The September presentation will explain what kumiko is, give examples of how it can be used, and demonstrate how it’s made. Tom Howorth will step through the entire process and show the tools and jigs that he uses. In addition, he willl provide a list of references for those that would like to learn more. Kumiko is a delicate and sophisticated technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. Thinly slit wooden pieces are grooved, punched and mortised, and then fitted individually using a plane, saw, chisel and other tools to make fine adjustments. The technique was developed in Japan in the Asuka Era (600-700 AD), and has since been refined and passed down through generations of craftsmen who are passionate about the tradition of Kumiko.

Zoom invitations will be sent to all club members via email.

For more information about Tom, please check out his website.

NCWA is super excited to welcome the awesomely talented Mary May to our August Zoom Membership Meeting. She will discuss carving different styles of moulding, as well as sharpening tips and techniques. You will NOT want to miss this!

Zoom invitations will be sent to all club members via email.

Since Mary will be joining us from her shop in North Carolina, our August 4th meeting will begin with Mary’s presentation at 5:30 PM, PDT.

For more information about Mary, please check out her website.

Our July meeting will feature a presentation on greenwood chairmaking that explores the techniques and material knowledge that make them work, as well as demonstrations of the processes involved, by Brendan Gaffney.

Brendan is a well-regarded furniture designer, woodworker, educator, and author of an upcoming book on woodworker, James Krenov.

Since Brendan will be joining us from his shop in Kentucky, our July 7th meeting will begin with Brendan’s presentation at 5:30 PM, PST.

For more information about Brendan, please visit his website.

A LOOK INTO GARRETT HACK’S SHOP

Garrett will give us a look into three projects in his Vermont shop: a six drawer side table, an Edward Barnsley cabinet recently restored/repaired, and a curvy desk underway. 

The six drawer table is a bowed front variation of a much older piece. It has the challenges of building a strong case with the facade almost entirely drawers and only light stiles and rails, laminating curved drawer faces and then dovetailing the sides to them, fitting and fixing solid wood bottoms, working with highly challenging curly birch, and building in two secret drawers. 

Edward Barnsley was an important British furniture maker of the mid-20th century. His cabinet has many lessons: how symmetry can be powerful, the punch of repeating, varying and changing the scale of details, how our work ages from the stresses of wood movement, and how Barnsley built the cabinet strongly and efficiently using hand tool techniques.

If there is time Garrett will discuss his latest project, a complex curved desk with some very secret compartments and drawers. He’ll talk about the design, making full scale working drawings, patterns, and laminations.