At a simple level, veneering is the process of applying thin layers of decorative wood over less expensive structural materials. There are many ways to do this, but some of the most refined techniques were developed centuries ago by 17th and 18th century furniture makers who perfected the technique we now call “hammer veneering.” As we learn here, a few modern-day artisans still prefer this time-honored technique to create the highest quality work. One of those practitioners is San Diego-based furniture conservator Patrick Edwards, an accomplished furniture maker, woodworking historian, and hand-tool expert.
In this video, without the benefit of powered vacuum presses or perfectly flat plywood substrates, Patrick reveals an entire hammer veneering process. You’ll learn step-by-step how to “tooth” or make perfectly flat the substrate wood, how to glue down simple veneers using a veneer hammer & animal protein glues, how to create an exquisitely tight veneered joint, how to insert decorative inlays, and how best to prepare the project for final finishing. Patrick has made a career out of preserving the extraordinary skills of the old masters and in so doing he’s become a modern master himself. Patrick is a fantastic teacher and woodworking scholar and I’m confident you’ll enjoy this very special WoodTreks video adventure. (13 Minute Woodworking Video)
Patrick Edwards is President of Antique Refinishers, Inc. which offers restoration, conservation and reproduction of pre-industrial American and European furniture for dealers, private collectors, and institutions. Mr. Edward also owns and instructs at the American School of French Marquetry, Inc. Both business are based on San Diego, California.
There are many ways to join pieces of wood, but mortise and tenon joints are the standard against which most alternatives are measured. In this comprehensive video (15 minutes), University of Rio Grande program director Eric Matson explains how mortise and tenon joints are used in typical post-and-rail construction — the type of construction often used in high-quality chairs, tables, and beds. In these applications, vertical posts (or legs) are joined with horizontal rails (or aprons). It’s the perfect application for this traditional joint.
In this video, Eric deconstructs a sample side table to show us how high-quality furniture is designed and built. Learn how to layout mortises for maximum strength, how to incorporate and work with split tenons, how to mark-up twin tenoned mortises, and how to account for reveals, offsets, and non-flush designs. Eric’s systematic approach minimizes errors and helps make layout and construction more efficient. For me, that’s the key point; understanding what makes for consistent, repeatable, quality joints. Armed with the information in this video and careful step-by-step application of what you’ve learned, you can craft better, stronger, faster joints. — (15.5 Minute Woodworking Video)
Eric Matson is the Director of the Fine Woodworking Program at Rio Grand University. Rio Grande offers a one year certificate program, as well as two year associates and four year college degree programs. Graduates have the skills and knowledge to be productive in custom furniture shops and architectural/cabinet shops. Rio Grande (pronounced rye-oh) is in Southern Ohio.
Don’t actually know where to start, or if I really want to, to be honest.
The show was tiny – about 1/2 the size of the Stitches and Craft show. Certainly doesn’t compare to wood shows of old. Took me about 10-15 minutes, and I had walked the entire floor plate. Takes about that long to walk the floor of the Ballarat Wood Show (and that is not a negative perspective of the Ballarat Show – Ballarat has a population of under 100,000 after all). Given that the Ballarat show is only 2 weekends away, it might be worth a drive for those who didn’t find the Melbourne show provided enough.
For those exhibitors who had turned up, there are many who have put in a definite effort. The new Carbatec demonstration area looked great. The chairs that House of Dunstone bought along were beautiful. I am seriously hoping that they branch out into running some courses in how to make such fine furniture. Timbecon had a good display, covering a good range of heavy machinery, smaller machines, consumables etc. Carbitool had their normal, impressive range of router bits on display, Arbortech had their standard display, and their latest offerings. HNT Gordon had a typically impressive range of beautiful planes, including the stunning new addition to the stable, the moving fillister plane. The Warrior Wood Mill was set up outside, showing a range of their new log mills.
But many more were MIA. Perhaps it had something to do with the organisers moving the date. And then choosing a date that clashed with one of the biggest woodturning events in Australia: the Phillip Island Down Under Turnaround. It may be by registration only, but I bet there were many people, and suppliers there instead, including Carrolls, and I daresay Ubeaut as well. And given the typical (but not exclusively by any stretch) demographic for the woodshow would also overlap V8 aficionados, even more potential visitors are dragged away.
I don’t know what the crowds were like on Saturday or Sunday, but I sure hope for the exhibitors’ sake that it was better than Friday. I remember wood shows of old (especially in the early-mid 2000s) when crowds were so deep that the place pulsed with the enthusiasm of all present.
I didn’t find any timber for sale. I might have missed a small pocket of sales (outside?), but the only sales I could see were some long strips of veneer. Some really nice strips, if you want veneer.
This, after all is what was promised.
The Timber & Working With Wood Show is Australia’s premier event for woodworking. From the weekend hobbyist and home DIY’er through to the most experienced enthusiasts, this is a show you cannot miss! See the best in the industry, share their expertise, have fun trying new techniques and tools – and experience some of the world’s finest timbers… all at the one location!
Can the wood show come back from this point? I don’t think so. Unless there is some plan for a small show one year, and a massive one the next (and nothing like that has been communicated), then I think the only way we will get to a show of any substance in the future at this stage is to head to the WIA in Las Vegas in 2017.
If the industry (suppliers) have any interest in future wood shows, I think they all need to come together and organise a new model. 1 show a year in the entire country. One year in Sydney, the next in Brisbane, then Melbourne, then Perth, then Hobart, Adelaide, Darwin and back to Sydney again. Pricing for exhibitors needs to be really affordable, to justify their efforts in attending the show. Pricing for visitors also needs to be really affordable – the show needs bodies to attend, and spend. Charge $10 max, and free for anyone under 18. Under 18s need to be encouraged, as they will become the woodworkers (and consumers) of the future, so sewing the seed that woodworking is a worthy pursuit to be passionate about will pay off in spades in 10-20 years time. Especially since we’d want as many people to attend from interstate each each annual show. That is absolutely not to say that regional woodshows (such as Ballarat) shouldn’t still run annually – we need them more than ever now.
Anyway, this is all just my opinion. Not everyone will agree with me. I hope the show was a win for everyone. I just can’t see, with the cost of exhibition space, the lack of visitors, and the lack of exhibitors how it would have been.
I miss the spectacle of a real wood show already. And on that happy note, I’ll sign off here. I’ll touch on what I did find at the show in upcoming posts.
Looks like the Timber and Working with Wood Show is moving again, not only to a new home, but a new date.
It is now on in September, 11th to the 13th at the Caulfield Racetrack. Door prices are still $16, but there is free parking. Doesn’t clash with the AFL Grand Final, which is in October this year, and it finally manages to avoid the MotoGP at Phillip Island, which was normally the same weekend.
Of course, it does make it the same weekend as the Sandown 500, which is, to my mind, a similar demographic – perhaps with some age separation? For some of us, that makes it a real choice: the one V8 Supercars race that is held locally in the year, or the annual wood show? With an attendance in the vicinity of 200,000 over the weekend at the Sandown 500, that won’t impact too badly on Working with Wood Show numbers would it?
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