JennyKay
05-10-2007, 02:51 PM
Hi everyone thought I would post a intro about myself. I became interested in woodworking 30 years ago when I had to use an electric drill to put up a curtain rail in a my new flat. I then put up shelves everywhere. I needed some bedside cabinets so thought I would try making them myself using libuary books for instructions. They were only made of conti board but they turned out ok.
Then one day a friend asked me to make them a rifle butt out of real wood. Which I did and that was it I fell in love with working with the real stuff. I made deck chairs, boxes, a babys cradle and picture frames where I made my own mouldings. By this time I had purchased a router (I love my router) which really opened my world to woodworking.
I learnt everything to do with woodworking through talking to people in the trade where I purchased my supplies and tools. At first they looked at me as if I was nuts (at that time women didn't do woodworking) but after a while they realized I was serious and helped me. I also rented woodworking videos, they were very helpful.
Then approx 15 years ago I took a City and Guilds coarse in Carpentry & Joinery for women. I already knew how to do it, I just wanted a certicate to say I did. I passed the coarse with distinction and they kept my written coarse work for future woodworking students.
At that time I was between jobs so with a City and Guilds Certificate under my belt thought I would use it to get work. So worked with a male friend boxing in cables in various Poilce Stations in London. When this work came to an end I got a job on a building site doing 1st and second fixings which is:- Studded partions, skirting boards, floor boards, doors etc., it was hard and heavy work but I managed to do it. It wasn't the woodworking I really wanted to do but I needed to make a living.
Unfortunetly I was the only female on the site and the men were on my case from the minute I got there in the morning till I went home taking the mickey. Never nasty but very annoying. So when the contract finished I decided not to do it again. For the last 10 years I have been working as a London Mini-cab driver.
Now I have retired I hope to get back into my woodworking again as I still have all my tools.
I'm going to have a good look round this forum and hope to get some ideas for my next project.
Then one day a friend asked me to make them a rifle butt out of real wood. Which I did and that was it I fell in love with working with the real stuff. I made deck chairs, boxes, a babys cradle and picture frames where I made my own mouldings. By this time I had purchased a router (I love my router) which really opened my world to woodworking.
I learnt everything to do with woodworking through talking to people in the trade where I purchased my supplies and tools. At first they looked at me as if I was nuts (at that time women didn't do woodworking) but after a while they realized I was serious and helped me. I also rented woodworking videos, they were very helpful.
Then approx 15 years ago I took a City and Guilds coarse in Carpentry & Joinery for women. I already knew how to do it, I just wanted a certicate to say I did. I passed the coarse with distinction and they kept my written coarse work for future woodworking students.
At that time I was between jobs so with a City and Guilds Certificate under my belt thought I would use it to get work. So worked with a male friend boxing in cables in various Poilce Stations in London. When this work came to an end I got a job on a building site doing 1st and second fixings which is:- Studded partions, skirting boards, floor boards, doors etc., it was hard and heavy work but I managed to do it. It wasn't the woodworking I really wanted to do but I needed to make a living.
Unfortunetly I was the only female on the site and the men were on my case from the minute I got there in the morning till I went home taking the mickey. Never nasty but very annoying. So when the contract finished I decided not to do it again. For the last 10 years I have been working as a London Mini-cab driver.
Now I have retired I hope to get back into my woodworking again as I still have all my tools.
I'm going to have a good look round this forum and hope to get some ideas for my next project.