John, I have been wondering for a couple years now if we are related or somehow share genes.
I see your camera collection in Camera and Coffee and have wondered, who has more cameras? John or I? I note the extreme overlap of models as well, although you have a few I do wish I had.
And then the woodworking. I first thought those images of your shop were of my shop. And again, the overlap in our tools is unnerving. And again, you have a couple tools I have been meaning to acquire.
Simply odd. and sorry for your wife (and mine) I can say you're not terribly unique.
My woodworking also range from small projects (e.g., boxes) to homes, although I have never even attempted timber-frame. Just modern stick frame construction for me. Prefer making furniture.
I also come from a long line of woodworkers. My great grandparents and grandparents were schooled in the Swedish "Slade system", um, over in Sweden. I have inherited a number of tools from my great grandfather and grandfather on my mothers side. On my dads side, it was another tradition of woodworking, and settling the American west. The upshot of this is very well-used (and loved) tools that in some cases are beyond their useful life. So I have set out to acquire tools I need for my shop and now have quite a few. As you know (John), I much prefer my tools that are between 200 and 50 years old over their modern counterparts. Why? (you already know John) Because they are ALWAYS much better built and function much better than the modern junk we are offered today. I've offered the challenge in the past (with a different prize), but find me a handplane, a functioning handplane, at Home Depot and I'll give you a near mint M3, or maybe a Noctilux. You cannot find "real" tools anymore without some searching for the old stuff, or the small-time specialty toolmakers of today (and pay the premium price). BTW, before I get a lot of folks taking me up on that challenge. I know that Home Depot sells "handplanes", but they will not function out of the box. Sometimes after much work and many hours you can get one of them to work as a plane, but not always. Never worth the gamble.
Sorry for the long post. John, love the shop. Did I see a Stanley 79 sitting next to that 92 in one of those images? I'm not fond of the 79 anymore, favoring the Preston design now, but can't find one I can handle before purchasing....