Open Shops. On June 13th, 9 AM-12 NOON at Jerry Robinson's shop, 28 Roselyn Terr., S.F. He has a typical SF garage sharing space with the car, etc. You can get some good ideas on organization. He is also working on some trays with splayed sides and struggling with handcut dovetails. One tray is completed and while not perfect he judged it as not bad. He will demonstrate how he is doing it with the jigs, etc. and hopefully get some advice at the same time.

BAWA Apparel. Hey! Be the first one in your block to be decked out in the latest BAWA finery. Wear the finery to the meetings, to the wood shows or just show your envious woodworker friends. Jay Perrine is the source of BAWA baseball caps ($10), and BAWA work shirts ($35 or so). You can contact him at jperrine@calwater.com or 408/378-1585.

Or how about a nice laser-engraved name tag for BAWA meetings? Check out Mike Cooper's. He can get you one for $8. (mlcooper94555@comcast.net or 510/471-6934.)

Woodcraft. Dublin & San Carlos give the club a rebate on all purchases. Give receipts to Mark Rand

Woodline USA. Woodline USA (the router bit people) are available at 111 Wheeler Street, Lavergne, TN 37086, 800/472-6950. www.woodline.com They give club members a discount. Just tell them what club you belong to.

Brian Condran, Furniture Maker: The Hand Made Process

Brian's interest in woodworking started late in life. He found the College of the Redwoods and got in after multiple tries. He had no woodworking or furniture experience before starting at the school. Since graduating in '96, he has been working in Martinez full time. He does various types of commission work along with spec work for galleries. His most known pieces include marquetry and curved work. He is a member of The Furniture Society, and the Baulines Craft Guild. He has won a few awards including two Excellence in Craftsmanship Awards from American Woodworker Magazine, and two Best of Shows at Woodfair in Eureka. He has been published in Woodworker, American Woodworker, and Woodworker West, as well as some books, such as Craft Furniture-The Legacy of the Human Hand , Enduring Hand by James Krenov, and 400 Wood Boxes.

At our meeting, Brian is going to let us in on his philosophy of life, the Hand Made Process. How many woodworkers do you know that make metal hinges?

Brian Condran is a featured Fine Woodworker in Craft Furniture, The Legacy of the Human Hand, by Dennis Blankemeyer. There are some wonderful photos of Brian's work in this publication. The following paragraph was borrowed from that publication. "Brian says he isn't looking for a shocking reaction with his furniture. It's not art furniture where the main premise is 'let's start a fight.' Instead, he says, what makes his work special, 'is the precision and the care of the grain.' A student of James Krenov, he has developed his own graceful style, maintaining that it comes from discipline and knowledge. His tenure at the College of Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program started as a summer session and ended up lasting two years. Surprisingly, the school's main focus is not design. He expected critiques and evaluations, but instead the school taught him 'the hows and whys.' Brian was taught a sensitivity that he did not think was possible."

If you want to see some of his work go to www.crfinefurniture.com/condran.html

Meeting Location

Directions from the South on 101-Take 101 North towards San Francisco. Take the Lawrence Expressway exit. Turn LEFT onto Lawrence Expressway. Turn LEFT onto Oakmead Parkway. Follow Oakmead Parkway 0.7 miles. The Sawdust Shop is on the LEFT.

Directions from the North on 101-Take 101 South towards San Jose. Take the Lawrence Expressway exit. Turn RIGHT onto Lawrence Expressway. Take the next LEFT onto Oakmead Parkway. Follow Oakmead Parkway 0.7 miles. The Sawdust Shop is on the LEFT.

Directions from 280 - Cupertino -From 280 - Exit Lawrence Expressway East. Go approximately 3 miles on Lawrence Expressway. Turn RIGHT on E Arques Ave. Turn at 2nd LEFT onto Oakmead Parkway. The Sawdust Shop is on the RIGHT after 0.1 mile.