A Forgotten Chamfer
In the August 2017 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine , George Walker shares what it means to “ See Like a Designer .” The article tells the classic story of how his workshop students transition from casual consumers of objects and art to sentient observers of form and design. It is a transition that I am familiar with – my upbringing in a machine shop that created custom automation equipment meant that very little in this mechanical world was left to mystery. Anything and everything can be broken down into sub-assemblies and individual parts. The wood chamfer mantra “one day at a time” can be applied to the most difficult projects – “just one part at a time.” In developing my woodworking skills over the last several years, I have put on a new set of lenses that have become trained to detect species, joinery and finish. Honestly, I simply cannot enjoy visiting a new brewery without sticking my head under the table to spot pocket holes or...