On Woodworking

The online woodworking community (the Community) has recently been buzzing with discussion about Paul Sellers statements regarding woodworking machine manufacturers and the use of woodworking machines. Some (such as myself) have called him out for the snobbery of his statements. Others have defended him, saying he needs an opportunity to explain his statements. The discussion has been heated, but mostly civil (the Community is a nice group). Enough has been said by all sides.

My point with this post is not to rehash the argument, but to simply state my take on Woodworking. I think woodworking an open craft. Woodworking is open to anyone, any tooling, any method and any wood. The point is to build something (anything), build it the best you can, by the means you prefer, enjoy building it and be proud of it when youre done.

Any tool will do.

That is woodworking for me. Its not that I dont care for methods & skill, I just feel theyre personal things and not a means of measuring the woodworker.

Thankfully, many others, such as the Modern Woodworkers Association, share my take. I feel that to view woodworking as anything less would would only diminish the craft and the Community.

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