Weekend Woodworking Courses
Meet Your Instructors
LUKE BARNETT
WINDSOR CHAIRMAKER & PRESIDENT
SPECILIZATIONS
Green Woodworking
Windsor Chairs
Fine Furniture
Luke is a wood artisan that specializes in traditional American Windsor chairs. He has won awards and been featured in internationally published magazines. Early American Life Magazine named Luke as Top American Craftsman in the Windsor chair making field for 3 consecutive years. His chairs have been displayed in the traveling Smithsonian museum exhibit called “The Way We Work”. Luke was a featured speaker at 2018 International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, Georgia. His speech titled “Be the Spark” focused on engaging students at younger ages through community outreach. Learn more about Luke Barnett at www.barnettchairs.com
LOGAN BALIS
ARITST IN RESIDENCE
SPECIALIZATIONS
Fine Furniture
Spoon Carving
Logan Balis is a recent graduate of the Wood Design program from Greenville, Michigan. He currently resides in his van here just south of Adrian in Fairfield with a family that has adopted him while he was in school. They influenced his life to be responsible and patient, which therefore influenced his work ethic in the shop. When he was 13, he started a small lawn/light landscaping business as the “Backyard Barber.” He began this business with a $50 push mower. After 7 years, the business grew and eventually Logan owned a full set up with all of the modern day equipment. With a few years of doing odd jobs with lawns and landscapes, he gained a deep interest in gardens but specifically sustainable gardens and agriculture. After graduating high school in 2022, Logan took a gap year. During that time, he found the Wood Design program and enrolled immediately after a visit. He is a curious student seeking hand skills and knowledge in all crafts fields.
JOHN BINEGAR
FOREST INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT
SPECIALIZATIONS
Sustainable Practices
Green Wood Sector
Timber Buying
John Binegar brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to sustainable forestry practices. With a career spanning over three decades in the forestry sector, John's journey began with a solid foundation in Natural Resources - Forest Industry Management, which he obtained from Ohio State University in December of 1987.
Shortly after graduation, John embarked on what would become a distinguished career at Hardwoods of Michigan/Tri-County Logging, starting in March of 1988. Over the next 35 years, John's dedication and skill saw him advancing through various positions within the company. His deep understanding of the industry and commitment to sustainable practices culminated in his final role there, where for the last ten years, he managed the green wood sector, focusing on Timber Buying. His efforts were instrumental in securing over 10,000 forestry contracts, reflecting his significant impact on the industry.
In 2023, John took on the role of Vice-President of Forestry Management Services, a locally owned company led by Richard Service since 2014. This company, known for its conservative management and selective harvesting principles, aligns perfectly with John's values and expertise in promoting sustainable forestry practices.
John's personal life is as rich and fulfilling as his professional one. He enjoys hunting and biking, activities that further connect him to the natural world he works so hard to preserve. Married for 34 years, John is a devoted family man with two daughters and two grandchildren, with another grandchild on the way. Although he grew up in Loveland, Ohio, he has called Lenawee County home since 1988, further cementing his ties to the community and the land he serves.
As an instructor at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, John Binegar not only shares his extensive knowledge of forestry management but also instills in his students a profound respect for the environment and the importance of sustainable practices. His background, from his educational foundations to his vast professional experience and personal commitment to conservation, makes him a valuable asset to the Institute and an inspiration to those aspiring to make a positive impact in the world of forestry.
ARMANDO COVARRUBIAS JR
FURNITURE MAKER & GRADUATE INTERN
SPECIALIZATIONS
Fine Furniture
Custom Leatherwork
Armando Covarrubias Jr is a furniture maker originally from Arrey, New Mexico. After many years working in the food science and agriculture industry with his family, he made the decision to change careers and attend the Wood Design: Furniture Making program at Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute. He builds custom-made furniture by combining hand tools, craftsmanship, and modern machinery. He has always loved working with his hands. He spent most of his life working on his family farm in the chili fields or building and welding farm equipment for their manufacturing facilities. This lifestyle naturally accommodated to a strong sense of community, and Armando developed patience to watch a seed grow into a fully matured crop. An organic career transition for him was furniture making with a lot of the same principles he has always been so drawn towards. Moving forward, he aspires to design and build commission furniture.
ZACK FEALK
FURNITURE MAKER & LEAD INTRUCTOR
SPECIALIZATIONS
Fine Furniture
Historic Home Remodels
Zack is from Detroit, Michigan and graduated from MSU with a BS in Natural Resource Management. He is also a graduate of the Wood Design: Furniture Making program at the SBWI. Outside of the woodshop, he facilitates historic home remodels in the city of Detroit and builds custom furniture pieces. Zack is dedicated to learning other woodworking disciplines, including traditional timber framing, chairmaking, and advanced joinery skills. Zack’s goal is to push himself through design and building techniques that will allow him to prosper as a maker. Woodworking is a constant learning process, and he is eager to be a lifelong student. He is the Lead Instructor of the Wood Design program and teaches several specialty courses at SBWI. Zack was recently awarded a honoree of the Woodworking Network “40 Under 40 Awards" Class of 2024.
