Kumiko Course

I have been immersing myself into the world of Kumiko over the past year. The intricate patterns or motifs draw you in where the possibilities are endless to the application of the panels in furniture. Another interesting fact is how Kumiko is a traditional Japanese form of craft. To be able to recreate the same motifs that were designed centuries ago intrigued me. At first I thought the delicate technique would be difficult to achieve since the scale of the components in Kumiko is quite small. Kumiko can be intimidating to a novice. Upon further research, I decided to further explore and experiment. As a woodworker, I enjoy challenges and this would be yet another in a long string of challenges over the years. How else do we grow as woodworkers if we don't embrace new skills and techniques.

So one thing led to another and after a few early failures and struggles, I was successful at mastering the Kumiko process of creating intricate lattice-like patterns within a grid or frame. The prerequisite to even beginning Kumiko is to create a couple of guide blocks. The blocks have preset bearing surfaces shaped at various angles. These angles are instrumental to the components within a Kumiko grid. Through the judicious application of a chisel to the miniature Kumiko components, precise angles that interlock the pieces are shaped or beveled. The process is methodical but enjoyable. Small or large grids of components can be created, where time and patience are the only variables.

There are several motifs or patterns to choose from, my focus was the asa-no-ha pattern or hemp leaf pattern. Although Kumiko patterns are considerable, nothing stops one from designing their own patterns. The challenge soon was overcome and the process became second nature to me. The next logical step was to integrate Kumiko into a display cabinet. This worked out surprisingly well!

Most recently, I packaged together several instructional video on how to make Kumiko. The videos show the detail involved and how to create the grids from rough blanks. Other videos focus on creating the small parts within the grid forming the intricate patterns. I also realized that creating the guide blocks is a prerequisite to Kumiko and this step kept many people from experimenting with Kumiko. So other videos describe how to create guide blocks in detail (from rough blanks). Guide Block plans are also included in the Kumiko Course.

Link: Kumiko Course  (WoodSkills)
Link: Kumiko Course  ( Refined Edge Design)

A Krenov revival...

Apologies for not posting more regularly but most of my project builds and images have moved to Instagram, @woodskillsmag and @pirollodesign. I've been working on my latest piece for a few weeks now. It is a cabinet on stand inspired by James Krenov work and philosophy. The story behind this particular piece is as follows. I originally created a similar piece to this in early 2012 and looked forward to making another a few months later.

Original cabinet on stand designed and created in 2012. Door and side panels are veneered with figured Big Leaf maple, interior is soft maple, back panels are Ambrosia maple, stand is cherry.

The design adheres to the principles of Krenov, construction follows his methods and philosophy, and the aesthetic is clean, minimalist and devoid of ornamentation. This has also become my furniture making style in the past 14 years or so. I discovered the work of James Krenov about 14 years ago and read his books quite regularly, each time extracting a new nuance or so. This was the age when learning from woodworking books was the preferred way of understanding woodworking. I followed Krenov's writing and tried to glean as much technical information from the grainy black and white photos in several of his books. A little while later, I attended a furniture making school that was founded on the principles of James Krenov and College of the Redwoods. It was one of a very few schools in North America espousing the tradition of hand work. This experience opened my eyes to a slower form of furniture making where the focus is on the wood itself and attention to detail is paramount. Where am I going with this? Well, between the years 2012 and 2018 I pursued a few other interests, mainly wood sculpture, furniture design, video production, writing books and publishing a semi-annual woodworking magazine WOODSKILLS. As well as returning to school to follow a one year business program, my woodworking continued.

My woodworking (2012-2018) followed a different path where I embraced modern, contemporary design. In this intervening period, I entered furniture design shows with very contemporary console table and chair designs. The years went by while I yearned to revisit that original cabinet on stand and hopefully make another. I had even developed a set of plans and drawings of the cabinet at the time thinking it would be a matter of a few weeks before I could start on another. Fast forward to late 2018 and I finally set aside time to fulfill this build. The following are progress shots. This version of the cabinet on stand has a slightly modified interior layout than the original. The stand is configured differently only because it was possible to do so and I wanted it to be both different and unique. A couple of new additions are a hidden, secret compartment, inlay on the front apron of the stand and the cabinet floats on the stand. Otherwise, the design follows the original piece created back in 2012.

