Welcome to the Furniture Interest Group Page

Purpose:

This group is intended as a forum for the exchange of ideas about furniture design, construction, and finishing between woodworkers who are actively engaged in furniture making. Members contribute to varying degrees with demonstrations, presentations, questions, ideas, and help with meetings. We use a small-group format to enable good discussions. The only requirement is an interest in furniture making and a willingness to learn and to share what you know with others. There are no dues, but participants are expected to maintain their membership in EMGW.

If you are interested in participating in this group, please contact Don Michael at 781-237-3675 or drmichael@comcast.net. New furniture makers are welcome at any time.

Meetings:

Monthly meetings are held at members’ homes or shops on the third Monday of each month from 7-9 pm. Each member hosts a meeting about once per year.

Typical meeting agenda

Recently, we’ve been starting the meeting with a brief 15-30 minute, demonstration of tools or techniques suggested by the members. These are informal demos. In December, two members brought some microplanes, rasps and a few blocks of various woods so we could try producing curved surfaces with both tools. In January, certain Festool tools were demonstrated by the host.

Time for each member. We go around the room and each member has a chance to talk about progress on a current project, future plans, lessons learned, and to identify problems encountered for suggestions from the group. This may include your newly completed pieces, or new techniques, fixtures and jigs you have invented or discovered, or tools, books, museums, suppliers and other sources of materials or ideas that you have discovered. Any new members have a chance to introduce themselves and tell the group (in 1-2 minutes) what kind of furniture making interests you, what you have done and what you are planning. If you want to bring some of your work or photos, that would be great.

Occasionally a more extended presentation will be made by a member. The host should be contacted if you wish to make a presentation.

Future Events
• Sep 20, 2010; at Jim Russell. For Directions, click here.
• Oct 25, 2010; at Tom Fama. For Directions, click here.

Past Events
• Aug 14, 2010; at Lowell's Boat Shop
• Jun 21, 2010; at Jeff Clunie.
• May 17, 2010; at Fritz Smith.
• Apr 19, 2010; at Don Michael's shop.
• Mar 15, 2010; at Bill Karp's shop.
• Feb 15, 2010; at Len Nyren's home.
• Jan 18, 2010; at Charlie DiAntonio's home.
• Dec 21, 2009; at Jules Siegel's home.
• Nov 16, 2009; at Tom Fama's home.
• Oct 19, 2009; at Dana Farmer.
• Sep 21, 2009; at John George's home.
• Aug 17, 2009; at Bruce Wedlock's home.
• Jul 20, 2009; at Brian Waddell's home.
• Jun 22, 2009; at Don Michael's home.
• May 19, 2009; at John Nitzsche's home.
• Apr 20, 2009; at Jeff Clunie's home.
• Feb 17, 2009; at Tom Fama's house.
• Jan 20, 2009; at Dana Farmer.
• Dec 16, 2008; at Don Michael's home.
• Nov 18, 2008; at John George's home.
• Oct 21, 2008; at Jim Russell's house.
• Sep 16, 2008; at Charlie DiAntionio's home.
• May 20, 2008; at John Nitzsche's home.
• Apr 15, 2008; at Jules Siegel's home.
• Mar 18, 2008; at Tom Fama's house.
• Feb 19, 2008; at Frank Woolley's house.
• Jan 15, 2008; at Charly DiAntonio's house
• Dec 18, 2007; at Jack Murphy's house.
• Nov 27, 2007; at Don Michael's house
• Oct 16, 2007; at Jim Taraglia's house.
• Sep 18, 2007; At John Nitzsche's home.
• Aug 21. 2007; at Tom Fama's home.
• Jul 17, 2007; at Peter Wilcox's home.
• May 22, 2007 at Jim Bacsik's.
• Apr 24, 2007 at Frank Woolley's house.
• Mar 20, 2007 at Tom Fama's house.
• Feb 20,2007 at Joe Kovacs house - Further discussion of chinese table plus other problems
• Jan 23, 2007; at John Nitzsche's home;
• Nov 21, 2006; at Jack Murphy's shop; Jack gave a slide presentation showing the development of his new shop. He described and explained the design choices he made.
• Oct 24, 2006; at Peter Wilcox's home; Discussion of the member's favorite books.
• Sept. 19, 2006; at Frank Wooley's home; The topic for this meeting was design - creating working drawings for construction of furniture.
• May 23, 2006; at John Nitzsche's home; Discussion of the design of a credenza that the Guild might present to the Molly Bush center at Mount Wachusetts Community College. Also a discussion of a pedestal/side-table that Phyllis is going to build.
• April 18, 2006; at Pat Everett's home; Discussion of members' current interests and/or problems. Slide show of some of Pat's creations with discussion of associated techniques and problems.
• March 7, 2006; at John Nitzsche's shop; Discussion of members' current interests and/or problems. A tour of John's past projects, mainly furniture in his home. Then a discussion of his various jigs and techniques, including another look at non-machine dovetails.
• February 7, 2006; at Jim Renning's shop. Frank Wooley will share his French museum experience. Presentation by Jim Renning including: Interesting friend’s portfolio (slide presentation), Positive/negative pattern making with example, View photos of my projects, Photos of interesting Japanese/Arts & Crafts furniture from Berkeley Mills furniture showroom, Discussion of members’ topics of interest, problems, etc.
• 6 Dec 2005; at Jules Siegel's shop; Discussion of member's projects. Demonstration of tablesaw dovetail techniques and the associated jigs.
• 1 Nov 2005; at Frank Woolley's shop; General discussion of each member's interests. Some problem presentations and suggestions. Detailed discussion of Frank's work.