Like many, I found my way into woodworking through a combination of influences—seventh grade shop class, Scouts, Norm Abram and The New Yankee Workshop, Roy Underhill’s Woodwright’s Shop, and necessity, i.e., I needed furniture and decided making it myself would be cheaper. It’s not but it is certainly far more satisfying.

My early woodworking ran the gamut from building a few pieces of furniture to semi-restoring garage sale, antique show, and dumpster diving gems. With my first house, I turned more towards carpentry as many do. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with old tools, both hand and power. That led me to woodturning as I justified buying my first lathe, a 1940s Delta-Rockwell, so I could make handles for all my handle-less chisels (several of which are over my left shoulder in the picture).

As much as I love turning, it’s an addiction, I’ve similarly loved making furniture—or at least trying. Over the years I’ve focused my efforts on building in the Shaker and Craftsmen styles, then added rustic Adirondack furniture and Mid-Century Modern influences to my repertoire. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

DGW