Looking out into the world of woodwork, it's refreshing to see so many people putting so much time into 'spreading the word'.  Most are doing it as a recreational activity and making a real personal commitment to contribute to the on-line world - and in particular to the enjoyment of woodworking across the world.  I've listed below, a few of the sites which I have visited and which have impressed me.  There are many more, I'm sure, and I'd be pleased to consider listing any if their 'webmasters' would care to drop me an e-mail with the relevant details.  Of course, a little reciprocity is always appreciated!

As this feature has grown, it is now split into sections to try to simplify navigation, though you should bear in mind that woodworkers are versatile people and although only listed in one section may be active in some other role too!  For now, the groupings are:-

• Craftworkers sites
• Associations and Clubs
• Woodworking Destinations (places of interest for woodworkers to visit)
• Commercial/Trade sites
• Woodworking general interest sites
• Plans Sources
• Newsgroups

Please note that these links open in a new window so that you don't have to keep navigating back to this page to find the next link.  Simply close the window where the visited site appears and this one should still be open underneath.

Craft-Workers Sites

This is where the work is really happening.  Take a trip to some of these sites and see what skilled hands and dedication can achieve.  Be inspired ......

• Dean Mosey, based in Flushing, Michigan, builds a wide range of furniture and related projects in traditional style, which are available for sale though his site.  A site worth a visit and quite an inspiration for other budding furniture-makers as well as those who might be incuned to save their time and effort by buying from Dean at his very reasonable prices.
• A very elegant and sophisticated site is maintained for Michael Borton out there on Australia's Gold Coast (no, of course I'm not jealous of the location!).  The range of items displayed for sale include some very fine furnishings, stunning wood sculptures and fascinating objet's d'art.
• It is not unusual that an appreciation of the environment and of nature accompanies and interest in woodcrafts.  Serendipity sometimes seems to take advantage of this juxtaposition of interests leading, in the case of Brian Leonard, to the creation of Dad's Woodshed which is a site crammed with bird feeders, bird tables, squirrel feeders and planters, as well as a range of small furniture products such as collector's display shelving.  If you are looking to make your property more interesting and attractive to wildlife, then the key may well lie on this site.
• range of craft skills are in display at the Bass Rock Gallery, this being the site run by a group of Scottish-based craftspeople based on their gallery in North Berwick, not too far from Edinburgh - just the place to call when you're on holiday.  The work includes ceramics and painting as well as carving and hand-crafted furniture.
• One of the most-admired of the current crop of UK turners is Phil Irons.  (Yes, I know that he was born in Australia, but he lives here now!)  When I ran into Phil again at Art in Action, he advised me that he now had a website, which I reckon is well worth a visit.  Then you'll be inspired to do what his work inspires me to do - I bought a piece!
• A site which takes a very different view of the world and comes up showing a very different aspect of furniture design is Atelier Eschler Design.  As the site blurb itself says "extraordinary" - take a look.  Although located in the Czeck Republic, the site is presented in English, French and German so no need to take fright!!  The work is international!
• Another site which I only recently discovered but which has an interesting array of work on display is Dave Peebles' site, which has a URL which is a bit of a giveaway as to where Dave's interest lie: www.bowlturner.com.
• Most woodworking, end especially woodturning ethusiasts will be familair with the name of Stuart King, author, historian, bodger and man-of-many-talents: the Renaissance Man of the woodworking world".  His site covers all of these topics and more.
• Since I often bleat on about the dearth of carving sites, I could not omit the superb work of Chris Manley, based in the UK.
• Up in Seattle, Washington (USA) a group of woodworkers have joined to gether to present their work at NW Fine Woodworking.  Take a look - they are also seeking artists to join their group.
• Artistic woodturner Tim Hope has a site of his award-winning woodturning on line which I have somehow managed to overlook until now.  Shame on me!.
• A recent issue of the UK magazine, "Woodturning", featured the intriguing works of Crete-based woodturner Nikos Siragas.  Now we can all share in his work by taking a look at his new website.
• As any carver will know, one of the most accomplished professional carvers working today is Ian Norbury.  Not only has he written some of the best books on the subject, but with his wife, Betty Norbury, he also runs the White Knight Gallery.  Their Celebration of Craftsmanship website shows off Ian's work and the work of the gallery most excellently.
• It isn't mandatory, I'm sure for good turners to be christened "Ian" but looking at Ian Norbury's site and then those of Ian Brennan, one could be forgiven for thinking so.  Take a peek at Ian Brennan's personal site and his Heraldic Carving site.
• Another carver, but this time specialising in the ancient Welsh craft of love-spoon carving, is Adam King.  An extensive range of Adam's superb work is on display on the site.
• Jeremy Broun is one of the UK's best-known woodworkers as a frequent contributor to magazines and as an author of authoritative books, most notably on the use of the router.  Jeremy is also prducing on-line courses, details of which may be accessed through his site.
• There's a lot of woodworking activity "down-under" and those of us stuck in more Northern climes are jealous of the range of beautiful timbers they have to work with.  See some examples of fine work with a difference at David Trubridge's site from New Zealand.
• It cannot be denied that most turners put a lot of effort into their work,  intellectually, spiritually and physically.  However, there can be few who expend the physical effort that Robin Wood puts in to driving his traditional pole lathe.  What makes Robin's efforts rather special though is that he is a pole lathe bowl turner who produces a wide range of treen for the table through his efforts.  A respected authority on the subject of traditional methods of turning treen, Robin travels to conduct site research, lectures and demonstrates around the world.  You can gain an insight into this very special world through his most fascinating website, which also lists the venues where you can see him demonstrating his craft.
• Down on the Cornish Riviera, husband and wife team Geoff and Kay Bowman are putting their talents to work producing an attractive range of woodcrafted products under the name Bowman's Woodcrafts.
• Across in La Belle France, deep in the heart of the Bourgogne area, Gilbert Buffard runs woodturning courses with instruction in both French and English.  His website though also lists accomodation and gives an insight into the gastronomic delights of the local food specialities.
• I originally discovered the work of boxmaker Andrew Crawford at the Art in Action show in Oxfordshire.  Happily we have managed to get in contact so that not only can I suggest you visit his site where his splendid work is presented, but you will find examples in our gallery too.
• Although I found the site itself a little slow and not the easiest to navigate, there's whole bunch of good work on show at Beyond Wood.
• For something rather different, I suggest a visit to Max Krimmel's site where he tells you everything you need to know about - and shows lots of beautiful work in - turned alabaster!
• David Battle is a restorer and member of BAFRA.  He provides a restoration gallery, restoration case studies and a furniture design gallery.
• New on the web is an English furniture-maker whose work shows superb design skills, novel approaches to the subject and excellent execution of his many workpieces.  If you are a fancier of fine furniture, take a look at David White's site from Cornwall in the English West Country.
• Another UK furniture maker and carver showing off his work on the web is Barry Porter, whose site shows a fine range of furniture, primarily in oak.
• An older craftsman who has spent his whole life working with and appreciating the fine timber with which he builds his creations is Jason Smith.  He has now committed his work to the web for you to see.
• Way up in Norway a meticulous and brilliant carver, Fritz Rendall, is hard at work maintaining the traditions of his forbears. You can see his stunning work at http//home.c2i.net/frendall
• For a collection of beautiful furniture made by one man, then I suggest that you visit the site of John Hein in the US.  There's some wonderful stuff on display there.
• Not everyone on the net is in the fine furniture trade as exemplified by the collection of toys and puzzles shown on Alice Weniger's site.
• Rudiger Marquarding is based in Wustrow, North Germany.  His site has text in English and German
• If you are interested in traditional American furniture from the era of the first settlers, then take a look at the Heart of the Wood site which has a wide range of reproductions on display.

