Hi John,
Welcome to the group. Sounds like you are off to a good start and we look forward to seeing more of your work. For the record, Nails and fasteners are traditional to woodworking and were used often, particularly for utilitarian work, when quality glues were not available, and/or they made sense in their application (such as in cross grain application). Many quality pieces feature hand made metal parts as major design features and perhaps you could combine your interest in metal working with woodworking. I remember one particular occasion where I was at a Shaker village where a young couple was exhibiting crafts and craft skills. One of the items they had was a striking medieval reproduction oak box featuring hand made hardware and a curved lid that I greatly admired. As we discussed craft, I observed at least a dozen groups come and go and nearly everyone was immediately drawn to that one box above all.
Have fun.