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 WELCOME
This issue of Furniture & Cabinetmaking comes out
on November 11 – the anniversary of the end of World
War I, a day when communities around the world
remember people who have died in wars. And we have
plenty to remember in this issue. Louise Biggs has created
a commemorative box with marquetry poppies in memory
of her great-grandfather, who was killed in the Battle
of the Somme.
Josh Brower pays tribute to the great George
Nakashima, recreating his famous Conoid chairs for his
own home, and Toronto-based craftsman Chris O’Dell
repurposes a historic grand piano as a wall-mounted bar.
Professional woodturner Richard Findley restores a classic
Windsor chair, and Mitch Peacock uses recycled wood to
build a yacht-inspired table.
Meanwhile others are making memories. We meet New
Zealander Brenton Ottley, who has gone from cutting
down trees to preserving their beauty in striking live-edge
furniture; bespoke furniture designer and maker Sean
Feeney looks back on 42 years in the business, and Jim
Bennett takes inspiration from architecture to create an
elegant table he hopes will become a family treasure.
We hope you enjoy your time out with this magazine
and are inspired to create your very own memorable,
heirloom pieces.

‘I have never fully or completely achieved the absolute perfection seen

in my mind’s eye, the unattainable embodiment of my intention.’
SEAN FEENEY

1
CONTENTS
F&C ISSUE 302

Furniture & Cabinetmaking magazine 1 WELCOME 34 WORLD WAR I

(ISSN 1365-4292) is published every eight weeks
Discover what’s in store in the COMMEMORATIVE BOX
by Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd,
86 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XN latest issue Louise Biggs makes a beautiful
T: +44 (0) 1273 477374 marquetry box in memory of her
4 CHERRY CREDENZA great-grandfather
For article submissions and editorial enquiries:
E: FCEditorial@thegmcgroup.com Israel Martin describes the
process of making a side cabinet 40 JAPANESE SAWS
EDITORIAL Karen Scott, Christine Boggis,
with drawers using hand tools Anthony Bailey explains the key
Jane Roe
E: karensc@thegmcgroup.com features of Japanese pullsaws and
T: 01273 477374 10 WOOD AWARDS demonstrates how to use them
DESIGNER Claire Stevens
SHORTLIST 2021
ADVERTISING Guy Bullock
gmcadvertising@thegmcgroup.com A showcase of the nominations 44 WINDSOR CHAIR REPAIR
PUBLISHER Jonathan Grogan for the annual awards Professional woodturner Richard
PRODUCTION MANAGER Jim Bulley
Findley restores a traditional
T: 01273 402810
MARKETING Anne Guillot, Sophie Medland 14 ENGLISH WALNUT Windsor chair
PRINTER Poligrafijas grupa Mukusal, Latvia SIDEBOARD
DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd
Thomas Eddolls builds a sideboard 50 UNATTAINABLE PERFECTION
T: 020 7429 4000
to complement a dining table Bespoke furniture designer and
Subscription enquiries: maker Sean Feeney is celebrating
T: +44 (0)1273 488005
21 BANDING AND STRINGING 42 years in the business this year.
E: pubs@thegmcgroup.com
Anthony Bailey explains how to He shares his thoughts on life, the
To subscribe online go to: apply banding or stringing with universe and everything
gmcsubscriptions.com
a router
COVER IMAGE Kylle Sebree photographed by 56 UNDER THE HAMMER –
Tomoko H Matsubayashi 24 POUR ME A RIVER MARQUETRY AND PARQUETRY
Views and comments expressed by individuals in the
New Zealander Brenton Ottley has Hundreds of decorative antiques
magazine do not necessarily represent those of the gone from cutting down trees to were sold at Bonhams’ Home &
publishers and no legal responsibility can be accepted for
the results of the use by readers of information or advice of
preserving their beauty in striking Interiors auction. We look at some
whatever kind given in this publication, either in editorial live-edge furniture of the best-selling furniture lots
or advertisements. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means without the prior permission of 30 CARVED TUDOR ROSE 58 CONOID CHAIRS
the Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd.
© Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd. 2021
Steve Bisco demonstrates how to Josh Brower pays tribute to the
carve this traditional symbol great George Nakashima and
recreates one of his most
famous designs

! FURNITURE &
Woodworking is an inherently dangerous
pursuit. Readers should not attempt the
procedures described herein without seeking
CABINETMAKING
training and information on the safe use of
tools and machines, and all readers should
If you would like to be featured in Furniture & Cabinetmaking
observe current safety legislation. please email FCEditorial@thegmcgroup.com

2
64 HAWAIIAN TOPIC 88 MINIMAL MILLWORK
A stint living in Hawaii inspired Meet John Randall, founder
Kylle Sebree to dedicate his life and principal of full-service
to making furniture woodworking shop Bien Hecho
in Brooklyn
68 HEIRLOOM DINING TABLE
Jim Bennett takes inspiration from 94 BOOKCASE – PART 2
architecture to make an elegant Ciprian Constantin Gontea
table that will hopefully become a completes the work on his
family treasure bookcase with shallow drawers

75 SUBSCRIPTIONS 102 ANGLED JOINTS

Don’t miss our latest offer John Bullar shares his expert tips
for subscribers for tackling awkward joints

76 THE SCULPTURAL SIDEBOARD 108 READING THE WOOD

AND DISPLAY TABLE Based in Fort Mill, South Carolina,
We look at two Bespoke Guild Justin Larson’s JML Woodcraft
Mark designs by Oxfordshire- aims to create pieces revealing
based Waywood the natural beauty of the curly
woods he loves
78 THE AHOY! DESK
Mitch Peacock uses recycled wood 112 ZIGZAG-PATTERNED
to make a yacht-inspired table COFFEE TABLE
Ryan Hawkins, owner of cutting
84 CRESCENDO board specialist West Coast
Toronto-based craftsman Chris Boards, explains how he achieved
O’Dell tells F&C how he converted this complicated end grain
a baby grand piano into a wall- pattern for a table
mounted bar
120 POST AND RAIL
MORTISE JOINT
John Bullar describes this version
of a haunched and pegged
mortise and tenon
CHERRY CREDENZA
ISRAEL MARTIN DESCRIBES THE PROCESS OF MAKING
A SIDE CABINET WITH DRAWERS USING HAND TOOLS
 1 4 7

2 5 8
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ISRAEL MARTIN

3 6 9

1 Marking the dimensions 2 The mitred mortise and tenon 3 The side board end joint 4 Double-wedged tenons 5 Dry fit of the frame structure
6 Working on the side panels 7 Making rebates on the panels 8 A dry fit with the side panels 9 Red cedar back panels

I recently received a commission to make a piece for a house drawers and make the doors a bit smaller. The frame structure is
in Madrid. Given that my shop is in a very humid area and mainly joined with mitred mortises and tenons. The side panels
Madrid’s climate is the opposite, I decided to use a frame and are made in cherry and the back ones are in red cedar. There are
panel construction, which in my opinion is far more stable than four drawers on the top and, to complete the piece, I added ebony
carcass construction. feet, ebony mouldings on the doors and a small walnut moulding
Originally I designed the piece with the drawers covered between the top and the carcass. I also decided to add a surprise
by the doors, but I changed my mind and decided to show the for the client: a hidden drawer behind the central ones.

5
10 14

11 15

12 16

13 17
 18 20

19 21

10 The lower shelves 11 Fitting the knife hinges 12 Shaping the legs 13 The drawer runners with dust boards
14 The completed frame and panel structure 15 Adjusting the drawer dovetails 16 The central drawer 17 The drawers before adding shellac
18 The drawers fitted in place 19 The abalone dots 20 The finished drawers with pulls 21 The cherry pieces for the door frame

FRAME AND PANEL STRUCTURE between the top and the structure and a chamfer on the top,
I built the frame structure in cherry, using mitred mortise and so when you look at it standing in front of it, the top looks a bit
tenons to join the legs with the side and back aprons. The front thicker than it really is.
lower apron was also joined with mortise and tenons while the
drawer divider was joined with twin mortise and tenons and THE FOUR DRAWERS
the top drawer blade was done with a sideboard end joint, one At the beginning the design was made so that the drawers
dovetail joins the leg and the other the side apron. were hidden behind the doors, but when I started making the
To make the divisions for the drawers I also used twin wedged piece it looked better to my eyes to show the drawers. I made
mortises. The side panels were made in cherry and rebated on all the side ones in maple with a 2mm-thick ripple sycamore
four sides. For the back panels I used bookmatched quartersawn veneer. I made two wide London pattern dovetails to join
red cedar which I divided in two so that it will deal better with the sides and fronts. In the centre I made two more drawers,
wood movements. I also used quartersawn red cedar for the one over the other, both with walnut fronts. The backs were
lower and middle shelves. The lower shelf goes inside a groove joined, as I normally do with sliding dovetails – I learned this
made in the lower aprons, and is only glued into the front apron style of joinery from master furniture maker, Garrett Hack.
to allow wood movement. Red cedar is normally my choice for The drawer bottoms were also made in red cedar. The centre
wider panels because of its stability. drawers are narrower in the front so the bottom grain runs
Once the structure was done I shaped the legs, just beneath from front to back (less wood movement than side to side).
the lower apron joint, and I added ebony feet and the knife I made two ebony and two holly drawer pulls, each with
hinges before gluing everything together. an abalone dot. I also added abalone dots on the top of the
I added two more simple details: a walnut bead moulding drawer fronts.

7
 22 25 27

23 28

24 26 29

22 Making a moulding with scratch stock 23 Ebony mouldings for the door frame 24 Fitting the mouldings in the frame
25 Adjusting the door’s height 26 The doors were fitted before the hinges 27 Detail of the knife hinges 28 Detail of the central drawer case
29 Front view of the central drawer case 30 Leg marks for the feet 31 First step of the recess 32 Levelling the recess 33 All four sides completed
34 Planing the curly ebony veneer 35 Gluing the ebony veneer 36 The finished ebony feet, planed flush with the legs 37 The view before
removing the side drawer 38 View of the hidden drawer inside the central case 39 The hidden drawer after pushing the mechanism

THE DOORS THE CENTRAL DRAWER CASE

The doors were also made from cherry. The frame, rails and In order to make the case for the central drawers, which go one
styles were done as quartersawn, as I could have a straight grain over the other, I used quartersawn pine to make the sides of the
and the panels were made in one piece. To make the joinery I case and two pieces of cherry for the runners. The runners go
always leave extra material on the stiles, where the mortises are in a groove inside the pine, but also inside the cherry dividers.
done, to avoid splits when making the mortises. The grain runs from bottom to top, but because these are
I added four ebony mouldings, made with the scratch stock, narrow pieces, wood movement won’t be a problem. But just
and glued them to the frame after the doors were adjusted in in case that part moved, these two drawers have a bit more
their places. tolerance than normal, around 0.5mm more. To make the
The doors meet in the centre with a rebate, to keep dust out fronts the same height, the flap that covers the rail is divided
of the piece, so the middle stiles were done accordingly so that between the two of them, the lower one at the top and the
they look the same width. Then I fitted the offset knife hinges upper one at the bottom.
on the doors.

8
 30 33 36

31 34 37

32 35 38

39
EBONY FEET
Adding feet to the legs creates a nice detail. After shaping the
legs I marked the feet on them and made a recess for the ebony
veneer (2mm thick). First I used the router plane to get the
perfect depth and then removed the rest with chisels and a block
plane. I repeated that on four sides. Then I made the curly ebony
veneer and glued it to the legs. First the front one, which covers
the side ones, and the back one has to be made to fit inside. This
last one is the most difficult but it won’t be seen.

THE HIDDEN DRAWER

Once I finished the piece, and because I didn’t want to make very
long central drawers, I realised that I had a nice space behind
them, so I made a hidden sycamore drawer. It has grooves on its
sides to allow space for the runners. I made a simple mechanism
that goes under the top inside the right side drawer and as you
push a wooden piece it pulls the central hidden drawer out,
giving you access to it.

9
WOOD AWARDS SHORTLIST 2021
A SHOWCASE OF THE NOMINATIONS FOR THE ANNUAL AWARDS

Nineteen structures and 11 product designs have been

nominated for the Wood Awards 2021. Established in 1971, 1
the Wood Awards is the UK’s premier competition for
excellence in architecture and product design in wood.
The competition is free to enter and aims to encourage and
promote outstanding timber design, craftsmanship and
installation. The independent judging panel visits all the
shortlisted projects in person, making this a uniquely rigorous
competition. The awards are split into two main categories:
Buildings and Furniture & Product.
The Wood Awards shortlist will be on display at The Building
Centre in London from 25 October until 3 December, as part of
the exhibition World of Wood. This six-week celebration of global
timber and forests demonstrates the benefits forest supply chains
bring to the natural and urban environment. It seeks to build on
the increased interest in climate change policy, highlight the vital
role which forest supply chains play in reducing carbon emissions,
and showcase the innovation and design potential of timber.
2
woodawards.com

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE WOOD AWARDS

BESPOKE FURNITURE

1 BOWATER CHEST OF DRAWERS

BY JAN HENDZEL STUDIO
This chest of drawers is part of a nine-piece furniture collection
which celebrates British craftsmanship and materials, and
embraces digital processes and traditional hand tooling.
A playful ripple on each piece of furniture is the signature to
the collection.

10
 4

2 KINGSLAND DINING TABLE BY GARETH NEAL 5

The focus of this design is on economy of form, simplicity of
material and beauty in the detail. It highlights the importance
of crafting thoughtfully designed pieces for the home, with
functionality at the heart.

3 NORDIC PIONEER BY MARIA BRUUN AND

BENCHMARK FURNITURE
At the start of the pandemic, nine international designers were
invited to create a table and seat for their homes. With lockdown
in place, none of the designers were able to visit the workshops
and all communication had to be done over digital platforms.
Nordic Pioneer is Danish designer Maria Bruun’s response to
the brief. Made entirely in maple, the collection is a masterclass
in Nordic design. With a purity to both the seating and the
gate-leg table, the pieces are intentionally pared back and let
the materials and construction shine.

4 MESAMACHINE BY HAYON STUDIO

AND BENCHMARK FURNITURE
Mesamachine (translated as ‘table machine’) is Spanish designer
Jaime Hayon’s response to the same brief as Nordic Pioneer.
It is a space to host family and friends but also to work. Like a
Swiss army knife, the table can be pushed, pulled and extended
so that the function can be changed without having to move
everything around.

5 GAYLES FARM 5 BY WYCLIFFE STUTCHBURY

This room divider was created to further Wycliffe’s exploration
of textile techniques and characteristics using wood. The piece
has a flowing appearance, made up of thousands of small oak
tiles glued to an open weave cotton twill, creating a curtain.
The curtain is hung on a hinged, three-panelled oak frame with
hemp rope and cleats.

11
 1

PRODUCTION
FURNITURE

1 OVO ARMCHAIR
BY FOSTER + PARTNERS AND
BENCHMARK FURNITURE
The OVO armchairs suit a variety of
settings, from office and commercial
to domestic. The seat is designed in 4 5
a modular fashion so that it can be
replaced, with either a solid timber or
upholstered version available as standard. 4 ALLAY CHAIR
BY DANIEL SCHOFIELD
2 CRUZ DEL SUR AND MOR DESIGN
BY MATTEO FOGALE Allay Chair has been designed as the
This side table is CNC-machined out archetypal lounge chair but reduced
of one sheet of cork. Small leftovers are to as few lines as possible. Craft and
used as packaging material so there is simplicity have been combined to create
no production waste. The simple yet a chair that will age gracefully, that
functional table arrives flat-pack in a balances aesthetics with practicality
pizza-style cardboard box and can be and durability.
fitted together in just a few seconds. 6
5 ISO-LOUNGE CHAIR
3 CORSO TABLE + BENCHES BY JASPER MORRISON
BY DYLAN FREETH AND AND ISOKON PLUS 6 T01 CROSS CHAIR
ERCOL FURNITURE Jasper Morrison looked to Isokon’s BY PEARSON LLOYD
These light and simple tables and archives and was particularly inspired AND TAKT
benches are designed to fit comfortably by the brand’s original logo, Gerald This chair has been designed with
and elegantly into everyday life. Corso Summers’ Bent Plywood chair with its a deep respect for Danish design
retains the tactility and durability of single flowing plywood surface, and tradition, embodying its principles
classic Ercol designs but the sizes, forms, Rietveldt’s Zig-Zag chair. The result is a of craft, simplicity and elegance
component assemblies and profiles have plywood chair with a cantilevered design while embracing the economy and
been modernised. that creates balance and support. convenience of flat-pack furniture.

12
 BUILDINGS

The nominations in the Buildings

category are:

• 16 Chart Street, London Unfolding

by Ian Chalk Architects
• The Alice Hawthorn, Nun Monkton,
North Yorkshire by De Matos Ryan
• Lockerbie Sawmill, Lockerbie
by Konishi Gaffney Architects
• Sands End Community and Arts
Centre, London by Mae
• The Welcome Building RHS Garden
Bridgewater, Manchester
Built: East Pavillion
by Hodder + Partners
• David Brownlow Theatre, Newbury,
Berkshire by Jonathan Tuckley Design
• Guildford Crematorium, Guildford,
Surrey by Haverstock
• Ibstock Place School refectory, London
by Maccreanor Lavington Architects
• Kantor Centre of Excellence: The Anna
Freud Centre & Pears Family School,
London by Penoyre & Prasad
• Magdalene College Library, Cambridge
by Niall McLaughlin Architects
• Built: East Pavilion, Belfast by OGU
Architects + Donald McCrory Architects
• Unfolding, Pavilion at London Design Magdalene College Library
Biennale 2021, London by PLP
Architecture
The Boathouse • 1930s apartment, London
by Knox Bhavan Architects
• The Boathouse, Devon
by Adams Collingwood Architects
• Concrete Plinth House, London
by DGN Studio
• Leyton House, London
by McMahon Architecture
• SNUG Home, Bristol by SNUG Homes
• St John Street, London
by Emil Eve Architects
• Wooden Anex, London
by Tsuruta Architects
Concrete Plinth House Sands End Community and Arts Centre
Ibstock Place School Refectory The Alice Hawthorn

13
ENGLISH WALNUT SIDEBOARD
THOMAS EDDOLLS BUILDS A SIDEBOARD TO COMPLEMENT A DINING TABLE

In the last issue (F&C 301), I described how a walnut tree on the I read the client’s brief and, after multiple conversations, the
farm where I have my workshop was damaged in a storm, and style and working elements of the sideboard were decided on. It
I eventually used the timber to build a dining table for a client. would be quite traditional in style, while sitting comfortably with
The same client wanted a sideboard and I had enough of the the dining table. The design would include two cupboards and
walnut left over to make it from that. drawers and a overhanging top with scaled-down curved corners
echoing the dining table top.

14
 1 3
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS EDDOLLS

2 4

1 A dining table had already been made from the same walnut tree for the client 2 The sideboard design would complement the dining table
3 The carcass panels were clamped and joined with Titebond II
4 The undercut detail was added with the saw at 20°

MAKING THE CARCASS Slowly shooting each mating edge over the surface planer
After setting out the plans on the drawing board I looked at to keep a fine finish, I then took the boards on to the bench to
tackling the carcass first. I had the whole tree trunk to select finely shoot by hand with my trusty vintage No. 7. This gave me
from for the project, so I picked up the boards I had set aside beautifully fine-tuned and crisp joint edges.
while making the dining table to see how best to arrange them. Moving on to the jointing procedure, I reinforced the edges
Timber selection can often be a tricky process, especially when, with No. 20 biscuit joints for a reliable location register and the
as in this instance, there was not a great deal of leeway in the added security of extra mechanical strength. When these tasks
amount of usable timber left over. Apparently a whole tree trunk were completed I could sash-clamp the cabinet panels together,
does not last long in the throes of the workshop! using one of my favourite adhesives, Titebond II.
Once I had selected and grain-matched everything, I rip-sawed Once the panels had cured they were sized on the panel saw
the appropriate boards down to their sawn dimensions. I try to using specialist rip and cross-cut blades as appropriate.
do this before converting on the planers as often tension in the It was at this stage that I put the undercut detail on to the top,
timber gets released in this process, which can cause the board canting the saw to 20°.
to spring, bow or twist to a certain degree. That was the case Once I had created the walnut elements, I went through the
with this wild walnut tree. same processes with some solid European oak for the rest of the
I then planed and thicknessed the boards down to a finished carcass cabinetry. Finally, with all of my panels accurately sized,
dimension of 22mm ready for jointing. I could move on to the next stages of the build.

