Each student will start by making some simple tools such as narrow chisels, tiny hand routers and scratch stocks. He will cover delicate string or line inlays, making and inlaying wider patterned bandings and using non-wood materials such as silver, stone and shell. He will also focus on complementary decorative edge details, such as inlaid or molded cockbeads used to highlight the edges of a table apron or drawer. Students will work almost entirely by hand, so naturally sharpening, tuning and using hand tools will be highly emphasized. From the beginning of mankind, decorative elements have been an important part of the furniture maker's vocabulary.
Most woodworkers stay away from the process because it is somewhat intimidating.
Steambending is easy, as long as you are using green wood. Generating steam, making some type of bending form, then bending the hot wood over that form can create a lasting curve. Laminating involves cutting strips to smaller thickness then gluing them together over the form, and when the glue dries, you have a lasting curve. Laminating usually involves using kiln dried wood. The last method is to simply bandsaw or shape the wood to the curved position.