Location: Home » Articles

Articles

For some years I have written articles for magazines, mainly Furniture and Cabinetmaker. I see the articles as an extension of my teaching. Here is a selection of the most recent.

Oak Dining Table (580kb)
This article first appeared in Furniture and Cabinetmaker magazine number 148. It describes the making of a simple oak table, includes details of laminating the chunky legs so that they look like a single chunk of oak.
Oak dining chair (566kb)
This article appeared in Furniture and Cabinetmaker number 149. The chairs were made to accompany the oak table previously described. The wedged through mortice and tenons on the rails are a common arts and crafts feature, especially the wedges in a contrasting wood. However these joints have to be cut with care. They are saying "look at me" and if they are not cut crisply the maker's skills are in doubt!
Curve top box (312kb)
The article first appeared in Furniture and Cabinetmaker magazine number 139, it also appeared in Atellier Bois, the French woodworking magazine. I have made a number of these boxes in varying woods with different interior configurations.
Small bow fronted side table. (721kb)
This article appeared in Furniture and Cabinetmker number 140. The table, in birds eye maple and cherry, was made to go with the curved cabinet previously described. I particularly like the graceful shape of the bottom rails and the clarinet shaped bottoms of the legs.
Curve cabinet (459kb)
This arricle appeared in Funriture and Cabinetmaker magazine number 141. The cabinet and bow fronted side table where designed as a pair, unfortunately the table was sold seperately at an exhibition, so I now have the cabinet without the table. When I designed this cabinet I was travelling to Devon regularly for family reasons, I think the curves reflect the rolling Devon countryside.
Bureau restoration (487kb)
This article first appeared in Furniture and Cabinetmaker number 156. The problem with restoration is that the job can grow "like Topsy" as one discovers additional problems as the piece is dismantled.
Laying Desk Leathers (1.68MB)
This is my first article for British Woodworking and appeared in issue no. 23. It is based around some work I did on a very fine mahogany drum top desk. This included relaying some detached veneer on the pedestals and removing and relaying the badly damaged leather inserts on the desk flap.
The Price is Right (1.07MB)
This article appeared in Furniture and Cabinet Maker no. 184. It tries to address the problem of making a living at furniture making. The problem is I'm not sure I follow my own advice!