Technorati Tags: easy woodworking, ideas woodworking

When a tree is dead, what should be done with it? Most people would say it should be cut down and discarded, but others come up with more creative solutions. One Colorado man fills a niche in his area by making woodwork projects out of standing beetle-killed trees into a variety of items.

Mark Mahoney of Summit County, Colorado, specializes in creating custom carvings out of standing beetle-killed pine and other trees. He sees that kind of work as green construction and a creative way to use the dead wood. He shifted into his current niche after owning a tree removal service and hearing customers say that they would rather the wood was put to good use.

He does some large and elaborate projects; such as a fifteen-foot totem pole he created in Dillon Valley, but will also do smaller projects like carving a stump into a toadstool. He did the totem pole with a chainsaw, chisel, sander, and other tools over the course of eight days. Although it is not his focus, he does take trees down as well, using his portable mill to build them into custom furniture, sheds, playhouses, or other projects.

Mahoney’s work fills a niche for green construction, carving beetle-killed trees, and custom woodworking and craftsmanship in Summit County, Colorado. The Mountain Pine Beetle, which is native to the forests of western North America, kills large numbers of pine trees in Colorado annually. Making good and creative use of these dead trees in Colorado is a useful practice. Many people also enjoy having something as visually arresting as a totem pole carved out of a dead tree on their property.

Mahoney’s practice of carving standing dead trees into interesting objects is an unusual but intriguing idea. I think it’s always a good idea to reuse something instead of throwing it away.

Technorati Tags: ideas woodworking, woodwork projects

One of the most exciting advances in Web 2.0 is social networking. While sites such as Facebook do include woodworking groups, there are advantages to sites that are designed specifically for creative individuals. A social networking site called The Behance Network offers a forum for artists such as woodworkers to showcase their work, get feedback from peers, and get offers for professional work.

You can post pictures of your woodwork projects on The Behance Network for free and get exposure. The number of photos you can post is unlimited and the projects can be finished, in progress, or part of a portfolio. Behance advertises a professional, stripped-down portfolio display which eliminates the need to build your own website. They also claim to have millions of visitors and offer the ability to stream your projects to partner websites. To join, you must request an invitation by submitting your email and a brief description of the work that you do.

Another benefit of The Behance Network is giving and receiving feedback from other woodworkers. Your work can be rated and critiqued and you can do the same for others. You can also create watch lists of projects from artists you admire and collaborate online with others. The site also offers discussion groups known as “circles” in which users can discuss issues and design trends. I only found one listed in the “Wood Working” category, but more could be created.

If you are a professional woodworker of budding professional, Behance can be a great way of finding work. The site claims “recruiters, editors, and other creative industry leaders from around the world use the Network to find, track, and hire top talent.” Whereas with sites like monster.com and careerbuilder.com the employer posts a job description and receives a flood of applicants, it works the opposite way with Behance. There, the job seeker posts his or her woodwork projects in a portfolio and the employer sifts through the various portfolios to find the type of designer they are seeking. Then the client initiates contact with the freelancer or job seeker.

If you want to show your woodwork to the world, give and get constructive criticism on it, or find paid woodwork projects, the Behance Network is a place to go. Why not take advantage of all that the Web has to offer?

Technorati Tags: ideas woodworking, social networking for woodworkers, woodwork projects