MATT HARBER
WOODTURNER/INSTRUCTOR
SPECIALIZATIONS
Finial Turning
Live Edge Bowl Turning
Lidded Turned Bowls
Goblets
Decorations
Matt has had a lifelong fascination with wood and wood art. He began feeding this obsession in 2003 when he began to learn the skills and art of woodturning on a lathe. He has lived most of my life in Southeastern Michigan, surrounded by trees, and is delighted in being able to bring out and shape the natural beauty inside the wonderful woods that are all around us. He finds serenity and joy in the creative process, as a piece unfolds and reveals itself through his hand. He is always seeking new textures, shapes, and techniques to apply to his work on his journey of exploration. He creates distinctive, unique, one-of-a-kind wood (usually) items that are hand turned on a lathe and hand finished. Some pieces are then hand painted, burned (pyrographed), carved, painted, or otherwise embellished. These pieces include but are not limited to bowls, vases, goblets, platters/plates, hollow forms, and many creative variations of these. He specializes in Celtic and Native American motif art decorations via pyrography (wood burning), painting, and/or carving, but can adapt most any appropriate design to the pieces. He has been woodturning approximately 18 years and has created a number of requested custom pieces. Learn more about Matt Harber at Facebook.com/infinite.thread
BOB LANG
AUTHOR/WOODWORKER
SPECIALIZATIONS
SketchUp
Wood Carving
Furniture Making
Bob Lang was born and raised in northeastern Ohio, in the college town of Kent. In the early 1970s, he dropped out of college and became a cabinetmaker. Like many of his generation he didn’t want to wear a tie and sit in an office. He learned the trade in several different shops, including building speaker cabinets for sound systems, wood boat repair on Lake Erie, scenery and prop building for an aquatic theme park in an unlikely location, and in more than few commercial cabinet shops. He also ventured into his own business and spent the early 1980s designing, building and traveling the country to sell his stuff at arts & crafts shows. By the late 1990s he was working as a project manager/engineer in the architectural millwork industry.
His first magazine article was published in “Woodshop News” in 1998, followed by his first article for “Fine Woodworking” Magazine. His first book, “Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture” was published in 2001. In 2004, he began to work full-time for Popular Woodworking Magazine, where he is currently the executive editor and illustrator. He currently carves and builds furniture in Cincinnati, Ohio and writes about and teaches woodworking and 3D modeling with SketchUp. In January 2018 he became the editor of “American Period Furniture” the annual journal of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers. Bob blogs about Woodworking and SketchUp at his website ReadWatchDo.com.
RANDY LIGHTHALL
CNC INSTRUCTOR/WOODWORKING WARRIOR
SPECIALIZATIONS
CNC Systems
Randy is a woodworking hobbyist. He has had a love of woodworking since he was first introduced to it while repairing liberty boats in the US Navy. He is kind of a jack of all trades dabbling in many types of projects.
Randy first took a CNC class at The WoodWorking Warriors program and fell in love with it. He loves the possibilities the CNC can offer. He shares his excitement and joy the CNC machine has given him by teaching others in both public CNC classes and during the Woodworking Warriors program. Randy's number 1 course objective is to excite others to explore what they can do using a CNC machine.
STEVEN MCCARROLL
DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT/WOODWORKING WARRIOR
SPECIALIZATIONS
End Grain Butcher Block Cutting Boards
CNC Creations
Laser Engraving
Chili
Steve is a SBWI Alumni and woodworking hobbyist, who has always had an interest in woodworking. It wasn't until about three years ago that he truly decided to jump into the craft after serving in the US Army for the previous 24 years. Since then, he has created McCarroll Custom Cutting Boards where he enjoys designing unique patterns with a mix of domestic and exotic wood species. In 2022 Steve joined the Wood Design: Furniture Making program, and graduated on June 4th, 2023 with a 4.0 GPA.
He is an avid sports fan who vigorously roots for all Detroit teams and the University of Michigan. He's a glutton for punishment! He also enjoys hunting, fishing, and outings with his fellow veterans.
Steve is a member of Woodworking for Warriors and his proudest moment in the wood shop is when his Woodworking Warrior peers voted him as both the Best Teacher and Most Helpful in 2021.
