Electric Screwdrivers
Thank Black and/or Decker for electric screwdrivers! I could probably
get through the rest of my life without sanding, sawing or taking any
interest in dovetailing, but I know that I have many pieces of cheap
Swedish furniture to assemble before I sleep. Using a screwdriver
doesn't even work off frustration like hammering, so I'm glad to sit back
and let sweet, sweet electricity do the work. A
Bandsaws
I think I used a bandsaw once, and I seem to remember that I was less
interested in actually building something and more in playing "No, Mr.
Bond, I expect you to die" in my head. Until I realized that I could cut
squiggles, and switched to making a jigsaw puzzle you could assemble into
a picture of wood. After about two minutes I was ready to move on. D+
Electric Sander
Sanding, I think, is what turned me off to the whole idea of woodshop.
the very idea that you need multiple grains of sandpaper to get the final
effect made me realize that I would be wasting valuable time I could be
spending not sanding things. Even the prospect of an electric sander
doesn't improve things, because it still requires attention to detail.
I just can't look at a piece of wood for that long. D
Electric Drill
You know how they say "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks
like a nail, especially nails"? Get an electric drill in your hands and
you suddenly become aware of exactly how much drywall surrounds you.
And all of it yours for the puncturing. I don't think I should be
allowed to have one of these. It puts notions in my head. C+
Lathe
I like lathes because radial symmetry is a hobby of mine. The ability to
affect all sides of an object without having to actually move around make
me feel like I have super speed and can tie criminals up in milliseconds
and make whirlwinds and table legs. If they make a machine that can
catch bullets for me I'm set. B-