Installing knife hinges in 2018 version of cabinet on stand

Fitting door panels an creating lip and rabbet where they join.

Interior layout of new cabinet mocked up on cabinet base (using a few of the tools I design + make).

Cabinet mocked up and drawer fronts fitted. Hidden compartment also visible below right-hand drawer compartment.

New set of three dovetailed drawers created (at bottom).

New dovetailed drawers fitted into respective drawer compartments.

The legs, aprons, rails for stand are mortised and prepared for loose tenon and dowel joinery (using modified horizontal mortiser).

Progress checklist (whiteboard and dry erase markers) on one of two wall-mounted hand tool cabinets.

Creating mortises for drawer and door pulls ( cocobolo heartwood and sapwood combination)

French Polish process for door panels and cabinet sides.

New version of cabinet completed. Note the dropped front apron with inlay and floating cabinet on side rails.

Cabinet with figured Big Leaf maple door and side panels and cocobolo pull. Cherry stand with inlay.

Interior of 2018 cabinet. Compartments are flipped from 2012 cabinet. Secret compartment behind the small blue cup at lower right.

The new cabinet on stand seen here. Final detail was the addition of a single, small bullet catch at top of right-hand door.

So I've fulfilled my requirement of building a Krenov-inspired piece of furniture every six years or so 👊😉

Pursue your passion...

As a few of you may know, my woodworking and furniture making career is the second one of my life. A long, first career in the hi-tech industry preceded my current career. It is difficult to view life through a rear-view mirror but I often think of how it would have been if the leap had been taken earlier on. When I began in hi-tech, technology was rapidly advancing and I could not absorb enough of it. My life revolved around computer technology and software. I worked for possibly the best multi-national computer firms and there was a mutual respect of what we brought to each other. Hi-tech today is quite likely the same where change is fast and furious. However, sometime in the middle of the hi-tech career I began to realize that grasping the latest technology was becoming a full-time job. It became increasingly difficult to keep up with the latest in hardware and software. I shrugged this off and continued on the journey, after all I did need a career and a pay cheque. My performance was above par but it became obvious I could not keep the façade going for several more years. The technology was just not as exciting to me anymore. I felt something was lacking in my life and began to seek a creative outlet instead.

A short time later I discovered woodworking through an evening class and was smitten. The creative aspect of woodworking and making tangible objects with the hands was the part lacking in my life. My focus began to turn to woodworking and the hi-tech career simply devolved into a series of jobs. One thing led to another, I launched a small part-time woodworking business over 20 years ago, it grew but not enough for me to leave hi-tech. The struggle of juggling employment with the part-time business eventually took its toll. I retreated and told myself the next step was to become a full-time woodworker. Life gets in the way however! A marriage, new home, a couple of downsizings later and I could finally live the dream of having my own furniture making business.

I often ask myself if I remained in the hi-tech industry for perhaps ten years too long. Looking back, I should have possibly exited hi-tech, struggled at woodworking and not look back. The hi-tech employment became a crutch and it was the pay cheque that kept me from leaving. It is difficult to say what the best path would have been. Circumstances were different in my case, it has all worked out in the end, but the "what if" lingers! Today, I see many younger woodworkers taking the leap into full-time woodworking and commend their courage. After all, why pursue a career you no longer have an interest in. This is one of life's biggest lessons and as mentioned earlier it is difficult to look back through a rear-view mirror. I recently read an article that summarized people's biggest regrets later in life. The regret of not having pursued their dream was high on the list. To summarize, pursue your passion!
So I teamed up with a videographer and created the following video in the form of a 5 minute synopsis of my exciting second career in woodworking and specifically furniture making!

Follow my journey on Instagram: @woodskillsmag
WoodSkills
Pirollo Design

Horizontal slot mortiser (update)...

