How Do I Begin? Woodworking is a craft you can jump right into. You may have even had an experience in high school shop class. To be sure, the projects at that level are nowhere near what you can achieve with a bit of creativity. The possibilities are endless, and a trip to your local bookstore will offer you a seemingly infinite number of books and magazines with enough projects to keep you busy in this lifetime and the next. Projects from simple pine birdhouses, for example, all the way to complex jobs involving joinery, marquetry and exotic woods.
You can even buy fancy boards, like whorled bird’s eye maple, or quarter-sawn white oak on ebay – and the seller will often cut them to size for you. There are also pre-cut furniture kits that you can seek out and buy from catalogues or on-line, and provide a good exposure to many of the processes you’ll do. One popular source is Shaker Workshops, which sells kits ranging from small clocks and a variety of Shaker chairs, to the classic Meetinghouse bench and tables for your bedside or for dining. You do the sanding, gluing, joining, and finishing – and the net result can be a beautiful, authentic looking piece.
If you have the room, the budget, and the inclination to buy and use large power tools, take a few lessons at schools, community centers, guilds, or the local Y. Some of the tools, especially saws and planers – even with their advanced safety features – can be dangerous for the beginner. Watching someone do it can give you a sense of comfort (and help you decide if that medium is for you).
Most of all, be warned! Woodworking is addictive. You’ll find yourself reading through catalogues of fine tools, coveting specialized hand saws that can cost hundreds of dollars. It’s part of the fun: to dream about – and to save up and own a tool that is a work of art in its own right.
So many of the things a woodworker makes have a defined, practical use, so the craft is rewarding on many levels. It is also a craft ruled by the laws of science. How your joints work, what kind of glue to use, how surfaces react to various finishes – all play a part in the mechanical aspects of your piece. In the end, it’s not merely a creative experience, but an educational one, as well.
Wendell Castle, Music Stand, 1964, Dirk Bakker photograph
John Zipprich talks about teaching woodworking to his children. As a woodcarver, he is involved in the ongoing Timberline Lodge restoration efforts. Learn more about Timberline Lodge crafts here
Mira Nakashima-Yarnell continues her late father George Nakashima’s traditions in Wood, while exploring her own personal vision - See the Artist’s Bio and Work HERE
We filmed woodworker Sam Maloof for the MEMORY episode.
30 Artists who work with Wood are represented in the Exhibition - see the Wood works online HERE
Want to make a vessel to store meaningful objects? Download a lesson plan HERE
Many of America’s important Woodworkers are featured in the Book. Learn more about the Book and where to order HERE
Over 4 hours of video available online. To view a list of all video content click HERE
