I grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. I graduated from the high school where my folks and my grandpa went. After high school, I joined the United States Air Force, attending the United States Air Force Academy for 4 years. I earned a BS in Chemistry. I went on active duty in 1990 and retired in 2010. Along the way I collected a bunch (volumes, really) of wood working books, tools, etc. The Air Force taught me that there is a ‘right’ tool for every job, and that every tool needs a home. Tool accountability is a big deal in the Air Force. A misplaced socket in the bomb bay is Not A Good Thing (true story. An F-117 was at the end of the runway doing the last preflight checks before takeoff. Part of the check was to make sure the bomb bay doors were operational. When the pilot opened them, a socket fell out).