15
 6

5 7

5 For the drawer bank, the oak runners were joined to cross rails
6 The drawer housing channels were routed using an MDF guide
7 A dry assembly of the carcass was used to check the fit

MAKING THE DRAWER BANK over the top of a rebate cutter on the spindle moulder.
Looking at the central drawer bank, I started to arrange the With the drawer bank joinery completed, I jointed up the rest
running system for the fitted drawers. I decided on a frame and of the cabinetry panel work together using the Festool Domino
panel dust boarded system that I have used before which needed system near the ends of each board and working off the stops on
to be housed in the central uprights. the jointer for accurate alignment with biscuit joints along the
Initially I made up the boarded frameworks, joining solid oak mid-section of the panels, the best of both worlds!
runners on to cross rails, grooving these components where When these stages were complete, I decided to dry-assemble
appropriate to accept 4mm birch ply dust boarding. the carcass to make sure everything lined up properly and all
The key to this system is allowing for timber movement with worked out.
the running railwork long grain opposed in direction to the cross
grain of the drawer bank panels. To allow for this I leave the rear ASSEMBLING THE SIDEBOARD
joint dry with a 5mm expansion gap so any movement can be I was fast approaching the time to start properly assembling the
accepted in the dry joint of the framework. piece. In order to do this I had to make sure I was fully prepped.
While the glue was curing I routed out the housing channels, Rebates to accept the veneered back panels were routed into the
working off a square MDF guide with a router making sure sides, central divisions and base boards. A groove was put into
everything was true and accurate. Next, I cut the mating the top for the backs to slot into eventually as the top of the piece
housing joint on to the board frames, which I did by working overhung to cover a large skirting board, the idea being to push the

16
 10

9 11

8 The middle drawer bank was assembled first 9 The top was glued to the uprights to complete the carcass assembly
10 The continuous bead line was achieved by paring to a scribed line with a chisel
11 The door panels were glued up and the edges oiled

back up vertically into the groove, then knock home snugly into The next stage was to fix the sides on to the baseboard. I
the rebate. I then cleaned all of the interior surfaces up to 240 grit clamped these on with the top located on dry to ensure clean
with a random orbital sander in preparation for assembly. and accurate positioning before the final stage of the assembly
I would tackle the assembly process in stages to make things process was attempted.
manageable, the first stage was the middle drawer bank. One last job on the undercut relief bevel on the top was to
Importantly here I had to make sure to only glue the end stub round the corners, mimicking the dining table's top. I produced
tenon of the horizontal cross rails, leaving the rest of the housed a radius template to rout the curve around, using a top-bearing
joint a dry fit, otherwise there would not be any provision for template follower before shaping the bevel around the curve
movement in the solid central panels. with a spokeshave. All prepped up, with the clamps set to length
I carefully brushed on the Titebond to both mating surfaces – with the appropriate pressure battens, the top was glued on to
I had to work fast in the summer heat before sash-clamping the the uprights. I checked everything was true and square, and after
assembly together. Once everything had hit home I checked a few little adjustments, we were there.
for wind and square, making a few careful adjustments with
the clamps (raking the angle of the clamp in the direction of the MAKING THE DOORS
longest diagonal measurement) until all was true. I could then turn my attention to making the doors, which
After leaving these works to cure I pinched the mid-section on include walnut stiles and rails with solid oak raised panels.
to the base board. First off, I had to tackle the frames.

17
 12 13

12 & 13 The pin boards for the drawers were marked and sawn out by hand, then finished on the router
14 When the drawer boxes were complete, the final fit could be fine-tuned
15 Osmo oil was used as a finish and then the hardware was added to complete the sideboard

After carefully converting the timber, the components were all A working formula I often use to help speed up this process
moulded with a 6mm quirk bead which later would be mitred is to cut the tails out on the bandsaw with a fine blade. I use an
together at their meeting points. I then marked out the mortise 8 tpi Swedish example which I get from my saw doctor, setting
positions and cut out the mortise and haunch mortise positions up a 1 in 8 angled base board which guides off the rip fence. I
with a hollow chisel mortiser. set the tails out equally, which means I can flip the tail boards
To achieve the desired seamless visual effect of a continuous over working the run of cuts systematically through the drawer
bead line I had to cut away material down to the bead shoulder sides until the rip process is finished. Often a few hand cuts are
line before producing a mitre on the bead with a saddle jig, necessary on wider drawer sides. I like to keep my pins nice and
carefully paring to a scribe line with a chisel. This gave me fine, so aim to keep the narrowest part of the tail as close to the
stepped shoulders when tenoning and so I cut the tenon saw kerf thickness as possible. I used a coping saw to rough out
cheeks close to finished size on the bandsaw before fettling the pin waste before cleaning down to my gauge lines with a fine
in with shoulder planes, working patiently until the desired bevel-edged chisel.
fit was achieved. The pin boards were marked out in a traditional fashion. I like
Happy that everything was as it should be, I moved on to the to lightly scribe off of the tail board with a scalpel before firmly
door panels. These were jointed up from solid quartersawn oak establishing the scribed lines with a sharp Japanese marking
reinforced with biscuit joints. Making sure there were no joints knife. This way I achieve a dead fit and don’t lose anything to the
where I would be fielding, I worked out my finished panel sizes bevel of a scribe knife.
and produced the field with a rather scary-looking specialist I sawed out the pins by hand, then using a simple straight
fielding block on the spindle moulder, running at 3,000 rpm fluted router cutter set up with a side fence I routed out the tail
due to its large diameter. waste on the drawer fronts. There is a freehand element to this,
After grooving the inside of the frame components to accept working up closely to my saw marks so extra care and attention
the panels, I pinched everything up dry to check everything went is needed here. The time saved in endless chiselling pays
home properly before the gluing the doors up. The mortise and dividends though.
tenons were all glued but the panel was left floating except for a After gluing up the drawer boxes and letting them fully
spot of glue in the centre of the panels where they mated to hold cure before stressing, I wisped off the drawer sides by hand
it in position but allow it to move. with my No. 7 before adding my grooved slips, then ran the
The edges of the panels were oiled to make sure there were bases in. Once these were glued in I was able to fine-tune the
not any unfinished white lines if they shrunk a little in the fit using a finishing wax as a lubricant for the smooth operation
client’s house. of the drawers.
I now set to the rigours of the final clean-up and finishing
MAKING THE DRAWERS process, using Osmo polyx oil, a pleasant natural process and a
On to drawer making next. For this sideboard, I opted for product I enjoy using. Last but not least the cabinet hardware
dovetails at the front with dominoed backs. The drawer slips and was added and finally the time had come to deliver the piece to
walnut veneers were added on to 9mm birch ply for the bases. sit next to its dining table sister.

18
14

15
 BANDING AND STRINGING
ANTHONY BAILEY EXPLAINS HOW TO APPLY
BANDING OR STRINGING
WITH A ROUTER

Veneered or solid wood cabinetwork can Stringing refers to inlaid lines of are glued together, sometimes with a
be enhanced by applying stringings and thin wood, often holly for white, while continuous cross-grain strip of contrast
bandings. It is a traditional cabinetmaking black-dyed sycamore is used for black wood in the middle. These are wider than
technique, but it’s remarkably easy to do. lines, although in the past it was often stringing, but both types of inlay come in
Here, I’ll demonstrate how to do a simple ebony for more expensive work. There different widths and combinations. You
piece of inlaid banding to make your are also brass inlay lines for fancier can buy all these lines and bandings from
project more pleasing to the eye. work. Bandings are where several lines specialist suppliers.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANTHONY BAILEY/GMC PUBLICATIONS

1 2

INLAYING A BANDING look when finished. If the banding looks passes to widen a groove, as there is more
1 First you need to decide where to place too narrow or too wide, you may need to chance of error creeping in. Buy the
your banding – generally this will be obtain a different size before starting the banding first and, if necessary, obtain a
reasonably close to the edge of a box or job. In this case, I’ll place the banding on cutter that matches the banding rather
cabinet, although you can have a banding the junction of the walnut sides and the than the other way around. Mark out
further toward the middle if it looks sycamore veneered top. lightly in pencil where the banding will
right. Do not commit yourself too early, go. This is important because when you
but lay the banding on the surface using 2 Choose a straight router cutter that machine the grooves, they must not
two pieces crossing at one corner so you matches the width of the banding. It overrun at the meeting corners as the
get a proper impression as to how it will is better if you can avoid making two surrounding surface will be damaged.

21
 8

3 6 9

10
4
the chisel at the corner junction so the
blade edge runs from internal corner to
external corner, and press down to mark
the banding. Note the reflection in the
mirror back of the chisel – if you get a
perpendicular reflection off the banding
the cut will be at 45°. Place the banding
on a board and make a crisp cut with the
chisel. Place the banding in the groove
and check the cut is correct.
5 7
8 Now remove this banding, put the
adjacent piece in its groove and then repeat
3 Routers only work accurately because 5 You will be running around the edge, the procedure. Replace the first piece of
of proper guidance. The open gap in the so the only guidance available is the banding and the two should meet neatly.
fence can cause trouble if it catches at straight fence. You need to pull the router
the corner of the box or tabletop, so you towards you and push the fence against 9 When all bandings are cut, remove one
need to remove the plastic facings and the workpiece. Machine all the grooves, at a time, run a little glue into the groove,
fit a longer, continuous wooden fence for stopping short of the corners. replace the banding and use masking
smoother running. tape to hold it down. Do this all round,
6 To square the corners, take a very sharp, then run masking tape lengthwise along
4 Set the groove depth by plunging the firmer bevel chisel and press the flat of the bandings.
static router so the cutter presses against the back against the outside of the slot,
the surface, and insert the banding in in line with the meeting pencil line from 10 You can use a pad sanding machine to
the gap between the turret depth stop the adjacent slot, and press down to cut level the surface (not a small pad sander),
and the depth rod. Lower the depth rod through the wood in the corner. Repeat or even a belt sander, but this can cause
on to the banding and lock it off – this on the other side, then remove the waste. problems. A safer method is to stick a
gives you a flush level fit. Then unplunge, strip of medium abrasive to a long batten
remove the banding and lower the depth 7 Bandings come in long sections, so like an extended sanding block, and work
rod slightly and lock off – this should cut it with a chisel into oversize lengths. it back and forth until the banding is level
leave the banding proud and ready for Place the first piece into the groove and with the surrounding wood, then sand
sanding. Do some test cuts. carefully sight down the flat back of more conventionally, ready for a finish.

22
POUR ME A RIVER
NEW ZEALANDER BRENTON OTTLEY HAS GONE
FROM CUTTING DOWN TREES TO PRESERVING
THEIR BEAUTY IN STRIKING LIVE-EDGE FURNITURE

Self-taught carpenter and furniture maker Brenton Ottley

first became interested in woodworking while felling trees
in the New Zealand forestry industry. Later he ran the saw
at a sawmill in his home town of Waimate. He moved into
building and carpentry, and continued in that line of work after
relocating to San Diego, California.
Kiwi Woodshop originally started as a creative outlet, after
Brenton became fascinated with epoxy work on Instagram, and
began incorporating it into charcuterie boards. ‘I have since
turned Kiwi Woodshop into a full-time business where I design
and build custom furniture for my clients, focusing almost
exclusively on creating fine dining tables, desks, consoles and
end tables,’ he says. ‘I am mainly a self-taught woodworker.
I utilise the skills I have learned over years of building and
incorporate them into my work. Instagram and YouTube are also
invaluable tools to learn and grow from. I have found that the
online woodworking community is incredibly supportive.’
The first project he ever built for Kiwi Woodshop was a wine
rack transformed from a wine barrel, which held 16 glasses
and nine bottles. What started as a hobby business quickly
snowballed, until it made sense for Brenton to quit his full-time
carpentry job to focus exclusively on his own work, scale up the
projects and grow the business. He opened a shop on Etsy and
took it from there.

LIVE WOOD SHOW

Live-edge work is Brenton’s signature style, and he aims to make
each of his pieces as individual as the piece of wood it comes from.
His favourite wood to work with is walnut. He says: ‘Every slab tells
a different story and has its own unique characteristics. English,
black, claro and Bastogne walnut create beautiful furniture, and
all are easily sourced from around the country.’ Over the years
Brenton has built up a large inventory of websites, Instagram pages
and sawmills where he can source live-edge slabs for any project.
‘Every live-edge slab is vastly different from the next,’ he says.
‘They all have their own unique characteristics. I especially love
the compression figure or crotch figure found in walnut trees. This
figure forms over a tree’s lifetime from the branches building up
weight over time. Curling, waving, spalting, ambrosia, burls and
birdseye are other unique characteristics found in various species
that help create one-of-a-kind furniture. I always aspire to make
each project individual and unique in its own way, and tend to
gravitate towards modern design. I love letting the wood speak
for itself to showcase its natural figure and beauty.’

24
25
 Inspiration comes from a number of places, and then Brenton add colour, depth and movement to pieces.’
adds his own twist to it. ‘Epoxy work gives me an opportunity Does he have any advice for F&C readers who would like to
to get creative and each piece of wood tells a different story,’ he try out live-edge and epoxy pieces? ‘I learned everything I know
says. ‘My clients’ custom requests also help the creative process. by simply doing,’ says Brenton. ‘Starting with smaller projects
They come to me with ideas and we work together to bring first helped me gain the confidence to create larger pieces of
the project to life.’ For design, Brenton sometimes uses online furniture. YouTube and Instagram also offer many how-to
program SketchUp, which allows him to show his clients what he videos, and the woodworking community is always willing
is working on. ‘When working with live-edge slabs, I will create a to help answer questions and provide guidance.’
mockup design showing how the epoxy will flow or simply show
them photos of slabs I have found that are unique,’ he says. ‘I make WORKSHOP WONDERS
all the bases or legs to suit each individual design and dimensions.’ Brenton works from a 12,000 sq ft wood and metal shop in
San Diego, California, where he uses Powermatic tools along
GO WITH THE FLOW with a Laguna Smartshop 2 CNC router. ‘I have been working
‘Working with epoxy creates its own set of challenges, but if out of this shop for around 18 months and will be there for the
done correctly, the results are incredible,’ says Brenton. ‘Some foreseeable future, with the goal of having my own shop set up
pours are fairly straightforward. There are many moulds and within two years,’ he says. He uses Laguna tools’ 8 x 4 ft CNC to
forms available on the market now to help with smaller pours flatten each of his tables after pouring the epoxy, and sanding is
that come with inbuilt clamping and leveling systems. Due to the most crucial part of the process for him. ‘I do a lot of sanding,
the larger size of my pours, most require me to make a special so I use Mirka and Festool sanders to help get the best results,’
one-off mould using plywood and epoxy-resistant tape. I then he says. ‘There are no tools that I avoid. Safety is the top priority
seal the form with silicone to ensure the epoxy does not leak and when using any tools, so I always wear the appropriate PPE and
make sure to clamp down the slabs. Over time, I have mostly take my time.’
perfected this technique. Brenton fabricates his own bases from steel. ‘Wood tends
‘There are many other variables to consider, including shop to move a lot due to moisture and changing seasons, so that
temperature and keeping large volume pours cool and within the must be accounted for in various ways. Steel is a little more
manufacturer’s standards. It is also important to keep dust and forgiving,’ he explains. He uses a variety of finishes, depending
debris out of the epoxy while it sets. Additionally, the wood type on the wood species. ‘I prefer oil-based finishes for darker
plays a factor in how to prep for a successful epoxy pour. Some woods, which tend to bring out more colour than water-based
species of wood are more porous, so sealing the edges with epoxy finishes,’ he says. ‘For lighter woods, I prefer to use a water-
beforehand helps to minimise bubbles forming inside the epoxy based finish to avoid those colours being pulled. It really is
as it soaks into the wood during curing. The more experience personal preference and the deciding factor sometimes comes
you gain by working with epoxy resin, the easier it becomes to down to what the client chooses.’

26
27
 His favourite project to work on has been a 10ft table built result.’ He currently works on a 100% commission basis. ‘I really
from live-edge claro walnut and black epoxy resin. ‘The tabletop enjoy working with people to bring their ideas to life,’ he explains.
finished up beautifully and created an opportunity to test my ‘Because of the nature of my work, my clients tend to give me a lot
fabrication skills,’ he says. ‘I designed a full base that would of creative freedom.’ But he also has ideas and sketches for some
structurally support a table of that size with the ability to flat-pack custom designs which he hopes to bring to fruition early in 2022.
it for shipping. I intend to use a similar design for all future tables.’ He is currently finishing off an epoxy river table and preparing
His most challenging project has been a recent commission: ‘I to start work on a 23ft Bastogne walnut slab for a commission
recently had a request to build a coffee table and to cast items from from a local client. ‘When I am finished it will be a 14ft dining
my client’s business into clear epoxy in the middle,’ he recalls. ‘It table for inside, along with a 7ft table that will flow continuously
took a total of four gallons of epoxy and created some challenges outside,’ he says. When he’s not working, Brenton loves to travel
I had not yet encountered, including how the epoxy would react and spend time with family and friends.
to foreign items made of different materials. The table then
had to be sanded, buffed and polished on both sides to create a kiwiwoodshop.com, @kiwiwoodshop
crystal-clear finish. It was a labour of love, but well worth the end etsy.com/shop/KiwiWoodshopUSA

28
 BACKGROUND IMAGE: OTOPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
CARVED TUDOR ROSE
STEVE BISCO DEMONSTRATES HOW TO CARVE THIS TRADITIONAL SYMBOL

The Tudor Rose is the emblem of the dukedoms. This settled the succession alternate on the inside and outside,
Tudor monarchs who ruled England from to the English crown and put an end to effectively forming 10 geometrical
1485 to 1603. Although these monarchs the Wars of the Roses. segments of 36°. The centre ‘stamen’, the
included the likes of Henry VIII and You should be able to complete this petals and the little leaves are all drawn at
Bloody Mary, the Tudor rose is actually carving project in about 12 hours. For fixed radii from the centre. What we have
a symbol of peace and reconciliation. new carvers it is a good exercise in in effect is a five-pointed star shaped like
Incorporating the white rose of York in neatness because the rose is set out a rose. Any inaccuracy in your carving
its centre with the red rose of Lancaster geometrically. The outer and inner will be more noticeable than it would
on the outside, it symbolises the uniting sections of the rose each have five petals be in a random pattern – so keep the
by marriage of these two warring equally spaced. The petal positions geometry in mind as you carve.

30
 YOU WILL NEED
Timber:
• Green oak
• 200 x 200 x 25mm

Tools:
• No.9, 16mm curved gouge
• No.3, 10mm fishtail gouge
• No.8, 8mm curved gouge
• No.5, 6mm gouge
• V-tool
• 10mm skew chisel
• No.11, 2mm veiner
• 2mm chisel
• No.9, 3mm gouge

Finishes:
• Antiquax furniture polish

Initial cut lines with bandsaw,

fretsaw or scrollsaw

Primary detail sections

BLOCKING & ROUGHING OUT

1 Make a full-size copy of the drawing.
I made mine with a radius of 100mm
from the centre point to the tips of the
outer leaves. Trace the pattern carefully
on to your green oak panel, which in my
case is 200mm 2 by 25mm thick.

2 Cut around the outside with a bandsaw

or jigsaw. Fix the piece to a backing board,
screwing through from the back with
shallow screws into the thickest parts of
the carving, so you can clamp it to the
bench and move it around.

1 2 3 Reduce the level of the outer leaves to

about 6mm below the original surface
at the tips, sloping to 13mm where they
meet the petals. Cut the gap in between
the outer petals.
2
4 Bost around the central stamen, the
inner petals and the inner leaves. Use a
No.8 curved gouge to make scooping cuts
towards the centre at a depth of around
8mm where you meet the central stamen.
Each petal should have two distinct
hollows either side of a central ridge
pointing towards the centre of the carving.
3 4 Cut the gap between the petals and shape
the petals to flip up at the edges of this gap.

31
 5 6 7

8 9 10

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEVE BISCO. DRAWINGS BY ROBIN SPRINGETT

5 Repeat this process on the outer petals,
going to a depth of about 10mm. Work
around the inner leaflets and slope down
into the gap in the inner petals.

