Hello and welcome to my blog!
Welcome to my woodworking blog. I’m extremely new to this blog thing so please bear with me as I begin to develop the site. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find useful information and some entertaining stories about my woodworking adventures here. Please feel free to comment on any of the posts I make. The more we share ideas here, the more everyone will benefit. That is, after all, why I am creating this blog. I want my woodworking students, and woodworking enthusiasts from all over the world, to learn from my experience as a professional furniture maker. I also want to share in the vast knowledge available from all those other woodworkers out there. So, please make yourself at home and enjoy the blog as it develops. I’ll begin posting some project and skill posts in the near future. Thanks for visiting.
What you’ll find as you wander through this blog is that I have a unique way of looking at woodworking. I like to keep things simple and straight forward. This is the reason the blog is called “Parings”. I’m going to whittle away all the mystery, hype and nervousness most woodworkers feel as they begin to expand their skills. I’m not here to promote a particular machine or hand tool. Sure, I’ll do some tool and machinery reviews but my only bias comes from seriously looking at the quality of the tools not from some endorsement. If a tool manufacturer makes a great tool for a job, I’ll let you know. If you can make your own tool that will do the job just as good for practically nothing, I’ll not only tell you, I’ll show you how to make the tool.
I’m going to create posts that are directly in line with the way I’ve built furniture for the last 30+ years. It’s also the way I’ve taught all my apprentices and, now it’s how I teach my students. This is serious, no nonsense, earthy woodworking. Did I mention that it’s a whole lot of fun? I’ve had more than 30 years of fun building some of the most incredible pieces of furniture anyone has ever had the opportunity to make. Let’s see if we can make some more, together.
Chuck Bender
Chuck,
I like seeing the step by step process on making this pcs. I have some qustions on how you made your story stick I have never made one and think it would be something i should start doing to help work out some details. I normally just draw it on paper mostly not to scale either. Could you go more in depth on how you approch this procees for a frist timer? The Part about the beading bit I didn;t follow . I normally purchase all my bits so if you didn’t have the knowledge to create a custom profile how would you beed the radius on the front of the horz. divder ? keep up the good work and i look forward to seeing more thanks
I’ve known a lot ot talented woodworker’s, in fact many of them are considered living legends, but not every expert woodworker is equally skilled as a woodworking teacher. Since I had the pleasure of seeing “Chuck” close-up, in person, on several ocasions, let me just say, he’s a very talented craftsman, and he is every bit as good teaching woodworking. For anyone looking to improve their skills or try their hand at woodworking, I’d encourage them to make a straight line to Chuck!
I’m sort of teetering on the verge of making the big jump — I’ve been a wooddorker/butcher/sawdust maker for over 30 years, but have had other vocations. My wife and I recently decided that it was time I did something that I loved doing. I’m inspired, awed, amazed, and more inspired by what I’ve found here. I appreciate this so much, and can’t wait until I announce a (meaningful) blog!
Chuck,
I am so glad you have started this blog, and that you are going to talk about the reasons why thing are the way they are. The design of furmiture facinates me. School covered the how, the mechanics. I can’t seem to find many sources where there is much on the history in practicle aspect. I hope this blog can fill some of the voids in my education.
I look forward to finding out whats next.
Thanks