Just finished my 500th drawer box yesterday

I was cleaning out my shop in Tacoma and found my old job log. I've been keeping it since my apprenticeship. The count was 499, and the one I just built for a kitchen job pushed it over. It's a silly number, but it made me stop and think about all the little things that go into making one right. Anyone have a drawer box count they're weirdly proud of?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_martin4021d ago

That "silly number" is the real thing, isn't it? It's the proof of all those small choices that add up. What's one of those little things you've learned to do differently from drawer number 1 to drawer number 500?

kai_chen221d ago

Wait, are we really counting drawer boxes now? That seems like the kind of thing that misses the point of woodworking. Shouldn't the pride be in the finished piece, not just one part you've made a bunch of times? I mean, what's next, counting every nail you've hammered? It feels like focusing on the number just turns craft into a factory job.

casey81821d ago

Actually, that 500th drawer was the one that made the count, not the one you just built. The log said 499, so the new kitchen drawer would be number 500, right? It's still a huge milestone either way. The little thing I changed was how I plan for wood movement on the bottom panel.