Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2021 i Australian Wood Review

Passion, not profit Woodworking is one of those things inspired by passion, as opposed to profit. I would go so far as to say that making money never drives someone to relentlessly pursue it as a profession. When Melbourne engineering manager Dom Dudkiewicz says he can no longer ignore the ‘siren call’ that has had his ear, and has taken extended leave from work to chase his woodworking dream – that’s the kind of passion I’m talking about. I did wonder if his decision crystallised while writing the article that appears in this issue. At the other end of the spectrum, we also meet Giordano Viganò, 87, an Italian master craftsman who, after decades of running a furniture making enterprise simply knows no other life: ‘It’s not that I need…

Jon Goulder is a hard man to pin down. Both in terms of actually getting him to sit down for an interview, but also in defining him. His output spans 20 years and most states of Australia, with work in the permanent collections of the type of state institutions that sport impressive acronyms (AGWA, AGSA, NGV, NGA, Power House, TMAG). He’s headed furniture workshops at major craft institutions and universities in as many states. He’s invited to the sort of parties at Milan Design Week where people wear hats indoors. I could jump online right now and buy production pieces of his from five different respected independent Australian furniture and lighting retailers. He’s taught a generation of contemporary designers and makers across the country. He’s currently working as a senior…

Diary listings are free. Email to: linda@woodreview.com.au Note: Listings are current at time of printing but may be subject to change, especially with regard to current COVID-19 restrictions. Always check details with organisers before planning to visit. JULY 1–MAY 2022 Eucalyptusdom Exhibition, performances, talks and masterclasses examining Australia’s cultural history and relationship with the gum tree Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo, NSW www.maas.museum/event/eucalyptusdo JULY 24–11 SEPTEMBER Future Remains Contemporary women designers and makers Alexsandra Pontonio, Anke Kindle, Chi Yusuf, Laura McCusker, Linda Fredheim, Makiko Ryujin and Olive Gill-Hille Craft Victoria Gallery, 2 Watson Place, Melbourne www.craft.org.au AUGUST 17–17 SEPTEMBER Contemporary Wood-Carved Netsuke Work by Japanese and other wood artists Curated by The Japan Foundation North Metro TAFE, Perth www.jpf.org.au/events SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER Indian Ocean Craft Triennial Makers, artists and crafted works…

CNC Router is Tops The Toughcut Topaz CNC router is designed for production of custom furniture, cabinetry and panelling. At 1300 x 2500mm, it’s a compact and robust working centre that’s suitable for part-time and professional furniture makers, and smaller workshops. The Syntec controller is stable and easy to operate, while the auto 8-tool changer is fast and efficient. Applications include wood and pattern processing, engraving, signage and much more. Shown here with new owner Andy Watson, Blu Builders. www.beyondtools.com Leave it to Beaver Keep your blades and spoon knives at peak performance with this versatile sharpening and honing system. The cowhide leather side is used for polishing, while the replaceable sandpaper side enables light sharpening. This unique paddle strop is used to put a fine edge on both curved…

Some years ago I made a hollow carved sphere like the one shown here and was asked if I could make another for a collector. This provided an opportunity to talk through the process used to achieve the final result. Make a template for the sphere When turning a sphere, the most crucial thing to bear in mind is that it has to be a sphere. To assist with this fundamental aim, make a template out of any thin material, in this case, 3mm MDF. The easiest way to do this is to cut out a 210mm diameter rough round shape on the bandsaw. I marked the centre with a centre punch, and then drew a 160mm diameter circle with a compass. Using a faceplate with some sort of friction…

Not many woodworkers, when asked what tool they would like to be able to buy, would answer ‘a better forklift’. But a forklift is indeed an indispensable tool for English sculptor, Alison Crowther. Perhaps the most breathtaking aspect of her work, when you first see it, is its physical size. One striking example, now a fixture in the main lobby of Tower 7, One Shenzhen Bay, China, is carved from a 5m x 1.3m log of English oak weighing around 13 tons, and whilst most other works are considerably smaller, anything less than a forklift would not suffice for moving many of them. However, producing sculptures this size was not initially her ambition. Born on the north-west edge of West Yorkshire in 1965, she studied furniture design (but not furniture…

Fig 1. Carcase components and assembly Over the years, I have built cabinets, trays, or boxes of various designs and sizes for my hand tools. But tools are not the only objects that we woodworkers worry about proper storage of. Tired of my disorganised storage of hardware, I set out to design and build my first till of drawers to house some of my essentials. I also set out to use mainly hand tools in this project. Design and construction I wanted to house select cabinet hardware such as screws, pulls and hinges, and keep the cabinet’s size and weight manageable to enable hand carrying. Since dovetails offer strength as well as aesthetics, I used them for both the carcase and drawers. Traditional drawers are lap-dovetailed at the front and…

As a woodturner my experience with furniture making usually revolves around making components for other designers. Often the parts I make are basic shapes with the clean lines we commonly see in modern furniture. These jobs are fun and still present a challenge, but I had been craving something more interesting and involved. Design development A few years ago I decided to design a comfortable modern stool that made use of the split turning technique normally seen used for furniture ornamentation and crafty wooden baubles. My own spin on this technique was to use 120° segments for a three-way split, rather than the two or four-way splits I’ve seen in the past. This led to the development of my Split Stool with the latest version being the 760mm bar stool…

It’s not often you get the opportunity to talk to one of your heroes, but I did, and want to share with you the awesome chat I had with Giordano Viganò. He’s one of the most refined Italian ebanistas, that is, an artisan whose specialty is working with ebony (ebano in Italian), and other highly valued timbers. Based in Novedrate, a tiny town 20km north from Milan, he’s been working with wood for more years than double my age. When I set foot into his workshop, I was struck by how big the space is. It’s around 1500sqm and filled with all the machines and workbenches a woodworker might want. As well as surprised, I also felt a bit nostalgic. You see, this man has been in the business since…