A brief overview of my woodworking skill base.
I believe that I was very fortunate when I attended school, in that woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing were still
being taught as separate subjects. I had some excellent teachers and they were people and craftsmen that I admired.
I left school in 1969 with top grades in woodwork and technical drawing and entered Loughborough College of
Education, intending to take up life as a teacher in Creative design. I really enjoyed college but after the teaching
practice I decided teaching was not for me.
I set up a one man business making small pieces of furniture, coffee tables and nests of tables but unfortunately I could
not make a living from this.
I took a completely different career path but maintained woodwork as a real passion. On retiring from work I booked
myself onto a skill building cabinet making course with David Charlesworth who is based in Hartland, Devon, England.
I transformed my old Bailey hand plane into a tool that would allow me to take incredibly fine shavings. I was introduced
to the wonders of Japanese laminated chisels and David’s method of sharpening them, plus Eschhenbach clip on
magnifiers.
I spent the second week making the through and lapped dovetail on a small drawer. What was highlighted here was the
complete lack of good dovetail templates and marking knives.
And the final week I made a small mirror in ripple sycamore. In that three week course I took my skills to another level
and I felt it was money well spent.
I believe that I was very fortunate when I attended school, in that woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing were still
being taught as separate subjects. I had some excellent teachers and they were people and craftsmen that I admired.
I left school in 1969 with top grades in woodwork and technical drawing and entered Loughborough College of
Education, intending to take up life as a teacher in Creative design. I really enjoyed college but after the teaching
practice I decided teaching was not for me.
I set up a one man business making small pieces of furniture, coffee tables and nests of tables but unfortunately I could
not make a living from this.
I took a completely different career path but maintained woodwork as a real passion. On retiring from work I booked
myself onto a skill building cabinet making course with David Charlesworth who is based in Hartland, Devon, England.
I transformed my old Bailey hand plane into a tool that would allow me to take incredibly fine shavings. I was introduced
to the wonders of Japanese laminated chisels and David’s method of sharpening them, plus Eschhenbach clip on
magnifiers.
I spent the second week making the through and lapped dovetail on a small drawer. What was highlighted here was the
complete lack of good dovetail templates and marking knives.
And the final week I made a small mirror in ripple sycamore. In that three week course I took my skills to another level
and I felt it was money well spent.
Skill building and fund raising through cabinet making.
A kneehole desk
One of the many goals I set myself in retirement was to use my skills as a cabinet maker to raise funds for youth
groups.
My first project was a small kneehole desk made under the guidance of a Liverpool cabinet maker, George Burton.
George had been making this style of desk for many decades from old wood, however this one was made from new
timber. The money raised was donated to Halewood amateur boxing club, Merseyside.
A kneehole desk
One of the many goals I set myself in retirement was to use my skills as a cabinet maker to raise funds for youth
groups.
My first project was a small kneehole desk made under the guidance of a Liverpool cabinet maker, George Burton.
George had been making this style of desk for many decades from old wood, however this one was made from new
timber. The money raised was donated to Halewood amateur boxing club, Merseyside.
The sideboard.
For this project I asked for sponsors and I was fortunate enough to have the English oak donated by The Duke of
Westminster.
For this project I asked for sponsors and I was fortunate enough to have the English oak donated by The Duke of
Westminster.
This sideboard was of a traditional style and was made for Mrs Betty Bolton who took a major role in the design
process. I had in fact designed the drawer fronts differently so they were inset like the doors, and with brass handles.
Betty wanted wooden knobs. The customer is king. The good news for me was that I took my skill base another
rung up the ladder.
The money from this commission was donated equally between the 37th Warrington Brownies, and Alt Bridge
Secondary Support Centre.
process. I had in fact designed the drawer fronts differently so they were inset like the doors, and with brass handles.
Betty wanted wooden knobs. The customer is king. The good news for me was that I took my skill base another
rung up the ladder.
The money from this commission was donated equally between the 37th Warrington Brownies, and Alt Bridge
Secondary Support Centre.
The box.
It was in mid 2003 that I started work on this box and at some stage decided I would pit my skills against other cabinet
makers by entering a competition. The most prestigious competition in my opinion in the United Kingdom is the one
organised by the Furniture and Cabinet making magazine
The competition has three categories. One for the professionals, one for trained amateurs like myself, and another for
self taught people. There was some amazing pieces on show. I was lucky enough to win second place for this
English oak jewellery box with ebony handles and cedar of Lebanon drawer bottoms.
There are forty four through dovetails joints on the outside of the box, small ones near the edge and larger towards
the centre. The drawer fronts were lap dovetailed with the usual through dovetails at the rear. The box carcase was
6mm thick and the drawer sides 4mm so you are talking pretty thin timber here.
I was very pleased with the judges comments, and I quote, ‘This rather finely dovetailed English Oak jewellery box with
three drawers is a lovely example of dovetails at their best. The guy who beat me in my category made a beautifully
curvaceous chest of drawers, a worthy winner. I just wish I had his design skills.
Whilst making this batch of seven boxes I made some specialist jigs. I will introduce you to all of these.
As this small box was the best piece of craftsmanship that I had ever made I felt it rather fitting to present it to my wife,
and make a donation to my old school.
Google SketchUp
What I like about this project is that we are going to be able to communicate very clearly providing you are willing to
build your skills in a drawing package called Google SketchUp. If you are interested in this software go to:-
www.sketchup.com
It’s absolutely free, providing you don’t use it for a commercial purposes. Using this software you will be able to
clearly view the 3d models that I have created.
Sketchucation.
For those new to this software it is very user friendly, and if you want to join a very helpful forum, register with at:-
www.sketchucation.com
makers by entering a competition. The most prestigious competition in my opinion in the United Kingdom is the one
organised by the Furniture and Cabinet making magazine
The competition has three categories. One for the professionals, one for trained amateurs like myself, and another for
self taught people. There was some amazing pieces on show. I was lucky enough to win second place for this
English oak jewellery box with ebony handles and cedar of Lebanon drawer bottoms.
There are forty four through dovetails joints on the outside of the box, small ones near the edge and larger towards
the centre. The drawer fronts were lap dovetailed with the usual through dovetails at the rear. The box carcase was
6mm thick and the drawer sides 4mm so you are talking pretty thin timber here.
I was very pleased with the judges comments, and I quote, ‘This rather finely dovetailed English Oak jewellery box with
three drawers is a lovely example of dovetails at their best. The guy who beat me in my category made a beautifully
curvaceous chest of drawers, a worthy winner. I just wish I had his design skills.
Whilst making this batch of seven boxes I made some specialist jigs. I will introduce you to all of these.
As this small box was the best piece of craftsmanship that I had ever made I felt it rather fitting to present it to my wife,
and make a donation to my old school.
Google SketchUp
What I like about this project is that we are going to be able to communicate very clearly providing you are willing to
build your skills in a drawing package called Google SketchUp. If you are interested in this software go to:-
www.sketchup.com
It’s absolutely free, providing you don’t use it for a commercial purposes. Using this software you will be able to
clearly view the 3d models that I have created.
Sketchucation.
For those new to this software it is very user friendly, and if you want to join a very helpful forum, register with at:-
www.sketchucation.com
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