This week Jim Krenov spoke to the class about finding your own voice in your work. His words continue to inspire the next generation of woodworkers. Now that projects underway, Jim has offered to provide weekly feedback to our students throughout their journey here at the school.
Ian's basic plywood mock up of rocker. Ian has moved onto a secondary more detailed mockup of one of the side frames which includes shaping and double open mortise and tenon joinery with a inside miter allowing interior sculpting. Completing these processes allow the maker to dial in the the comfort and any joinery prior to cutting into the precious wood, in this case one chair of each East Indian Rosewood and Teak.
Juan's story sticks for establishing the panel sizes. The panels are fit into the carcasses bottomed out in the grooves. A few plane strokes are then taken from either side of the panel to allow for seasonal movement. By removing this material after profiling it eliminates the need for multiple fence set ups on the shaper.
Juliette takes a break from cutting dovetails to carve spoons. Once she decides on size shape and surface texture she will need to make seven for the ceramic containers for her Imbuya spice box. The containers are being made by local potter Tim Niebergall.
Jacques' carcass with doweling and door rabbits complete. Notice the careful use of the grain graphics and tones. Jacques has taken the time to mill the remaining stock including wenge, London plane, teak and bocote for his drawers and stand material which he will allow to settle as he completes the carcass of English Brown Oak.
Scott mocks up his stand for table top cabinet. Scott's entire piece will test his ability to work on a very small scale. A challenging piece with multiple drawers and doors. Scott has been utilizing the many additional hours made available for students in the early mornings and evenings.
Federico shares with the class a final test of his veneered compound curve panel of Macassar ebony parquetry during walk-around. The unconventional construction and selected materials make this a challenging piece. Federico is away this weekend where he will be taking part in the Seattle Marathon.
Scott shares with the class during walkaround. Walkarounds continue to be an enjoyable and educational aspect of the program.
Cole uses a mockup of the bottom and side of his cabinet to establish set back for edge treatment. Cole's piece has an abundance of subtle curves.
After completing the curved frame and coopered panel open mortise and tenon joinery for his doors, Lael's planes the sides of his cabinet of pear.
Lael hand planes the inside surfaces of his cabinet. Once shaping and surface preparation is complete all components will be pre finished prior to assembly.
Hinges made made by Robert who demonstrated hinge making this week. Hinge making is taught using simple tools and machines using easily acquired materials. Students are required to make hinges required for their first piece.
Federico and Steve look at the possibilities for a panel of Claro walnut for Steve's box. Steve is nearing the completion of the joinery for his claro walnut jewelry box.
Robert uses a shooting board as he files the hinge blanks square before moving onto drilling operations.
Parts for Roberts chairs, one in wenge, one in ash and set up pieces. Robert will be moving onto joinery this week.
During recent Elephants, Jon & Zeppe take on Jaylene in a game of table tennis as Tadi watches. Elephants is a wonderful time for family and friends to enjoy each others company after a busy week.
The Benchroom this week ...
November 6, 2006
Juliette pares a set of sweet pins. Juliette will be spending a great deal of time at her bench. The Imbuya lends itself well to dovetailing and Juliette, who has really taken to the emphasis on handwork has shown amazing progress.
Federico's yellow cedar lumber laminated core ready for shaping. Federico is breaking new ground and with that has had to do several test pieces due to both the complexity and nature of his materials.
Scott's micro dovetails, neatly done. This set in beech and Spanish cedar are shown with a 1/16" shop made chisel beside for scale.
Jacques carcass of English Brown Oak.
Federico checks the curve with against his template.
Scott aligns his grain graphics for his cabinet on stand. Students were reminded again this week in JK's lecture about this ever so important aspect of our work.
Ian shares with the class on recent walkaround the process of routing the arc for his rocker form. Ian has decided to make two, one in East Indian Rosewood, the other in Teak or Golden Narra both picked up on our recent trip to Gilmer's Wood Company.
Lael checks the thickness of his curved rail for curved frame and panel of Swiss Pear Wood. The rails of his two door concave front cabinet are shaped using a spoke shave. The panel curve is subtle and will be shaped using coopering planes without the need of coopering staves.
Juliette's small spoon mock up for her spice box rests in a spoon carved by JK several years ago. Juliette has commissioned a local potter to make the containers of various sizes that will hold spices. Each container will have a spoon carved of boxwood.
Robert demonstrates the process of pattern shaping used in when making multiple chairs. This process is demonstrated but not encouraged and is intended only when making multiples.
Juan's Swiss Pear cabinet dry fit. Mockup, dowelling jigs and practice drawer of plum and maple in back ground.
Juan with all of his parts carefully laid out on his bench with doweling complete, nearly 150 dowels!
Jacques routing slots for partitions. Jacques has taken on a substantial first piece and all indications suggest it will be done for our Second annual first semester Student and Faculty show which takes place at our school gallery January 27th at 7pm.
Juan's cabinet showing all of those dowels.
Scotts cabinet with doweling complete, Scott has since moved onto routing the slots for his splined partitions. A lot going on in this small yet complex piece.
Jon uses a modified scraper to shape the edge of his doors. In addition to the double curve joint the doors are concave and the sides convex of this cabinet in an extraordinary piece of satin walnut.
Steve checks the surface quality of the inside surfaces of his walnut jewelry box of walnut and has since moved onto the hand cut dovetail joinery.
Jacques explores back panel possibilities for his cabinet on a stand of English Brown Oak, Wenge and Bocote.
Lael and Jacques play table tennis at recent Elephants, Tadi is the referee. Families and friends gather to unwind after a busy week at the school.
The last Elephants for Beatrice's mom who has since returned to Caracas Venezuela. She will be missed by all of us. We will look forward to her next visit.