My interest in woodwork and leatherwork has been quite an organic development. I started off with a real interest in what is now commonly referred to as "Bushcraft". Something brought to the attention of the British public by the passionate and devoted Ray Mears in his excellent series of television programmes and accompanying books. I decided that I wanted to go on one of his courses but found that the waiting list for them was very long. Me being an impatient sort I found a company called Woodsmoke (see the links section) that offered the same types of courses and was run by Ray Mears first apprentices to qualify under him. I booked myself on a one week bushcraft course and spent what was one of the most fulfilling weeks of my life in the Lake District learning how to light fires by friction, use a knife correctly, identify useful tree and plant species and many other amazing skills that allow you to live outside in harmony with an environment that we are too quick to label a resource with a value only recognised as monetary.

I enjoyed my first course at Woodsmoke so much that I soon booked myself on another two. The Bowyer course and the Axe Workshop. Ben Orford is the guest instructor on the Axe Workshop whom I had had some contact with before the course as I had started buying tools and equipment for "Bushcraft" from Ben. After the Axe Workshop course and seeing what is possible with this tool I decided I wanted to learn more and arranged to go and spend a week with Ben to learn the basics of Green Woodworking. Whilst at Ben's he guided me through making my first pole lathe and shave horse. We also managed to fit in making a chair and a stool. I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank Ben for all his time and patience whilst I was there.

At the moment all that you see on this site is really a hobby, but I hope, at some point in the near future to leave my job as an engineer and start "bodging" full time.

Cheers,

Andy Smith