The problem with communication is that it doesn't always happen. I've made some furniture for our house, very little was purchased recently, much of it is older than I am. My wife knows what I'm capable of, yet this showed up today.
I don't know what it is, I'm pretty sure it's for our house, I'm certain whatever it is could be made with the tools & skill I have and I'm positive it cost too much (though I have no idea what was spent on it).
The problem with today's gotta have it now mentality is people aren't willing to wait for quality, nor do they care where it's coming from.
The problem with shipping all our decent walnut (along with various other species) logs oversea is they don't get processed and turned into furniture here, instead they benefit an economy that is for all intents and purpose at war with ours and continuing to gain traction.
Your message seems to wander from not communicating with your wife?? to sending raw materials to other countries. Is there a specific point or are you just ranting?
Well those countries aren't holding anyone up at gunpoint demanding the logs. People here are selling this country out to make fast money. Today's throw away society just keeps feeding the machine. Sounds battle like my wife. Says it takes me too lo,g to build it. She needs it soon.
My wife usually looks for vintage mid-century modern furniture. After seeing the quality of most of them, she has no interest in ready for assembly crap from Asia. MCM stuff is often still veneer but the build quality is usually much nicer and often real wood instead of particle board or MDF cores. We have gotten some really nice stuff for next to nothing. In one case, we got a solid walnut dresser literally for nothing because it had a broken leg which was an easy fix. In another case I restored a beautiful end table that some idiot chalk painted. You would not believe the book matched walnut veneer that they painted over.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
"My wife knows what I'm capable of, yet this showed up today."
I have seen this scenario in my 42 year marriage to the best Woman in the world. Working a regular job for 40 hours a week, and running 2 side businesses taking easily another 40 hours a week. I have frequently said "that's crap, let me make you something."
Though I love her to death, I will admit she is usually the last customer served. So tired of waiting around, she goes into the shop/buy mode to satisfy that need that is itching away at her, and I'll admit I usually don't feel the pressure like she does. So I "drag my azz" and she does what she does.
Possibly I am all wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is what you experienced here. If I had a 100% fix, I'd let ya know what it is. :-)
Also just my opinion, but I think the cheesy Chinese wood, and probably crap build quality was intentional, because she already knew your thoughts on that matter. Kinda like that kick in the teeth, once she had already knocked you out.
I bet Confucius say: Say "YES DEAR" several times a day, and make Wifey #1 Customer all time. = Happy House. :-)
I now have a plan she found and since I'm sitting on a mountain of cherry I milled two years ago, that's what they (now two) are going to be made from.
