I had to skip three of the US venues with The Woodworking Shows for filming the next series over in the UK Castle workshop. This is the first series of our table-making series and paves the way for multiple table forms and styles we furniture makers make in the everyday of life. I have designed…
In a few days I arrive in Somerset, New Jersey and this was a special show for our work last year in that we connected to so many people for the first time. Travel can be hard on the human body and I am sure all of you know that, but what made my last…
The land seems more awake above the ground and in the air a few feet higher than I and then again at my level as I inch beneath winter-bare trees and smell the rising sap in giant reds and pines that never sleep but always keep that pulsing upward thrusting toward the highest light of…
Drawing beyond reason It’s generally accepted that it is a contradiction to use a rule to draw straight lines in sketches, but I never really cared about the rules (no pun intended). Using the rule gave me a line I wanted because I found it helpful and when I had done this for a season I put…
Two types of drawing – both for communication Always I find my pencil drift onto the page to create an image from my mind. I no longer need to see a plane in someone’s hand; I regularly create drawings based purely from what I envisage mentally – but it didn’t start out that way. Over…
NOTE:Just so you know, this is an older workbench series. Paul has a newer Workbench series. If you are interested in the updated version of Paul’s workbench please click the button down below. This page links to a cutting list, tools list, FAQS and much more. Click here to go to the workbench page This…
A good place to get drawing started I realise that this is not Sketchup, it’s something really different, but just like real woodworking with hand tools should never have been abandoned to the degree that it was, so to the simplicity of sketching and drawing. I like to sit and sketch at different times of…
You ask about keeping a Journal Many people like to see my journals. When they pick one of them up from my bench they don’t get too far before realizing this is not just a business book about my work but a record of what I make in a day. My journals are of course…
Winter hails a new springtime Traditionally, winter solstice fans a flickering ember of warmth into a time of past reflection and future hopes yet to unfold. With that comes forward planning and thoughts of planting seeds, of preparation and beyond that preparation some kind of harvest. In some cultures, nothing can happen during the winter…
I sharpened Derek’s saw on Saturday and of course it was nowhere near as he described, “Looks like the rats got at it.” It is a lovely saw. Quite lovely. Made by Marples, well worn handle and well used and cared for. I would be proud to own his saw, really. I hope he has…