. I started with small projects

I cut a few test mortises and tenons in junk wood.

TF table

TF workbench

TF mailbox etc.

[clww]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

[Brad_bb]

Yes Welcome.  I wasn't into Woodworking and didn't have any woodworking skills until I became interested in Timberframing.  Five months after I discovered timberframing, I was able to attend a weeklong timberframing workshop.  The skills I learned in Timberframing are applicable to all areas of woodworking.  So starting in Timberframing will teach you skills for all areas.

[Jeff]

Welcome Ben. Glad to have you on board. 

Again welcome, I will send you a private message with info. Thanks for joining the Forestry Forum, you will learn much here, I'm sure

Regards,

jay

Jay, why private? I don't see isaacpopp asking for any proprietary or private information. The idea of the Forestry Forum is to share information in the topics that anyone can benefit from. Taking discussions behind the scenes, unless obviously requested, just seems a bit anti-productive to our goals.

[dukndog]

Welcome to the FF, Ben!!

[Jay C. White Cloud]

Hi Jeff,

No reason in particular.  Much of what I would send him is in Japanese, Metric, and some contacts I have there that may be of interest to him. I also asked about where he lived, as I have contacts in that area that he might like to meet.  I have been asked off line to tone done the metric use and/or include empirical, which I have, but it does become cumbersomeness at times.  I didn't think I should do some of that publicly?  If you say it's o.k. or would like me to share all of the contact info I was going to share with him, I would be glad to do so.

Regards,

jay

[Jeff]

Nope, don't do that. ;)

[Jeff]

I would suggest waiting until asked for infromation before bombarding a new member with private information. I've had this brought to my attention before. It just looks a bit cloak and dagger to everyone looking on even thought it probably never is.

[witterbound]

Find a Japanese timber framer and get to know him.

[Jay C. White Cloud]

I would suggest waiting until asked for infromation before bombarding a new member with private information. I've had this brought to my attention before. It just looks a bit cloak and dagger to everyone looking on even thought it probably never is.

Thank you for the feedback Jeff.  I usually do, but since making an asserted effort over the last 8 months to start being proactive in my effort to write more, and not "lurk" in the background, (as my friends and students have accused me of in the past,) I have had an overwhelmingly warm response in general by most folks out on the "net," and the different forums I have begun writing on.  This young person, as well as others have reached out.  Some do it first offline, (others do not) and I encourage them to join in the public conversation, some do, (others do not.)  If I have offended anyone, I humbly apologize, that was not my intent.  So far, anyone that I have reached out to has only reach back in kind.  This forum has brought me much enjoyment, (some sadness as now) over the last few months.  If my general character trait of "insertion" rubs certain folks the wrong way, I don't think the problem is with me. If I am incorrect about that, then perhaps I should go back to just reading what is written here, and do less writing.

Find a Japanese timber framer and get to know him.

That's what I was doing, since that is what I do.

[Jeff]

Jay there is absolutely no reason to create in your own mind a reason to be sad or to become a forum invert for that matter.  The goal of the forum is to present information for all to take advantage of. I gave Gene Wengert the same heads-up several weeks ago about mentioning to members on taking stuff off line. He in turn, understood exactly what my reasoning was, and totally agreed with me.

If you are giving personal contact information to somebody, that is entirely the place to do it, in personal messages or email. I'm sure that your contact to others is taken graciously. That is not the point. Its the point of what others wonder what they might be missing when you proclaim on the forum that you will contact someone off line with information. They turn to me, and ask, "Why is he telling them he'll contact them off line?" And they have. If you feel the need or reason arise to do that. You don't need to announce it. Just do it.

[t f flippo]

isa, welcome to the FF. Good introduction and question.
      My apologizes for going off topic with the following.

Jeff, I'm not guilty and guilty. NG for sending a personal PM,which may have included some confidential info. Guilty because some additional info may have been of interest to others on the FF.
When that is the case, I try to post that info contained in the PM. Thanks for pointing this out in a professional way.

Jay, Your posts are always interesting and good. Reading back, I can see what Jeff was referring to.
Keep posting....your spelling is much better than mine.

Tc