CARVING THE DETAIL

6 Round over the central stamen into
a dome shape with a No.3 gouge. Use a
skew chisel to score cross-hatching lines
3mm apart diagonally across it. Decide
which way up the finished rose will 11 12
hang – with one leaf tip at the top centre,
preferably with the grain horizontal –
and make the cross-hatching at 45° to 9 Shape the leaves so they slope towards FINISHING
the vertical axis. the centre and a little to each side, with 11 Check your carving has a smooth
a ridge down the middle. Add veins with and even finish straight from the tools.
7 Curl over the outer edge of the inside a veiner and use a small No.5 gouge to Pay attention to the joins between the
petals with a No.3 gouge. Slope the scoop hollows between each vein. Use petals, as these have a noticeable effect
ends down into the corners where they a skew chisel or V-tool to make little on the geometry. Abrasives can dull
meet the leaves, and curve the outer serrations in the edges. the finish of oak – a good, tooled finish
side down into the outer petals. Use a rubbed hard with a dry cloth looks
No.8 curved gouge to scoop out a hollow UNDERCUTTING livelier. Finish with Antiquax furniture
under the inside lip of each petal, and 10 Detach the piece from the backing polish. Use a brush to get the wax into
smooth out the petal surface with a No.5 board and place it face down on a soft all the crevices, then buff to a fine satin
gouge into two distinct hollows with a surface. Use a clamp to hold it still. finish with a cloth. Alternatively, you
ridge between them. Round over the underside at the edges so could fume the oak to a dark Tudor
there is a smooth, continuous curve from brown with ammonia.
8 Repeat these processes on the outer set the underneath, right round to the upper
of petals. The surface of the outer petals curl of the petal. Undercut the edges of 12 Your finished Tudor rose will look
needs to slightly undercut the inner petals the leaves to a thickness of 3mm, but with something like this.
to look as though one lays over the other. greater thickness away from the edges.

32
 WORLD WAR I
COMMEMORATIVE BOX
LOUISE BIGGS MAKES A BEAUTIFUL MARQUETRY BOX
IN MEMORY OF HER GREAT-GRANDFATHER

Some years ago my father received various family papers and

among them was an envelope marked ‘Letters 1916’. Inside
were letters from my great-grandmother Maud to my great-
grandfather Charles who, like many, was away at war. There
were letters from three of their children, birthday cards, plus
several other documents and photographs.
Two letters, folded very small on a different paper, stood out.
Once unfolded and read, they were the letters sent from the field
hospital chaplain in France, notifying Maud that her husband
had died from wounds sustained at the Battle of the Somme.
Over 100 years later, it was time to treat the letters with respect,
so the idea for a commemorative box was born. The medals
and Essex Regiment Cap badge date from WWI, but they are
only representative of those Charles would have worn and been
awarded. The box was to be veneered in cherry with coloured
sycamore veneers forming the marquetry.

ABOVE RIGHT The photographs of Private Charles John Colley (1878–1916) and letters to be stored in the box,
along with medals and a regimental cap badge

34
 Plywood core with multiple layers of
Display frame divider mitred at top
veneer on top, balancing veneer below SECTION
and tenoned into front and back
and framed with mitred rebated timber
5 225 5

15 25

11

100
29 13
206

2
8
235

Drawers formed using lapped dovetails,

bottoms rebated into frame all round,
sides hung on runners into stopped rebates

Inner side pieces carry drawer runners

and support display frame

Plywood veneered sides, mitred at back,

left square at front for hinged door

5 325 5
5 10 10 10 5
13 135 4 135 13

24

290
7

Mitred bottom front rail

Veneered plywood bottom Pivot hole finished

rebated into sides and back with ebony plug 325
335
Section stepped to show drawer front SECTION

POPPY MARQUETRY
1 Having worked out the size of box required, the next stage was
to design a suitable poppy motif for the marquetry, which would
grow up the front and across the top.

35
 2 3

4 5

6 7

36
 8 9 10
PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOUISE BIGGS

11 12

2 Several marquetry packets were formed as the grain direction of had to be prepared so they could be inscribed. These areas
the veneers would represent the different petals and leaves. I used needed three layers of veneer so the inscription could be cut deep
a slightly different method to how I have cut marquetry before by enough to pick up the wispy ends of the characters of the font I
using a layer of paper (papier suiffe) coated in animal fat in between prefer. The lid had two layers inset into the ply top cut out using
the layers of veneer and waste veneers. I had always used beeswax a router and moving from the edge in so as to always have the
to lubricate the blade but this technique was more efficient. router base supported. The third layer was the main veneer. The
inner piece was veneered and counterbalanced.
3 With the packets formed and the design mounted on the top,
the smallest hole possible was drilled at key points of the design 9 The ply to form the box was cut and the back corners and
to allow the blade to pass through. front top corners mitred using a tablesaw. The front edges on
the base were left square as the front of the box will drop down.
4 In the absence of a marquetry donkey, I have always used The inside faces of the box sides were then veneered before the
jeweller’s piercing saws with the finest blades. With a ‘V’ support rebates were cut for the top panels.
clamped in a vice, the blade was passed through the packet, which
was then rested on the support, with downward pressure applied 10 A 10mm-thick bottom front rail was mitred and cut into the
by one hand while turning the packet to follow around the design. bottom front edge of the sides. When the box was glued up a pin
was inserted to strengthen the joint.
5 Once each element had been cut out the pieces were laid out
on a board. Working in reverse, each element was taped together 11 A thin tongue-and-groove was formed with the router to join the
using the different grain directions and saw cuts to highlight the bottom panel to the front rail, keeping it flush on the top to allow
curves and bends of the petals and leaves. for a fabric lining to the bottom at the end. With the rail glued in
position to the bottom panel this was veneered before a rebate was
6 With all the elements formed, minus the stalks, they were laid cut to fit the bottom to the sides and back. The router was set up
in position and then mounted on to the main veneers for the using a test piece to check the position of the groove to the rebate
front and top. As with cutting out the marquetry packets, small on the bottom panel, to make sure it would align with the rail.
holes were drilled at key points and, using the jeweller’s saw, each
element was cut round and inserted into the main veneer. 12 The box was glued up with a spacer piece to hold the top
front of the base in line. The inner edges were then veneered
7 The stalks were then cut from the veneers and positioned followed by the back, then the sides and lastly the front. The
before being cut into the main veneers with a scalpel. The top main front veneer was cut using a sharp scalpel and straightedge
and front veneers were taped together so the positions of the to separate the pieces for the lid and base. The lid’s front veneer
stalks met at the front top edge of the box. was positioned and clamped into place. The positions of the
marquetry were marked on the block so the top veneer could
BOX CONSTRUCTION be aligned and laid, taped into position on the front edge, only
8 Next, the lid of the box and the piece for the inner inscription before being pressed between two boards.

37
 13 14 15

16 17

18 19

20 21

38
13 The ply for the door was cut to size, veneered on the inner 18 Next, the door was wedged and taped in position so the pivot
side and edged, the lid was placed on top and the door aligned so point could be marked and drilled. This was worked out on
that the position of the marquetry could be marked. A tape hinge test pieces first, so as not to make a mistake. Brass rod 3mm in
was put in place on the top edge to keep the veneer in position diameter was used to form the pivot pin. The first hole would
so that it could be lifted and glued. The remaining overhanging be filled with a 7mm plug followed by the 3mm hole for the rod
edge was then carefully cut away to be glued to the front of the passing through the side into the door. Fitted to a drill guide, the
box to keep the grain pattern following through. holes were drilled upright. The door was held by magnets, with
small steel screws behind the veneered front of the inner frame.
14 With timber prepared for the inner frame, it was rebated to
leave a 5mm square step on the outer edge. The inner edge was 19 To allow clearance for the bottom edges of the door, rounded
cut to leave a 3mm sight edge where the medals and inscription grooves had to be cut with the router in the front of the rail on
would be fitted. As this would leave only a small edge when the inner frame and the bottom front edge of the box, with the
routing out the rebate, two supporting pieces of timber were restriction of the router base, the remainder of the groove was
taped to the router fence. cut with a carving gouge before being veneered.

15 The frame was cut and mitred to fit tightly within the 20 The lock and hinges were then fitted. With the box together,
box before a centre division was rebated into the frame while the two inner drawers were made with lapped dovetails
allowing the front face to be mitred. The frame could then be cut at the front and through dovetails at the back. The
screwed into place, holding the top front edges of the box square. veneered bottom was rebated in before being veneered on the
underside. Grooves were cut along the sides using a router and
16 Before going any further the cap badge and medals were corresponding runners fitted within the inner frame. A Forstner
mounted, so as not to cause any damage, on to card covered in faux bit was used to cut the finger hole before fitting the small
suede. Once mounted, the inscription plate was cut to size and handles into a rebate.
both were fitted into the frame. ‘Bendits’, which are sometimes used
in picture framing, were inserted to hold both the panels in place, 21 To tie everything together the plug over the pivot point and
so when the box was finished they could easily be put in place, as the point formed in the finger hole by the Fortsner bit were
with limited space screws or pins were not going to be possible. plugged with small pieces of ebony. These small plugs were also
used to form the black centres of the poppies. Once the inside of
17 Two veneered side pieces of ply were rebated into the sides of the box was cleaned up and polished, the brass rod could be cut
the frame, which then allowed a bottom rail front and back to be to length and the plugs fitted.
jointed and fitted to allow clearance for the drawer over the door.
When the unit was glued up it was then wrapped in clingfilm 22 The outside was then cleaned up and polished and the linings
to stop it sticking to the box and screwed in position to keep added to the inside of the top and the bottom. The letters and
everything square. photographs are now safely protected for future generations.

22a 22b

39
JAPANESE SAWS
ANTHONY BAILEY EXPLAINS THE KEY FEATURES OF
JAPANESE PULLSAWS AND DEMONSTRATES HOW TO USE THEM

There is a vast range of Japanese pullsaws available on the Handles can be wrapped in split bamboo or rubberised plastic
market, and the advantages to the user are so great that I felt depending on the quality or type of saw.
it was worth looking in depth at this increasingly popular
hand tool. TYPES OF SAW
Dozuki: a backsaw, with a folded stiffening strip to hold the
HOW THEY ARE MADE blade rigid. It is often supplied with very fine teeth, making it
Compared to the hand-forged methods employed to make ideal for use as a dovetail saw.
Japanese laminated steel chisels, pullsaws are much more of
a production line job. Just like the hardpoint saws used for Ryoba: used for deep cutting both rip and crosscut, having two
carpentry, the pullsaw blades are punched from a long strip of edges with different size teeth. Tatebiki teeth are the ripsaw type
steel, making the key part – the blade – a relatively easy thing and the Yokobiki have crosscut teeth.
to create. However, high levels of quality checking are used to
ensure precision and consistency. Kataba: both a rip and crosscut saw, with teeth on one side only
The type of saw the blade will be used for, determined by and without a back.
its tooth pattern, will dictate the sort of handle that is used.

40
Azebiki: a small Ryoba designed to cut into a surface with its
convex blade. There are panel saws with a hook tooth at the tip
to allow mid-panel starting. A

Mawashibiki: is a thin-bladed saw for cutting curves.

Kaeba: has a disposable blade and means ‘changing blade’.

However, since Japanese saws are normally fitted with
B
interchangeable blades it could apply to any of them.

Kugihiki Nokogiri: a flush cutting saw. Its name means nail

cutting saw, a ‘nail’ being a dowel or peg.

These are some of the most common types, but there are others, C
not all of which are sold with Japanese names and the names do not
always appear to be used correctly in the UK – my apologies if I have
made any mistakes with nomenclature. It should be noted that they
are often sold with their English description – panel, flush cut, and
so on – which makes things much more understandable. D

KEY FEATURES
1 The teeth cut on the pull stroke as they angle backwards, the
light return push stroke does not cut...
E
2 … therefore the blade can be much thinner as it is under
tension, not compression like a western-style saw, thus giving
a narrower kerf or slot.

1 H

A A fine-toothed Dozuki backsaw

B A small Dozuki saw
C A large Dozuki saw
D A double-edged Ryoba
E A Kataba with a rip blade and rubber handle
F A Kataba saw with a bamboo-wrapped handle
G An Azebiki panel saw
2 H A single-sided flush cut saw – the blade has a screw fixing
I A flush cut saw with two types of teeth

41
 3 4 5

6 7 8

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANTHONY BAILEY/GMC PUBLICATIONS

9 10 11

3 The teeth in many cases are quite fine and sometimes without 9 It is very easy so long as you remember it has a pullstroke only;
any ‘set’ at all, which makes for very neat precise cuts. pushing will cause the blade to buckle and jump, and the teeth
may break as they are both hard and brittle, although the main
4 Once mastered they are easy to aim and cut true. part of the blade does have some capacity to flex. The teeth are
very precisely cut to shape and so can cut fingers as well as wood.
5 Unlike a conventional push saw you can trim off tiny amounts. However, because not so much effort is needed to move the blade
this is less of a risk than with a standard western hardpoint saw.
6 Fine-tooth blades will cut rigid plastics very effectively.
10 The traditional-style long handles can be held how you
7 The blades can be replaced when the teeth become damaged or choose, but I normally grip in the middle because it feels right;
the blade body gets buckled by severe jamming. it is a matter of balance and comfort so the saw stroke is both
fluid and controlled. Sight down the blade as you would do with
8 The handle shapes and surface finishes offer a pleasingly a pushsaw, following the marked line with the blade. Because
different experience for the user. the teeth are quite small depending on the type of blade and the
easier start of cut, lining pullsaw teeth up against a marked line
USAGE TIPS is easy, and on subsequent strokes will not normally deviate.
Just wielding one of the larger pullsaws in the presence of anyone This natural in-built accuracy, combined with their light weight,
unfamiliar with such a tool can inspire nervous awe, as the blade makes these tools a pleasure to use.
and handle combined can look more like a weapon than a saw.
Certainly the thin blade and long handle can make a novice 11 Because you start at the front of a workpiece it is in theory
uncertain about how to go about using a pullsaw. easier to keep to a line. Incising to the line first, which is best

42
 12 13 14

15 16 17

18 19

with very precise pushsaw work, is not required as the blade cuts 16 The blade back support is tapped on the bench so the blade
such a fine kerf and will start cutting easily. drops into the slot properly. Several taps may be required for the
blade to be seated properly.
12 Small components are best crosscut using a bench hook
designed so the workpiece sits beyond the fence of the bench 17 Removal entails tapping the back edge of the blade to get it
hook, as it will then be pulled forward toward the user with to come loose. Be careful as it may fly across the workshop floor.
each stroke. Note that saws without a spine must have their blades wrapped
for safety and instead of the back edge of the blade, tap the
13 I like to mix my saws, so I use a hardpoint for board cutting, a handle on the bench.
large tenon saw for large joint cutting and several Japanese saws
for the fine rip and crosscut, dovetails and flush trimming. 18 Special saws and saw guide kits are made which enable you to
cut very accurate mitre and crosscuts or even precise board cutting.
14 Nice tools need to be cared for and these are no exception. A
light rub with camellia oil on the blades, avoiding catching on the 19 Certain blades have a bevelled or hook tooth, allowing mid-
teeth, is the most that is needed although a favourite is using an panel starts without resorting to other methods. Once you cut
anti-rust compound in the tool cabinet as the blades can then be through you can turn the saw around and work from the other
left unoiled. end as well.

15 Blades do get damaged occasionally, so check the teeth and

the straightness of the blade. The hook-in type fit around a pin.
Wrap the blade or wear gloves to avoid the risk of injury.

43
 WINDSOR CHAIR REPAIR
PROFESSIONAL WOODTURNER RICHARD FINDLEY
RESTORES A TRADITIONAL WINDSOR CHAIR

I am what used to be called a ‘jobbing of piece I would point a customer in the

turner’, so all of my work is commission direction of someone more specialist.
based and I never quite know what The sort of restoration work I do is more
will come through the door next. I for well-loved family pieces that are of
am neither a furniture maker nor sentimental rather than monetary value.
a restorer, but the specialities are A chest of drawers with a missing knob or
inexorably linked, so I have dabbled two perhaps, or a replacement finial for
in both areas in the past. I don’t granny’s old clock or, in this case, a repair
have space to make anything but to a Windsor chair.
the smallest items of furniture,
but restoration is an area I WINDSOR CHAIRS
thoroughly enjoy. To get things As a woodturner, I love Windsor chairs.
straight from the start, when Turning replacement legs or stretchers
it comes to genuinely valuable for them is pretty regular work.
antiques, I have done turning Sometimes I’m asked to colour-match
for them in the past, but for them to the original, sometimes they just
restoration work on that kind want new parts. Occasionally, as in this
case, I am given an entire chair (or at least
most of a chair) and asked to fix it.
This particular chair looked to be
a classic High Wycombe Windsor,
with an elm seat, steam-bent ash
back and beech spindles. It had
suffered from some woodworm in the
undercarriage though and I was given
one side and the central stretcher
separately. The side stretcher (or at
least the remnant of it) must have
been a particularly tasty piece of
beech because it had virtually
no weight to it and by the feel
of it when I squeezed the wood,
it was mostly a maze of worm
tunnels inside. These parts were
immediately put in a thick plastic
bag and the rest of the chair was
liberally doused in woodworm
killer, just in case.

PLAN OF ATTACK
Turning the replacement parts
would be pretty straightforward,
the tricky part would be
getting them back into the chair. The
undercarriage of a chair is usually
assembled prior to it being fixed to the
seat, so getting the two stretchers into
place could be a challenge. One of the

44
 5

1 3 6
PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICHARD FINDLEY

2 4 7

1 The chair, as it was when it was sent to me 2 The worm-eaten stretchers, safely sealed in a bag 3 Knocking out the wobbly leg
4 The wedge is clearly visible in the top of the leg 5 Removing the remains of the stretchers from the mortise
6 Cutting the new wedge room 7 Sizing the tenons

legs had a bit of a wobble to it, although a REMOVING THE LEG clean out the remains of the worm-eaten
new stretcher would most likely remedy Sometimes, the only way to find out if stretcher from the hole in the leg. I used
that, but it wasn’t loose enough to allow a plan will work is to take a deep breath a carving gouge to slice away the loose
me to flex in the replacement stretcher. and go for it, and that’s what I did here. wood. Normally I would have expected
Giving it more thought, this didn’t seem I turned a scrap of tulip into a dowel, this to come away in long strands of
like the proper way to go. The only just smaller than the top of the leg wood, but it was mostly dust so, just
answer would be to remove a leg. visible through the seat, and used it as to be on the safe side, I applied more
This chair had been made properly, a drift with my mallet. I supported the woodworm killer into both the hole in
with the legs going through the seat, seat with a piece of ply that happened to the loose leg and the one still in the chair.
with a tapered joint and being wedged be about the right width to stabilise the The legs had only a couple of wormholes
from the top, which gives an incredibly chair and I tapped it firmly. Then a little and seemed fine though.
strong and long-lasting joint, which will harder. There was definite movement, I then used my dovetail saw to cut away
generally only get tighter with use. I so I carried on and sure enough, the leg the old wedge, leaving fresh wedge room
decided that the wedge wasn’t going to came free with very little drama. for when I reassemble the chair.
come out, but the leg was quite wobbly, I could clearly see the wedge, so
so I wondered if I could knock it out from decided to saw it out and replace it with a TURNING THE PARTS
the top. With the leg out, replacing the new one to lock the leg back in place. As far as turning jobs go, Windsor chair
parts would be much easier. With the leg free of the chair, I could stretchers are as simple as they come.