Associations & Clubs for Woodworkers & Turners

• Those of you who have an interest in restoration may wish to take a note of the British Antique Furniture Restorers' Association.
• Our very own Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB) now have their own website which carries all of the relevant information that used to grace these pages but updated and with plentiful contact points for further information.
• The British Decoy Wildfowl Carvers now have a website of their own with a gallery of work as well as full contact and membership details.
• Although they are still in the process of building their own website, the Israel Woodturning Association is already very active in the web world.  With over 70 members at the time of writing, they have to be a "must join" for anyone resident in Israel or a great contact for visitors.  Contact them at woodil@egroups.com .
• The guys in the North of England have got together to form the Northern Association of Woodturning Groups who now have their own website.
• From the folk 'down-under' (that's looking from the UK, of course) in Australia there are a number of interesting sites, with several from a common base, including The Peninsula Woodturner's Guild.
• Of course, whilst you're in the US, it would be wrong to miss out the American Association of Woodturners.
• Many nationalities have built themselves a home on the web, including the National Association of Woodturners of New Zealand whose new site should be available for visits again, very shortly, The Woodturners Association of Finland (e-mail only), and in South Africa, The Western Cape Woodturners Association
• The Dutch Woodturners Association Radius North Region provides information in three languages (Dutch/German/English) and a gallery which is refreshed monthly, with a 12-month "rolling" window of work accessible.
• On a slightly different tack, a site is now available which specialises in the promotion of the turning of segmented work, The Segmented and Stave Woodturning Interest Group
• The West Midlands chapter of the AWGB have produced a lively site which serves as an excellent resource for their members and guests..

