What do you do about storing 250 diverse types of clamps used by 24 Furniture Design Program students? The Sam Beauford Woodshop was growing driving the need for more woodworking clamps. Our goal was to store all the needed clamps in as little space as possible, keep the storage system flexible and organize it so students would be able to quickly find their needed clamp.
Read MoreEver since I was a kid I had an interest in woodworking. But my family never really had woodworking tools so I couldn't possibly learn at home. When I got to high school I jumped at the opportunity to take Woodshop where I did learn about some of the basics of woodworking, but I was more concerned with the social constructs of school than I was of truly committing myself to the craft of woodworking.
Read MoreThe thought of retirement was very scary to me because I was defined mostly by my job. Sure, I was a husband and a father, but most of my time was spent being an engineer and/or project manager.
Read MoreOur current class of Wood Design: Furniture Making students began their journey with us on Aug 18th, 2023. Some were very experienced woodworkers, others had no experience at all. They came from very diverse backgrounds, and from locations all over the United States… and the UK! Out of 20 students, 16 of them left their home and moved to Adrian to attend this college woodworking program.
Read MoreThe essence of a handcrafted Windsor chair lies not just in its graceful form but also in the intimate relationship between the craftsman and the raw materials. This age-old art, steeped in tradition, carries a deep understanding of the wood grain, the rhythm of hand tools, and the mastery of listening and responding to the wood.
Read MoreCatapults with kids! The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute partnered with Lenawee Great Start to offer a catapult building workshop during the PlaneWave Open House on October 7th. During the workshop kids were assisted by staff, volunteers and family members to construct their own catapult and then shoot marshmallows into the woods.
Read MoreMany of you may have seen the timber frame pavilion structure standing in front of our school for the past 4 months. This timber frame structure was built by Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) students in May of this year during a 5-day timber frame workshop with jack Witherington. They built and raised the timber frame structure in front of our classroom to be on display during the Great Lakes Woodworking Festival.
Read MoreWhat a historic week!!! We are beyond elated to announce the completion of the first ever helical staircase course offered in North America. Students of the SBWI completed this course with grand success and demonstrated their skill and competency by constructing their own scaled-down model of a spiral staircase.
Read MoreIt’s pretty common for our Windsor Chairmaking students to think of questions after attending one of our 5-7 day classes. It is inevitable as you bring your chair home and start to think about the finish and showing it off to your family and friends, that you might notice an imperfection here or there, or wonder … how much Milk Paint should I purchase??
Read MoreSteve McCarroll served in the US Army for 24 years. In January, 2020, he registered to become a Woodworking Warrior. He took the safety course (which is required for all veterans to use the shop) and then thought “What do I do now?”
Read MoreEvery Windsor Chair Making class is an immersive, unforgettable experience. It is a week of hard, grueling work followed by pride and accomplishment at making an object so incredible it will last well beyond your lifetime. Last month, a father and son, Dean and Ryan Ramsey joined us to build Windsor Continuous Arm Chairs.
Read MoreI taught two women’s classes in January: Women: Get to Know Your Toolbox and Women and Power Tools: Make a Toolbox. In these classes, there were a few student stories that really stood out, and I’d like to share them with you. I have omitted their names to protect their privacy.
Read MoreWhen it rains, it pours. After a couple years of no boat activity in the sawdust factory I now have more on my plate than I can say grace over. I got a call yesterday with an invitation from the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Mi. to show some of my work in a new exhibit "Veterans Woodworking".
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