What is Hobby Woodworking?

What is Hobby Woodworking?

Hobby Woodworking is created out of a slow interest in working with wood. It begins with an interest and being intrigued by the ways things are put together. The logical minded person will analyze the incorrectness of an object only to improve upon its design thus creating a beautiful piece of art out of wood. The creative minded person will not so much analyze but create something out of nothing often times completly unplanned. Creative minded and analytical, logical minded people can be the same person with strengths in both areas. This is how a hobby is born. 

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What is a Hobby?

A hobby is the action an individual asserts to pass their time in a relaxed state resulting in a created object.  A hobby is not a job nor a career. It is simply a way to use your hands and mind to create useful or beautiful objects. A hobby is a form of art by the individual. Hobby woodworking might include carving soft woods (have you ever read “Daniels Duck” as a child?). Wood hobbies might also include whittling or building furniture. 

Types of Wood Hobbies

Pallet

Imagine for a moment a pallet. You laugh. How juvenile! However, it is wood and if that’s all you have to work with, perhaps a child, consider what one can do with a pallet. Perhaps a child’s play shield is made, or small swords, small tables, play houses, headboards or backdrops in a youth room or church! Again, there are many things to create with beautiful and junk wood. It’s up to your imagination.

Chisel

When a neighbors gives you a block of wood and a few carving knives, you can learn to carve Santa Clause, a fish or a donkey from that small block of wood. Have you see wooden fish bait made from wood? Endless ideas. 

Live Edge

When given a live edge piece of black walnut that has been dried over a period of time, an individual might create a live edge cutting board or a set of coasters. Perhaps they discard the live edge and cut a small piece to create a handle for a knife. These are just a few ideas of what to do with one type of wood. Imagine how endless the possibilities are. 

Kimiko Joinery

Kimiko Joinery is an artistic, meditative application of woodworking that is traditional to the Japanese culture. It is a type of joinery that creates intricate, often repetitive designs using a hand chisel and wood pieces without using glue or nails to create  beautiful works of wood. You can learn more about Kimiko here. 

Why Start Woodworking as a Hobby

Woodworking hobbies do not need to be an endless mess of sawdust. Although many projects are. There are ways around the mess, depending on the amount of equipment you can allow yourself. Woodworking as a hobby is no different than fishing as a hobby. You do it because you enjoy it. You can relax yet use your mind, and be creative.

Hobby woodworking can also put smiles on many faces around you, near and far. Depending on your abilities, many woodworking projects are given as gifts. These gifts rarely end up in the trash bin, but perfectly placed, adored and used for a lifetime. Never be afraid to begin a new hobby of working with wood, in your own way, with your own imagination. Amazing creations will come of it. Or enter yourself in a woodworking challenge.