Woodworking "Destinations"

• The range of pastimes enoyed by people who enjoy working with wood, or simply appreciating the objects that can be made from it, are frequently lovers of a range of countryside pursuits.  If that includes you, why not take a trip into the countryside.
• Do you know any woodworkers who aren't "tool collectors"?  No, there can't be many.  So the Museum of Woodworking Tools of New York is sure to be a place to visit - without ever needing to leave the armchair.
• Canada hosts two woodcarving museums, but it is The Windsor Woodcarving Museum of Windsor, Ontario which has built a website to tell you all about itself.  The museum features both works by local carvers and pieces sourced from wider afield in Canada and is run voluntarily by local carvers.

Commercial Sites

Here you'll find companies and individuals who have something to sell.  It may be handmade items, tools or plans but you can be sure that you'll be dealing with people for whom a love and knowledge of wood is a common bond.  Also checkout the personal sites, above.

• For tools, accessories, overalls, respirators, polishes and a whole lot more for woodturners and woodworkers you need look no further than our very own woodturner's shop on the net, The ToolPost, always open to serve your needs, world-wide.
• If you fancy your chances in an on-line auction then a visit to Woodworkers Auction might tbe the thing for you.  Buying or selling is easy and all the required info is on the site.
• For a range of tools suited to a range of trades - and even mouse traps and slug catchers(!) then a visit to Betts Tools might be the answer.
• If chip-crving is your thing, then you should be aware of Chipping Away a great resource for all practitioners of this carving tradition.  The same people also look after the need os sculptural carvers through their sister site The Woodcarving Store.
• Although there are many router jigs for producing dovetails on the market, Keller Dovetail Systems have been at it for far longer than most manufacturers. Their excellent website shows their product range, examples of work produced and product reviews.
• Aberdeenshire hardwoods are timber suppliers up in Scotland where slow-grown hardwoods should be in abundance!
• There are times when finding the right type of abrasive material for a job can seem an impossible task.  Help is at hand with the amazing range of abrasive products offered by UK company, Permagrit on their website.  And they're nice friendly people too!
• If what you're looking for are wooden products then Swingler Brothers have a wide range of items which may well appeal whether you're looking for boxes or humidors, artist's boxes and easels, kitchen furniture, beds, gun cleaning and hunting accessories or even experimental apparatus for schools, then this versatile group of craftsmen can provide.  With on-line shopping too, they make owning wood pleasurable and easy.
• The Arbortech Woodcarver tools must rank among those tools that, once you own one, you can never work out how you managed without.  That's the way I feel about mine.  If you're into heavy-duty carving then you may feel even more strongly about it, but when I've got timber to shift, you'll find me reaching for my Arbortech.  Visit the company's website to find out more.
• Also in Australia is the U'Beaut Enterprises company who specialise in the manufacture of polishes for woodworking.  They also feature a lot of material of general woodworking interest including a comprehensive list of Australian and New Zealand clubs and much more.
• If you're in the market for fine teak furniture, then there's a site based in Trinidad that you should visit, called Craft Teak.
• Somewhat out of the ordinary, but of interest to anyone who is in the position to purchase timber in bulk is the one-stop auction site for sawn timber inventories called Greenbid.com.
• There are few specialists in the preparation and machining of wood still operating today.  For specialised mouldings in a range of timber, take a look at the WLH Wood Machining site.
• Based in the Ozark Mountains, Woodcraft Design have a challenging approach to the making of wooden items as shown in their legend "Anything is Possible".  Take a look.
• A frequent request I get is from people looking for porch swings.  I can now direct these enquiries to the home of the Rolls Royce of oak porch swings - beautiful work by Roy Mrock.
• Andy Haistone runs a site selling craft gifts, turned with his own fair hand.  You can see his work under the name Hailstone Turning.
• Training and education figure strongly at The American Woodworking Academy with a rolling program of events and courses, as well as an industrial research facility.
• If you're looking for software to boost your productivity or enjoyment of woodworking, then you should drop by Joe Bifano's site called Woodease, where you'll find lots of interest.
• Safety is a primary consideration in machine woodworking - or should be.  For a comprehensive reference book on the subject, visit Roland Thompsons site.
• If that all goes wrong, you may need to visit System Three and get the materials to stick it all back together again - like Humpty-Dumpty, perhaps?
• Price Tool Sales operate a toolshop with a website located at www.price-tools.co.uk
• If you are into power tools and looking for a supplier with a web presence, take a look at  Industrial Tool Supplies (London) Ltd
• Most woodworkers use a table saw from time to time.  Most of us also appreciate that this can be a very dangerous machine.  One man who is trying to make it safer to use is Seumus MacCombie, a Scot now taken root in the Canadian Rockies.  To see his work, point your browser at his macduff site.
• Platz's Sharpening & Woodworking Supply, based in Erie, PA have been in the  business of provide a very sharp service for 18 years.  The owner, Tom Platz, is one of the most experienced and dedicated sharpeners around. Other than his ability to sharpen any cutting tool on the market, he can also specialise your tool to cut a certain material.   http://www.Platzenterprise.com
• Sam Allen is one of the top woodworking authors.  His site features his books, related tools and the complete Sterling Do-It-Yourself Catalogue.  Also includes a chat room, bulletin board, free plan exchange, a project gallery and a woodworker's dictionary.  Discount coupons can be earned by contributing photos, plans or definitions to the site.
• A great problem faced by many artists and no less by woodworkers is clear lighting that does not cause colour casts.  If you need balanced lighting, look at www.naturallighting.com
• If commercial woodcarving production is your business, then a place well worth visiting to take a look at a wide range of available machinery is www.wood-carver.com
• If you have a pet cat or small dog who also appreciates woodwork, then they'll love you to go to the Feedeezzee site and buy them a wooden feeder from the range on offer.

