"People who start with hand tools tend to learn about wood first, and not the machine," Barb says. "They learn what stresses it can take and what joinery fits each project. I think you're a better woodworker for that."

Three years ago, Barb decided to commit herself to woodworking when she sold the bookstore she owned for 20 years and fully equipped her shop. She now works part time for a bus tour company, which gives her enough time to immerse herself in woodworking.

The best advice Barb has for the beginning woodworker is to learn how to safely use the equipment. "I've seen so many posts on (internet) message boards from people who say, 'I have the money, I'm ready to go.' And it scares me that they just take a table saw out of the box and are ready to go," she said. "It's the obligation of any woodworker to learn the safety issues for each piece of equipment."

No matter how experienced and skilled a woodworker is, she points out, there is always something new to learn, whether it be a different joinery technique or mastering an unfamiliar tool. That's also one of the great rewards of being a woodworker; you are always evolving. "After I sold the bookstore and got into woodworking seriously, my interest was learning about wood and getting good woods," Barb says. "Then as I developed my skills, I developed a serious interest in hand tools. Now I'm more interested in design. The possibilities open up like a lotus blossom. You think, 'I can do this if I just apply myself.' I consciously make the decision to not make something like someone else had built. It's made me more creative and try different joinery techniques. I don't know what's next."