After 28 years leading the woodworking school in Rockport, the master craftsman will get back to making chairs, his first love. For the school, he'll be 'a really tough act to follow.'
The art of marquetry
Synopsis: The incredible marquetry designs of Craig Stevens may seem out of reach, but the way he explains the double-bevel technique makes it seem completely doable. This process ensures a perfect-fitting marquetry design. Basically, you tape the background veneer and the insert veneer together, and cut them both at once on an angled surface. That’s the simple part. It’s Craig’s artistry that sends it soaring.
Years ago, when I had the good fortune to study under James Krenov, the decorative art of marquetry caught my imagination. Marquetry linked my longstanding interests in drawing and art with the woodworking skills I was learning. Through trial and error, I developed a way of working that blended the traditional double-bevel marquetry method with the thick hand-sawn veneers that we learned to make at The Krenov School. I’ve enjoyed adding marquetry to my woodworking ever since.
From the Bench: A long loose end
A nine-drawer dresser sat in mid-build for nearly 30 years, its drawers half-built, its pockets stuffed with student supplies, clippings, letters, and other stuff. Then David Welter retired, and the dresser came home, rose to the top of the to-do list, and found a new life.
Synopsis: Born in the early days of David Welter’s career at The Krenov School, a nine-drawer dresser sat in mid-build for nearly 30 years, its drawers half-built, its pockets stuffed with student supplies, clippings, letters, and other stuff. Then David retired, and the dresser came home, rose to the top of the “to-do” list, and found a new life.
James Krenov’s dowel joint
Use a simple shopmade jig to create cabinets that stand the test of time.
Synopsis: Doweling is a great joinery technique for both veneered and solid-wood carcases. It creates a strong joint and is accessible to most any woodworker. The key is accuracy. David Welter uses the doweling technique he learned from James Krenov. One simple jig takes care of all the layout and ensures all the holes drilled are accurate.
The strong and unobtrusive dowel joint has earned its place in woodworking history. For cabinets, the technique can provide a joint as strong as other methods and has the advantage of being accessible to shops of modest means.