It all depends is the best answer I can come up with. I have a partially finished banjo in the shop. Wouldn't take a really huge amount of time or effort to complete. However (the universe has made sure that almost everything has at least one 'however' connected to it), it rapidly dropped from high priority to low priority. Same with several other projects, in varying stages of completion - life got in the way, and something else got a higher priority. And some things just come together right and are zipped right out.

I do not depend on my shop for my bread and butter, so don't really let those hiccups bother me, eventually I'll get back to them, and finish them - or, as sometimes happens, come up with an improvement, better idea, or something else that thatmakes me abandon that particular project permanently - no biggie. I have my shop for my enjoyment, to help me relax, and to make a buck or three every once in awhile. Even just looking out the window, seeing it, knowing it is mine, paid for, is enough to make me feel good. The shop is small, 8'X12', it's what I could afford at the time, and if I hadn't gotten it, would never have gotten one. It works well for me and what I work on.

 

My approach is pretty much similar to Theo (JOAT).

I have some projects so far behind timetable, I may just use the stock for something else.

As an example, I was given a project to make a sign at the Men's Shed, but every Saturday when I go in, I am asked to help another member with their project. I don't mind as it all counts as "shop time"...LOL.

 

I agree with both previous comments. There are those who do this stuff for a living and they produce beautiful stuff in the time it takes to blink. One minute they're starting a new wardrobe, check back on the forum a day later and there it is in all it's beauty, finished!!! I'm only working with wood for me. The new garage side door took 3 weeks. It is solid and some of the time was spent watching glue dry, but it got there and I'm pleased with it.

Unless you're an expert, I'd say take your time so there's less mistakes (I learned that with a jig i was trying to make. Three attempts at the same peice as I wasn't paying attention.

 

I am great at procrastinating.
I can find any excuse to not do something. It could be the weather, the temperature, or "my show is on now". I do like to work in my shop, but there are even times I hate to get back to a project I started. The main reason for that is fear, fear of doing a new set-up or a new procedure. I get really nervous and have to think things through for a long time to build up my self-confidence. That could take a week, a month, or more. But then when I get to it again, I either get the procedure done to my satisfaction, or mess up the project and start over again (or not).
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

Hello David. My answer is: the time I thought it would take multiplied by 5. This is my third day on making the templates and installing a Grizzly router plate in my new router table. I'm afraid to even guess how much time I'll really spend making the fence and installing the t-tracks I want to put in.

It seems like basic math hurts me much more than mis-measuring or not noticing defects in the stock I'm using. My wife got tired of hearing me cursing because I miscalculated fractions, and offered to do the math for me. Not sure if that was a tongue-in-cheek offer or not.

The main thing is to try and stay out of time-crunch situations. It takes the fun right out of a hobby. Jim

 

I have a calculator that works in decimal and fractions. They aren't expensive and unless your wife is welcome in your shop, it may be an alternative.

 

usually long than guesstimated...

 

I'll let you know when I finally finish something.

 

Last few years I've done more and more 'projects' for folks outside of family and friends. When I decide to take on a project like this I have some very strict rules that I adhere to.
1: come to a thorough understanding of what it is to be built and how "we" would like it to look.
2: Its got to be a build I'll enjoy doing
3: All materials are paid for up front..
4: You get it when you get it... 3 weeks or 3 months,,,its done when its done.
5: If we don't agree on 1-4, I"m not your guy, no hard feelings and I'll help you find someone who might work out for ya.
A "fee" for my work isn't part of the process...thats made clear up front. I figure that by paying for the materials and giving me the
chance to do the job, I'm given an opportunity to do something that I might otherwise not be able to do. So I never expect to be paid.
But the tips have been pretty darn sweet...
I love farting around in the shop, I'll sometimes have a half dozen things going on at one time. Then there is cleaning, sharpening, tinkering and of course All of that thinking that goes on down there.

 

It depends a lot on the jointery. I used to try and make perfect mortise joints then I went to jig set up joints like the box joint and dovetail. I found that I was spending as much time just setting up the jig as making the joint (also making the jig took as long as the project). I finally settled on the pocket hole and I can now knock out a case, frame or box in a record time. I made the jig you are making now. It took the better part of the day and now collects dust. Keep the instructions handy because you will find it is difficult to remember it works. You can also go to Youtube to see one in use.

