Side Street News

Fine Hand Made Jewelry Boxes

Posted on September 24, 2016 by Nigel Hayes | 0 comments

DOUG MACDONALD

I've always been attracted to wood. An early memory takes me back to my grandfather's wood-shop with its wonderful smells, stacks of lumber and mysterious tools.

Later, my father taught me the basics of carpentry: different kinds of wood, ripping versus cross-cutting, joinery; many other things.

He was a methodical man with a quiet competence. I remember such advice as "measure twice, cut once". I learned from him respect for good tools and the satisfaction of a job well done.

My career turned out to be journalism and later computer science, but I have always maintained a connection with wood. The down-to-earth act of wood-working has often given me a needed balance for my over-cerebral work.

Now that I am retired, I have more time to pursue this wonderful craft. Though I have done house construction and log-building, I have settled on making boxes as my primary passion. All the wood-working skills are involved (including a few I'm still learning)! Hand tools are ideal; I much prefer them to the roar of power tools.

I enjoy working with a variety of woods: each possesses unique qualities, beauty and challenges. Broad Leaf Maple, abundant on Vancouver Island, has become a staple ingredient in my work. I love to set it off with exotic woods that I come across.