College of the Redwoods Trip

[Mark Singer]

Last week my wife and I were in Northern California and we stopped be the College of the Redwoods Woodworking School. This is where James Krenov taught and practiced woodworking for most of his life. It is a well organized school and the work is high quality. I was well received and enjoyed the experience. Im in the plaid shirt. You can feel a bit of Krenov as you move between benches and tools... A great feeling. In Mendocino we went to the Highlight Gallery where students and other artists have fine pieces on display. http://www.thehighlightgallery.com/portfolio_cats/furniture/ Fine woodworking in the Krenov spirit is alive and well and living in Menocino

[Bill White]

Just my opinion, but you oughta be TEACHING there.
Bill

[Joe Jensen]

Great trip, thanks for sharing. The last picture is a little funny. It looks like the guy is using a Felder sliding saw with a crosscut jig from a table saw instead of just using the slider fence. Funny because the jig for a table saw is a poor man's substitute for a slider :)

[doug faist]

Mark - thanks for the tour. I'm curious, did you have to make prior arrangements to see the school or was it just a walk-in? We're planning a road trip this summer and that would be a highlight.

Thanks for any info you can share.
Doug

[Richard Coers]

I went there for a summer design workshop in 1997, given by James. I will never forget it. I was working for Woodworkers Journal, and the article ran in Mar/Apr 98. It was made better by the fact that WJ picked up the tab. I was impressed by seeing the angled and cross chains on the lights, earthquake country! I thought of the place as a temple, but then saw those cheap letters in the sign out front. They haven't changed those at all. I made several trips to Highlight Gallery over the days I was there as well. That place was like Fine Woodworking pics in the flesh! I spent several hours in the Redwoods along the highway before I got there. Asked the wife to take my ashes out there. No place on earth like a tall redwood forest. Highly spiritual place for a farm boy from Central IL. Thanks for sharing, thanks for bringing back fond memories.

[pat warner]

"did you have to make prior arrangements to see the school or"
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On my visit, I walked in cold, received like a king. James (Not JK) and his pal showed me anything any moment, anywhere.
Indeed a good place to hang, Fort Bragg.

[Peter Quinn]

Wow, cool pics Mark. Looks like a great trip. I visited the area and went to the Highlight gallery a few years back, never made it to the school though. We were mostly there at the end of a business trip to get in some R&R in Anderson Valley wine country. Thanks for posting, reminds me of my own fine time in Mendocino. Great vibe there.

[glenn bradley]

Great trip, thanks for sharing. The last picture is a little funny. It looks like the guy is using a Felder sliding saw with a crosscut jig from a table saw instead of just using the slider fence. Funny because the jig for a table saw is a poor man's substitute for a slider :)

I was thinking the same thing but, I use my sled for things I would never do on a slider; repetitive cuts with a registration or anything that requires you to cut 'through' the fence. I'm sure a sac-fence on a slider could be rigged but, being a school, maybe the sled is "safer" for the Felder :)

[Mark Singer]

Pat no it was a spur of the moment thing and they were great?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Looks like that would be a great place to visit! Thanks for sharing Mark!