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Few advancements have made such a positive and exciting an impact on woodworking as the Internet. The communication between woodworkers that is possible today was only dreamt of in the recent past. Certainly the Internet has been around a little while, but not until it began to proliferate did it have as exciting an impact as it does today. For example, someone can make a posting on the rec.woodworking newsgroup that they constructed a new base for their jointer. I can read that with my newsreader, and wanting to do the same thing e-mail the original poster for more information. He might e-mail me back with a World Wide Web address where he has posted some pictures on the net and I can browse those photos with my web browser. Looking at his photos might give me a great idea so I decide to page him over the Internet, then carry out a live discussion using an Internet Relay Chat program. Keep in mind, all of this could take place in the span of minutes and we could be on opposite sides of the globe.
Now, this is not a links page. I have included the address below of a couple of good ones, but I don't do links. These are merely some suggestions as to things other than just the World Wide Web that you can use to further your woodworking knowledge and contacts.
Number one on my list is to try out the rec.woodworking newsgroup. Newsgroups are like message boards where people post messages and other respond. There are thousands of them on every topic, from the most sleazy to the religious. They are the best way to meet others with similar interests. Beware, however, that this aspect of the Internet is one of the very oldest and some of the people on these groups have been around. There is a certain way of doing things regarding these groups, called netiquette, and it is best learned by reading an article on it, like this one , watching and learning before actually participating (called lurking) and most importantly reading the FAQ file associated with the group. A FAQ file is a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions and their answers involving the group. Don't just dive in. Try to learn the character of the group before you present yourself, then do so politely. You are probably going to put your foot in your mouth a couple times, and get flamed (a good bum spanking, verbally speaking) for it, but you'll learn.
One of the most important things about the newsgroups is to not burst in with a question before you are sure that it hasn't been kicked around, at least not for a long time. There are only two ways to know this; the first is through recall by having participated in the group for some time, or by searching the Google USENET Archive for the answer to your question. Google (formerly Dejanews) archives all of the main newsgroup postings so you can do a power search and find out if there is already an acceptable answer to your question. The information goes all the way back to 1995.
Once you have some contacts, you can use e-mail to keep in touch. E-mail is also an excellent way to ask manufacturers questions about their products. I find out a lot of information this way. An older form of communication based on e-mail is the mailing list. There are several, including the OldTools list that provide information for woodworkers, or in this case antique tool enthusiasts. The link to get on the OldTools List is here.
Last but certainly not least is the WWW, or World Wide Web. Search engines like Infoseek, Excite, Looksmart, Alta Vista, and Magellan can help you search for web sites, Usenet newsgroups, mailing lists and manufacturers. You can also shop online, but be wary and only deal with well known businesses, and use a credit card. I won't suggest any particular online vendors here, but check rec.woodworking as they are mentioned frequently.
Some of the original information and links pages on the net are Internetwoodworking.com, originally known as either "Woodworking and hiding in the Garage" or "W5 - Wood Working on the World Wide Web", and The Electronic Neanderthal Woodworker . Both pages have tons of useful information and links and are well worth bookmarking. About.Com is a commercial web site with articles and links that is worth visiting, and Allan's Wood Miser's Workshop is a favorite of mine as well.
Here are some more information sites that I use quite a bit. The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory site has a series of pdf files that contains everything you ever wanted to know about wood. The D&S Scary Sharp(TM) System is a system of sharpening your edge tools with progressive grit sizes of abrasive paper. The Fine Woodworking Magazine index allows you to search all 25 years of Fine Woodworking to get the information you want. Jim Thompson put together a great page on dust collection.
There are also some great links pages. I originally wanted to put together a links page but there are so many good ones that I was soon dissuaded. Luis' Woodworking Page is one of the finest. I believe he has more links than I have ever seen on one page, and they are all categorized for easy browsing. The Woodchuck Canuck is the Canadian equivalent and has lots of great links and information. Jim Roche's rec.woodworking tidbits page provides a number of links to other excellent sources of humor and information. But there are other pages that have influenced my web site and my workshop. Ken Vaughn's Workshop is an excellent personal page that has really affected my web design ideas for this web site. All the information you would expect and a no fuss layout. The WOOD Magazine Idea Shops page provides me with constant inspiration when I think about changes to my workspace. Finally, The New Yankee Workshop is my favorite TV show, so I have to include it.
To conclude, try following along with the rec.woodworking newsgroup. Read the FAQ file and enter slowly. It can be a very positive learning experience upon which to expand your woodworking knowledge base. And, have some fun with the Web. Try out the Woodworking WebRing. At last look I thing there were close to 500 web sites based on woodworking for you to look at, all linked together for ease of use. The Internet is a good thing, and it's good for you and your woodworking. Indulge yourself. You won't be sorry.
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