TOM NEHIL
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
SPECIALIZATIONS
Preservation and Reuse of Historic Buildings
Wood Identification
Timber Frame Design
Traditional Stone Masonry
Tom Nehil is a structural engineer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he specializes in evaluation, preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Tom is a member of the Timber Framers Guild and Timber Frame Engineering Council and chairs the Timber Grading Training Committee. He is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology, the Michigan Barn Preservation Network and the Michigan Historic Preservation Network along with other professional organizations. He is a regular instructor at Tillers International in Kalamazoo where he teaches wood identification, timber frame design, and traditional stone masonry.
Tom’s interest in wood goes back to his days as a young professional carpenter prior to starting his engineering career. He is a woodworker, wood turner, and timber framer in his spare time.
CAROLYN RACINE
INSTRUCTOR
SPECIALIZATIONS
Women’s Woodworking Classes
Fine Furniture
Upholstery
Carolyn grew up 20 minutes from SBWI and studied Creative Writing at The University of Michigan. After college, she moved to California and spent the next 11 years doing stand up and sketch comedy, writing for shows at UCB and The Pack Theater, and managing a very busy restaurant in Los Angeles. Sometime after the pandemic she found herself pretty burnt out and took a few woodworking classes for fun at Allied Woodshop. She immediately fell in love with being in a wood shop and making things. Carolyn's mom told her about SBWI's diploma program and, after touring the school, she was eager to pack up her Honda Fit, drive back home and be a student of the trade while living close to family. As the year-long program comes to an end, Carolyn is not sure she will ever make the drive back to the West Coast. Along with teaching courses at SBWI, Carolyn is also working towards opening a custom upholstery business.
SHERI SARATA
DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S PROGRAMMING
SPECIALIZATIONS
Teaching
Children’s Programming
Women’s Woodworking Classes
Sheri Sarata retired from a teaching career in 2017. While searching for a way to keep herself occupied in retirement, she discovered the SBWI. Sheri took one class and quickly developed a new passion for wood. Over the next few years, she completed several courses and enrolled in the long-term Wood Design course. Sheri built her skills and found a way to merge her passion for children’s education and woodworking. She offered her services to the SBWI and became the first Director of Youth Programming.
Sheri’s credentials include an MA in Education and Curriculum from Michigan State University, BA in Elementary Education from Michigan State University, Reading Recovery Certificate from Oakland University, and a Woodworking Certificate from Woodworking Career Alliance of North America. She has spent the past several years renovating homes for resale, and she especially enjoys spoon carving and veneer and marquetry. In addition to youth classes, Sheri also teaches classes specifically geared toward helping women become comfortable with tools, and is developing a woodworking women’s group. She is also a member of the Great Lakes Woodworking Festival Planning Committee, and leads the youth educational activities at the festival.
STEVEN SKORNICKA
WOODWORKER/FACILITIES MANAGER
SPECIALIZATIONS
Band Saw Boxes
Safety Classes
Fixing Everything
Steven J Skornicka, 69, married for 50 years to his wife. He has two children Nick age 37 and Anne age 29.
Steve has worked mostly in the automotive industry for the majority of his career. He worked heavily in engineering and project/operations management. He has extensive experience with the Lean Manufacturing principle and is excited to bring those processes and ideas to the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute to help us create an orderly, organized, and well-sustained management program for shop functionality.
Steve started out as a volunteer at the shop then proceeded to take multiple classes such as the knife making course, bandsaw box class, hand plane restoration, and more!
In his free time, he loves to do woodworking at home and use the knowledge he’s gained from his career and classes at SBWI to work on his own creations. He also enjoys spending lots of time with his wife, friends, and family.
He also is the owner & operator of the woodworking business “What Knots”.
BOB VOGEL
RETIRED PRESIDENT HMI/CHAIRMAN OF THE SBWI BOARD
SPECIALIZATIONS
Wood Grading
Lumber Industry
Bob Vogel has been involved in the woodworking field of education and industry his entire adult life. Bob graduated from the building trades course at the Lenawee County VoTech School (Now CTE). He attended Western Michigan University where he majored in Industrial Education. He recently retired as the CEO/President of Hardwoods of Michigan. In 2010 Bob was named as one of North Americas 50 most influential people in the hardwood lumber Industry. Bob serves as the Chairman of the Board for the SBWI, and teaches Lumber Grading and The Truth About Trees Youth Class at the Great Lakes Woodworking Festival.
You can find Bob’s upcoming Lumber Grading classes by viewing our Weekend Classes.
GARY ZIMNICKI
LUTHIER
SPECIALIZATIONS
Guitar Making
Watching the grand kids
Over the last 30 years, I’ve built my fair share of instruments. Each instrument has given me an opportunity to hone my craft and expand my skillset. Building completely unique instruments without any set models or guidelines has been challenging, but it has allowed me to offer something that most other manufacturers cannot: complete control over your instrument.
View All Guitar Making Courses
Learn more about Gary Zimnicki at www.zimnicki.com