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5K views 112 replies 37 participants last post by  Roger Clark aka Rex 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
When I ask "who are the true woodworking masters?" many of you would immediately say -"You mean besides Stumpy Nubs?" And while it's funny that you'd say that, it wouldn't make for a very useful list.

Here's what I'm looking for- Who are the true masters of their skill? Which men and women are widely thought to be the very best?

To make our list, they have to have been professionals for many years, the kind of people that every woodworker would absolutely LOVE to study under. They don't have to be living as long as a sufficient amount of the knowledge is preserved in their work, books, videos, etc.

Of course, I'll start the list with a couple of the obvious…

The Greene Brothers- Their work took Craftsman style to an entirely new level. Anyone interested in that type of furniture should read anything they can on these guys!
Sam Maloof- What can you say about him, just amazing. If you are into making chairs, learn as much as possible about this man!

I don't want to list too many of my favorites because that's up to you.

Why make this list? Because any aspiring woodworker can use it to seek out the work and techniques that many of these masters have left to be found on the internet and in various publications. For example, had I never heard of Curtis Buchanan, I'd never have searched You Tube and found a treasure trove of his fascinating videos on chair making…
 
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#8 ·
I think the term master woodworker has different meanings to different people. Making a list of my own I would call the craftsman on it individuals who do or have done outstanding work. I think having such a list is helpful.

Here are some other interpretations of "Master woodworker" from wiki answers

The term "master craftsman" comes from the old guild system. In it, someone entering the trade would apprentice to, usually, a master craftsman for a number of years. (In today's environment the apprenticeship is often done at a community college, where the instructors serve as the masters.) After passing your apprenticeship you become a journeyman and can work in the trade. After a period of years you can take a master's examination and become a master craftsman. The test normally involves making something you've never made before; the item you made was called the "masterpiece." (And now you know why it's called that.) This is how it's still done in Europe, but in America where we never had a guild system a master is basically whatever the master says it is.

The word master refers to the expert, the one who is expert in the field is called as master. The master woodworker is called when he does his work with lot of creativity and combines the woodworking business ideas in the work. Normally he delivers the products with the lot of creativity and the dedication, it is seen in the products that he sells
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
To me (and for the sake of our list) "master woodworker" is a person to whom you would pay a significant amount of money to train under. Then you would consider it a resume' enhancement to say you did.

Take the afore mentioned Curtis Buchanan. He's a master chair maker. I have heard chairmakers say "I took a class from so-and-so, who trained under Curtis Buchanan…" Sam Maloof started out hiring a couple of shop boys. Before long he had a waiting list of people who wanted to pay HIM for the privilege of working for him.

If I had a list of "masters" like that, I can tell you I would search out every bit of information I could- try to learn from those who I may never get to meet in person.

Only on Lumber Jocks could you ask for a list of "masters" and get more debate over the definition of the word "master" than over who should be included on that list! :)
 
#12 ·
I will nominate goldenhands here on lumberjocks. we have pm'ed much in the past, and his work speaks for itself. He is a master at what he does.
Dilo Marcio Fernandino , and MARCO AURELIO R. GUIMARÃES would also fir the category of master here on lumberjocks.

I would be honored to train with any of them
 
#16 ·
The two that I would list as masters that I would like to train under are Roy Underhill and Norm Abrahm. I
have their books and have watched their shows, and they have helped me along my slow journey. There
are also many here on LJ that have helped me and others learn and quietly shown us an easier or better way
to do work, or have just proven that the work can be done and challenge us to also do it. Thank all of you
for your help and Stumpy for being unable to just let us set around and making us do something.
 
#18 · (Edited by Moderator)
I gave it a go but I know there are hundreds more including some folks on Ljs that do incredible work that I didn't list.

Frank klausz (M)
Tage Frid (M)
Charles Neil
Garret hack
Phil Lowe
Thomas Moser
Gary Rogowski
Lonnie Bird
Jim Tolpin
Norm Abram
Chris Becksvoort
Michael Dunbar
Thomas Moser
Gustav Stickly
Frank Gottshall
Scott Landus
James Krenov
George nakashima
William Morris
Charles Eastlake
Elbert hubbard
John Goddard
Chirstopher Townsend
William wooten
Jeffrey Greene
Duncan phyfe
John and Thomas Seymore
George Hepplewhite
Chares Eastlake
Brian Boggs
Sam Maloof
David Marks
Chuck Bender
Tommy Mac Donald
Roy Underhill
Wallace Nutting
Dilo Marcio Fernandino
MARCO AURELIO R. GUIMARÃES
Goldenhands
Darrel peart
Les Hastings
Andy
Brit boxmaker
Degoose
 
#22 ·
I was able to visit with Curtis Buchanan one afternoon he's about the nicest person you ever met. My wife thought a chair was a chair til she saw his now she understands what the fuss is all about.
Brian Boggs is a mad scientist / craftsman, very friendly but intense.
 
#23 · (Edited by Moderator)
Learning comes in progression. For me, I could learn a whole lot from spending a day with almost anyone who posts projects on LJ. If I paid a bunch of money to a "master" I could spend a day and not learn as much - because their skill would be so far above mine that half of what they showed me would go over my head because I would be lacking in some intermediate skill. In terms of what a1Jim is saying, I guess I'm still at the apprentice stage of learning. Not even journeyman yet.

Also, if you define a "master" as someone you would want to study under, who you choose might depend on the kind of work you want to do. If you like doing chairs it would be someone different than if you like turning. And if you like mid-century-modern furniture you wouldn't probably choose someone who does a lot of mission and arts&crafts style furniture.

So maybe picking a Letterman style top-10 woodworkers might be entertaining, but I don't think useful. OTOH, some kind of list of where to look for different types of skill training/instruction might be very useful.
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
Moshup- It is assumed that one may CHOOSE from the list the particular master that specializes in his field. I wouldn't expect an aspiring Windsor chair maker to study Greene & Greene just because it's on the list…

Roger- I didn't know you actually MADE anything… where do you find time among all the BS?
 
#26 ·
I checked out the list everyone has posted and did not see one person who I feel deserves great merit..

Paul Schurch.. check out his website.. now he is a true modern day master in his own right..

http://www.schurchwoodwork.com/portfolio1/index.html

one of the best I have ever seen for marquetry

Charles Neil was mentioned already.. and I second his nomination.
 
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