Official Luthiers Forum!

I have deep admiration for you lot.

I run cross-country to work, run around at College all day, run home, run after the kids and HWMBO, and spend most of my evenings guitar building. Being a woman I don't have the physical strength you lads have.

Intensive woodwork is TIRING!!!

Good night, I'm off to bed...

You luthiers find it tiring too?Sam Price39104.6834027778

Sam, Its the kids
By the time I get home each evening, my wife is ready to hand the kids off to me quicker than I can say "Whats for dinner!"

Compared to child rearing, woodworking is a snap

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

We all get tired, Sam...regardless of gender. The main thing is that you're doing something you love to do, so pace yourself accordingly. When too tired it's easy to allow yourself to get frustrated and when that happens, mistakes occur...at least for me. More importantly accidents can happen from sharp tools, equipment and we never like to hear of those kinds of reports.

Most of my building is late at night and into the wee hours of the morning. I used to always seem to be farther behind than where I thought I should be. I now build at a slow and more relaxed pace and actually feel more productive. I'm in no hurry. I try to discipline myself to complete each operation first and to my very best capability before moving on to the next step.

Get your rest and meet the next session with a more relaxed attitude, Sam. Best wishes!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

What JJ and Lance said Sam, i don't have any kids to run after now, my wife's sons are now too old for that but when she runs after me with the broom for stealing something from the kitchen, i'll tell ya that at 41, i'm still in good shape!

Seriously though, JJ's right about taking our first builds on a more relaxed pace, they seem to come out better!

Cheers

Serge

Sam,

The biggest fatigue factors for me are:

1) age

2) kids

or is it

1) kids

2) age

I'm too tired to remember.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I think you're right about woodworking being tiring work. I feel more
exhausted after 4 or 5 hours of guitars building than I do cutting
firewood all day. There is something about all the critical thinking
involved, I think. (at least for me critical thinking is hard work). Another
thing is the sedentary nature of guitar work, we don't put on very many
miles between the infeed table and the outfeed table of a drum sander.
Also, a couple hours hunched over an inlay is a sure way to get, a sore
neck, a bad back, crossed eyes, and unexpected fantasys about CNC
machines.

Tim Brookes, in his book, Guitar - An American life   tells about Rick
Davis playing with his dog outside his shop...   "three hours hunched over
a piece of wood, then twenty minutes outside, frolicking."

I try to frolick at least once a day!
Sam, I would recommend this for you too, if you can fit it into your busy
schedule.

take care
Long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

Being a woman I don't have the physical strength you lads have.

Sam I suspect it might have something to do with the fact you do more in a day than the average lad.

I do most of my shop work after my youngsters are in bed and into the wee hours. I have found on a number of occassions that I've been really tired and stressed out and have had to force myself into the shop only to find that working on a guitar energizes me.

My rule now is that if I am trully tired I stay away from activities that require very fine motor skills or using power tools such as the table saw or routers. On those days I'll do some sanding or draw/sketch ideas for the endless jigs underway.

I agree, NEVER work in the shop when fatigue could lead to an accident.
Now that I'm 'older' (but refuse to grow up), here's what I've discovered:
*I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
*My wild oats have turned into prunes and All Bran.
*I finally got my head together; now my body is falling apart.
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
*All reports are in; life is now officially unfair.
*If all is not lost, where is it?
*It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
*Some days you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant.
*I wish the buck stopped here; I sure could use a few...
*Kids in the back seat cause accidents.
*Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
*It's hard to make a come back when you haven't been anywhere.
*The only time the world beats a path to your door is when you're in the bathroom.
*If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would have put them on my knees.
*When I'm finally holding all the cards, why does everyone decide to play chess?
*Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
*It's not hard to meet expenses... they're everywhere.
*The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
*These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter.. I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I'm here after.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Wow Greg all that just knackered me out.
                   James w B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Sam, Hon, of course you are tired. You are packing in twice, maybe three times what most guys (and some women)stuff into a day.

My advice to you is, don't over train. Ride a bike to work every once in a while.
Every once in a while, pack the kids and the hubby off to where ever and have a day just for you.
Remember, stay away from the sharp stuff when you are tired and thoughts are getting fuzzy.
And last but not least, its not too early to get those kids to start taking over the housekeeping.

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Aoibeann

I'm always amazed to hear of you folks who have kids and can build guitars late at night. I don't know how you do it. Don't you need sleep? My kids have me up in the morning by 6:30 or so -- not to mention that I'm up at least twice during the night with our baby girl. If I worked late into the night in the shop, I'd be an absolute wreck in no time. Even now, as I look at my watch and see it's 10:10, I'm thinking, "Better get to bed or I'm not going to be functional tomorrow."

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Wow Sam, I got tired just reading your post.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Todd, i know what you mean, when i finished my Mom's guitar last july, it was 3h30 am and it was so relaxing, being alone in the shop with my thoughts for the stringing up!

I think i went to bed at 5 or 6h00 and got up at 9h00, must have been a week end or during my vacation time, i just couldn't wait to get up and present the guitar to Mom, i was so energized...

My shop is on the first floor of the building where i live and work as a janitor, when the tennants are too demanding, i sometimes escape there for a deep breathe of fresh air and sawdust.

Since we got kid #3 in April, I have been pretty much a walking zombie. I used to be able to work from late in the evening until about 1.30 in the morning, then get up again at 6.30 and go to the real job, and catch up on the sleeping on the week-ends.   Not anymore. Some nights, after the kids are in bed and the chores are done, I head down to the shop, turn on the lights...then I go outside to have a cigarette, go back in, hone a chisel or something try to get in the mood...then I go back upstairs, because one of the kids is sick and wants water and woke up one of the other kids in the process...and it's over midnight already... and I end up falling asleep on the sofa. Ah, kids...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

     Wow, Sam! It sounds like you have more energy than most guys that i
know. Enjoy your time in the shop when you get there.

    I've always said that I wouldn't trade jobs with my wife since she's been
a full-time stay at home Mom. We have five great kids and they have been
our top priority for the past 24 years.

    Even when I worked away from home and held down some very
physically demanding jobs, she worked harder than I could have.

    I haven't been able to work in my shop since last July, but I still get out
there to sweep up once in a while or to just sit and read or find a better
place for tools and things and it's my favorite place to be when I'm not
with family.

    Get some well deserved rest and be careful when you make it into your
guitar building area after doing so much through your days.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega GuitarsKevin Gallagher39105.9767476852

Thanks for the very kind words, everyone.

I'm pretty good at burning the candles at both ends...however the last few days have been hard!!!

I just put my kids to work...

Y'know, my kids have expressed an interest in helping me, actually!!! (Great photograph, BTW!!)