Along the way...
I caught the woodworking bug from a former college roommate in the early ‘70s. It began as a sometime thing (I could quit anytime!). Working in high tech engineering, then marketing, I had little time for hobbies. But I took classes when I could, and built a few things to help furnish our living spaces.
From Peter Korn (Center for Furniture Craftsmanship) and Jim Krenov (College of the Redwoods), I learned to appreciate hand tools, and found them faster than power tools for some jobs. (Easier to control, too.) I’m not a purist—I have tools with cords, but I love hand planes, chisels, and spokeshaves.
I discovered woodturning in the ‘90s, joining Silicon Valley Woodturners and serving as newsletter editor for six years. A lot (but not all) of my work is turned, or features turned elements.
Repairing, modifying, or making new tools led to an interest in machining. I helped found South Bay Metalworkers and acquired some metalworking equipment. That gave me the ability to make precision jigs and machines, which led to ornamental turning and membership in the Ornamental Turners International. On a parallel track, my son’s (brief) interest in knife-making led to blacksmithing classes and construction of a forge at my shop, along with membership in ABANA and the California Blacksmith Association.
Several years ago, I began to pass on my knowledge in a formal way. I enjoy teaching and solving technical problems. So now I teach several workshops at The Sawdust Shop in Sunnyale, CA, and volunteer in woodworking classes at Cupertino's Monta Vista High School. This site is an attempt to stay in touch with my students, and to give back to the broader woodworking community.