The Joy of Wood

The Joy of Wood Greg Miller and his team at The Joy of Wood share a passion for working with people and with wood.

Last night was the second session of the Two part “Wood Women Carlisle” workshop: “Make a Leaf-shaped Serving Board”. Th...
26/08/2026

Last night was the second session of the Two part “Wood Women Carlisle” workshop: “Make a Leaf-shaped Serving Board”. The clever Jan Lucas took this small group of women on this woodworking adventure. Fantastic results!

Almost too good to use! The carved gumnut with the sweeping curve in the stalk off the end of the leaf is a beautiful idea. There was lots of techniques used in making these lovely boards, inspiring other possibilities!

Next week the Wood Women Carlisle workshop is “Getting Started in Green Wood Spoon Carving”. Don’t miss out! It will be buckets of fun as we see what the tree gives us…

Info and Bookings at www.thejoyofwood.com.au

It was “bigger than Ben Hur” , as the old saying goes…Today was day 2 of the “Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event run by th...
16/08/2026

It was “bigger than Ben Hur” , as the old saying goes…

Today was day 2 of the “Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event run by the Hand Tool Preservation Society of WA. So 3000 people visited over the 2 days, coming into the Pattern Shop at the old Midland Railway Workshops.

It was big, and we were flat out, sharing the joy of hand tool woodworking with people of all ages, including lots of kids. We offered participation opportunities, with real tools. real wood, and teaching real skills. That’s what we do.
Tyson and I have been doing this stuff for many years together. We love it. … though we are both pretty wrecked tonight!

It was lovely to meet so many nice people, young and old, and to see the pleasure and fascination on so many faces over the last 2 days as they and others discovered the delights of spokeshaves, drawknives, carving tools and so much more.

It was all about The Joy of hand tool Woodworking . 🙂

What a great day! Today was the first day of this weekend’s “Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event, held in the Pattern Shop ...
15/08/2026

What a great day! Today was the first day of this weekend’s “Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event, held in the Pattern Shop at the historic Midland Railway Workshops.

It was a wonderful celebration of many different trades, put on by the Hand Tool Preservation Society of WA. They reckon 1300 people came in through the door today.

Tyson and I were very busy all day, in the Joy of Wood corner, where we offered participation opportunities for the public. A bench with a chance to use a plane at the vice, and to have a go at relief carving too; we had a spoon mule, three shaving horses. And a stock knife at a block. Spokeshaves and drawknives. So many things to do and things to see in pir corner - and then there were all of the other displays and demonstrations going on in the test of the building! Thanks too, to Rebekah and Nessie for hanging out and helping us out for a few hours today!

It was a great day! I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Admission is free, and the CWA put on great tea, coffee, cakes, bickies and light lunches. 😉

Come on down and say gidday!

The talented Jan Lucas has completed her mini-kuksa and brought it in the show us. Stunning!Jan is not only a skilled wo...
14/08/2026

The talented Jan Lucas has completed her mini-kuksa and brought it in the show us.
Stunning!

Jan is not only a skilled woodworker but she also is a legend at Pyrography.
After carving her beautiful mini-Kuksa, she then cleverly embellished it with a mix of pyrography and paint!
Wow! Very nicely done! Jan said she absolutely loved the whole process.

We have lovely Basswood Kuksa/Alehen blanks available for sale on our online shops, (normal and mini in size - plus we sell the tools you need to carve them.

The clever Jan is now running most of the “Wood Women Carlisle” workshops which the Joy of Wood runs on Tuesday evenings in Carlisle.

Come tap into her infectious creativity and skill! As evidenced by her beautiful Mini-Kuksa.

www.thejoyofwood.com.au

This weekend the Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event is taking place at the old Midland Railway Workshops in WA. Thanks to ...
14/08/2026

This weekend the Lost Trades of Yesteryear” event is taking place at the old Midland Railway Workshops in WA. Thanks to the Hand Tool Preservation Society of WA.

The Joy of Wood will be there amidst the many displays and demonstrations. Come on down and say gidday!

The CWA will be selling morning teas and light lunches. Yum.

Admission is free. Come and have a play with us.

A resounding success! Tonight was the last session of the 3 part “Make a Post and Rung Stool” workshop. There were smile...
13/08/2026

A resounding success! Tonight was the last session of the 3 part “Make a Post and Rung Stool” workshop.

There were smiles all round as the 8 participants all completed their stools by weaving their seat tops. A fantastic job, Gang, with lovely colour combinations and all beautifully executed.

