Fight Your OCD, Keep the Floor Dirty
I’ll be honest, I’m tired. I’m really running behind on my latest Hand Tool School project, I have 4 Renaissance Woodworker episodes in production, a new lesson for the School, and 2 commisions in the works. In addition I’m building a new company website for my day job at J. Gibson McIlvain Lumber Co. But I’m having a lot of fun.
I actually had swept up a bit before this pic because the shavings had gotten so deep I was tracking them into the house.
With all of this going on, I am spending a LOT of time in the shop. Last weekend I spent over 22 hours in the shop in two 11 hour sessions. With hand work being centered on the bench, you don’t move around much and spend a lot of time standing in the same spot. Even with my anti-fatigue mats by the end of the day I am wiped out and the next morning you can feel the concrete floor in your bones. The past couple of days I have not been feeling nearly as tired and I just realized it is because I haven’t swept the floor in several days. Wood chips and shavings are quite soft under foot and as they build up they make for very comfortable work. So maybe I will fight the OCD in me and just leave the floor dirty.
I’m reminded of the words of Ron Herman, “Blood is slippery, sawdust is not”
