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    Pat Murrin: How I Got Started in Woodworking




    My name is Pat Murrin and I'm a new blogger for Start Woodworking. I grew up in Geneva, Illinois which is a suburb of Chicago. I started woodworking in middle school and fell in love with it. My first job soon after was refinishing mahogany Chris Craft boats which was a great introduction to surface preparation, coloring as well as film coating.

    Inspired by a good teacher Throughout high school I continued taking building trades and wood shop classes which is where I met Mr. Koehn, who inspired me further, and laid the foundation for my woodworking journey. Mr. Koehn was one of the few high school teachers who I felt truly cared about my future and wanted me to succeed.

    Towards the end of high school I started getting more in to carpentry and held a job with a remodeler/cabinet maker and jumped around from the shop to the field which was a great experience in interior trim, doors, and windows.

    I then moved to South Dakota with my parents for my senior year of high school and held a job at Preferred Woodwork, a cabinet shop, while I finished high school. There I started off as the clean up boy, and moved around helping with the various tasks such as door making, carcass construction, finishing and eventually I had my own department where I made all of the drawers for the company.

    After graduating high school I moved back to Geneva, started my construction management degree and began working for a remodeling company, doing work all along the north shore of Chicago. I worked there for two years but the economy started going down hill and I was laid off due to lack of work.

    Learned about fine woodworking from Jeff Miller From there I started focusing on school full time. In addition I attended classes at Jeff Miller's shop in Chicago, learning about sharp hand tools and the basics of fine furniture making. Jeff opened my eyes to the more advanced aspects of woodworking, which inspired me to pursue higher education in furniture making. I asked where I can further my knowledge in this area, and he told me about Marc Adams School of Woodworking, which I immediately looked into.

    Great opportunities and an internship at the Mark Adams school I contacted the school, received a catalog, and was amazed at what was being offered. Not only were the classes fascinating to me, but the instructors were of the highest caliber. I signed up for nine classes over the summer months and studied under such renowned furniture makers as Steve Latta, Marc Adams, Alf Sharp, Michael Fortune, and Bill Hull.

    This year I was accepted as the summer intern and I have attended over 15 classes.

    In the coming weeks/months, I'll write more about how I got started in woodworking, sharing early lessons that I learned that can hopefully help you in your journey to get started in woodworking. I know it's increasingly rare for young people to get involved in this craft because there are fewer shop classes like I took in the schools.

    In the meantime, how did you get interested in woodworking? Shop class like me? Or just need some DIY furniture to fill up a new home?


    Pat_Murrin
    Posted by: Pat Murrin - member
    September 15, 2010
    in Community, biographies


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