 

Finish a project? Sorry, I'm not clear on that concept...


(I'm retired; that's my excuse!)

 

I believe that success is described as being the journey along the way toward a goal, not the end of the journey, or in the context of this thread, the completion of a project. While it is important to finish a project, the time it takes to do is not important unless the work and the the finishing of the project is associated with one's lively hood, and it that's the case then it's not a hobby.

The posts to David's thread pretty much describe how I feel about my woodworking. It's an endeavor that I can lose myself in. I am seeing from the thread that we are more alike than defferent in that regard, that is the one's of us that are not into woodworking for a living.

David, I'm glad that your started this thread as it makes me feel that I am more like the majority of the members than I had realized, that's a good thing in my opinion.

The forum has introduced me to friends that I would never have met without it, these relationships and the back and forth between us is rich and adds much happineww to my life. The projects are simple the glue that hold the relationships together. The projects are the ingrediants that the glue is made from. I doubr if woodworking would be much fun if we all knew everyther that there is to be known and we all did things the same way, what would we every talk about, what questions would we ask, the fascination of it all would disappear.

So, for what it's worth, that's the way I have come to see what wwodworking is to me.

Jerry

 

Virtually everything I attempt, even the most basic and simplest of tasks takes at least twice as long as what I estimated. Thats for the few that ever get completed.

 

Look at it his way, "If you don't get it done today you have a head start on tomorrow".

Cheers
Jon

 

Inversely proportional to the time I spend on forums. :laugh:

Almost always longer than expected!

Depends some on the project... jewelry boxes rarely take as long as a kitchen full of cabinets.

If it's a paying job, may get done sooner. If ya wants it free, ya gets it when I get around to it. Hint... the forums looking very interesting.:sarcastic: Unless, of course, it just happens to be a really interesting project!

Advantages of being retired!

 

Duane,
When it comes to customers, and I've said this before, but all cusgtomers want three things, but they can have only two, they can pick which two of the three, but never can they have all three of them.

Here are the three choices

1. They want the work to be done good.

2. They want to pay as little s possible.

3. They want it done fast.

Jerry

 

Usually once I get rolling on a project, it usually will only take 2-3 times what I think it should. Occasionally it will take a bit longer - something like the model boat that I started ~ 1981 and which gets pulled out just in case maybe every 18 months or so. I did build a table for my wife a while back for her to use next to her chair for her laptop That fell right on schedule - started in early Dec 2012, finished for Christmas .... 2013:blink:

 

Hercules' Fifth Labor: the Augean Stables
Sounds about right...

 

Depends who for and why...
- If it's a paid job, quickly and efficiently.
- If it is for someone and it is a gift or charity... a little longer, Then feelings and pride goes into it and I want to turn out special.
- If my own, depends if whether there is an immediate need or if the priority can be pushed back by other priorities. I have many projects that keep getting pushed back by others... but I do get back to them. I admit that some of those projects are just test, keep busy kinds of things.

But with all of them, it feels so good when something comes together and is done.

 

But with all of them, it feels so good when something comes together and is done.

boy, ain't that the truth of it!!!

 

I have learned much from many threads. But rarely have I enjoyed - and been consoled - as much as by this one! Thanks to everyone for sharing this.

 

I enjoyed all the responses and do feel a lot better with the time I spend completing my projects, but the biggest laugh was jldmor response!! Which is exactly how I feel sometimes!

Thank you all for sharing.

 

This is a difficult question because of the so many involved factors.

Due to my job I do woodworking during week ends and holidays. In the middle of the way so many ideas arise and lend to changes. When I go to the hardware store I never find the required pieces since the actual situation of our national economy. Few months ago I brought a special paint for kid furniture from Rockler and two cans were spilled during the transportation.


Fortunately, this is a hobby... for the moment.

 

"The main thing is to try and stay out of time-crunch situations. It takes the fun right out of a hobby."

I've posted this before:
'Lack of planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency for my part.'

Words to live by!