45
 8 11 14

9 12 15

10 13 16

8 Shaping the stretcher 9 Comparing the shape 10 Planing cut on the stretcher 11 The string shows me the position of the central stretcher...
12 ... making it easy to mark the centre of the hole 13 Drilling the mortise 14 The chair dry-fitted and ready for staining
15 Applying the first coat of stain 16 Cutting back with an abrasive pad

I cut some fresh pieces of beech from moved back to my roughing gouge to drill. I opted for a more hands-on,
my timber pile and mounted the first ‘join the dots’ between the high point in traditional approach.
between centres on my lathe. Using a the centre and the tenons. I compared I tied a piece of string in a loop around
spindle roughing gouge, I turned the it to the existing stretcher and tweaked the two stretchers and put my 18mm lip
blank to a cylinder and reduced it to the it a little before switching back to my and spur drill into the existing mortise in
maximum diameter of the stretcher. The beading and parting tool, which I used the original stretcher. I then positioned
side stretcher was 36mm at its thickest, as a small skew to take a planing cut over the string so that it was sitting exactly
curving down to 18mm tenons. The the surface, then sanded to 320 grit. I where the central stretcher needed to
length was determined by reassembling dry-fitted the new stretcher, adjusting the be, the drill bit acting as the stretcher
the chair, measuring the space where the tenons until they were a perfect snug fit and giving me the correct position for
stretcher should be and adding most of into the mortises on the legs. It already the missing part. This allowed me to
the depth of the mortises, so I needed it looked more chair-like. mark the position of the hole along the
320mm long. stretcher. The loop of string also gave me
I marked the centre of the stretcher DRILLING a good visualisation of the thickness of
and sized the tenons with my beading Before I could turn the central stretcher, the stretcher, allowing me to eyeball the
and parting tool used in combination I needed to drill the mortise in my new centre height quite accurately.
with my Vernier callipers. I tend to leave side stretcher. There are lots of ways to I fitted the 18mm drill bit into my
the tenons 1mm or so oversize at this do this, some of which include measuring cranked drill (my full-sized drill wouldn’t
point and adjust after sanding. I then angles and setting up jigs on the pillar fit in the space) and drilled the new

46
 17 19 22

20

18 21 23

17 Applying the first coat of lacquer 18 Checking the finished parts match the rest of the chair 19 Corresponding components are marked
20 The glue-up in action 21 Driving home the wedge 22 Staining the top of the wedge to match
23 Assembled and checking for level on the table of my circular saw bench

mortise, using the string as a guide. You almost any wood colour. They dry quickly This was too light, as I intended, so I
can see in the photo that I was a little and are colourfast. To achieve the mid- applied a second coat, this time of thin
high with my angle of drilling, but the brown colour of the chair I used colours jacobean. Patience is key here. I applied
beauty of a Windsor, with its turned with the generic names ‘walnut’ and several light coats, taking my time and
parts, is that the stretcher can simply be ‘jacobean’. They are quite similar, with doing other little jobs in between. To give
rotated slightly until the hole is parallel the jacobean being a little darker. the spindles a little more depth, I cut the
with the floor. I could then measure the I love the challenge of colour matching, stain back with a red abrasive pad to give
length of the central stretcher and repeat although it can be frustrating at times. I it a more worn and faded appearance. I
the turning exercise. This one needed to always start light and creep up on the final added more stain and this time wiped it
be 300mm long and 28mm maximum, shade, so I began with a thinned layer of over with a little spirit thinners to once
running down to 18mm tenons. walnut stain. I used a little stainless steel more take the richness off the stain.
ramekin dish to mix the stain and applied Once I felt I was close, I stood the
STAINING it with a piece of folded paper towel. I loose leg and my two stretchers up on the
With the chair dry-fitted and feeling always dab the paper onto another clean chair to compare the colour and was very
good and stable now, I was ready to take piece like a blotter, to ensure I don’t put happy, so the next stage was to seal them.
it apart again and begin colour-matching too much on. I use the lathe as a work- I didn’t want to apply a thick coat of
the new parts. Generally, I use spirit holding device here, but don’t turn it on. finish, as any finish applied to this chair
stains as there is a wide range of colours I have far more control of the stain had long ago faded, but bare wood isn’t
that can be mixed and thinned to achieve rotating the lathe by hand as I need. the right solution either, so I used a thin

47
 24 26

25 27 28

24 Applying wax with a red abrasive pad to gently remove watermarks and paint 25 Buffing the wax
26 The maker’s mark and year stamp 27 & 28 The restored chair

wiped-on coat of water based-lacquer to story. My aim is to make the new pieces a little stain to it to blend in with the
seal it. Of course, this changed the colour very difficult to spot, but if someone rest of the leg.
slightly, so once it was dry I applied a wants to get on their hands and knees
second coat, this time tinted with a drop and really look, I’m sure they would be WAXING
of walnut water-based stain. Once this able to find the repair. The final job was to wax the entire chair.
second coat was dry, I once again gently The chair was looking dry and sad with
cut it back with the red abrasive pad to GLUE-UP various watermarks and more than a few
knock the sheen off. I leant them back on I always find glue-ups slightly stressful, but random paint spots. I used another piece
the chair with the leg and stood back – I I was as prepared as I could be, so went for of the red abrasive pad to liberally apply
was pleased, they would blend in well it. I had marked the ends of the spindles the brown wax, working with the grain
with the rest of the chair. with corresponding marks in the mortises to gently clean and revive it. I then used a
so I got everything in the right place. I buffing brush to remove the excess wax and
ETHICS have found that too much glue in this work it into the dry timber. The final stage
Where to draw the line with restoration kind of joint can actually make assembly was to wipe it over with soft cotton cloths.
is a hotly debated topic. I didn’t want this more difficult. If air is trapped in the
chair looking brand new and showroom mortise, unable to escape past the glue, it CONCLUSION
fresh, it just needed a little TLC to bring is virtually impossible to get everything I almost didn’t do the underside of the seat
it back to life. By the look of it, it had together, so I only use a relatively small but decided it looked so sad compared to
spent the last couple of years in a shed amount of glue and always make sure the rest that, even though it is unlikely to
or garage due to its broken parts. I could there is a small dry area in the joint to ever be looked at, I should give it a clean
have ‘aged’ the new parts somewhat, allow air to escape. With some jiggling and buff. I am so glad I did because as I
but this is where lines get a little blurred and mallet tapping (and more than likely rubbed the waxed abrasive pad over it,
between restoration and faking it. I the occasional swear word) I got the chair some markings revealed themselves: 1939,
generally don’t ‘age’ things, partly because together and tapped the new wedge into H Haynes, High Wycombe. There were
whenever I’ve tried it in the past the place in the top of the leg, which is like a also marks on the back of the seat which
result just looks like it’s been hit with a key, locking everything together. suggest this is number 4 of a set. I love
hammer, or with stones or dropped on I sat it on the table of my saw to check that I have been able to keep this chair in
the floor. Maybe I’m just not that good at for level, it only needed a touch taking use for another generation to enjoy. I am
it, but also I don’t think it needs it. These off of one leg to make it sit perfectly. I pleased with the match of the new parts
new components are part of the chair’s pared the excess wedge away and applied and it passed the sitting test too!

48
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UNATTAINABLE PERFECTION
BESPOKE FURNITURE DESIGNER AND MAKER SEAN FEENEY
IS CELEBRATING 42 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS THIS YEAR.
HE SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING

From an early age, teachers at Sean Feeney’s school in Sussex high-ceilinged Victorian classrooms which in due course became
said he was ‘good with his hands’, and he excelled in the practical the machine shop, assembly shop and drawing office,’ he says.
classes of woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing. After ‘The school playground offered enormous storage space for air-
school, in 1973, he went straight to Rycotewood College to start drying timber and on-site kiln-drying.’ During the mid-1980s
formally training in designing and building furniture, and in Dutch elm disease ravaged Warwickshire’s woodlands and
1975 was named Student of the Year, winning the prestigious provided the business with vast quantities of material.
Laurie Turner award. Sean was awarded his first Guild Mark by the Worshipful
Sean says: ‘After my training a number of positions were Company of Furniture Makers in 1998, for a folding screen with
offered within the furniture-making industry, but I decided to woven ash panels housed in rosewood frames and decorated with
change direction and complete my 10,000-hour apprenticeship mother of pearl. Sean says: ‘The UK furniture industry’s charity
at an industrial design consultancy based in the market town aims to inspire and promote excellence throughout the industry
of Warwick.’ He worked there for four years before deciding with its prestigious Guild Marks and awards. The Guild Marks
to go it alone, and opened his first workshop in Leamington are divided into four categories: Bespoke, Design, Manufacturing
Spa in central England in 1979. ‘The premises was a Victorian and Sustainability, reflecting the broad range and depth of the
Gothic purpose-built bakehouse which had three floors with industry, and the criteria are exacting. The marks are judged by
commercial planning permission – the perfect town location independent experts from the furnishing and creative industries
for a fledgling enterprise,’ Sean recalls. who physically inspect each application for excellence of design,
He started out with two cabinetmakers’ chests of tools, a materials, craftsmanship and function. Since the folding screen
bandsaw, a planer and thicknesser and a portable extractor. a further six Guild Marks have been awarded to a variety of my
‘That was the total sum of the workshop equipment,’ he says. ‘A designs. These awards bring credibility and prestige to their
five-year business plan coupled with personal determination and holders, helping to build brands both domestically and abroad.
relentless long hours provided the springboard to relocate the ‘In 2004 I was admitted into the Freedom of the City of
business to a more pastoral rural location in 1984.’ By this time London and became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company.
he had taken on a junior maker and a school-leaver apprentice, Several years later I was asked to be a judge and served two
and this expansion meant he needed a bigger space. three-year terms with the Bespoke Guild Mark Committee.’
Sean moved to the Old School at Preston-on-Stour, where he During that time he couldn’t put his own pieces in for awards,
stayed for the next 30 years. ‘The building comprised of three but he is now looking at submitting another project.

50
 PHOTOGRAPHS UNLESS STATED © CHRIS CHALLIS

51
 PHOTOGRAPH © LES SMITHERS
MATERIAL WORLD a freelance designer and maker. Each item is therefore a unique
Nowadays Sean loves to work with burr elm, red elm and Dutch challenge, requiring considerable thought and creativity in
elm, as well as native brown oak, rippled and figured sycamore attempting to produce the all-round perfect solution, bonding
and London plane quarter-sawn to produce lacewood. ‘The design and craftsmanship together.’
colour, texture and close grain of pearwood always excite the Sean adds: ‘2021 is the 42nd anniversary of my business, and
senses,’ he adds. Sean also uses glass for various practical or throughout this time I have never fully or completely achieved
decorative reasons, such as tabletops, cabinet shelving, bevelled the absolute perfection seen in my mind’s eye, the unattainable
edge details to door panels and mirrors. He says: ‘There are embodiment of my intention. There is always an aspect with
numerous possibilities with sand-blasted treatments and acid each design that I would modify or change for improvement.
etching all used to creatively enhance the visual appearance The opportunity hardly ever arises to repeat a product, so we
of toughened and laminated glass.’ He also works with copper, continually strive to achieve perfection and get it right first time.’
silver and aluminium for inlays. ‘They can be worked to very fine Contemporary architecture and the natural world are among a
tolerance and remain stable, unlike the primary material, wood, number of inspirations for Sean’s work. ‘Both play an important
which will move, warp, shrink and expand and therefore requires role with innovation and conceptualisation of a design,’ he
careful consideration within the design of an object, unless says. ‘To help organise the process and eliminate oversights, it
veneers are substituted for solid timber to alleviate potential is essential to evaluate the design brief created at the point of
movement,’ Sean explains. client meeting. We develop the design through sketches and
His favourite part of furniture-making is the design stage. scale drawings to a point where the object can be produced. It is
‘The design process is the most exciting and rewarding aspect at this stage where every single design and constructional detail
to me now,’ he explains. ‘I love creating a solution to a design is addressed and confirmed with the additional use of scale
brief in a practical and aesthetically pleasing manner. The vast models, full-size drawings or prototypes, which help to identify
proportion of my work is commissioned one-of-a-kind pieces, any visual or constructional issues.’ The final piece is then built
something I decided to focus on right at the outset of becoming using the finest materials available in the marketplace.

52
PHOTOGRAPH © CHRIS WRIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH © PAUL LAPSLEY

 PHOTOGRAPHS © CHRIS WRIGHT
PERFECT FINISH It took four men to move one board from the delivery vehicle,
‘Product finishing in my view is one of the most important and the same number to lift and move the finished tabletop
aspects of furniture making,’ Sean says. ‘All wooden items require around the workshop. The table and 14 matching chairs were
surface protection from day-to-day usage to maintain the colour finally delivered four days before the deadline. ‘The top itself
and grain beauty and give the user a maintenance-free, durable was carefully protected within a purpose-built wooden crate
surface. Timber coatings vary from project to project, with a focus and subsequently crane-winched into the second floor of the
on high quality and low impact on the environment. They include building, with me looking on anxiously. That is not a project one
acrylic lacquers, water-based lacquers and a range of microporous would ever forget,’ he says.
oils applied to various gloss levels to ensure a flawless finish.’ Other stand-out projects over the years include rippled
One of Sean’s most challenging projects was when he decided sycamore table Acer – ‘Its curved flowing legs with foot details
to enter a national competition to design a boardroom table of pearwood supporting the solid, highly figured, moulded
and chairs for the Royal Agricultural Society’s new library tabletop was an immensely satisfying form and a delight to
in a contemporary building at the Royal Showground in design and produce,’ he says – and a pair of elm wine tables.
Warwickshire – even though the library was on the second ‘They had solid laburnum oysters inlayed within the top,
floor, stair access would not accommodate the tabletop supported by four tapering curved legs with animalistic bog
dimensions the brief required and he would have to lift the oak foot details,’ says Sean. ‘Overall I find this pair of tables
top into the room using a crane. visually stimulating and they display a high level
He entered the competition in November, knowing the of craftsmanship.’
finished piece had to be in place by July 6 the following year to Manufacturing has continued throughout lockdown and
coincide with the Prince of Wales opening the Royal Show. By Sean is currently designing a sofa table and a hallway table
late December he learnt he had won the competition. ‘I knew we for a client. ‘Digital technology provides various platforms
would be working very long weeks throughout the spring and early for communications and to view potential stock purchase,
summer,’ he says. He made the 3.5m x 1.2m x 40mm tabletop from we adapt with the times,’ he says. ‘I would like to mention my
four boards quarter-sawn from the same log. ‘The timber had to team of craftsmen, who over the past 16 months have worked
be English oak and confirmation of the material’s provenance was throughout the pandemic, producing outstanding work.
a requirement,’ Sean recalls. ‘Finding the appropriate materials Thank you Tim Smith, Patrick Howlett and Ed Berry for your
involved extensive travels around the UK viewing potential trees, commitment and dedication.’
and eventually I secured a 4m log with centre boards over 900mm
wide, displaying good medullary ray characteristics.’ seanfeeneyfurniture.co.uk

54
UNDER THE HAMMER –
MARQUETRY AND PARQUETRY
HUNDREDS OF DECORATIVE ANTIQUES WERE SOLD AT BONHAMS’
HOME AND INTERIORS AUCTION. WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE
BEST-SELLING FURNITURE LOT

LOT 235 • £31,500

A pair of Italian early 19th-century rosewood, ebony,
purplewood and sycamore marquetry and chequer-inlaid
commodes by Karl Amadeus Roos (1775–1837).
Each has a rectangular top inlaid with a central compass rose
oval within lozenge and feather-banded surrounds. The long top
drawers are inlaid with friezes of alternating palmettes, scrolled
foliate cornucopiae and harpie busts. The deep lower drawers are
inlaid with one central tablet flanked by two smaller tablets, each
within a chevron border encompassed by a stylised foliate pattern.
One of the commodes is decorated with scenes depicting figures
about to sacrifice a bull at a temple, a dancer playing pipes and
a warrior. The other is inlaid with images of Paris and Helen of
Troy, Cerberus, and figures eating and drinking, the drawer below
has conforming inlay to the frieze, on square tapering legs, with
identically inlaid sides centred by the figures of three dancing
Muses within a tablet, with walnut-lined drawers.
Karl Amadeus Roos was born in 1775 in Ludwigsburg,
Germany. Following a period as an apprentice, he moved to
Paris where he trained as an ebeniste. In 1804, Roos relocated
to Rome. His reputation spread rapidly and his business soon
flourished. Within a short period of time, his furniture became
highly fashionable among the affluent clientele of Rome. A
prolific cabinetmaker, his work was renowned for its quality,
beauty and practicality.

56
 ▲
LOT 99 • £19,000
An Irish George III satinwood, sycamore, kingwood, tulipwood,
purplewood and marquetry demi-lune commode, made around
1780. The top is inlaid with a sand-shaded oval fan patera
encompassed by two berried flowerhead roundels, a scrolled
foliate-issuing palmette, a demi-lune sunflower rosette and
two fan angles. The frieze is inlaid with a rosette roundel and
anthemia, centred by an oval fan. There is one long mahogany-
lined drawer, over a pair of doors each inlaid with a sand-shaded
oval fan patera, enclosing one shelf. This is flanked by two
panels, each inlaid with a patera within an oval, interspersed by
projecting pilasters, terminating in square tapering feet.
Elements of the inlay on this commode are characteristic of
the work of William Moore, who flourished as a cabinetmaker
in Dublin during the last quarter of the 18th century and
beginning of the 19th century. Also typical of Moore’s output
is the segmental veneering which is evident on the front panels
and the top.
▲

LOT 141 • £7,012

A New Zealand 19th-century parquetry occasional
table made around 1870 by Anton Seuffert (1815–87).
The circular top is inlaid with overlapping geometric stars
within a lozenge basketweave inlaid surround, with a reverse
ogee moulded edge. The column features a lotus leaf design
and the circular base is decorated with stylised leaf inlays.
The various timbers probably include kauri, puriri rim, tawa,
burr totara and kihekohe.
This table is a fine example of the output of Anton Seuffert,
who was most celebrated for producing specimen wood
parquetry tables of this type. He was born in Bohemia and in
1859 moved to Auckland, where he established himself as one of
the pre-eminent Australasian cabinetmakers of the 19th century.
He became famous for his ingenious use of indigenous timbers.
Card tables with distinctive inlaid patterns, such as this, are
the most instantly recognisable and representative works made
by the Seuffert workshop. The original purpose was for visitors
to leave their business or postal cards on when entering or
leaving a property.
▲

LOT 47 • £1,530
A Swedish late 18th to early 19th-century ormolu mounted
rosewood and marquetry commode, in the manner of Georg
Haupt (1741–84). The moulded marble top sits above three long
drawers, the two lower drawers are inlaid sans traverse with a
cupid’s love trophy and drapery swags. Each end is inlaid with
PHOTOGRAPHS BY BONHAMS

ribbon-tied flowers.
Georg Haupt was a Swedish cabinetmaker whose work was
characterised by its detailed use of intarsia. He was an apprentice
to Johan Conrad Eckstein in Stockholm, before working in
Amsterdam, Paris and London. When he returned to Sweden
he became cabinetmaker to King Adolph Frederick in 1769.

57
58
CONOID CHAIRS
JOSH BROWER PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT GEORGE NAKASHIMA
AND RECREATES ONE OF HIS MOST FAMOUS DESIGNS

George Nakashima (1905–90) is an icon of the American Arts waterfall bubinga with rose gold legs, I decided I needed to add
and Crafts movement. His daughter Mira joined him in the some chairs worthy of the room, in walnut to match the interior
workshop in 1970 and continues the tradition of Nakashima trim in the home.
furniture today, as she ‘strives to appreciate, safeguard, and After a thorough review of iconic chairs, the Nakashima
expand upon the traditions and knowledge integral to his work’. Conoid chair in walnut seemed to keep coming up as an ideal
Nakashima’s furniture is easily recognisable for its ability to candidate. I had previously made a Conoid chair for my kitchen
bring out the beauty and soul of the tree through the way the office space, but it had taken considerable time and effort to
wood is used. Every piece shows the grain and natural beauty of make, so I asked my frequent shop partner Brandon Conover
the tree’s growth in the furniture itself, so you not only feel the for help. Brandon had recently finished a large commission of
beauty of a piece based on its function, but also the life of the these chairs for a bank president and he still had the jigs that
tree which you now share through its use. were built for the pieces, which take considerable effort to make.
While there are many pieces he made which continue to The Conoid chair I’d made before was a one-off and most of the
inspire and motivate today’s woodworkers, there are few that shaping and fitting was done by hand; when making multiples,
are as loved as his Conoid chair. The Conoid chair was named machine-fitting is far more accurate.
after Nakashima’s studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which I had cut up a large Bastogne walnut log years previously and
was modelled on the section of a cone. slabbed it into usable pieces that might be suitable for tabletops
in size and thickness. Bastogne is a sterile tree and the rarest of
MAKING MY OWN CONOID CHAIRS walnuts for that reason; it is geneaologically close to European
I recently moved into a home that was large enough to walnut, which means many pieces of it have light and dark areas
accommodate the large stash of woodstock I have been carrying frequently called ‘marble cake’. This prime and beautiful wood had
with me through my years of selling wood and making pieces for been sitting in my stash awaiting the right project, and the need for
clients. After fashioning a chandelier and a 10ft dining table of 16 chairs was the perfect opportunity for it.

