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We have just completed the first week of the Craftsman and Resident Craftsman programs at Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking. This year’s class consists of students from Japan, Belgium, Israel, Mexico, United States and Canada, including five second-year students, three Artisan program alumni including one Resident Artisan program alumni.

The Craftsman program students began with the graphics and shaping exercise. Students are guided through the sharpening, tuning and use of spokeshaves and block planes, tools essential to fine cabinetmaking. Students then complete a millwork and grain straightening exercise, which includes the use and safe operation of the bandsaw, jointer, planer and dimension saw. Students are then introduced to grain graphics, templates, shaping, surface preparation and edge treatment. (more…)

Tomorrow morning at 8am, we begin our seventh Craftsman and Resident Craftsman Programs at Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking. Since the school’s inception, I had set aside my own work until which time I was confident that the programs presented at the school best reflected Jim’s teachings and encouraging a sensitive and sensible approach to our craft.

This year’s class includes students from Japan, Israel, Belgium, Mexico, United States and Canada. This fall, we have the largest group of returning students. We have five second year students, three Artisan program alumni including a Resident Artisan program alumni. I think this confirms we are on course. I have returned to my bench, and while my progress has been slow, I am finding my way back to the craft that is so dear to me. (more…)

After my last entry, I had a bit of a dilemma. With the drawer joinery complete, I was reluctant to assemble the drawers, as I was still unsure of my pulls. The cabinet has four drawers and a door. The small door has a keyhole and does not require a pull. As the drawers spacing is irregular, pull placement became a bit of an issue. I tried mocking up each drawer with a single pull with no success. I tried two pulls on each of the wide drawers aligning with a single pull on the narrow drawer, this was better but still not what I was looking for. I kept moving the pulls out until they were on the outside of the drawer where they just felt right. I tried curving them out. Ergonomically this worked, however it would have made the fitting difficult. Aesthetically, the only issue here was where the bottom two drawers met. I reversed the curve and there it was, what I had been looking for all along. (more…)

This past week, I continued to work on with the drawers for my little cabinet. The doussie, while a bit brittle, was really a delight to work, not hard to see why it was one of Jim’s favourite woods. I have sketched a few pulls and I have begun looking at material for the stand.

We have begun to prepare the school and ourselves for the Craftsman and Resident Craftsman programs, which begin two weeks from this coming Monday. This year, we have a full compliment of students joining us from Japan, Belgium, Israel, Mexico, United States and Canada. Five of our students are returning for a second year of study with our completely revised Resident Craftsman program. Our wood room has been stocked with exciting new planks from around the world. During the final weeks of our break we will be tuning each of our machines and prepare the exercise material for the first few weeks of the program. It is an exciting time at Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking. (more…)

“I live in a beautiful place and work at something I love. I make enough money to live and my demands on the worlds resources are very meagre…”- John Brown

‘Our House’ a painting by Sharon Danroth of Gibsons British Columbia inspired by a photograph taken of our house back in 1948. Life had other plans for me this week, I spent very little time in my shop. Instead I spent my time with people and books, two aspects of my life, I have been neglecting.

“… so you pick up your guitar, and play it for yourself. These days you only play it seems, for everybody else.”- Stephen Fearing

Before Jim passed, he left his hand tools and machines to our school, with the hopes of establishing a small shop for me to continue my work at home. With our recent acquisition of one of his cabinets, we have had to delay the building of the James Krenov Memorial Shop for at least a few more years. Until that time, with Yvonne’s office back at the school, I have moved my benchroom, including Jim’s hand tools to our home. My new benchroom, above, is small but well organized and has an abundance of natural light. His machines will remain at the school, where they will see limited use and serve as fine examples of efficiency. (more…)

With the website launched and a short camping trip in the Westfalia. I have returned to my bench. We arrived home on Friday. Saturday morning I began cutting dovetails for a small cabinet on a stand that I began seven years ago, last month. The cabinet, a commission for some very patient clients started out with the name ‘Writer’s Friend”, a low cabinet on a stand with the purpose of storing stationary.

After the Artisan Program I spent just over two weeks getting the website launched, it was exhausting and while I realize there is still much information to post I will put that aside for the time being for amateur development. During this time, I did take breaks from the computer, and milled the drawer bottoms and chopping blocks. The wood is local cypress, harvested in Vancouver by Artisan Alumni Dan McCallum. The gentle curve follows the fronts as if the tree grew around my form. The pink to orange colours compliment the balsamo and doussie. (more…)

Since our small school’s inception our goal has been to provide quality craft education, founded on and dedicated to the teachings of James Krenov. Before Jim passed, he left with us with his final thoughts on the craft and on craft education. We have made curriculum changes to all our programs in an effort to pay homepage to my teacher and friend, and to create better flow and alignment of our programs.

We have added one week to each of our programs. The Artisan Program now consists of the first seven weeks of the Craftsman Program. The Resident Artisan Program consists of the second seven weeks of the Craftsman Program. The Craftsman Program has been revised and includes seven exercises, each building on skills previously taught. The Resident Craftsman Program has also been completely revised with more structure and includes a chair making exercise. The Journeyman Program available to Craftsman Program alumnus consists of the first seven weeks of the Resident Craftsman Program. (more…)

Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking is delighted to announce our acquisition of one of Jim Krenov’s cabinets. The cabinet in Claro walnut burl and european cherry was made the year I was in school. The cabinet is of significant importance to me, as Jim had asked me to assist him with the glue up of the carcass. A special thank you to David Welter at the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program helping make it happen.

The Resident Craftsman Program has been completely revised with more structure and includes a chair making exercise, a reproduction of a James Krenov piece and a piece of their own design. Inside Passage School of Fine Cabinetmaking is proud to announce our Resident Craftsman for the 2011-12 School Year. Joshua Edwards, Melissa Moore Evans, Jay Miron, Raul Favela and Brendan Johnson will be all joining us for a second year of study. While each of these gentle souls bring their own strengths, as a group represent all I could possibly hope for as a teacher.