The Novice Garage Woodworker

It seems the whole world is on a green living kick these days. How does that affect woodworkers? In this episode we visit a Parade of Homes, examine the craftsmanship of one Colorado woodworker, and do some dumpster diving.

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After listening to this episode, be sure to complete the 3 survey questions in the sidebar to the right.

Show Links:
Chris McGinness - McGinness Custom Woodworks
One Big Ass Dumpster - 40-yard dumpster

My Fundamentals class at Red Rocks has been going great for the last several weeks. In this episode I do a quick recap of the last 3 classes and highlight a fun session we had with hand planes. I also discuss the challenges I'm facing as I try to design my semester project, an original table that I design and build. I mention a few of my design influences outside of woodworking: Steve McQueen and his Ferrari and the Triumph Bonneville motorcycle.

Some newly discovered woodworking influences have gotten my creative juices flowing: The Red and Blue Chair, the Noguchi coffeetable, the work of George Nakashima, Tage Frid his three-legged stool, and perhaps my biggest immediate design influence, the rocking chairs of Sam Maloof.

I've also posted a Flickr photo gallery with photos of the shop at Red Rocks, as well as some links to the web pages from several Red Rocks Fine Woodworking instructors. And, I hope you'll take the survey to the left as to which hand plane I should get as my next tool purchase.

Thanks for listening!

Click To Play Episode 3

Ron Black, manager of the Denver Woodcraft store, passed away suddenly on December 9, 2008, at the age of 44.

I last saw Ron the week before he died, and he greeted me with a smile much like the one in the photo (that's Ron on the left with Eric Letzler, owner of the Denver Woodcraft store). Each time I walked into the store Ron would shout out "Hey Erik's here, double the prices!"

No matter how busy he was, Ron always took time to talk to the customers and never tired of teaching someone about woodworking. He was an avid woodturner and was directly responsible for getting me hooked on pen turning.

Ron may be gone, but his influence lives on in all the woodworkers he touched and inspired. I'll miss you buddy.