Woodworker Blogs — Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute

Greetings from the Middle of Nowhere

Greetings from the Middle of Nowhere

If you asked TripAdvisor what there is to do in Adrian, Michigan, the very first suggestion is... a tour of Ann Arbor….. In other words: go somewhere else.

Tourists don’t come to Adrian. Few people on planet Earth come to Adrian.
It’s in the middle of nowhere — an hour and a half from Detroit. The town center features a Taco Bell and a locksmith. That’s about it.

And for the 5 days, I’ve chosen you to join me on this journey.
I’m in Adrian to attend the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, where I’ve enrolled in a weeklong class to build a Mid-Century Chair.

Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteJuly 20, 2025 Comment

The Rocking Chair: An American Icon

The Rocking Chair: An American Icon

Americans have always been bold. We’re explorers, builders, rebels, and artists. It takes grit—real grit—to stare down the unknown and say, “Bring it on.” Our history is full of people willing to battle the odds for a better tomorrow. We leave the doubters in the dust and rise from the ashes, again and again.

Luke BarnettApril 22, 2025Comment

Learning by Doing vs. Learning by Watching or Reading

Learning by Doing vs. Learning by Watching or Reading

As wood artists and furniture makers, we always look within ourselves for perfection. The perfect design, perfect joinery, the perfect finish, etc. I suggest that we force ourselves to the self-realization that perfection is never going to happen. Everything we do is practice. Furniture design and carpentry practice, and we are all engaging in the practice of making.

Luke BarnettApril 17, 2025Comment

Welcoming Carolyn Racine as SBWI’s New Vice President of Continued Education

Welcoming Carolyn Racine as SBWI’s New Vice President of Continued Education

Carolyn’s journey to this leadership role is as inspiring as it is unconventional—full of curiosity, creativity, and a bold willingness to reinvent herself. Born and raised just 20 minutes from SBWI, Carolyn studied Creative Writing at the U of M before heading west to California, where she spent more than a decade immersed in the world of stand-up and sketch comedy.

Dena KoehnMarch 30, 2025 Comment

Mid-Century Modern Furniture and Design in Michigan

Mid-Century Modern Furniture and Design in Michigan

In the mid-20th century, Michigan emerged as an epicenter of modern design, where industry and art intersected. The state’s prosperous manufacturing base – from automobiles to furniture – attracted visionary designers who revolutionized American offices and homes with new looks and materials. Michigan furniture companies didn’t just build chairs and desks; they set trends that defined modern living and working spaces.

Luke BarnettMarch 23, 2025 Comment

From Prison Cell to Masterpiece: Alexander Grabovetskiy’s Extraordinary Journey to SBWI

From Prison Cell to Masterpiece: Alexander Grabovetskiy’s Extraordinary Journey to SBWI

When Alexander Grabovetskiy first held a chisel at just six years old, guided by his grandfather’s experienced hands, no one imagined how profoundly those first lessons would shape his destiny.

Dena KoehnMarch 15, 2025Comment

Walden in the Modern Age

Walden in the Modern Age

Thoreau’s time might feel distant, but his central belief—that slowing down to live deliberately and in tune with nature can restore balance—resonates sharply in an age defined by constant alerts and digital chatter.

Luke BarnettFebruary 23, 2025Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Timber Framing Classes - What to Expect

Timber Framing Classes - What to Expect

At the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, our timber framing classes are designed to provide you with a transformative carpentry experience that combines hands-on learning with a vibrant, global community. Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

Luke BarnettFebruary 22, 2025Comment

Elevating the Trades: SBWI’s Bold Mission to Redefine Modern Education

Elevating the Trades: SBWI’s Bold Mission to Redefine Modern Education

For too long, society has diminished the importance of the trades, treating them as an "alternative" to what is considered a “higher” education. I firmly believe this needs to change. SBWI is redefining a college education.

