About me:
First and foremost, I am a Christian. I will say, and post things here that if you are opposed to the Christian faith, and those that hold it will rub you the wrong way. I can not in good conscience apologize for you being offended for following my conscience. So while I admit freely I love seeing my views skyrocket upward, if you are bothered by those sorts of posts, I simply ask that you consider reading someone else' blog. There are lots of them out there, and I don't want to offend you, but then again, I don't want you suffering for one moment let alone eternity. I will NOT be quiet when it comes to issues of morality and safety.
On the safety issue, I need to mention this here as a disclaimer.
The topics I discuss here involve using tools and machinery that have proven over time to be dangerous if used improperly. Accidents using these tools, or even being around improperly configured tools, or simply failure of certain tools has been known to MAIM and KILL people, as well as cause a great deal of property damage. I present the information I do to the best of my ability, and assume no responsibility either expressed or implied for anything you do with this information. If you take my advice and hurt yourself, someone else, or you break something YOU are solely responsible for your actions. So act wisely.
I am a senior Linux and Windows systems administrator by day, although this is my 2nd career, my first was an Auto / Diesel mechanic.
I still do my own repair and upgrade work to my own vehicles, but I ended up hating doing that work for other people.
I was educated for my first career, with an Associates Degree in Auto Diesel Technology from the now defunct ABC Technical and Trade School in Tucson Arizona, after Graduation, I worked in several shops around Tucson, including managing a full serve gas station / repair shop. I moved to Houston metro region, and tried getting traction in the field here, and found humidity, which made me miss Tucson, a lot, and the final convincer was I worked for some VERY crooked shop owners / managers that targeted selling repair jobs that were simply unneeded to women, and certain other lifestyle minorities. I just couldn't deal with landing in shop after shop run that way, so I went back to school...
I started college at University of Arizona before I had moved to Texas knowing I wanted something more than busting my back side and coming home filthy, and eventually graduated with honors with a degree in Art / Commercial Art in Houston, and proceeded to get a job with a company that needed someone more in tune with computers than art created on them. I had a knack for computers, and just enough coursework to get some traction. From there out it has been self study and experience, lots and lots of experience.
In all honesty, if the people I was in school with, specifically Jr. High and High School knew where I work, and doing what I do, they would have a severe problem believing it. I hated school as a kid. I mean hate. From most points of view, I was headed to nothing but trouble into my early 20s, but I got into college, and LOVED the experience. There is a huge difference between having to go to school, and having no say if the teacher is wrong, and chosing to attend classes and having professors that are open and honest enough to entertain intelligent dialogue. One such professor who has since retired, and lord knows what happened to her in the years since, but she deserves all the respect and mention I can muster, is Patsy Goss, U.S. and Texas History and Government professor I had in Houston. She was quite obviously from the other end of the political spectrum than I am, but was willing to entertain logical, well reasoned discussion. She challenged me on what I thought was the way things worked, and I hope and pray I did her.
I love to spend my time off with my wife, doing pretty much any outdoor activity aside from team sports.
Camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking are among my favorite outdoor activities.
I admit I am a bit odd for a guy in the fact that I just don't get team sports.
You won't find me wanting to go to a football or baseball game.
I blame it on being a kid in northern Ohio during hte 1970s. How can you learn to love a game when your team almost always loses?
I guess kids growing up with the Texans know the feeling now. Sorry Texans fans. Gotta love your spirit, maybe someday...
As a kid, I loved wood shop in Junior High, and High School. One of the few clases I didn't despise actually.
When it came to design and construction I sort of had a knack. My dad was a woodworker,
I believe his dad as well, I know several of my great uncles were, and our family is from a long line of woodworkers. I guess you could say sawdust is in my blood. Thank God so far it isn't the other way around!
I came back to Woodworking in early 2008 when my then new bride suggested I build my own workshop.
Up to that point I had been swapping / borrowing tools from friends, and really getting nothing done.
I owe her some finished projects that I REALLY need to get going on...
In the years since, I have managed to build a nice shop using equipment that I purchased as inexpensively as was reasonable.
I could have gone with some less expensive alternative to some of my choices, but my approach was meant to meet the maximum bang for the minimum buck approach.
On top of the woodworking hobby, I also like I mentioned still work on my own vehicles. I am particularly fond of 4x4 and off road vehicles. I currently own, and am working on a 2004 Ford F150 4x4, and would LOVE to own a 1966 - 1977 Ford "Bobtail" Bronco. You will occasionally see car / 4x4 related posts here. That is one of my passions and it is shop stuff, so it belongs here. I really do hope you enjoy!
I started this blog as I found I was entering the same information over and over again on multiple woodworking forums, some of which required registered user accounts to see the material I was posting, and that annoyed me. The blog allows me to enter the information once, and share it around with a much briefer description. The folks on the forums get their appetite for short entries satisfied, and they get pointed here if they want more photos, videos, and better descriptions.
It is my sincere hope that in your reading of my blog you find helpful infomration, inspiration, and entertainment that will allow you to enjoy your free time that much more, and get the most out of life, even if you are to never power up a tool of any sort. That the issues I bring to you give you hope, and inspiration, if someone like me, or any one of my friends can get the things done that we do, certainly you can tackle whatever you are facing!
One last item that I need to mention. I am adding affiliate banners / links to my blog to try to monetize this. I am not sure if this will work or not, but it would be great to be able to spend more quality shop time and time sharing my experiences with you. I simply ask that if you see something in the affiliate banner that you please purchase through this means. Each purchase pittance though it may be, is a step toward the goal of being able to bring you the best information I can, in as entertaining a fashion as possible.
God Bless!
-- David B. Hostetler.
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