I set a goal for myself to take three woodworking classes in 2023, and I ended up taking six. I made two bowls, a platter, a bottle stopper, a desk shelf, an end table, and a small cabinet.
The classes were good introductions to the techniques and equipment involved in turning large pieces of wood into smaller, fancier pieces of wood. I learned how to use a table saw and a lathe and a chisel. But I don’t think I’ve done enough that I could walk into a shop and make something out of raw lumber without a lot of guidance. Kinda feels like cooking: I know enough to follow a recipe, but not enough to improvise in the kitchen.
I’d like to do more woodworking, to get more practice with the tools, and eventually make useful things (I have ideas for a built-in desk/drawers/shelves thing). But it won’t make sense to buy my own equipment or to pay for one-on-one instruction at a shop until I have a relatively permanent place to put things. Time to buy a house.