Retired Woodworkers Love What They Do

Retired woodworkers are a growing segment of the population. Take a look at the people walking up and down the wood supply aisle in any big hardware and you’ll see some very mature men and women looking over the selection and sizing up the power tools.  And, yes, you read that right – women are taking up this hobby in growing numbers.  I know because my wife is one of them!

This past Christmas certainly did not feature some of my most romantic gift selections, but they were very well received.  A workbench and a circular saw brought a smile to my wife’s face and she has used them in a little basement workshop ever since.  She had always wanted to build furniture and, after taking a course offered by our local high school, she became determined to pursue this hobby when she had the time.

Isn’t that what retirement for?  To pursue a passion or curiosity about some activity – to watch your days fly by as you work to improve your skills.  Retired woodworkers take pride in their creations and whether it’s from a kit or their own design, the enjoyment that they get to make something with their own hands gives them a sense of satisfaction that they want to experience again and again.

Retired Woodworkers Know How to Have Fun

If this hobby has ever had some appeal for you, if you ever thought that joining the corps of retired woodworker might be a career aspiration, do what my wife did about ten years before she actually retired from teaching.  She took an eight week course where she got the chance to use power tools under the guidance of an instructor and built some small pieces (like a toolbox) that she still uses today.  She greatly enjoys her new hobby.  Except the sawdust.  She’s taken to cutting the wood outside to keep the sawdust out.  It can get a little chilly in the winter but she doesn’t seem to mind.

There are many options to improve your woodworking skills in this day and age of online learning.  Almost any community for 55 and older has a club that caters to retired woodworkers and it’s not only a great way to learn but it can expand your social circles as well.  Learning new skills keeps your mind active and engaged and every new project can bring a little excitement as you near the completion point.  How satisfying would it be to have someone admire a piece of furniture in your home and be able to tell them that you made it yourself?

If you are a skilled woodworker already, don't overlook the possibility of making money at this hobby.  I know many retired woodworkers are reluctant to do that because the price they would get for their hand-crafted masterpiece will never match the amount of labor that went into making it.  Plus, to watch a labor of love walk out the door is heartbreaking.  They are correct on both counts.  The one thing I would say is that there is a market for top quality handmade furniture and, if you are willing to wait for the right buyer, someone will pay you what you think the piece is worth.  We have found a few very good stores in our retirement journeys.  Where I will search out a presidential site, my wife only needs to see a flyer for handmade woodworking objects and we're off to check it out.  The merchandise is flawless and absolutely beautiful.  But you would think you were paying for gold.  The prices were quite high, at least in our opinion.  Keep in mind that my wife is a pretty decent woodworker and even she had trouble seeing someone pay those prices.  But people do.  The master craftsman said he was backlogged with orders.

The other way to make money as a retired woodworker is to teach the craft itself.  There is a great need for this because it's a dying art and there are people who would love to know what you've learned and the skills that you've acquired over the years.  While you could teach an in-person class, you could also film the lesson and sell it online or have your own YouTube channel.  Retirees are starting an online businesses all the time and they're finding out that it's a great way to supplement their income.  And they're having a lot of fun in the process.  If you've got a talent that takes the amount of skill that woodworking does, you should really find a way to share it with others.

Retirement is a golden opportunity to finally get to do all the things you thought about but didn’t have the time to pursue.  There’s no end to what awaits you and you can explore almost anything that comes to mind.  You’ll be surprised at how much fun you have, and you’ll enjoy making new friends and experiencing new things.  It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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