There are a lot of steps to woodworking projects. No matter how large or small the project is, every one must go through the following steps: planning, acquiring stock, rough-cutting, milling, joinery, assembly and finishing. Since some of these steps drag more than others, like finishing, I can see why some folks might be tempted to start another project before the first one is totally complete.

Personally, I avoid doing this. In fact, I truly have a one-track mind in that regard. I need to completely finish a project before even thinking about the next one. Recently, I had to break away from this personal policy due to time constraints. I was right in the middle of building a rustic outdoor dining table (future free site project by the way) when I had to put on the brakes to start the Greene & Greene Blanket Chest for the Guild. Seeing partially-milled stock and project parts laying around the shop drives me nuts! So as much as I am enjoying this blanket chest build, I simply cannot wait for it to be over so that I can complete the unfinished project sitting in a pile on my outfeed table.

So while it can’t always be helped, I avoid working on multiple projects like the plague! What about you?

Do you ever start a new project before finishing an old one?

This poll was created by Tom Iovino of TomsWorkbench.com.