Passion Nook

many women shy away from woodworking is perhaps a bit of "tool phobia." It's understandable because so much of modern woodworking revolves around power tools and high speed spinning blades can be intimidating. This concern is not unique to women and can be easily overcome.

Every workshop needs a few good hand tools. One trip to the home improvement or hardware store and you'll see that there are plenty from which to choose. So, how do you wade through all the options and end up with what you need? We need to start with the basics.

When it comes to making a decision about photography equipment, more often than not, people base the bulk of their decision on the camera body and the camera body alone. But anecdotal evidence shows that the bulk of digital SLR camera purchases are made for the short term, with little thinking given to the future and what equipment changes or upgrades may need to be made at a later date.

Woodworking involves the regular and intensive use of tools; tools that could cut, drill or scrape something else instead of the wood. To be sure that that something else does not happen to one of your digits or maybe even your entire hand or arm, it is prudent for you to proactively practice some common sense safety precautions so that your woodworking task becomes an enjoyable experience.

No woodworking project can be a success without doing some measuring and some laying out of parts. There are an amazing variety of tools from elegant and high tech to ugly and low tech to get the job done. The most important thing is accuracy.

Chess is a popular game all over the world and everyone has heard of it. Used as an educational tool in schools, by retirees to keep their brain agile, by travelers to fight boredom, and by mathematical students in university. In fact by anyone who enjoys a challenge.

We've all been there - we've received a jigsaw puzzle as a gift for a birthday or Christmas. We've sat and studiously pieced together the puzzle; some start at the corners and work their way in. Some start with the frame, some start with easily identifiable parts of the picture and then fill in the harder bits between (you know, the clouds or grass).

Teaching your kids to play chess doesn't only mean they acquire the skills and rules of playing the game. It also teaches them about life-skills such as problem solving, concentration and logical thinking, and can increase their attention span. Look online for good quality chess sets that are economical and fun.

Woodturning is perhaps one of the most artistic of the wood crafting family of skills. That's not to say that traditional woodworking; or certainly wood carving is not artistic. They can, in fact, be very artistic. Look at the sculpted lines of a Sam Maloof chair, or the graceful style of a Craftsman table and wood carving is art by definition. What sets woodturning apart is the lathe

It doesn't have to be the same type of hobby that everyone else has. In fact that is what will make it your hobby; it needs to be something that you find interesting. Something that will continue to hold your interest for years even.