AJ is completing a book called "Civil War Woodworking" published by Linden Publishing due out September 1,2009
Our last stop was in Williamstown West Virginia and the shop and writing venue of A.J. Hamler.
I met A.J. "On Line" a few years ago when he was editor of Woodcraft Magazine and commissioned me to build a couple of tables and write an article on them.
A. J. Hamler is a woodworking editor and writer who has written articles for Wood Magazine, Woodshop News, Woodwork Magazine, and Woodworker’s Journal. A.J. writes a bi-weekly blog for WoodshopNews and is the editor of The Collins Complete Woodworker, the author of several science fiction novels and short stories, and a Civil War reenactor.
I mentioned that A. J. is an active Civil War reenactor. He appeared in the filming of "God's and Generals"
I had a chance to see several of the projects that will appear in the book including a chair he was in the process of building.
Woodcentral regulars might recognize this spool cabinet A.J. made and wrote about in American Woodworker Magazine.
I asked A.J. about his writing and where he got the idea for writing the book.
He said "A Little Bird told me"
It was a great visit to cap off a very busy 6 days. We drove through a rainy Ohio and finally found a bit of sun as we crossed back home into Michigan.
The debut of the Baltimore Fine Furnishings Show was the weekend of May 2-3,2009. The show was held at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center in Downtown Baltimore. I had no booth at this year's show although I did exhibit at the FFS in Milwaukee in 2006 and 2007. My review here is quite subjective. I am not privy to any sales or actual attendance figures.
Attendance was low. The number of exhibitors was small which I knew was going to be the case as the venue only allowed for 60 booths. There were 51 exhibitors listed in the program.
Overall, the quality of work I observed was very good. I found a high concentration of furniture makers-but less in the way of art objects-ie pottery lighting etc. I left before any "Best of Show" awards were presented. As of Friday 5/8/09 at 12:00 noon there were still none announced. They may not give out any-not because work didn't warrant it but perhaps because theres was not enough variety to distinguish one from another.
Although the energy from attendees was really lacking, the venue was actually very pleasing. I did not get pictures that illustrate the set-up very well, but it was in a renovated downtown building and spread out over three levels. The result was a warm intimate setting- much better than the feeling of one stall after another as can be found in other venues. Still the lack of attendees meant you saw all the exhibitors standing around starring at and talking to one another. It was very hard to blend into the crowd and just kind of sneak from one booth to another. It didn't help that we were dressed up better than most of those that did attend. We looked like shoppers and drew the exhibitors out like magnets. I had to diffuse their hopes quickly and let them know I was just a furniture maker scouting things out.
Charles Todd- Mt. Airy Custom Furniture
Philadelphia
David Diaman-
Diaman Woodcrafters
Abingdon, MD
Period Furniture
David Stine Woodworking
Dow Illinois
The low attendance was disappointing but perhaps not totally unexpected. The economy is still rough and the mayor of Baltimore was apparently heard to have suggested people remain in their homes that weekend because of the Swine Flu. Now whether that could have exerted a large influence on possible attendees is fairly broad speculation. One exhibitor told me he had no sale or commissions from the show but was not discouraged. He said he had done well in Milwaukee and Providence in the past and would be at both shows this fall.
Remember these comments are subjective. I am not privy to any sales or actual attendance figures. I hope the show garners attention both from attendees and exhibitors. In a tough economy this will be a challenge.
Here are three of the furnituremakers that were there to exhibit.
