Mike Taylor

I was first inspired to make boxes by a request from a little girl " to please make her a jewelry box". I bought a book called "Basic Box Making", by Doug Stowe, and with a couple of power tools made that first box. Since then I have made a lot of boxes, mostly with power tools. I have been trying to get away from the power end and use more hand tools in my work. My skills with hand tools were to say the least....sad. When I discovered The PTSW online, I thought this could be the answer to my search for quality instruction. I had pretty good expectations for this school, and they were exceeded on every level. This was exactly what I had been looking for, small class size, extremely talented and knowledgeable instructors and a fast paced curriculum. This was with out a doubt the best class I have ever attended.

My father was an all round carpenter/woodworker. He built boats, cabinets and homes. I had an Uncle who was a world famous woodcarver and I have several cousin's who are carvers and custom stair makers. My brother is an accomplished woodworker and custom stair builder, whose work has been featured in several design magazines. Me...not so much. I've always loved the look and feel of wood, especially when turned into a beautiful object, so for the past 15 years or so I have been making boxes out of hard woods. All kinds of boxes, from very small to blanket chest size. My designs tend to be simple, as I want the wood to be the focal point. In keeping with that thought, I only use a wax/oil finish, never stains or hard finish's. Occasionally I make cutting boards and small clocks out of interesting figured woods.

At the present time I am busy upgrading the lights in my shop. I have also began to design a new workbench and gather materials to construct it with. I have a couple of "box" projects on the list also. A good friend has requested a couple of small filing cabinets, and would like a large cutting board. So staying busy is probably not gonna be a problem. While not actively seeking work, I probably wouldn't refuse any small, interesting projects. Please keep in mind, I am retired and disabled, so speed is not one of my virtues.

Email Address: krassel@comcast.net
Phone: (253) 579-7868
Location: Spanaway, WA