abby_robinson58•20d agoProlific Poster

Old timer at the lumberyard called me out on my joinery

I was standing at the counter at Windsor Plywood in Denver last Tuesday, grabbing some oak for a dining table job. This guy, must have been 70, saw me checking my list and asked what I was building. I told him about my plan for through-tenons on the legs and he just laughed. He said 'son, you're making furniture for people who don't even know what a tenon is. None of them are gonna flip that table over to admire your work.' It hit me hard because he was right. I spend hours on joints that get hidden under a tablecloth or buried in a baseboard. He told me to focus on the surfaces people actually touch and see, like the top and the edges. Now I'm rethinking how I allocate my time on every project. Any of you guys ever had someone make you question your whole approach to a build?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara8420d ago

Haven't you ever built something just for yourself where the hidden parts matter as much as the visible ones? That old timer has a point about time management, but there's something to be said for taking pride in the parts nobody sees. It's like knowing you did the job right, even if nobody else ever notices.

uma_baker9920d ago

barbara84 that whole line about "taking pride in the parts nobody sees" hit me hard. I think there's something really honest about that kind of work, you know? Like when you're just doing it for yourself and not for some audience or approval. It reminds me of when I redid my old truck's wiring last summer. Spent three whole days on it, nobody ever saw it, but I knew every connection was clean and solid. Feels good to fall asleep knowing you didn't cut corners on something that matters to you.