Ask woodworkers why they love carpentry and you may be surprised at the replies.

• They may be poetic, like Darin M’s answer: “Because my shop is a sacred space that changes me from an insignificant wage slave into a creator. When I transform wood, it transforms me.”
• They may be civic, like Nick Offerman’s answer: “I would like Americans to make things with their hands. Thomas Jefferson and I feel that makes for a much stronger nation.”
• They may be practical and therapeutic, like Scott T’s answer: “Woodworking can replace bad habits.”
• And Gerald W’s reply indicates it can be a pressure valve: “Woodworking has saved a lot of lives. Every time I feel like killing someone, I go make some sawdust!”

CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS ON WOODWORKING to find your own reason to love working with your hands.

684.08 TOL         Jim Tolpin’s woodworking wit & wisdom: thirty years of lessons from the trade

684.08 WOO      Woodwork: a step-by-step photographic guide to successful woodworking

680.08 COM       The complete book of woodworking

684.18 COM       The complete guide to outdoor carpentry : complete plans for beautiful backyard building projects