Read an excerpt…

Hardwood is a beautiful material to work with and working it with hand tools gives a particular satisfaction. I discovered this when I first took up woodwork over 35 years ago and it’s why I am still making.

I first started in woodwork when I was in my twenties, about 1975. I worked in various sheds, air raid shelters, spare rooms, and cellars as we moved around. Over the years I slowly built up my tools, skills and experience until in 1990 I turned my hobby into my profession. Go to www.christribe.co.uk to see some of the things I have made recently.

I learned a lot in those years and also made plenty of mistakes along the way. I have come to love working in wood and cannot imagine not having something to make, I get a huge sense of fulfillment from the craft and want others to feel the same. In this book I want to share my experience with you so that you can perhaps get more learning and less mistakes!

I am not offering this advice so that you can take the same path into professional woodwork that I took. In fact I often wonder if there are too many furniture makers in the world! Some of the best work is being done by hobby woodworkers. No, my aim in all my teaching and writing is to enhance people’s enjoyment of the craft.

There is nothing like the buzz from designing a piece, working on it with good, well maintained tools, using beautiful hardwoods and then seeing the thing that you have conceived completed. But there are elements that are essential to achieve that buzz.

Success in woodwork is dependent on three factors:

1. Good tools and working environment.
2. Sound method.
3. A positive attitude to the work.

It’s when these three elements come together that you really begin to achieve something and gain a sense of fulfillment. My aim in writing this is to help you bring these elements together sooner…

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