wood | The Filson Journal

Peter Henrikson: Soul of Traditional Craftsmanship

Whether it is in a timber-framed home, or a backcountry stream bridge, or a 16th-century boatshed built on the shores of a Norwegian lake, it is the invisible that makes the visible hold together. Stout timbers connect one to the other, each log hand-selected, each joint hand-fitted, each nexus of beam and truss and tie and rafter its own unique, articulated piece of hand-wrought woodworking. For many, timber framing is, in its essence, an expression of honesty.

two men standing in the woods overlooking a large body of water

Profiles

The Brothers Nielsen

For as long as either David or Robert Nielsen can remember, trees have surrounded them. In their youth, they romped among the towering white oaks, western hemlocks, and grand firs that surrounded their home on San Juan island just below the Canadian border. When their family moved to Bellingham, Washington during grade school, they spent their time hiking and riding dirt bikes through the forests bordering their town. So, when they both decided to go into logging after high school, no one was surprised. Chances were, a little of the sap they played in had soaked into their souls.

5 Min

erik linton holding a large circular section of tree trunk that has been covered in black ink

Profiles

The Tree Publisher: Erik Linton

Erik Linton has been a full-time artist for five years now, and has spent much of that time looking at the things around us that are easily overlooked. He tries to present those things in unfamiliar ways in order to enhance our appreciation of them. “Working with these trees, I’ve begun to view myself as a publisher as much as an artist: I’m merely taking these stories that have been written by the trees, some nearly a thousand years old, and sharing them”

5 Min

black and white image of man with a black beanie in a canoe holding a wooden oar in a boat on a river lined by pine trees

How-To's

How to Carve a Paddle

Carving your own wooden paddle is rewarding beyond the satisfaction that comes from making something that will last a lifetime with your own hands. “seeing a paddle emerge from a plank of wood is one of the most tranquil ways to spend a few hours I’ve ever experienced,” says Jordan Hanssen. In this how-to, Jordan walks through the steps he’s mastered to spare you a few headaches and make this project an enjoyable one.

5 Min

woman in brown and gray flannel shirt blowing through the side of a rocket stove sending sparks out of the central hole in the log

How-To's

How to Create a Rocket Stove

Simple, compact, scalable, the wooden rocket stove uses itself as fuel. named for it’s likeness to the business end of a rocket, this method produces an incredibly efficient cook-top when a hot meal or some potable water are a must.

10 Min