Noah B Woodworks

I have always struggled to do the same thing over and over. I realized late in life that becoming a jack of all trades, master of none is actually somewhat of a nightmare. I am endlessly curious and tend to get distracted by activities that look interesting for a couple of weeks or months and then I’ll move on to the next shiny thing that comes into view. Once I realized this was a problem for me, I didn’t fix it. I don’t know if ever I will. Some of the beauty of what I do is in its versatility. I am never working on the same thing, and often, if the project is big, it will push the boundaries of what I’m capable of. This is a positive, but also a negative. I’m not mastering the making of the same exact table/chair/pipe/box in the same exact style. I’m making a bunch of objects that are wildly different.

I am probably being a bit too literal here. It’s not important that I make the same thing the same way every time I make something, but the process, commitment and style which matter. Finding a repeatable process that guarantees the same quality object, that is uniquely different from the last, but holds strong value. That is what I’m after. I recently got into pipe making and it is todays shiny object for me. Pipes are a good example here, regardless of how long I stick making them.

A pipe is a pipe, it is a hollow tube which holds tobacco (or other leaf) and you draw through it. Simple as they are, a pipe will work if you accomplish the above, so it has inherent value. They’re small and simple; they don’t take a ton of commitment to finish. They vary endlessly, making their creation interesting. The major road blocks I’ve had in the past with pipes have been solved. I am unable to fashion a good looking mouthpiece, so I purchase from Amazon. I was unable to drill accurate holes, but now I have a drill press.

I’ve ironed out the process, so now comes the fun part. Shaping and finishing them to be unique and beautiful. I can carve a myriad of different lines, shapes and styles. Embellish the design however I please. But I’ll always start with a blank and a mouthpiece, draw the rough shape, drill the holes, cut, sand closer, carve closer still, and finish to make the wood look beautiful.

I’ve been inspired in the past (and present) by Christopher Schwarz and his Lost Art Press. If you’re reading this, please investigate his work. His writing is of incredible literary quality, and his educational resources are fantastic. In his early career he was making everything from tables and benches to researching the origins of ancient workbenches. However, in recent years, he has settled into the rhythm of chairmaking. He has ironed out the sturdiest of processes and replicates many a variation on his chair. He writes books and teaches classes in his Kentucky studio. His process is what I’d like to highlight here. He makes the same object, a chair, by using the same repeatable steps, varies the shape, style and dimensions of its pieces and finishes it tastefully. I hope to find the commitment in my own life to hone a process as stable as his.

I’d like to note that the object in question, a chair, like the pipe, has inherent value. Can you sit in it? Why, then it is quite useful. Now the only pertinent question is, how does it look? According to Chris, who has thought a lot about chairs, you should be invited to sit. It is not just a chair, but a place to ponder; to better oneself. That is not verbatim; I am embellishing his words, but you get the idea.

I am not a machine made for repeating, but the key idea here is to become a human one. Make the same thing over and over again. You achieve mastery. If the object you make has inherent value, then, with repetition, you will get better at making it. In an almost linear fashion, the object will become more desirable as you bestow it with its ability to invite you in.