I was never good with wood either. I just kept at it til my hands could do what my brain wanted. There were 10 just horrible not even pipes before one even resembled a pipe. Then about 5 that were marginal after 15 or so they started to look pretty good.
this is a discuraging post lol
Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle- George Burns