Luke BarnettDecember 30, 2024Comment

Clamp Wall Project

Clamp Wall Project

What do you do about storing 250 diverse types of clamps used by 24 Furniture Design Program students? The Sam Beauford Woodshop was growing driving the need for more woodworking clamps. Our goal was to store all the needed clamps in as little space as possible, keep the storage system flexible and organize it so students would be able to quickly find their needed clamp.

Steve SkornickaAugust 13, 2024Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Woodworkers: The Unsung Architects of Well-being

Woodworkers: The Unsung Architects of Well-being

Biophilia suggests that humans inherently desire to connect with nature and natural processes. This connection goes beyond aesthetic preferences, touching on deep psychological needs. Incorporating natural elements like wood in our living and working spaces is not just a design choice; it's a health and well-being imperative.

Luke BarnettJanuary 27, 2024Comment

A Veteran's Woodworking Journey

A Veteran's Woodworking Journey

Ever since I was a kid I had an interest in woodworking. But my family never really had woodworking tools so I couldn't possibly learn at home. When I got to high school I jumped at the opportunity to take Woodshop where I did learn about some of the basics of woodworking, but I was more concerned with the social constructs of school than I was of truly committing myself to the craft of woodworking.

Steve McCarrollOctober 27, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Why Woodworking?

Why Woodworking?

The thought of retirement was very scary to me because I was defined mostly by my job. Sure, I was a husband and a father, but most of my time was spent being an engineer and/or project manager.

Steve SkornickaOctober 20, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Dovetails & Tool Chests

Dovetails & Tool Chests

Our current class of Wood Design: Furniture Making students began their journey with us on Aug 18th, 2023. Some were very experienced woodworkers, others had no experience at all. They came from very diverse backgrounds, and from locations all over the United States… and the UK! Out of 20 students, 16 of them left their home and moved to Adrian to attend this college woodworking program.

Dena KoehnOctober 19, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

The Art of Crafting Windsor Chairs and the Connection to the Material

The Art of Crafting Windsor Chairs and the Connection to the Material

The essence of a handcrafted Windsor chair lies not just in its graceful form but also in the intimate relationship between the craftsman and the raw materials. This age-old art, steeped in tradition, carries a deep understanding of the wood grain, the rhythm of hand tools, and the mastery of listening and responding to the wood.

Luke BarnettOctober 17, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

College Students, Kids & Catapults

College Students, Kids & Catapults

Catapults with kids! The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute partnered with Lenawee Great Start to offer a catapult building workshop during the PlaneWave Open House on October 7th. During the workshop kids were assisted by staff, volunteers and family members to construct their own catapult and then shoot marshmallows into the woods.

Dena KoehnOctober 7, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Ta Da! It's Up!

Ta Da! It's Up!

Many of you may have seen the timber frame pavilion structure standing in front of our school for the past 4 months. This timber frame structure was built by Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) students in May of this year during a 5-day timber frame workshop with jack Witherington. They built and raised the timber frame structure in front of our classroom to be on display during the Great Lakes Woodworking Festival.

Dena KoehnOctober 3, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

What a Historic Week!

What a Historic Week!

What a historic week!!! We are beyond elated to announce the completion of the first ever helical staircase course offered in North America. Students of the SBWI completed this course with grand success and demonstrated their skill and competency by constructing their own scaled-down model of a spiral staircase.

Dena KoehnSeptember 27, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment

Chairmaking Q&A with Luke Barnett

Chairmaking Q&A with Luke Barnett

It’s pretty common for our Windsor Chairmaking students to think of questions after attending one of our 5-7 day classes. It is inevitable as you bring your chair home and start to think about the finish and showing it off to your family and friends, that you might notice an imperfection here or there, or wonder … how much Milk Paint should I purchase??

Luke BarnettSeptember 17, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute Comment

Woodworking Warrior: Steve McCarroll

Woodworking Warrior: Steve McCarroll

Steve McCarroll served in the US Army for 24 years. In January, 2020, he registered to become a Woodworking Warrior. He took the safety course (which is required for all veterans to use the shop) and then thought “What do I do now?”

Dena KoehnJune 1, 2023Sam Beauford Woodworking InstituteComment