The creation I am most proud of is a Massachusetts Block Front Desk.  It is made of Mahogany and uses Pine as a secondary wood on the drawer sides, bottoms, and back. Dovetails are used in place of nails.

Dovetails are like puzzle pieces that fit together, interlocking and creating a firm joint.  It took three years to complete, working a few hours a week while in high school.

Drawing and Planning

Like when cooking a dinner for a party, woodworking takes a "recipe."  Drawing detailed plans are crucial to a successful final project.  It is important to have a image to refer to when deciding what to do first and what the correct dimensions are.  The plans are written in pencil on vellum (a type of drawing paper) on a drawing table with a "T" square.

Tools for carving Mahogany

"A poor craftsman blames his tools" is a saying that does not hold true for woodcarvers.  Only a poor craftsman would use the incorrectly sharpened tools.  Also poor tools create a poor craftsman.  A sharp cutting edge is vital to carving any wood, especially a hard wood like Mahogany.  The sharpening process calls for highly honed skills (no pun intended).  Ironically, sharpening tools the right way, takes using the right the tools for sharpening.  These tools include a diamond stone, a leather strap, and grinding stone.  Here is a link to a woodcarver site.www.woodcarvers.com

My favorite wood to work with is Mahogany.  It is a hard wood suitable to carving due to its straight grain. Although historically it has been harvested from rainforests, today there are farms in Honduras that are growing this tree sustainably.  It has a rich mellow color that ages in to a dark, mature patina.