So I just created a 2-part video of the Jessem Mortise Mill mounted on my rolling cart. The two-part video for this can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/WoodskillsCourses . Tech in wood joinery meets handcrafted design + build. Top is the mortising unit mounted horizontally, below the micro-adjust system. The original story follows as this is an update to an earlier post. The Jessem Mortise Mill unit was purchased a few years back and I created a few loose tenon slots successfully with it. The original mortiser design was to mount it vertically and use a power drill from the top down. Although this worked, I found the drill pressure would push the board down no matter how much clamping pressure I used. So I put the Mortise Mill aside for a few years until recently. During a shop reorg, I found the unit gathering dust and decided to re-incorporate it in my shop. I had always wanted a horizontal slot mortise and thought why not set this up to create slots horizontally instead of vertically. Original instructions were to install it vertically with boards placement underneath. So I decided  instead to mount it so slots were created horizontally as a horizontal slot mortiser. 

Next step was to find a suitable platform, i.e. workbench surface to mount it. A rolling cart in my workshop was ideal since I could wheel the unit away when not in use and the footprint of the Mortise Mill was not large. The rolling cart has large locking casters which do a good job of keeping the cart immobile. Installed it so the surface of the base plate was even with the surface of the cart, this took some time. I used large enough 1/4-20 bolts to maintain rigidity and keep it from shifting. The Jessem mortise Mill requires that a shop-vac be attached to the dust port otherwise the unit begins to clog up with sawdust, this can also be seen in the videos.

Have been using it since and am pleased with the system. The addition of the L-shaped wood bracket to support stiles while being mortised works well. The ends of rails to be mortised are easily supported by the wood surface of the rolling cart. I like the fact that I can permanently leave the Mortise Mill bolted to the rolling cart.

The only small issue was the vertical adjustment of the slots on a board. Since the Mortise Mill was installed horizontally, the adjustment was not as smooth as I would like due to the weight of the sliding carriage of the unit. Notice the etchings on the Mill are upside down. So, using scrap walnut and maple, in comes the micro-adjust setup to solve the problem. It is all wood construction with a 1/2 inch lead screw and wood handle. The end of the lead screw has a custom cradle contoured to fit the bottom edge of the sliding part of the Mortise Mill. I can precisely dial-in slot placements for either offset or different thickness boards now! 

Since the micro-adjust system is cantilevered off the rolling cart, I beefed up the supports, it's probably over-engineered now. Things to watch are the exact placement of the tip of the lead screw over the center of the edge of the Mortise Mill for smooth operation. A large paddle switch for the built-in Mortise Mill dust collection was installed for convenient access.

The two-part video for this can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/WoodskillsCourses

Completed, tested and have been using for a few months now. Works great!

Cabinet build...

I’ve been working on the components for a standalone cabinet lately. As well, working on the design of a second smaller cabinet with a unique focal point, to be discussed later. The cabinet on stand below features one of my favorite figured woods, domestic ambrosia maple. I have a small stash of this wood in planks so the decision was made to resaw the wide planks and create veneers. Veneers maximize the yield from the planks. The cabinet will have veneered front doors and side panels. The remainder of the cabinet, the top and bottom panels and back panel consist of conventional maple. Ambrosia maple, when finish is applied, exhibits a beautiful, warm color while accentuating the wild graphics it is renown for. The graphics are what draw me to ambrosia maple. Also, it is a member of the soft maple family, so not difficult to work with and to smooth the surfaces. One of the attached pics is an earlier cabinet I completed using ambrosia maple throughout.

I have yet to decide on the finish of the current cabinet build, definitely something that will highlight the wood graphics.The other pics are the almost completed panels I will be using in the build. The veneered panels are not exciting at this time, but application of a penetrating clear finish will pop the graphics, colors and grain. The frame and panel back is a work in progress at this time. The interior compartments will also be different but consist of dovetailed drawers in an unusual arrangement.

The dimensions in the current version will be close to that of the earlier version since the proportions appealed to me. I have not yet designed or created the components for the stand, so this might be different than the earlier version. What I typically do is build the cabinet, then begin work on the platform or stand. The process is not as overwhelming to me using this approach, as I prefer to work on a project in stages. The satisfaction of seeing tangible progress in the project motivates and excites me to continue :)   More details to follow on the individual components and joinery used.