As a child i have always enjoyed woodworking. Now as an adult, I am making it my goal to make beginners better woodworkers. For those who don’t know me, let me introduce myself and explain why I started doing a newsletter.
I am a professional woodworker/furniture maker for 21 years. I also was a licensed remodeling contractor, regular contributing editor for American Woodworker Magazine for 4 years, host of the Popular Woodworking video series “I Can Do That” for 3 years, an instructor, demonstrator and teacher of 8 years, was a guest star on the PBS TV show “American Woodshop” with Scott Phillips, and recently had a book published by F&W Media.
My main goal has always been to educate people and bring them into this trade/skill of woodworking. Without your interest in this wonderful craft of woodworking there would be no newsletter. This is the first newsletter in what I hope will be of many for years to come. I believe the newsletter will be able to offer something to everyone in an effort to increase and learn more about the woodworking craft.
The way this newsletter came about really is a result of it evolving out of my YouTube show. I previously was doing three videos a week. The Wednesday show was my favorite. On that show I would talk about jobs going in my shop, I would answer viewer email woodworking questions, and I would do a product suggestion telling the viewers my favorite items used in my shop and whether or not they should consider owning one themselves. I also wanted to branch out and bring in other experts in their field to broaden the scope of woodworking to add some variety to the show. The only problem was, time. The show was becoming very long and not everyone wanted to hear about every topic. So this newsletter is going to be able to do all of that. The readers can now click on the topics they are most interested in reading and learning.
Some of this month’s expert contributors are:
Mitch Peacock. Mitch lives in UK and is an experienced woodworker with over 20 years at his craft. Mitch as a unique style that mixes contemporary modernist, influences from traditional Asian design as well as other traditional characteristics to create his own signature designs.
Jerill Vance. Jerill is a full time professional furniture maker and earned his Associate of Applied Science degree in Fine Woodworking from New River Community and Technical College in Lewisburg, WV. Besides building furniture he also initiated a woodworking program and taught for a non-profit organization in the Kentucky prison system. Jerill also teaches and demonstrates woodworking with hand tools at Heritage Farm and Village Museum in Huntington, WV
CrystaLac. CrystaLac is a stain and finish company out of Mountain City TN. For 30 years they have been making high quality ECO friendly water based products that are easy to use and have extreme durability. In this newsletter they will answer frequently asked questions and address common issues dealing with all kinds of different stains and top coats. Their goal is to help you achieve the prefect finish for your project.
Rick Frazier. As a former instructor at Owen’s Community College, Rick taught students in the field of automotive technology. Computers are the core of today’s vehicles, and being familiar with them, it was easy to see why Rick could incorporate computers into woodworking. Rick has been doing CNC projects for nearly 10 years and is taking the same approach to teach CNC basics to interested woodworkers as he did teaching students about automotive.
Dennis Laney. Dennis is a local woodworking legend. He has been involved in woodworking, professionally and as an enthusiast for over 60 years. Dennis was first introduced to woodworking by his Grandfather. Dennis has worked in the trades on job sites as well as built commissioned pieces for clients. Now retired, Dennis has took me under his wing and is teaching me the finer details of furniture making and helping me recreate some of the classic fine furniture pieces.
Besides entries from those contributing experts, this issue of the newsletter will also include articles from myself on; “Secrets of the Interlocking Half-Lap Dovetail” , a video of “Honorable Mention Tools”, and for a limited time only, FREE plans for the “Basic Beginner’s Woodworking Bench” (offer ends March 31)
I hope you enjoy this first issue of the newsletter and if you have any woodworking questions, feel free to contact me at WoodChoppinTime@gmail.com
Chad Stanton- the Big Chopperoo