The chair frames were made from jarrah, oak, blackwood or sheoak. We used heavy duty cotton tape to weave the seat tops. Mostly coloured 1 inch wide “Shaker Tape”, and one seat with 2inch wide heavy cotton tape. So nice!

Woodworking Workshops for Women!Each Tuesday evening, 5:30-8:00pm, the Joy of Wood offers the "Wood Women Carlisle" seri...
08/08/2026

Woodworking Workshops for Women!

Each Tuesday evening, 5:30-8:00pm, the Joy of Wood offers the "Wood Women Carlisle" series. Come and join in with other women and have a great social time while you learn to do beautiful creative work with wood. Open to any women from anywhere.

Coming up are:
"Make a Small Comb or Hair Ornament" (11 Aug)
"Carve a Leaf-Shaped Serving Board" (2 parts, 18 & 25 Aug)
"Getting Started in Green Wood Spoon Carving" (1 Sept)
"Introduction to Kumiko - Make a Trivet" (8 Sept)
and more will be posted soon...

Come and join Jan Lucas as she takes you on most of these creative woodcraft adventures. Each an enjoyable journey of discovery. 😀

No prior experience necessary. For more info and bookings, go to www.thejoyofwood.com.au and click on the "Workshops" tab at the top.

The next Wednesday Workshop we call "Make a Stool from a Tree". It is a delightful exploration of some pre-industrial wo...
07/08/2026

The next Wednesday Workshop we call "Make a Stool from a Tree". It is a delightful exploration of some pre-industrial woodworking skills, as we start with pieces of tree and split our legs from these log sections, then shape them on a shaving horse with a drawknife.

We will use axes, spokeshaves, and many other traditional hand tools as we make these wonderful Viking-Era three legged Lund Stools, with their characteristic D-shaped tops. This workshop is physical, buckets of fun, very satisfying, very popular, and run over two sessions. Take home a memorable heirloom!

I use my Lund Stool at home to sit before the fire when I light it each morning, and give the dog a good scratch. Also useful at picnics, for whittling outside, and as an additional stool as needed in the home. I have also made a number of them for many of my grandkids. A special personalised gift. Loaded with memories.

Sometimes we carve designs in the tops and legs, sometimes shape the surface of the tops, sometimes do Kolrosing designs on the tops, etc. Mostly people leave them plain, as the timber looks so beautiful! You have choices.

Make sure you don't miss this one! Coming soon, Wednesday evenings 5:30-8:00pm, on 19 and 26 August. Open to anyone of any gender from anywhere!

Go to www.thejoyofwood.com.au and click on the "workshops" tab.

Kadia has all but completed her jewellery box. Its more like a treasure chest! At home she will glue down the black feau...
07/08/2026

Kadia has all but completed her jewellery box. Its more like a treasure chest! At home she will glue down the black feaux leather in the base of the box and the lift-out tray. I managed to get some pics before it went out the door…

Kadia has been making the box under Tyson’s tutelage in her weekly Private Tuition sessions. What a lovely box! Made from Tiger Myrtle (thanks again Gail), with hand dovetailed corners, the box sides are stunning. The coopered lid we think is some pretty Myrtle, with New Guinea Striped Ebony infills on the lid ends. (Thanks Tyson).
Brass hinges and catch.

All in all a credit to you, Kadia.

I wonder what you will be making next!?

It was a big night last night, working on our Post and Rung Stools. Part 2 of 3 sessions to build them. There was lots g...
06/08/2026

It was a big night last night, working on our Post and Rung Stools. Part 2 of 3 sessions to build them.

There was lots going on.

There were legs and rails to finish planing into the round. There were holes to drill to take the tenons. The rails were individually measured and sawn to length, and the tenons cut on each end. There were more holes to drill in the posts (legs), when the end frames were assembled. With the long rails measured and cut, the two end frames were connected by the long rails, and the chair frame to be completed ready for cleaning up and oiling…
… It all sounds so simple putting it like that!!

Despite the stool frame looking deceptively simple, as it was built by hand therefore there are many variables. This makes it quite complex in the construction process.
This only raises the satisfaction level significantly when it all comes together!!

We can truly sit back and say: “I made that”! Feel the glow.🙂

Next week we’ve got to get the assembled stools oiled and the tope woven on.

This is a fantastic project. There is another workshop the same as this coming up. Don’t miss out. Check our website for details. www.thejoyofwood.com.au

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Rivervale, WA

Telephone

+61427770339

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