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 1 2 3

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOSH BROWER

4 5 6

1 A collection of jigs for rough shaping of the stock and joinery locations 2 Detailing jigs for cutting the joinery, which is precise enough to hold
together without glue 3 Brandon Conover helping lay out the rough stock using the grain of the wood 4 Templates were used for each part and
laid out to do the best grain matching possible before rough cutting out on the bandsaw 5 The larger bandsaw was used to rough cut out all the
parts following the grain of the pieces needed 6 Parts were then sorted for colour, grain and seat glue-ups with bookmatches
7 After rough out, the parts were further sorted into chair sets and marked so they would stay grouped through the machining process
8 To match the existing table, I used another bubinga piece from the same tree that the table was made from to make spindles for the
12 chairs. The traditional light-coloured spindles from the remaining timber would be used for a smaller table elsewhere in the home
9 Initial machining was done on the legacy ornamental mill using a custom template that I made to make them round and then to vary the tapers
on each end 10 The spindles were machined in two separate actions to get a smooth final pass so minimal clean-up was needed
11 Cutting off the machined ends for an exact length and fine-tuning with a block plane and card scraper of each spindle body was done to
make sure each chair looked exactly the same 12 The router jig was used with a wedge on the bed to give the correct tilt for a precise fit of each
end’s variation in both the crest rail and the seat base. Careful fitting was needed for each chair since slight variations occur
13 Final fitting of the parts was completed after the router table made 0.001 adjustments to the fit of each spindle from the seat to the crest
rail holes 14 Bridle joints were used for the joinery 15 Bridle joints on the leg bottoms allowed narrow wood to create a very strong joint so
that people sitting in the chairs can lean forward with no rocking motion

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7 8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15
 16 17 18

19 20 21

Spindles were initially roughed out with a lateral template on a length with jigs. Prefinishing parts before the final joinery was
legacy ornamental mill and turning lathe for sanding. The final cut allowed fitting to occur quickly after. Glue squeeze-out
fitting of the ends was arduous: each had to precisely fit the length was made easy by the prefinished parts being smoother and
and the diameter of the holes drilled to avoid rattling when they stopping the glue absorption.
change size in varying degrees of humidity. This was accomplished While the main joinery was accomplished, the seat holes were
by using a router jig to get the final 8mm exactly to size and then bored while the seats were still a square with easy to register
some fine hand tools to blend in the remainder of the taper. A card surfaces using a jig. The seat shape was traced out and the
scraper was used last of all to give it a polished look. bandsaw used to rough out the final shape and cut the cloud lift
Straightforward bridle joints were used for the joinery of under the anterior leg portion of the seat (the cloud lift makes
the chairs. The joints required careful fitting since the the seat look thinner in the front than it actually is by creating
interlocking parts overlap for the majority of each part for an anterior narrow area). A jig registering where the legs and
additional strength, to make up for the cantilevered seat and buttocks would be placed on the seat was clamped to the top of
legs. Routers were used to rough out the parts for width and the seat blank and routers of different plunger depths set to get

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 23

22 24 25

16 Due to the extensive joinery each chair was assembled without

glue and walked on to test for loose joints before glue-up 26
17 Sitting in the chair without glue to test the mechanical strength
of each joint! 18–20 The seat holes were bored and the seat shape
was traced out while the timber was still square
21 Rough sculpting was done with grinders and aggressive sanders,
but fine-tuning was done with hand tools and fine abrasives. Some
card scraping was done to give a hand-detailed smooth final finish
22 Due to the extensive grain changes in the highly figured Bastogne
walnut, very fine abrasives were used with card scrapers for a final
finish. Small cracks developed even though the wood was thoroughly
seasoned and they were filled with a mix of black-dyed epoxy
23 Multiple coats of shellac were added as a sanding sealer, followed
by polyurethane on the seats and functional parts, and a final top
coat of high solids Osmo oil
24 Complete and ready to transport home!
25 Altogether, well over 200 man hours went into making the 16
chairs, which will provide a lifetime of functional art for the home
26 Here is the finished room. These chairs have matching waterfall
bubinga spindles from an offcut of the tabletop

precise removal of the material so all the seats would look the
same. Angle grinders with varied carbide and abrasive carvers
were used to remove the majority of the material before some
hand tools and finally sanders were used to complete the seat
tops. There was over 75 gallons of shavings removed and swept
up from the chair seat sculpting alone!
Final assembly and clamping was completed with some tricky
fitting of the spindles into all eight holes on top and on the bottom
at the same time as getting the clamps on! It took six clamps per
chair. There were too few clamps available in the shop to do 16
chairs at once, so a Russian roulette of clamping occurred with
rapid clamping and unclamping occurring for hours until even
hardy woodworking hands received some well-earned blisters.
HAWAIIAN TOPIC
A STINT LIVING IN HAWAII INSPIRED KYLLE SEBREE
TO DEDICATE HIS LIFE TO MAKING FURNITURE

Based in Carlsbad, near San Diego, California, Kylle Sebree is a he fell in love with making furniture. The first thing he made was
young furniture maker inspired by Scandinavian and Japanese a coffee table for his home. He says: ‘That’s where the journey
design, and his own coastal lifestyle. His sleek pieces show the began – to find a career I loved joined with my newfound passion
influence of mid-century style as well as his design hero James for furniture making, which also satisfied my love of the arts.’
Krenov, and he makes striking use of hand-woven Danish cord He was initially self-taught, attended a community
in partnership with wood. college furniture programme and then signed up for a year-
Kylle has always loved working with his hands, but initially long intensive course at the Inside Passage School of Fine
studied Exercise Physiology at the University of Houston, with a Cabinetmaking in British Columbia, Canada. The school offers
minor in art. He graduated in 2007 and moved to Hawaii, where an Impractical Cabinetmaker programme and was inspired by

64
the teachings of James Krenov, who was an adviser to the school committing to it and trying to educate myself as much as I could.’
until his death in 2009. ‘Of course, I will be forever learning,’ Kylle thanked his wife Hayley for her support by building her
Kylle adds. That training and Krenov himself inspired Kylle’s what was at once the most challenging and rewarding project
first paid commission, a jewellery cabinet. he has worked on so far. ‘It was my final piece while at the Inside
He says: ‘When I decided to pursue the schooling for it, I knew Passage School, Haley’s Cabinet. She sacrificed so much and
this was what I was going to do for the rest of my life. Building the encouraged me in so many ways. It was the only way I knew at
business was a very long road made possible by the combination the time to say thank you. I enjoyed every minute of the build and
of having a wife that believed in me, a lot of perseverance and scrutinised every little detail. I’m still waiting for a client who
making a lot of mistakes and not giving up. The first step was allows me to focus that much time and energy on one piece.’

65
 PHOTOGRAPHS UNLESS STATED BY KYLLE SEBREE
SUSTAINABLE SOURCING ethos is ‘chasing the ability to marry design with craftsmanship’.
James Krenov’s book The Impractical Cabinetmaker inspired Kylle He explains: ‘For a lot of us in the field I feel that one of those
to build a personal relationship with a sawyer – a challenge he qualities is natural, but combining the two is when you can
initially had no idea how to go about. ‘I didn’t really understand really have that effect of allowing design to guide your mood and
how that would look or if it was still possible in this day and age, affect your life in a positive way.’
but I really took that to heart,’ he says. ‘I chose a mill, flew out to So how does his design process work? ‘If it’s a piece from our
visit them and have now formed a relationship that goes beyond collection, those designs came about mostly due to a personal
business, I would call the owners friends. So I know firsthand how need in our home or just ideas that float around in my head.
important it is to them to source material that is not only some Sometimes they start as a pencil sketch, but most of the time,
of the best, but also sustainable.’ But he admits he has never been when it’s a piece I want to make, I just start building what I see
asked for a sustainably sourced piece of furniture in the 10 years in my head. Custom pieces on the other hand always start with a
he has been making it professionally. ‘Maybe they assume that’s sketch to show the clients, and then oftentimes a scale mockup.’
part of ordering bespoke furniture,’ he wonders. Custom work makes up around 50% of Kylle’s work, and he
Kylle prefers working with walnut, white oak and teak, and enjoys it because it introduces changes to his building schedule –
chooses woods he can enjoy developing with hand tools. He uses but overall he prefers working on his own collection. ‘It’s always
hand-rubbed oil finishes on all his products, except the interiors a very special feeling when people order directly from my site,
of cabinets and drawers, which receive shellac. ‘I hate the way a no questions asked. It’s a feeling of validation on my design and
varnish makes a piece of wood feel almost plasticky,’ he says. In such a huge compliment,’ he says. ‘I want to make time after we
fact Kylle only uses hand tools for the final 10% of the work done get our new space built out to refine some collection pieces, add
to his furniture – but this is where he spends 90% of his time. He more to it and bring in a couple of people to help shoulder some
explains: ‘I love using hand tools, you can’t duplicate what the of the load. I’m definitely maxed out as a one-man shop with an
hands can do with any machine when it comes to putting your occasional sander.’
fingerprints on a piece.’ Where possible he avoids using a router. Orders for Kylle’s Leeward credenzas and Lewers benches
‘It’s loud and dusty. I would much rather use a small block plane tend to queue up, so he is usually working on one of those
to soften an edge over using a round-over bit,’ he explains. at any given time, and is currently also working on a
The week before the Covid pandemic shut the world down, commissioned set of bar stools, two dining tables and a Harbor
Kylle signed a lease on a larger space in the village where he lives Low chair, which are destined for locations including New
– so his workshop is currently a construction zone. ‘Needless York, Texas and California. Looking ahead, he plans to keep
to say, improvements and the remodel were put on hold as we growing his business. ‘I do have a lot of passions and plan to
navigated Covid as well as getting our work permits,’ he says. ‘I’m start another line of business that is currently in the works.
hoping to have it completed for an open house by the fall, and All I can say is that it involves furniture, design, tropical
also to stop working 50 to 60 hours a week!’ destinations and giving back,’ he says. He also dreams of one
day having the time to design and build a home for his family,
NATURAL INSPIRATION his wife of 16 years Hayley and their two-year-old daughter.
‘My inspiration has always come from the deep-seeded belief
that design and what we surround ourselves with can shape our kyllesebree.com
lives, from the day to day to the long term,’ says Kylle. He says his @kyllesebree

66
PHOTOGRAPH BY TOMOKO H MATSUBAYASHI
HEIRLOOM DINING TABLE
JIM BENNETT TAKES INSPIRATION FROM ARCHITECTURE TO MAKE AN
ELEGANT TABLE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BECOME A FAMILY TREASURE

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 1

1 Watercolour sketch of the table

At the time I had been reading a book by the late Peter Rice, the
engineering brains behind some of the iconic architectural works
of the past 50 years including the Sydney Opera House, Lloyds of
London and the Beaubourg (Centre Pompidou) in Paris. I was a
chartered building surveyor before retraining as a furniture maker
so I have always been fascinated by the link between architecture,
Every now and again as a designer and maker, an enquiry engineering and furniture design and I have been obsessed by
for a commission will come your way that really excites you. the Pompidou for years. The brief for the Pompidou had been
Mine came from a couple in the next village to my workshop for a ‘large open span carrying a heavy load’ – in its case this was
in Suffolk. They had not long returned to England after a library over a span of 45m; in my case with this table, it was a
spending the past 25 years living abroad. 40mm-thick slab of oak spanning over 3m, but the principle is the
Being closer to family and wanting to spend time with same. It was just a question of scale. As Rice says ‘The work of an
them prompted the idea for a large family table. The brief engineer, no less than that of a furniture designer...’.
was simple, but challenging. They did not want a traditional The answer for the Pompidou was the Gerbette Solution
dining table, one with a leg in each corner and a visible named after Herbert Gerber, a 19th-century engineer who
frame. It would have to be able to sit up to 10 people, have a invented a support system for bridges. Rice had wanted a
thick timber top, no apron or downstand visible beneath the bespoke solution for the Pompidou, not one made from standard
table edge and no stretchers at a low level. It needed to be sections. They used cast-iron mouldings – Gerbettes – finished
elegant but functional, and hopefully be able to be passed by hand to give a ‘quality unique to the designer and maker, a
on to future generations. reminder that they were made and conceived by people who had
laboured and left their mark’.
I wanted to do the same. My brief did not allow me to have
DESIGN a normal support system, so I came up with the idea of the leg
I had several ideas which I sketched out by hand and coloured being designed like the outstretched arm of someone beneath
using watercolour paint – my preferred way to design. Having the table using one hand to support the centre from deflecting
selected the ones I thought most appropriate, I arranged a and the other to support the ends.
meeting with my client. They were discussing two of the The legs had to act like an arch – pushing against each other
proposals when I knocked over my bag. They both said: ‘That – actually gaining their strength from the compressive weight of
one!’. It was an idea I had roughly sketched out and discarded the tabletop, like a bridge. The legs therefore had to be bespoke –
as possibly unworkable but had kept in my bag! my very own Gerbettes.

69
70
2

5
7

9
8
6

11

12
10

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JIM BENNETT

MODEL MAKING The main components were drawn out full size on paper, cut
I always make a scale model. I find it can solve many problems out and transferred to a piece of MDF, which was in turn cut out
before the making process starts. In this case the fi rst model, and stuck on top of a piece of 200mm-wide oak with double-
including chairs, was made to see if the seating arrangement was sided tape. This shape was then cut out on the bandsaw, leaving
possible. It wasn’t. The legs were at the wrong angle, obstructing a small margin. This excess was removed on the router table
the chair legs. with a flush trim router, using the MDF as the template for the
I made a new model, altering the angles of the legs. It worked. bearing, allowing multiple pieces to be made accurately.
However, I was still not sure if the design would carry the load of Considerable thought was given to how to connect the
the heavy top and be stable, as I could not replicate the weight or individual components of the legs together for maximum
loads of the actual table in the model. strength. I considered a traditional mortise and tenon joint,
Having established the splay of the legs and the exact angle at but I was concerned about how strong that would be, bearing
which they were to be fixed to the top, I decided it was too risky to in mind the eccentric angle at which it was being loaded. I finally
carry on without an actual full-size prototype of a leg and corner. decided on multiple dominoes to get as much surface area of glue
I made a roughly shaped leg and part of a tabletop out of MDF and as possible.
pushed it up to the bench with no other support. This replicated The next problem was clamping such an irregular shape.
the ‘arch’ idea. It was remarkably stable. After eating my lunch at it Various bespoke jigs were made to provide pressure at the correct
I was eventually satisfied that it would work. angle and in the correct position.
Once assembled, the legs were cleaned up using a cabinet
TIMBER scraper and then sanded – my preferred method of finishing.
It had been decided that the table was to be made from English
oak. I buy most of my timber from a local timber yard who let me SUBFRAME
select the pieces I require. A list of sizes was prepared. While the I laid plywood sheets as a temporary tabletop on the workbench
top posed little problem with regard to timber selection, the legs and levelled them. Working on this as if it was the underside of
proved more difficult. I had to decide on the dimensions – for the table, the legs were placed on it and positioned accurately,
aesthetic as well as strength reasons. Due to the complex nature transferring the measurements from the model and prototype
of the shape and the loading I could not afford any distortion to made earlier. Constant reference was made to the model
the legs, particularly as they would not be restrained along their throughout this process.
length or at their feet. After discussion with my timber merchant, Having placed the legs in position, I could now template the
we took the decision to make them out of two pieces of 40mm- subframe. This frame served two purposes. It had to secure the
thick timber to give an overall thickness of 80mm.The appropriate top of the legs together at the correct angle and provide support
cutting list was prepared and quartersawn oak of the suitable for the struts. The design was such that the frame would only
thickness was chosen and brought back to the workshop to settle. gain sufficient strength once the top was fitted – like an arch.
The subframe was made from 25mm-thick oak, comprising
MAKING THE LEGS one piece running the length of the table joined with dominoes
The timber for the legs and subframe was selected on grain to the two shorter cross pieces. These were used to lock the two
direction for strength, milled to within a few millimetres pairs of legs together at the ends with half-blind dovetails. This
of the desired thickness and left to rest. subframe was kept as thin as possible so as not to be visible and
As the construction of the legs and subframe was critical, I corner blocks were added for additional strength.
drew out a full-size rod for half of the table on my workbench.
I then set about making a template for the legs. THE TABLETOP
Each leg was made up from three sections. The main section As mentioned before, the top was slightly more conventional
was cut from a 200mm-wide piece of oak, which gave me 200mm although the timber selection took some time as this is an
width at the point of most load and reduced the number of joints important part of any furniture build. I had initially selected
to get the desired shape . The strut, extending underneath to the rough sawn timber, looking for character, knots and, of
support the centre of the table, would be jointed to the leg with a course, minimum wastage. The sawn planks were cut to length
90° seating. The rear support was a small piece fi xed to the rear and planed flat on one side on the jointer and then thicknessed,
of the main leg. leaving a few millimetres for final milling before glue-up.

2 Making the first model, working out the leg details 3 The finished model 4 Full-size working drawing of the leg components, before cutting the
template 5 Prototype leg and corner of the table made in MDF at correct height to test support 6 Full-scale rod/working out subframe sketch details
7 Full-size mock-up of leg and strut in MDF to test-fit and see how it looked in full scale. This allowed reshaping of the legs to reduce the weight
without loss of strength 8 Main leg support cut out on the bandsaw, leaving excess for trimming off on the router table
9 Main leg support after final trimming with the flush trim router. The faces where the other components would attach have to be very accurately
cut for strength and aesthetic 10 Building up the leg with rear component using dominoes 11 Using offcuts as part of the jig for clamping
irregular-shaped components is a very good way of getting an even pressure 12 Removing waste for the half-blind dovetails using the mortiser.
The dovetails were cut by hand but the majority of the waste could be removed this way

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 13 15 17

14 16 18

With the subframe now finalised and back on the workshop supporting but lacked rigidity, which I hoped would come from
floor, the planed oak pieces for the top were laid out on the the weight of the top applying a compressive force. It worked!
workbench for final positioning using the best of the grain I felt a great relief as the top went on – even without any fixings
pattern and medullary rays . it was immediately strong enough to sit on at its mid-point.
Having selected the order of the planks, I carefully planed each The top and subframe were given several coats of hardwax
edge – first on the jointer and then by hand – and fitted them to oil before final assembly, being rubbed down in between coats.
ensure a perfect fit. I decided to use dominoes on the joints – not The two were joined with screws through slotted holes to allow
for strength as the rubbed joint would have been strong enough, for movement
but as I hand-finish all of my work I want to reduce the amount
of correction needed. Using dominoes along the joints meant DELIVERY
I managed to get the planks pretty well lined up. Delivering a finished piece is always an anxious time for everybody.
Like most makers I find any glue-up stressful. Large tabletops Delivery was arranged with a trusted courier. My workshop
present specific difficulties in keeping the top flat while applying deliberately has a single door access to make sure whatever is made
pressure to the sides. I used cauls as much as possible to apply in there can go through a normal house door at the other end.
pressure on the top to stop it lifting. After the top was released The tabletop and subframe were wrapped and carried
from the clamps, a straightedge showed the table to be pretty level. separately and taken into the house, where I reassembled it.
Help was enlisted to turn the top over due to its weight, The new owners were as anxious as I was to see it in position
allowing me to sample my finishing techniques before working and to put their own chairs around it. A part of you always stays
on the top surface. I used a mixture of a finely set hand plane and with a piece which has taken up so much time, but seeing my
a cabinet scraper. Final sanding was done with a random orbital clients happy meant I knew it was in its rightful place.
sander, going through the grades. A year after delivery I received a message from my clients:
‘The table has become the heart of family activity and we love it!
ASSEMBLY ... Much admired by people who visit. Thank you.’
With the top and subframe now finished, the time had arrived
to see if the design worked. The subframe alone was self- jim-bennett.co.uk, @jimbennettfurniture

