Newest Piece For 2022
It’s the start to a new year with a new piece, a new design and a new room. Imagine the thrill of going to the wood supplier, buying oak boards and beams, and identifying them according to a design you drew on a sketchpad according to a design you developed. It’s the dining room that creates the inspiration. The blank page, new canvass, white space. You are about to take a small plane and true up the first faces and then the edge. You are ripping the wood to width and the grain just sparkles with every swipe. By the end of the day you are gluing up a tabletop you just hand planed and you throw the switch exhausted to dim the light. As you ride home you smile, feel a swelling in your chest as you realise that you just planed up 10 boards six-foot-long on both sides and the clamps are holding everything together until the glue dries and you will take them off in the morning. This is the way of a man called Paul, his feelings after working through a hard-work day, his recollections as he refreshes his mind with memories of all it took to get to this point. This seems almost magical yet it is altogether ordinary and it’s the ordinariness that makes it so very right.
I started this at the tail end of 2021. It was special. So close to Christmas but still closing one year to start the pace again in the new one about to unfold. Here in my garage workshop, I reflect every day on the good fortune of still making and with such good health and strength. How can this be? 57 years of daily making and into my 70s at that. I don’t know of another making for the length of time I have. And I still love everything that I do. My young friends are on the first part of their individual journies making too. We’re together in this thing I named ‘lifestyle woodworking‘ for good reason. Imagine how special that is for me to be a part of. They are giving it their best shot as I did mine. They will surpass me if they haven’t already. All it takes is a small space or three in the corner of a craftsman’s workshop with benches to work from and the tools to give them a kickstart.
Good morning Paul,
Beautiful table! I appreciate you taking us through the whole process of building this table. Thank you and best wishes.
Looks amazing. Are you making chairs or benches? As well.
I enjoy following the process of making a house your home. A general question that has doubtless been answered at some point gut here it is again: who does the upholstery for the pieces that require it? Do you hire it out or have you or has someone in your family mastered that art also. I was looking at the leather upholstery of some photos of your chairs and rockers and thought to myself, ”Nice work!”
Paul does it himself and also explains this really well, I found it surprisingly easy to do myself with Paul’s instructions. If you are a paying member of Woodworking Masterclasses check out the Craftsman Style Rocking Chair Series!
Thnk you Paul!!! Very beautiful table!! Looking forward for your walking us true the process, you are a great person, good teacher and it shows with everything you Touch: wood, heart and mind.