Knowing when to stop, step back and think about something. I still tend to just barge forward and regret it later, especially when I start getting tired. At least I'm a lot less likely to throw my chisels now that I've learned how to make them 'scary sharp'!! Blood will do that to ya. Still learnin!!
Ho boy, can I relate to that. I have to watch myself or I will barrel threw and screw something up WORSE. Now, I know better, but "in the moment" I have the tendency to keep working at something that is not going well already. A good example was about a month ago scraping molding on my forearm, I botched it in a few places but kept at it with a self-made tool that was not doing the job. I am to this day reworking those areas, it took me a while to develop a plan to correct three or four minutes of going past the point where I should have stopped.
When I am tired - these days I am good for about four-five hours of concentrated work - I tend to ignore that fact too long. I am getting better though. I will now stop and go do something that does not require so much concentration.
These are not new tendencies, I did the same thing when making commercial art. Someday perhaps I will learn.
dave
Jim Everett: we might make a team - you do all that metal stuff which twists me in knots and I will do the wood, which I love and have a knack for.