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 22

19 26

23

27

20

24

21 25 28

13 Clamping the curved sections using offcuts to get the correct line of pressure 14 Cutting out and fixing dominoes for building the legs
15 Clamping arrangement for leg construction. As multiple clamps had to be used due to the complex nature of the joints, a bespoke jig was made
16 Making a template for the subframe for accurate cutting out for struts and legs. As the four legs all meet like an arch, accuracy was key here
17 Test-fitting the legs to the subframe and underside of the table 18 Test-fitting the half-blind dovetails to the subframe. These have to be
very strong to resist movement at the top under load and have to be in exactly the correct position 19 Assembling the subframe before the final
glue-up 20 Assembling the subframe using domino jointing for strength. This main frame will be screwed to the underside of the table and will
become stronger when fixed 21 Fitting the legs to the subframe 22 Final subframe construction completed and self-supporting awaiting the
top. Dowels and in some cases screws and pellets have been used for strength where appropriate 23 Selecting the timber for the tabletop. This
oak has been planed and thicknessed and is being positioned to obtain the best grain pattern 24 Gluing up the main tabletop
25 Radiused ends to the tabletop were a requirement of the brief. This was too large to be formed with a hand-held router, so it was done by
hand with a block plane and an MDF former used for final sanding 26 The finished tabletop showing the medullary rays of the oak.
27 The finished table legs 28 From start to finish: the model and finished table together

73
 

 
 
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75
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF WAYWOOD

THE SCULPTURAL SIDEBOARD

AND DISPLAY TABLE
WE LOOK AT TWO BESPOKE GUILD MARK DESIGNS
BY OXFORDSHIRE-BASED WAYWOOD

The Bespoke Guild Mark, awarded by The Furniture Makers’ handle with the mitred details was a complex process to keep
Company, is the ultimate accolade for designer-makers, the construction as minimal as possible. The doors are made
recognising excellence in design, materials, craftsmanship and from various layers for stability and cleanness of design. The
function for exquisite pieces of furniture made as single items sideboard was made by Simon Smith and Clive Brooks.
or a limited run of up to 12. Commenting on the piece, Barnaby says: ‘We wanted to
It is awarded to only the most meticulous, luxurious and highly create a sideboard with flexible storage and dedicated wine
crafted pieces of bespoke furniture and, since its launch in 1952, storage that also serves as a feature piece with only a few
has been the apex of distinctions for UK designer-makers. standout design details.’
In order to be awarded a Bespoke Guild Mark, each design
has to be stringently vetted and scrutinised by a panel of judges. THE DISPLAY TABLE
Two pieces by Waywood were recently awarded the Mark: the The Display Table, designed by Clive Brooks and Simon Smith,
Sculptural Sideboard and Display Table. was made as a commemorative piece of furniture to celebrate the
Based in Oxfordshire, Waywood combines the varied skills of client’s mother and her love of flowers. The table – made from
five furniture makers, with influences as diverse as fine art, cabin burr elm, fumed and figured eucalyptus – features eight complex
making, boat building and CAD/CAM manufacturing. laminated shapes that are joined together at the top and then
fixed into a domed, veneered base. The engraved glass disc sits
THE SCULPTURAL SIDEBOARD into the formed shape base. Clive Brooks and Jered Allcock were
Designed by Barnaby Scott and Clive Brooks, the Sculptural the makers involved in the project.
Sideboard is a fumed oak and pear drinks cabinet with
sculptural reveal handles and shaped wine shelves. The reveal waywood.co.uk
THE AHOY! DESK
MITCH PEACOCK USES
RECYCLED WOOD TO MAKE
A YACHT-INSPIRED TABLE

In a recent attempt to reduce the clutter around my workshop,

I went through my stack of reclaimed timber in the hope of
finding inspiration. Little did I expect to have a restless night
that night, dreaming up designs in my head.
Since making a live-edge cutting board with let-in cylindrical
legs (see Woodworking Crafts issue 66), I had wanted to include
the same leg joint in a piece of furniture. I think it was these
cylindrical legs that brought to mind masts, then yachts with
planked decking, and the basics of a slim table or desk.

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80
1

7
3

5
2

8
6

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MITCH PEACOCK

 9 10

11 12

DESIGN 5 Particular care was taken to smooth the panel, which now had
1 The exact sizing of the table would be down to the materials, the wavy grain of the poplar right up against the sapele strips.
but the design was set by the morning and I made a quick model
in CAD. 6 The panel was cut into the top and two sides, and all were mitred,
with my mitre shooting board ensuring a square and tight fit.
MATERIALS
2 The pale wood had been reclaimed from light pallets, where 7 The mitres received some reinforcement by way of dominoes,
it had been used as the spacers or bearers between the pallet slats. although biscuits or dowels would be equally good, and they
I believe it was most probably poplar: lightweight, pale with light were glued and clamped using the mitre offcuts as cauls (these
grey staining, and a little soft. The grain was wavy, requiring were temporarily glued in place, and provided parallel faces for
careful planing with a freshly honed blade, and probably the the clamps to bite on).
reason it had been selected for pallet construction. Five spacers
were used in total, with two of them ripped (one through its width 8 With the tabletop and sides assembled, channels were bored
and one through its depth) to provide nail hole-free surfaces to for the leg joints. I used a saw-toothed Forstner bit because the
edge the tabletop and drawer face, and a rear apron. majority of the channel was into end-grain.
The dark wood came from two thick, old window sills. Sapele
would be my best guess, although it worked somewhat easier 9 I added more guide holes to the dowelling jig I made for
than the sapele I’ve used recently, planing and turning with less the chopping board, and bored dowel holes into the table
fight. Two square blanks for the legs were cut from each sill. top assembly.
Offcuts provided the rest of the parts, including the drawer box
components and strips in the table top. 10 The top of the joint channels were coved as a design feature,
Sawdust and sanding dust, mixed with glue, were used to fill complementing the rounded edges at the top of the legs.
and disguise several nail and screw holes that would otherwise
show when the table was complete. 11 My original idea was to have tapered cylindrical legs, with
the taper starting immediately below the sides, but I recalled
CONSTRUCTION seeing octagonal masts on dinghies and decided to try that first.
3 The boards were planed square and glued up into a panel that The tops of the legs were turned to a cylinder that would fit the
would yield the tabletop and flush mitred sides. channels in the tabletop...

4 Once cured, the panel was trued up and planed to thickness. 12 ... and then the square section tapered on the two inside faces.

81
 13 14

15 16

17 18

13 Then the tapered section was chamfered to an octagon. 16 The rear legs also received the rear apron before being
attached to the top. A clean facing was attached between the
14 The top of the legs were bored to receive holly plugs, and front left leg and the turned drawer post.
flushed over to remove all traces left by the drive centre
during turning. 17 The glued-up drawer front was dressed up with a shaped pull,
recessed across its full width...
15 The second part of the dowelling jig was used to bore
mating dowel holes in each leg, before they were attached to 18 ... and attached to a simple, through dovetailed drawer box
the table top. with grooves for drawer slides.

82
 19

19 For all around protection I applied three coats of acrylic Using reclaimed timber can throw up problems and force
lacquer. Here you can see the finished table with the cutting design changes, but pays you back with heaps of satisfaction if
board that helped inspire it. you persevere with it. Go on, have a go!
CRESCENDO
TORONTO-BASED CRAFTSMAN CHRIS O’DELL TELLS F&C HOW
HE CONVERTED A BABY GRAND PIANO INTO A WALL-MOUNTED BAR

One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a custom furniture CUE THE CRESCENDO
maker and designer is finding functional solutions for my clients When I arrived to pick up the piano, the person selling it
that take their unique characteristics or environments into explained that while in fantastic condition, it could no longer
consideration. While most of the pieces I create are site-specific be tuned due to hairline cracks in the cast-iron harp. For this
in some way, I find myself looking for ways to weave the storied 950lb piano, its purpose had come to an end. This was music
histories of the people I work with or the place the piece will to my ears (because let’s be honest, who would ever want to
reside in into the finished project. After all, that’s the beauty of destroy a perfectly playable piano). He watched patiently, and
custom furniture – a one of a kind piece, specifically tailored to was somewhat perplexed, as I got my tools out and began to
one’s whim or desire. carefully dismantle it. The goal was to retain and repurpose
When Covid-19 hit, like many other small businesses and every piece I could. Six hours later, the piano was on its side
makers, my work halted and projects were put on hold. Site visits in the back of my truck.
were no longer possible, meeting my clients face to face was not an I spent the next few weeks inspecting, disassembling
option and materials were scarce, all while prices skyrocketed. So, and learning about the piano, piece by piece. As I pulled the
I decided to return to the craft – to make for the sake of making; keyhole structure away, I was elated to find a serial number
to keep my mind and my tools sharp. I decided to look inwards, hand-stamped into the wood. I spent the next couple of hours
in an effort to create subtractively, the opposite of the normal absorbed in tracing the piano’s history. I soon discovered
woodworking process – adding materials to make something – but that it had been built locally in 1885 by piano maker Gerhard
instead to look for an existing object and deconstruct it. Shed its Heintzman, nephew to German-Canadian Theodor August
current purpose with intent to make something new. How about Heintzman, founder of Heintzman & Co, and who took over
making a 140-year-old baby grand piano into a bar? Let’s begin. running the company after his uncle died. Established in 1866,

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS O’DELL

Heintzman & Co handcrafted close to 2,000 pianos before curvature of the body, making use of the piano’s tuning pins as
building a new factory in The Junction in 1884 and moving shelf pins.
production to the west end of Toronto in 1888 – where I After cutting out a piece for the backing and key setting, I
currently live and work. Heintzman Street, a small, side road I dry-fitted the keyboard including all 180 original hammers
pass on my way to and from my shop each day, now sits where with a glass shield and frame to ensure everything would piece
the factory once was. together as planned, finished all 56 separate pieces with four
For some perspective, Canada was 10 years old when this coats of natural oil and attached the hinged door using original
piano was being built. Basketball didn’t exist and all the hardware, the drawbridge door using brass chain and two
mahogany and cast iron would have been brought to the factory magnetic closure mechanisms.
by horse and cart. As a tenured woodworker and student of the While restoration is an extremely admirable art all its own,
game, it completely blew me away to see the precision, intricacy, this wasn’t that. This project was a time for discovery and
and craftsmanship these craftsmen could achieve so long ago. self-evaluation. To see if I could. To test my mettle and add
The keyboard alone had over 800 parts, all hand-assembled. to the craft I love. If I have restored anything, it would be the
It was staggering. amazement and gratitude I hold for the makers of our past and
Returning to the task at hand, I removed the piano’s braces the impact they’ve had on the shape of our world today.
before filling in the notches and dados with autobody filler (a Crescendo now has a new purpose; one I hope will bring as
trick of the trade for larger holes rather than using wood filler). much joy as it did in its previous life.
Once that was smooth, I carefully applied a mahogany veneer
to the inside walls to match the body. For shelving, I used woodchipwerks.com
solid mahogany which I measured, milled and cut to fit the @woodchipwerks
 THE MAGAZINE FOR CRAFT ENTHUSIASTS

JIGSAW

WOODWORKING MASTERCLASS
Anthony Bailey reveals how
to get the best out of this
workshop stalwart
1 2

CRAFTS
3 4 5

PH
Hand, Power & Green Woodworking • Turning • Restoration • DIY

G
PH
H
/GM
B
6 7 8

Getting the best from your jigsaw that the teeth are pushed into the workpiece. Select orbit when you
1 Jigsaws depend on their blades. There are a wide variety on the have thick material and want to speed up the cut rate, but leave it at
market so choose with care – the Black & Decker type shank or zero when you want to cut thin material or prevent breakout on the
the Bosch fitting, which are larger and come in more varieties, are surface. If you are cutting tight curves, the blade will wander and
good to work with. Select according to the job in hand: e.g. coarse widen the cut with orbit in use.
wood cutting, fine wood cutting, scroll cutting, sheet material or 5 Don’t expect accurate cuts with blunt blades – it may feel sharp but
metal, etc. There are extra long blades but don’t expect them to if there is a slight shine showing on each tooth tip it means they have
hold an accurate course. Down-cutting blades are designed to become rounded over with wear or damage, perhaps hitting nails
avoid breakout but don’t work with orbit on, so fit an anti-spelch or screws.
plate instead, if your jigsaw takes them. Most blades have an 6 Jigsaws are great for roughing-out work prior to fine cutting such as
The jigsaw is one of those underrated but ubiquitous tools that lie up-cutting pattern. before using a router and template. However, you need an accurate
on the shelf and get dragged out when nothing else will do the job. 2 Support the work properly on both sides of the cut – sheet material enough cut so you can work close to the cut line so that when you do
A sort of jack of all trades and master of none. However, there are can bounce as it is tugged at by the blade. trim with the router, the cutter won’t be unduly strained.
ways to get the best out of it and benefit your work. 3 A major reason why the cutter wanders is because the operator 7 Jigsaws often come with a straight fence or even a circle cutting
If you’re serious about woodworking then there is no substitute cannot see the cut line due to dust on the workpiece. A jigsaw trammel arm. They don’t work that well – cut by eye because you
for a decent, heavy-duty jigsaw. They cost quite a lot of money but with a blower can make a difference, or choose a jigsaw with can alter the angle of cut to reduce any cut wander.
the build quality is much superior than a cheapie. A bigger motor, built-in extraction. 8 When entering the centre of a workpiece either drill a start hole to
hardened components and tighter tolerances all make for a more 4 The orbit lever is a valuable tool but use it wisely. It causes the blade drop the blade in, or lay the front of the jigsaw on the workpiece and
accurate and faster cut. to not only oscillate up and down, but also from back to front, so do a face-sawn entry – but avoid straining the cutter in case it breaks.

34 35

GILDING Carvers, furniture makers and woodworkers have been decorating their
work with gold since ancient times. By applying a thin ‘leaf ’ of metal
to a carved surface, the reflected light focuses attention on the curves,
swirls and angles of the pattern, where otherwise, the grain and figure
of the wood may distract the eye. Nothing breathes life into a carving
decorate their own carvings and other projects to an acceptable
domestic standard. It is expensive to use pure gold in large quantities,
but it is almost ridiculously cheap to cover a carving in imitation gold
leaf, and well within the limits of a woodworker’s pocket money to
decorate parts of a piece in real gold by the process of ‘parcel gilding’.
Follow Steve Bisco’s quite like the flash and glow of gold. For a rich ‘antique gold’ finish, you don’t need to be rich yourself
If you think gilding is too difficult and too expensive, think again. or have any experience as a gilder. Just follow these cheap and simple
advice to enrich your It may be difficult to gild a grand palace to heritage standards, but amateur methods and with a little practice, you will have lovely,
it is well within the capabilities of the average woodworker to rich-looking pieces.
woodwork with gold leaf

1 2

3 4

Gilding with imitation gold leaf

The cheapest and easiest way to gild a whole piece is by using imitation Through gilding, the reflected light from the golden metal will make it
gold leaf – basically brass. It is sold at most art supply shops in books sparkle like a diamond!
of 25 sheets. Each sheet measures 140mm square, so a book can cover Start by sealing the wood with a suitable sealer (such as Danish oil)
a lot of wood, even allowing for wastage. You will also need a good then coat the whole carving, front and back, with a good gold lacquer
quality gold lacquer for use as an undercoat, some gilding size and (photo 3). Put it on thinly so you don’t clog the detail, and leave it to
some French polish, which we will use as a sealer (photo 1). dry thoroughly.
Apply some gilding size thinly to a section of the carving (photo 4).
SEALING AND SIZE Leave it for about 10 minutes until it is dry but slightly tacky to the
This limewood Rococo swirl is a nice carving, but the dull matt colour touch. Only size an area you can comfortably gild in about 30 minutes,
of the wood doesn’t really give us the true period feel (photo 2). then progress over the carving, one section at a time.

52 53

YOU WILL NEED

TURNED Woodturning tools:

RECTANGULAR 50mm
(2in)
• 1/4in spindle gouge
• 3/8in spindle gouge
• 5mm beading and parting tool

WEED POT • 2mm parting tool

• 5mm parting tool

Peripheral equipment:
Chris West shows how to create a • Jacobs chuck
• 22mm sawtooth bit
small rectangular flask for displaying • Bandsaw
• Thicknesser
grasses and stems • Belt sander
• Buffing mops

Consumables:
• Abrasives
• Cellulose lacquer

150mm Figure 1 Side view of the flask

(6in) Figure 2 The neck of the flask

100mm

50mm
(2in) dimensions of the flask are:
150 x 50 x 100 mm.

Side view
waste 34mm Ø 4
38mm Ø 5
dovetail 9
37mm Ø 22mm Ø
4 50mm
Not every woodturning project has to

Classic staked chair Halloween lantern Seed box Balancing clock Tool station be totally round, corners are allowed!
I’m sometimes asked where my project
ideas come from. In this case, a glass
bottle was the inspiration.
35mm Ø

40mm Ø
(2in)

As far as the bottom half of the flask 32mm Ø

is concerned there is no turning other

Cabinetmaker’s buttons Rebate joints Scroll carving Weed flask Gilding

x 5mm
than that of a dovetail at one end. A neck
is turned from the same hardwood and Dovetail to fit
is joined to the flask with a spigot. This is your chuck jaws
glued into a recess in the top of the flask.

80 81

Covering everything from green woodworking to

cabinetmaking, up-cycling, restoration and many craft
disciplines based on wood such as marquetry,
pyrography, woodturning and carving.

ON SALE NOW FOR £5.99 IN STORES, ONLINE

OR BY CALLING 01273 488005 (PLUS P+P)

GMCSUBSCRIPTIONS.COM/WOODWORKING
 “ We feel honoured to receive two prestigious awards for
our craftsmanship and feel extremely proud to receive
this recognition within our industry”.
– WAYWOOD

SCULPTURAL SIDEBOARD
BGM 477

The Bespoke Guild Mark, awarded by It is awarded to beautifully crafted pieces of bespoke
The Furniture Makers’ Company, is the ultimate furniture and, since its launch in 1958, has been the
apex of distinctions for UK designer-makers.
accolade for designer-makers, recognising
excellence in design, materials, craftsmanship To find out how you can become a Bespoke Guild Mark
and function for exquisite pieces of furniture holder visit: www.furnituremakers.org.uk/excellence/
made as single items or a limited run of up to 12. bespoke-guild-mark/
MINIMAL MILLWORK
JOHN RANDALL IS THE FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL OF BIEN HECHO IN
BROOKLYN, A FULL-SERVICE WOODWORKING SHOP THAT DESIGNS
AND CRAFTS HEIRLOOM QUALITY FURNITURE AND INTERIORS FOR
COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND PRIVATE CLIENTS

Where are you based and where have you come from? different designers and workshops locally in New York. I began
Bien Hecho was founded in 2006 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. to draw and realised I had the skills to create the furniture I
For the past 15 years, I have been perfecting my custom was sketching.
millwork and furniture using reclaimed, sustainable and
responsibly sourced woods. I am a native of Rochester, New How did you train?
York, and I studied Biology in college, then pursued an I am mostly self-taught, but I also apprenticed in a few small
advanced degree in Neuroscience and Biophysics. After a few furniture-making shops to hone my skills. From there, I moved
life turns, I wound up in a proper woodshop where I learned from a skilled carpenter to a furniture maker and designer.
the practice and never looked back. I live in Brooklyn now.
What was the first project you completed?
How did you get interested in furniture making? I worked on minimal coffee tables and seating as they were objects
I originally started in carpentry for a job during my teen years I could produce on a smaller scale due to studio space restrictions
that taught me how to use the equipment and machinery. My at the time. All were made with recycled materials and found
interest in furniture making grew from there, and I discovered objects like wood and cardboard tubing to keep costs down.

88
89
What made you decide to set up your own furniture business? the hall to a new studio space. The move will allow us to add
Creating furniture while having my millwork business has 800 sq ft of new manufacturing space to the workshop and create a
always been a goal. Furniture design pushes my creative process. showroom to display the furniture pieces launched online this year.
It is remarkable seeing a creation that has been floating around
in your head, going through countless iterations and edits, come Which woods do you most like working with?
to a physical being. For me, furniture design is analogous to the Domestic hardwoods, specifically cherry and walnut.
act of creating art. Susquehanna River Valley walnut is one of the most beautiful
woods in terms of grain and tone. Allegheny River Valley cherry is
How did you go about it? a beautiful wood that also works and ages really well, developing
It has been slow and organic over time. I started as a a patina over time. The challenge with milling local trees is it
cabinetmaker, and when projects became available to me, takes a long time to dry the wood without a kiln, which we do not
I adjusted my business to scale with each project. have. Air-drying takes time for which space is limited. But we do
enjoy milling storied New York City trees, there are some massive
What inspires you? specimens around and the sheer volume of wood means that one
Minimalist artists. I am fascinated with the liminal space can design an entire bedroom’s worth of furniture with one tree.
between art and craft, so that inspires me to push my designs
into the realm of art objects. You often work with reclaimed wood. How do you source these
woods and what is it like working with them?
Is there an ethos or a guiding principle behind your style? I have long been intrigued by reclaimed wood since woodworkers
My style is minimal but rich in texture and context, as well as depend on deforestation for their livelihoods, so it is an excellent
artisanal but with a modern sensibility. It could also be described workaround of an unfortunate aspect of the industry. I also
as form-informed functionality that is natural in the presence of find people appreciate the story of what wood once was and
wood grain and the grace of the execution. its numerous lives. It is material that sadly can take on a DIY
aesthetic in the finished product, so the aim and challenge are to
How does your design and making process work? elevate this material in service of fine furniture. The downside
I align my work and product with traditional American furniture is that nails and screws invariably lie hidden within the wood.
making. These days I let an idea sit in my brain for several We use a metal detector on all the reclaimed wood since any
months before sketching it, since it needs to mellow and get metal can damage our machinery. I am fortunate to have close
informed by my daily happenings. Sometimes I have a small relationships with several local demolition companies that allow
revelation while on the subway or walking down the street, me to take salvaged wood for my designs.
then I’ll make a little doodle when ready, and it quickly goes
into prototyping and workshopping with materials that are easy Do you work with other materials as well?
to work with. I also like to keep to the tradition of furniture I often incorporate brass, bronze, textiles, leathers and
making with tried and tested hand tools, nothing too fancy for stainless steel.
me. Handplane, rasp, card scraper, chisel, mallet and so on.
What sort of finishes do you prefer?
Tell us about your workshop. Whenever possible I prefer to use a hand-applied finish such as
Bien Hecho has been in the Brooklyn Navy Yard since 2006. In tung oil polyurethane mix, furniture wax and so on, as it is, in
2014, we added the Bien Hecho Academy to teach fundamental my opinion, the best way to showcase the grain and warmth of
woodworking courses. Later this year, the academy will move down the wood.

90
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF BIEN HECHO
What is your favourite project you have worked on? upholsterers, welders, brazers, machinists, leather smiths,
The Water Tower, a functional art object that is meant to be CNC-operators, antique restorers, art conservationists,
interacted with. The design also incorporated several elements painters, sculptors, casting companies, millworkers, furniture
such as a reclaimed cedar barrel, an art deco-inspired steel base makers, finishers and so on. The process is therefore in person,
and lathe work incorporated into the top. with a very tactile bend since we can stand around a workbench
The idea came to me when I was working with wood from and handle different materials and finishes while we discuss
a decommissioned water tower. It was a long design process, design execution.
and we went through many iterations. It’s a true testament to
collaboration. The top was turned by a master bowl turner, You recently launched an e-commerce arm selling off-the-shelf
the base is made by a traditional blacksmith, and we used furniture. Tell us about that.
traditional coopering techniques for the barrel. The Water Launching an e-commerce shop is something I have always
Tower is a numbered edition of 10, and now two remain. We wanted to do, though I didn’t realise how time-consuming it
are planning to manufacture another set of editions next year. would be. With the Covid-19 pandemic, I was allotted the time
to pursue this dream. It was a lot of prototyping, photographing
Do you prefer working on commissioned work or your and creating, but I am proud of the products and the platform we
own collection? can now build upon.
It is hard to decide. Commission work pushes the limits of our
abilities as a woodshop, which we appreciate because it allows us What are you working on now and next?
to do things we may have never done. For our own collection, it Currently, I am designing and manufacturing a historic
is inspiring to see your own designs come to fruition and the act commission of a brownstone door set in Brooklyn, New York. We
of making our products leads to more inspiration. About half of are also working on several hospitality projects with NYC-based
the business is commission-based. restaurants and hotels.

How do you go about working on commissions? What do you do when you’re not working?
Generally, the collaboration process is ongoing throughout the Work feels omnipresent but to escape a bit I enjoy container
design and engineering phase. Once the design is approved, gardening and listening to records. I am also excited to get back
the manufacturing and fabrication process is our own. I’m to travelling and finding new inspirations.
also fortunate to operate out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard
industrial park, where every conceivable artisan and industry bienhechobklyn.com
exists. We have dozens of companies we collaborate with from @bienhechoklyn

92
BOOKCASE – PART 2
CIPRIAN CONSTANTIN GONTEA COMPLETES
THE WORK ON HIS BOOKCASE WITH SHALLOW DRAWERS

In the last issue (F&C 301), I began constructing this large started with the beading for carcasses A, B, C and D, which are
bookcase that incorporates some shallow drawers for extra less elaborate. I cut the strips to a width of 19mm for a thickness
storage. This was a recreation of a bookcase that I’d built when of 10mm. I then tilted the tablesaw blade to create the bevel.
I lived in the US; when I moved to Italy, I was only able to bring How wide and at what angle to cut it depends on taste; I suggest
the shallow drawers with me. doing some trial cuts to see which ratio you think looks best.
In the previous article I made the base and the carcasses, and now With the carcass resting on its back, it is much easier to check
I’ll add the edging and explain how I originally made the drawers. the adhesion of the edging because gravity helps. I applied the right
amount of glue to both the coating and the edge of the plywood. If
THE EDGING the edges are straight, you can limit yourself to applying adhesive
An important part of this design is the edging, which I chose to tape every 15cm to keep them in place. When the glue was dry,
create with the saw bench. All cases, including E, the one in the I started making the holes for the contrasting inserts, basically
middle (see Figure 1), are edged with solid mahogany in order to circular pins made with bamboo sticks. It is important to place
complement the wood used in the other parts of the project. I them well centred and vertical so I made a template.

Figure 1 80.5cm

A 112cm
B

36cm 245cm
E 271cm

242cm

C D

236cm

94
95
 Figure 2
H3 H4
H2

23.5cm

32.5cm
m
2.8c

H1 1

2 3

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CIPRIAN CONSTANTIN GONTEA/LEGNO

4 5

1 & 2 The edges are made of mahogany starting from planed strips to the final thickness and then drawn to size. With a second pass, keeping
the blade inclined, an edge is eliminated to obtain a rectangle trapezoid shape. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of
photography only 3 For the application of the edges, a stable wood is certainly helpful, which can be fixed in position with adhesive tape without
the need to force it. The strips of tape are placed approximately every 15cm 4 The holes for the insertion of the reinforcement and decoration
pins are made with a template that allows you to enter the wood at a 90° angle to the edge 5 Once inserted into the carcass lining, the knobs
look good and contrast with the mahogany. I used a liquid glue to make them swell in their seat without leaving spaces. I cut off the excess with
a hacksaw and finished with a plane 6 The template is easily made with a scrap of the same plywood used for the box inserted between two
plywood shoulders. If desired, the face of the shoulders can be used to report marks that act as spacers for drilling 7 & 8 Due to the way the
edges are assembled, i.e. with a 90° approach, it was necessary to trim them at the ends. I worked quickly with a planer with a low cutting angle.
In order not to chip the heads of the strips applied on the short sides, I planed from the outside towards the inside

THE DRAWERS As you can see in Figure 2, H1, H2, H3 and H4 are 8mm thick
Now, to show you the drawers, I have to take a step back in time and 28mm wide. The bottom is a 6mm-thick plywood panel.
to the workshop I had when I lived in the US. They are made of When I made the joints, since it is allowed and widely used in
mahogany and poplar, alternating the two woods for the front and the US, I used a Dado Blade, which is a packet multi-blade that
sides. The bottom is made from plywood. I put the woods in front- can be set to variable widths. In the UK its use is not allowed but
side contrast so as to give more visibility to the tooth joints. a cutter bench can be used instead, taking care to calibrate the

96
 6 7

8 9

10 11

12 13

9 The drawers are made of two contrasting woods: mahogany and poplar 10 The perimeter pieces of the drawers are quite thin and, when cutting
them with the circular saw, the heat could deform them. In the case of mahogany, which is more stable, it is possible to proceed directly from a piece
already brought to thickness. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only 11 For the poplar, which is more sensitive
to heat, it is preferable to start from a board. In both cases it is best to use a blade with few teeth or mixed for cuts along and across the grain. Note:
the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only 12 The slide for the tooth joints is nothing more than a stop that can only
slide along the cutting line. It is the piece that moves, straddling a fixed index that determines the position of the joint. The cutting height is equal to
the thickness of the material while the width is a submultiple of the height of the pieces 13 To assemble the drawers, I applied glue to the teeth with
a brush before storing them for drying, and checking the squares and diagonals. While they were drying, the bottoms were painted

97
 14 15 16

17 18 19

Figure 3

33cm 242cm
E4

E7
E8 20
32.5cm
E3
E6
35.8cm
E5 23.8cm
E2
E1
2.9cm

E9 21

14 The drawer bottoms were inserted into the perimeter of the drawers. The fixing was done by inserting thin pins from the outside of the sides
15 & 16 The ready-made knobs were supplied with a rather long stem, which is useful for painting. To bring them to size in complete safety,
I prepared a perforated board to be passed through the bandsaw 17 The drilling in the front of the drawers could cause some slight chipping.
A good trick is to line the part with duct tape, mark the precise spot and work with a tip in perfect condition 18 Since the drawers were already in
place, the best way to prepare the spacers was to use one to calibrate the width of the saw bench guide. To give a little tolerance, I just inserted
one or two sheets of paper between the guide and the drawer. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only
19 & 20 To obtain perfect symmetry, the drawers were arranged starting from the centre, interspersing a drawer and a spacer. You could vary
the width of the spacers to have a more regular distribution or to directly close the leftovers on the sides. In this case, the second solution was
chosen to give more strength to the structure 21 The sides of the box (E) are made by joining two plywood sheets. The internal one is lower and
generates the stop for coupling with the two drawer units.

98
 22 23

25

24 26

27 28

22 The usual pin nails hold the pieces together as long as the glue dries 23 Due to their construction method, the short sides require a double
edging. The shape is similar to that of the other boxes but cross-grain cuts have been added, made with shallow cuts on the circular saw
24 The join between the sides of the case (E) was reinforced with a series of pins from the outside. This can also be used to add some extra
decoration 25–27 This sequence shows the construction and application of the protruding frames on the bases of the case (E). After drilling with
the drill press, they were cut to create a sort of battlements, which in turn were inserted inside a grooved strip. By applying them to the case, a tooth
was created which, hosting the upper and lower cases, will cover the gap between the pieces and will be useful at the time of assembly. Note: the
saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only 28 It’s important to work with packages of four or eight pieces in order to have
identical pairs of racks. The cuts for the teeth, although they are marked, were made by eye. The first operation is the butting. Since the bases of the
pieces will remain unmachined, they could be cut to size later

overall height of the drawers using a multiple of the diameter Figure 3, parts E1, E2, E3 and E4 are identical (330 x 2,420mm).
of the cutter used (for example: a 6mm cutter and 18mm-high Parts E5 and E8 are 330 x 358mm. The parts E6 and E7 are
drawers). The cutting system in both cases is the same and uses 325 x 238mm. The thickness for all is 14mm.
a sled with an index as wide as the hole to be made. The first step was to cut the parts E1, E2, E3, E4 to width
Due to the small size of the drawers and the negligible weight of and then to length. Then, using one of the drawers, I precisely
the contents to be stored inside them, the plywood bottoms do not calculated the height of the spacers (E9) which reached 29mm
run in the usual groove but were patched by inserting them from for a length of 325mm. The latter, unlike the spacers, are in
below. To keep them in place, in addition to the glue, I used 4mm 19mm plywood.
pins inserted from the outside. I bought the knobs ready-made, There are 18 drawers in total, arranged in two rows at the
then cut the stems to size and painted them with shellac. base and top of the chest. To place the spacers, a drawer was
placed exactly in the middle point between E1 and E2. By
BUILDING THE CENTRAL HOUSING placing the first drawer in the centre and adding a spacer (E9)
The central carcass (E in Figure 1) is the most elaborate part of on each side, I worked my way to the ends and I could insert
the construction. It is the heart of the design. As you can see in spacers increased in width to completely close the compartment.

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 29 30

Figure 4

4cm

1.3cm

18cm

31

107.5cm

2.5cm

19.4cm

32

Alternatively, you could make a precise measurement of the essentially two sheets of plywood of different heights glued
spaces and plan or assemble the spacers as needed. together. In this way, the wide stops necessary for the insertion
Before assembly I painted the internal faces of parts E1 to of the two sides of the chest of drawers are obtained.
E4 with a non-filming product. After the dry assembly, which The next step was to create the edges for the casing (E). These
confirmed my spacing was correct, I started from the E9 block finishing pieces are a bit more elaborate, but the process is very
putting it in place with a square. This first alignment was similar to the previous ones. They are made from mahogany and
important because it set the path for the rest of the drawers. To match the thickness of the plywood (14mm).
fix the blocks I shot a nail so that it does not protrude from the Figure 1 shows two vertical dividers inside the casing (E).
surface of the plywood. Between the spacers and drawers, to give They have the exact dimensions of the parts E6 and E7 (325
the right sliding tolerance, I inserted a sheet of printer paper. x 238 x 14mm). These two elements will be movable, and are
Next, I glued parts E2 and E3 (a panel) to complete the base and added after the final assembly. They serve to distribute the
top of the cabinet. With a file I trimmed the protruding pin nails weight of the upper casings, preventing deformations of the E
and applied strips of veneer to cover the heads of the spacers. module. Before making the final assembly, I applied the finish
The pieces that make up the short sides of the casing E are to the internal surfaces.

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 33 34

35 36

29 & 30 I chose to do the angled cuts first, in order to minimise the small triangular cutouts that get trapped between the blade and the
tablesaw. The technique involves holding the group against the guide, making sure that at each pass it passes the riving knife and the triangles
remain at the end of the top. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only 31 While the strips are still fixed
together, sanding is done to clean the corners created by the double cut 32 The tips of the teeth are quite delicate and could chip when cut
across the grain. It’s better to start with more surplus material in width and then finish with a final long-grain cut 33 & 34 The corners of the
shelves had to be removed to an extent equal to the overall dimensions of the racks. Almost everything can be done with the circular saw
keeping the panel facing first and then the edge. If the diameter of the saw is small, the cut can then be completed with a handsaw. Note: the saw
guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only 35 The structure, however impressive, is modular. This means that over time it can
be changed or expanded without too much work. Another advantage of modularity lies in the ease of assembly, which involves moving several
small pieces rather than a single large one 36 For safety, it is advisable to join the carcasses with this type of connector to give more rigidity to
the structure and provide an anti-tip anchorage to the wall

SAWTOOTH SHELF SUPPORTS for each strip. The shelf brackets go between the teeth; they are
With all the carcasses built and finished, it was time to focus on beech strips with 45° bevelled ends.
the shelf supports. They are a classic way to adjust the height Lastly, I prepared the shelves. I used 19mm pine plywood with
of the bookcase. The rack shelf bracket (see Figure 4) can be a mahogany-edged front rib. It is worth remembering, if you
purchased ready-made, but it is not always possible to choose want to obtain shelves at full depth, that you need to remove the
the species of wood and it may be necessary to dye it. Making corners due to the presence of the racks.
it yourself, in addition to being a great challenge, allows you to
choose the type of wood. ASSEMBLY IN SITU
I started by preparing 45 x 13mm strips then joined in three When it came time to bring the furniture home, my wife was
packages of eight pieces each held together firmly with adhesive happy to help me assemble it. In fact, the modular structure
tape. I cut them to size and then, with the square, I first marked greatly facilitates assembly, and also the fact of having the case
the horizontal lines of the teeth, spacing them by 25mm. I then (E) which, above and below, houses the remaining structures,
switched to those inclined at 45°. On the parts that would later helps in alignment. I assembled the racks on site, coupling
become the bases of the slats, I left an unworked portion of them according to the package of origin to compensate for any
about 200mm. After working the packages I then brought each discrepancies due to manual cutting.
strip to the final size of 40mm in width by trimming the tips of Although this is a large bookcase, I’m sure we will soon fill it.
the teeth, which I then further blunted. I applied the finish and Luckily we have plenty of other walls in the house and I will take
drilled three countersunk screw holes (middle, top and bottom) the opportunity to design other bookcases!

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ANGLED JOINTS
JOHN BULLAR SHARES HIS EXPERT TIPS FOR TACKLING AWKWARD JOINTS

The need for angled joints crops up whenever you build a project The first technique uses a standard router jig with a slight
with a frame that is not rectangular. This is very common in adjustment for when you need to turn out a batch of angled
furniture making, especially on projects with curved frames – joints. The second trick is so simple you only need a saw and a
like most chairs. drill. Finally, I will show you some techniques to help cope with
In this article, you will find the techniques for shaping angled awkward angled glue-ups.
joints by hand and with machines – as well as a couple of neat I will concentrate on small angled joints in the workshop, but
tricks for quickly making precise angled joints. I’m going to start by looking at something on a grander scale…

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 1 3

2 4

LARGE ROOF TIMBERS 3 It isn’t always possible to predict the angle of joints from
1 Large-scale angled joints are used in the roofs of timber- a simple drawing, so you need special measuring tools. An
framed buildings. In this beautiful example, these cruck, or example of this is when you have to joint frames at compound
arched, beams are mortised into vertical queen posts. Tie beams angles, in other words when the joint is sloping in both planes
between them also function as handrails for a gallery. The fit of at once. I use a tool made from two protractor gauges riveted
these joints is not precise, but that is part of the charm. And in together to measure the awkward angles between the sides of
any case, timbers this big need freedom to move. a chair back.

MEASURING UP CHISEL AND SAW

2 The most practical way I know to line up a series of 4 Chopping odd angled joints with a chisel is quite possible. In
components with angled joints is to start by drawing the finished the past, the finest furniture would have been made this way.
project to scale, like this joint. This can be done on CAD or by For the odd joint, this method is still quicker than setting up a
pencil. A good technique for something like a chair is to draw a machine or jig. However, if you are making a number of joints,
full-sized elevation and plan, including joint details, on a sheet of hand tools can be slow and tricky to match joints up with.
white-faced hardboard. Cut this sheet into templates, which you
can use to position and angle the joints.

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8
5

11
9
6
7

12
10

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BULLAR

 14

13 15

5 Bandsaws are great for curved and angled work. Although the STANDARD ROUTER JIGS
bandsaw is generally safe and reliable, it can be dangerous if the 11 Router jigs for cutting dovetails come in many shapes and
wood rocks about on the table. For angled and curved work, it is sizes but, as far as I know, they are all designed to work at
safest to tape offcuts back in place at each stage so the work sits right angles, apart from the WoodRat. However, with a bit of
flat on the bandsaw table. As well as cutting curved and angled ingenuity, you can use a standard dovetail jig to cut slightly
components, the bandsaw can also be used to cut parts of the angled joints. Start by cross-cutting both pieces of wood to
joints themselves, such as these angled twin tenons. the required angle.

6 Bandsawn tenons form part of the outline of the components, 12 The vertical wood has to be secured with a narrow shim
angled to match the shape of the frames they join into. Usually acting as a wedge inside the clamp jaws. This makes the wood
they need finishing and fine adjusting with hand tools to make tilt forward while the pins are cut into it. The result is angled
them a good fit. pins. The wood for the tails sits horizontally so the tails
themselves are not angled – only their front end is.
7 An angled tenon joint cut on the bandsaw is turned into an
angled twin tenon with the aid of a fretsaw, or a coping saw. 13 After a bit of adjustment to the shims and a trial run on some
offcuts, the dovetail router jig turns out a series of matching
8 Through-joints are often used in furniture both for style and angled joints.
because they have the advantage of using the full depth of the
wood to give them maximum strength. The ends of the joints SIMPLE ANGLED DOWELS
can be left protruding slightly, which gives added interest to an 14 Dowel joints have a reputation for being trickier than they
angled frame, or alternatively, sawn flush. look – but this one is actually easier than it looks! The problem
with most dowel joints, including ‘simple’ right-angled ones, is
ANGLED ROUTER JIGS lining up the hole positions and angles. After the wood is cut
9 Mortise and tenon cutting jigs are great tools for producing with the correct angle for a butt joint, the trick is to drill the
angled joints with a router, but they are rather expensive. The jig dowel hole right through from the other side. Then all you need
has adjustable clamps to hold the wood at the same angle while to do is knock in a long dowel with some glue. Once the glue has
making each half of the joint. set, the excess dowel is cut flush and planed.

10 Once the mortise and tenon jig is set up, it will reproduce LINING UP
the same joint time and again with the same angles – ideal for 15 Angled joints especially need to be trial fitted. They must
making a set of matching chairs, for example. Some hollow be pressed almost together to check the alignment, as this may
chisel mortisers can also be adjusted for angled joints but, unlike change as the joint closes. Any slight misalignment can be
the router jig, they don’t produce angled shoulders on a tenon. trimmed from the shoulders before the joint is finally glued up.
 16 18

17 19

16 Something to think about while laying out joints, is how 18 Sometimes you may be lucky and spot that a joint can be
you will bring them together for the glue-up. It is easy to forget pulled together by two sets of clamps working at right angles to
about this and you might find that pushing one joint into an one another. Their combined forces hold the blocks in place as
angled frame forces another one apart. Ideally, all the joints well as closing up the joints. Careful adjustment of all the clamps
that come together at the same time should be lined up in the is needed to keep the forces in balance as you tighten them.
same direction.
19 The band clamp is a wonderful tool for angled woodwork. It
THE GLUE-UP pulls every joint together at the same time without forcing the
17 Wood joints need to be pressed firmly together while the glue frame out of shape. The important thing to remember is to keep
sets. With angled joints, this can present a problem. If there is the joints aligned up carefully while the glue sets.
nothing to push against in line with the joint, you may need to
clamp extra blocks on to the wood either side of the joint. Now
you can pull the joint tight by using more clamps to pull the
blocks together.

106
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 READING THE WOOD
BASED IN FORT MILL, SOUTH CAROLINA,
JUSTIN LARSON’S JML WOODCRAFT AIMS
TO CREATE PIECES REVEALING THE NATURAL
BEAUTY OF THE CURLY WOODS HE LOVES

‘I try and read the wood,’ says Justin into features to make one-of-a-kind
Larson, the Fort Mill, South Carolina statement or show pieces for my clients.
carpenter behind JML Woodcraft, of The inlays are at the heart of that. My
his design process. ‘I don’t force any aim is to make pieces with features that
preconceived design notions on to any make people want to stop and inspect
piece of wood. I work in elements that fit the piece just a little more closely and
with the grain flow, figure and so on. Most make them want to run their hands
of my layout is just done visually, not with across it and maybe wonder what all
a ruler. I trust my eye quite a bit. Obviously went into its production.’
with finer furniture I’m measuring things, The need to furnish his first family
but for the layout and placement of design home sparked Justin’s interest in making
aspect, I trust my eye for that.’ furniture. ‘I saw the prices of things my
His favourite wood to work with is wife wanted and said: “I can build some
curly walnut. ‘I just love the richness of of those!”’ he says. He taught himself
the tones in walnut. My second favourite woodworking by watching YouTube
would be spalted maple. It’s much harder and Instagram videos, and was initially
to find spalted pieces that are still stable inspired to try and recreate some of the
enough to work with, but when you do, pieces he saw on Instagram. His first
they are absolutely incredible and most finished project was a farmhouse table
non-woodworking people have never seen for his home, assembled with pocket-hole
the spalted stuff before.’ screws. ‘Cringe!’ he says, ‘Although it does
Justin says: ‘More and more I find still stand 10 years later – my sister has
myself headed towards an all-natural it now. Early on I wanted to make what I
style. No epoxy, no stain, no paint. I saw other people making on Instagram.
love the beauty of the wood itself and Not exact replicas, but ideas in general.
try and highlight what mother nature I found my inspiration through other
has already provided. I’m always looking people’s work. Along the way I found my
for the most highly figured wood I can way into a small niche of highly figured
find that also has some flaws in it. I love inlay serving boards and that’s where my
using the various techniques I’ve learned true passion lies. I also enjoy the larger
over the years to turn those flaws live-edge slab pieces as well.’

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 Friends and neighbours saw what after the fact is the absolute worst thing to buy new tools just to handle the 3in-
Justin was doing in his home and wanted that can happen.’ thick walnut. I had to climb on top of it
similar things for themselves, and so while working in the shop. The cabinetry
many requests came in he decided to TOOLS OF THE TRADE included some very custom features that
embark on a business. ‘I started an LLC From initial ideas of working solely with were definitely a design challenge, but
[limited liability company] and walled hand tools, Justin has become ‘more of fun to figure out and execute,’ he says.
off the third bay of our garage here at a power tool guy’. ‘My most used tool
home, at my wife’s suggestion, to make in the shop has to be my Festool Rotex CONSTANT COMMISSIONS
a dedicated woodshop outfitted with sander,’ he says. ‘From slabs to serving JML Woodcraft currently works entirely
every tool I thought I might need. The boards, from show faces to rounded-over on commission. Justin says: ‘I like the
initial investment was quite big and edges, from 40 grit to 1,500 grit, I use it idea of working on my own collection in
overwhelming, but also exciting. I had for everything. I had romantic visions my own time, but I also have a hard time
faith I’d keep enough clients and jobs to of being a hand tool woodworker when telling people “no”, so the commissions
pay it all off, and did quite fast, luckily.’ I first started, chisels, handsaws, hand just haven’t stopped since the day I
planes, but that just never came to be. started. Constant commissions do get
IN THE WORKSHOP The most I do with hand tools is the overwhelming, but that is mostly because
Justin’s single-bay garage workshop is chisel work I do for my inlays. I also do I usually over-promise on deadlines and
11 x 19ft. He has his main tool wall and a lot with routers, from flattening the book pieces back to back closer than I
mitre-saw station in the front section, slabs to putting inlays in.’ He adds: ‘I had should.’ He finds he has plenty of creative
while the tablesaw divides the front a scare on the tablesaw earlier this year freedom when working on commissioned
two-thirds from the back third, where and – luckily only – broke my thumb with pieces. ‘Most people only have a general
he keeps his dust collection system, drill some bad kickback from a big chunk of idea of what they want and leave the final
press, bandsaw and stored materials. quarter-sawn white oak, so I avoid that design up to me,’ he explains. ‘I love that
‘The front two-thirds is my main as much as possible these days.’ they trust me with that and the look on
workspace, with an open work area His favourite finish is Odie’s Oil. ‘I their faces when they see their final piece
of only 7 x 11ft,’ Justin says. ‘Luckily believe in the all-natural hard oil and wax will always be the best part of the job.’
I have 13ft ceilings so I’ve worked my finishes, when they are applied properly,’ Apart from serving boards, he recently
way up in terms of storage. No space is he says. ‘You can literally rub it on with completed a 4 x 8ft wooden sculpture
wasted in my small shop. Everything is your hands and enjoy the smell. These of a local lake for a client’s mantelpiece.
optimised to the best of my ability and products are typically advertised as a ‘I pieced together lumber in the rough
I’m constantly trying to improve on that. one-coat application, but sometimes that shape of the lake and then power-carved
Moving things around, rearranging, one coat is a series of coats before you buff all the little nooks and crannies that
making sure I’m not leaving anything it off. Like any finish of this sort, keep make up its hundreds of little fingery
or any space unused or underused. The applying that coat until the wood stops coves. It’s extremely 3D textured,’ he says.
shop is truly the neverending project, soaking it in. I avoid polys the best I can, ‘My plan is to stick with a primarily live-
but also my masterpiece.’ I think they look too fake and ruin the edge focus: desks, tables and so on, and
His biggest challenge is processing natural beauty of the wood.’ of course serving boards. Always serving
large slabs in the limited space. ‘From Justin absolutely loves working on his boards. As I said, I have a hard time
flattening on my slab mill to sanding to signature serving boards. ‘It’s almost saying “no”, so I’m sure the right client
finishing, just moving and working my relaxing to make them,’ he explains. ‘No will come along with the right piece that
way around the larger pieces is my biggest stress, no real deadlines, complete design piques my interest and I’ll easily sway
challenge sometimes,’ he says. ‘And of freedom. I can make them to my liking from the live-edge focus.’ When he’s not
course all the sawdust and shavings I get and luckily they sell almost instantly. I working Justin likes walking his two
from the router sled flattening mill.’ can’t ever build up any inventory, which pitbull terriers Levi and Delilah, working
Justin’s top tip for F&C readers is both a blessing and a curse. I love that out in his home gym, playing video games
wanting to try live-edge pieces is simply people give them as gifts. I love knowing with his two sons and drinking wine in
to make sure the wood is dry. ‘Double, people are gathering around something the hot tub with his wife. ‘We also love
triple check,’ he says. ‘Even if you’ve been I made to spend time with family and venturing out to local restaurants and
told it’s dry, let it sit in your shop for a friends over some good food and drink.’ breweries with friends every chance we
month or more and check again, just to His most challenging project so far was get,’ he says.
make sure the numbers aren’t moving. a 5 x 10ft kitchen island with a 3in-thick
You can pour as much good work into solid walnut top. ‘I had to deliver the facebook.com/jmlwoodcraft
the slab as you want, but having it move base before I could start the top and had @jmlwoodcraft

‘Most people only have a general idea of what they want and leave the final design up to me. I love that they trust
me with that and the look on their faces when they see their final piece will always be the best part of the job.’

110
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112
ZIGZAG-PATTERNED
COFFEE TABLE
RYAN HAWKINS, OWNER OF CUTTING BOARD SPECIALIST WEST
COAST BOARDS, EXPLAINS HOW HE ACHIEVED THIS COMPLICATED
END GRAIN PATTERN FOR A TABLE

What do you do when an opportunity comes along to build After some back and forth correspondence with the client, we
something that hasn’t been built before? Say yes and figure agreed on what we wanted the final result to look like, and I was
out the details later. Such was the case with this commissioned given creative freedom to bring it to life.
coffee table. I was approached by a client who kindly asked The tabletop itself consists of nearly 3,000 pieces of cherry,
if I could take one of my end grain cutting board patterns walnut and maple adhered together over eight separate glue-
and scale it up into a table complete with two drawers for up stages. The base it sits upon was constructed entirely out of
added storage. I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to do walnut, with the drawer boxes made from cherry. The drawers
it, but I was excited and knew this was a challenge I couldn’t ride upon soft-close, bottom mount hardware from Richelieu.
say no to. The book-matched drawer fronts were sliced out of a single piece
The tabletop pattern was born out of a variation I discovered of 8/4 walnut, and what better way to complete a custom build
on an original design by Russian woodworker Andrey Muntian. than by installing a secret compartment in the underside?

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 1 4

2 5

PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN HAWKINS

3 6

1 Initial glue-ups for the tabletop with cherry and walnut 2 After squaring up the bevelled strips 3 Ensuring end grain dimensions are the same
4 Ready to glue up some panels 5 Cross-cutting the 85mm strips. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of photography only
6 Assembling the long zigzag pattern

TABLETOP 19mm wide. Once this was complete, I set the blade back to 0°
Deciding that the top needed to be put together to properly and ran these strips through on the flat to square up both sides.
determine measurements for the base, I focused my energy on The walnut becomes the ‘shadow’ portion of the design, so I only
creating a 600 x 1,220mm top at 75mm thick from an original trimmed off what was needed to square it up. I made sure not
38 x 300 x 300mm design. The fi rst step was picking up a large to adjust the fence at this point. Once I knew how many strips
load of 4/4 stock from my hardwood supplier. Once back in I had, I proceeded to cut 4/4 cherry and maple on the mitre saw
the shop, I sliced up the cherry and walnut with my mitre saw. at the same length as the initial cherry and walnut. I jointed and
Once cut up, I skip planed one face on each piece, headed over planed each piece and then headed back to the tablesaw and
to the glue-up station and proceeded to glue one piece of cherry proceeded to rip down the maple and cherry. Since the fence
to one piece of walnut. hadn’t moved, I knew they would be the exact same width as the
Once the glue had cured, I ran each pair through the planer, cherry and walnut strips. Once I had all the cherry and maple
jointed one edge, then headed to the tablesaw. Here, I ripped ripped, I actually ripped those pieces once more but this time
the cherry and walnut combos on 45° to create strips that were on edge. I aimed to get two pieces out of each one with the least

114
 7 10

8 11

9 12

7 Everything oriented and ready for final glue-ups 8 Post glue-ups on the two halves 9 Tabletop complete and ready for sanding
10 Creating the legs for the base 11 Cutting the tenons 12 Drilling out the mortises

amount of waste possible. This was the messiest part of the job dimensions. This allowed me to turn the pieces that needed to
because not a lot gets into the dust collector when you’re only be turned 90° while keeping everything flush. I then created
shaving maybe 1.5mm off on the fi nal pass. panels in pairs. One panel is to be offset from the other by one
The tablesaw blade simply spits sawdust everywhere. piece. This is how the zigzag pattern is achieved. Ultimately, I
Once I had a table full of thinly ripped hardwood, it was time wanted 600mm-long panels, but my current planer is not large
to glue up again. At this stage, each glue-up consisted of one enough to handle that, so I assembled the strips into 300mm
piece of maple, one cherry and walnut combo and one piece of panels and once again glued them up. At this point it’s easy
cherry. I glued up 10 of these at a time, and used a series of cauls to start getting things mixed up, so I was sure to label what
and F-clamps to keep everything fl at. This is an important step belongs where.
within each glue-up, because any slippage will affect the overall Once again, I waited for the glue to dry. When they were ready,
finished pattern. I planed them down once more and glued them up into 600mm-
Once the glue had dried, I planed down all four sides of each wide panels. Once they were dry, I was able to take care of the
piece until the end grain’s width and length were the exact same sole glue seam with a couple of quick passes from my belt sander.

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 13 16

14 17

15 18

13 Some fine-tuning needed with a file 14 Attaching drawer slides 15 Beginning of the drawer boxes
16 Slicing the book-matched drawer bottoms 17 Cutting the box joinery. Note: the saw guard has been removed for the purpose of
photography only 18 Ready for the drawer assembly

The next step was cross-cutting all the 600mm-wide panels into cuts with a tall fence on my tablesaw and then on to many hours
85mm-wide strips. I wanted the finished thickness to be 75mm, of sanding end grain.
and I added 6mm to account for what the router would take off
during flattening. Once these were all cut, I assembled everything THE BASE
into one long, continuous zigzag pattern. From here, I figured With the top complete, I could create an accurate cut list for
out how I needed to orient things to create the two halves of the all the parts needed to construct the base. This included legs,
top. With this completed, I once again headed over to the glue-up rails and face frame. Everything was milled out of solid walnut.
station. These were some of the trickiest glue-ups, as alignment I made the legs out of 2 ply 8/4 stock, and everything else came
is critical and you’re racing against the clock as the glue loses its out of 4/4 stock. The top is really the feature on this project,
working time. At the same time, it’s important to keep a close eye but I wanted the base to have some flair as well. I was strategic
on and correct any slippage that happens as the clamps tighten. with the orientation of the grain. I specifically selected
All that’s left once these were dry was to flatten each half, join hardwood from my supplier that had a good mix of heartwood
the halves into one, flatten again, perform some long chamfer and sapwood. Each piece of the base was intentionally milled

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 19 21

22

20 23

19 Checking that the boxes sit properly in the base 20 The finished box joints 21 Carving out the recess
22 Secret compartment from below 23 The compartment itself

and cut to have the sapwood face out. went tightly together during the dry fit. It’s much easier to sand
Everything was put together with mortise and tenon joinery. everything before assembly, so it was at this point that I took
I cut the tenons using both my bandsaw and tablesaw. On each piece up to 220 grit.
my tablesaw, I used an Incra 3000SE mitre gauge with a stop
block attached to the fence to ensure each one turned out the DRAWER CONSTRUCTION
same. For the mortises, I bore out most of the material with Completing the base and installing the drawer slides was an
a Forstner bit in the drill press with the final tuning done by essential step to creating an accurate cut list for the drawers.
mallet and chisel. Admittedly, with the kind of work I currently Once I had my numbers, it was a simple matter of selecting the
do, I don’t often build furniture and had to give myself a material. I used cherry for the construction and I wanted it to
refresher on what I learned way back in carpentry school to be a treat for the eyes when a drawer was opened, so I dug to
create this joinery. Having to touch each tenon up with a the back of my stash and pulled out a piece of figured cherry
wood file was a good reminder of what not to do next time. I had been saving for an occasion such as this. I used that to
Nonetheless, I was happy with the end result and everything create book-matched drawer bottoms to go along with the

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 24 25

24 Creating the drawer pulls 25 Ready to come to life with tung oil

book-matched walnut drawer fronts I would be attaching to the out of some pieces I had left over from the top, and used round
drawer boxes. I used a box joint jig I built for my tablesaw to cut magnets inset into the underside of the top and the compartment,
in the box joinery on the drawer sides, and a dado blade to cut allowing it to catch and stay secured in its hiding spot.
the recess needed for the drawer bottoms to slide into during Lastly, a custom project calls for custom drawer pulls.
assembly. Just as I did with the base, I sanded everything up to Constructed out of the same cherry used for the drawer bottoms,
220 grit before assembly. I feel these bring the entire project together. I sanded the top to
600 grit and brought the base and drawers up one more grit to
FINISHING TOUCHES 320. To finish things off, I separated the top, drawers and base
A conversation with a friend during the build process led me from each other and then applied four coats of pure tung oil
to take action on incorporating a secret compartment into this to the tabletop and three coats to the base and drawers. I then
build. This was a first for me, but definitely not a last. I enjoyed applied a thin layer of beeswax to everything for a little extra
the process of getting creative with how to do it. I made a router shine and added layer of protection.
template and carved out most of the material with a large
surfacing bit. After that, there was a fair amount of mallet and westcoastboards.ca
chisel work to clean the recess up. I built the actual compartment @westcoastboards

118
119
 The two-stage tenon
is trial-inserted in the
two-stage mortise

A socket is chopped
through the side of
the mortise to take
a locking peg

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BULLAR

A pair of haunched tenons are
inserted in their mortises and
locked in place with pegs

POST AND RAIL MORTISE JOINT

JOHN BULLAR DESCRIBES THIS VERSION OF
A HAUNCHED AND PEGGED MORTISE AND TENON

The komi-sen or pegged mortise joint TWO-STAGE STRENGTH the tenon off at the shoulders. Shear
comes in a variety of forms and is often When a joint has two or more tenons force is the name for one that pushes an
used when joining two or more rails into passing close together they need to object in two directions and tries to force
a post at the same height, which can be kept slim and arranged so they do it apart. Thin tenons do not withstand
otherwise be problematic. not clash. There are various ways of shear forces well. The broad base of
This requirement arises on framed interlocking tenons, but in this joint they the tenon is very good at withstanding
furniture, such as chairs and table simply pass one above the other. Because shear force and does not need to be very
legs, for example, and if not tackled the slim part of the tenon is only half the long to do so. By making each tenon in
well causes points of weakness in the width of the rail, both rails can be fixed two stages – a long thin through joint,
construction. Because several mortises to the post at the same height. protruding from a broad short butt-
are being cut in the same area there is a The long through-tenon is pegged in joint – the best of both can be combined,
danger of weakening the post if the joints place and provides the joint with tensile resisting both shear and tensile forces.
are large, or weakening the tenons if they strength – strength in tension. This works A locking peg is inserted through the
are too small. well because relatively thin wood is strong side of the mortise and tenon. The hole
Japanese temple builders over the in tension. Because this part of the joint for the peg is chopped with the tenon in
centuries have developed many solutions is thin, it does not remove much material place to stop the inside splitting away. The
such as this, depending on the specific from the post. This leaves room for one peg position is marked on the tenon but
construction. This one is a simple but or more other joints to be cut in the same then the tenon is withdrawn to chop the
deceptively ingenious Japanese joint part of the post without weakening it. peg-hole through it. Chopping this hole at
based on a haunched and pegged mortise Heavy sideways pressure on a tenon a very slight angle enables the fitted peg to
and tenon. joint exerts a shear force, which can break draw the joint tightly together.

120
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