Other Woodworking Interest Sites

• Wood Magazine from the US now produce an on-line edition of their magazine.
• Better Woodworking has been set up to act a a central informational resource for woodworkers.  The content is primarily US-centric (but look under "European Woodworking!) but pretty comprehensive.
• For those who concentrate on woodturning, the online woodturning magazine, Woodturns, from Eric Tomkins, seems an ideal destination.
• More and more, the web is becoming the place to publish magazines and many print magazines are making the web a major part of their distribution.  Creative Woodworks & Crafts Magazine Online is one of these with an online edition.
• If the sound of power woodworking is anathema to you, then you really should check out The Electronic Neanderthal, where you'll find solace with a like mind.
• If you're the antithesis of the Neanderthal, you may want to visit the WDR site where there's much of interest to the router, spindle moulder and other power-wood-tools user.
• More specifically targeted at woodturners, is Woodturning on the Web.
• Fred Holder produces a woodturners newspaper 'More Woodturning' in the US and his site carries information about this as well as a range of woodturning articles.
• There's a huge links list and a whole lot more besides - even auctions - at the Woodworkers Auction.

Plans Sources

• U-Bild describes itself as being the provider of "Amercia's Favourite Woodworking Plans".  I am not in a position to judge that but they do offer a wide range of very attractive designs, purchasable on-line, from their well-illustrated site.
• Another novel US-based source for excellent plans is Unique Projects.  As the name implies, this site "thinks outside the box" with some fascinating projects way outside the furntiure and home-build lines.
• Operating from one of those sites with a URL which is sufficiently long that you can be sure of spelling it wrong at least once, Bryan Minn offers his Original Furniture Plans for Woodworkers.  The range is not huge but this is quality work and interesting designs.
• A UK plans source is available at David Bryant's Craft Designs site where you will find a range of interesting plans including a set for a wooden clock!
• A wide range of support information as well as plans for a great variety of projects is available on the American Furniture Design website. 
• Whilst not exactly a plans source, I thought that software that makes light work of creating plans might be best listed here.  So, take a look at EasyCab and have D-I-Y plans!
• If you don't have the skill or confidence to design your own pieces, then maybe you'll find something to interest you on a new woodworking plans site from Brian Contestable.
• The Vintage Games Company specialise in the provision of plans for a variety of board games and similar projects (Crokinole board plans; Folding Lawn Chair plans; mechanical table hockey and baseball game plans.)
• This site could be classified under several headings, but the American Scrollsawing site has a great plans selection as well as a very comprehensive links page, among its delights.
• American Woodcraft Patterns has a huge collection of plans available in print and a regular update policy.  Contact Frank D'Agostino with your requirements.
• Woodworking plans & Projects at Furnitureplans.com. Save on woodworking plans, download now-build today! Great original plans, 3D drawings from beds, tables, games and gazebos to outdoor furbiture projects, mission projects, shaker styles & many more. Stop in and see them today!

Newsgroups

Newsgroups provide a very useful service in allowing us to air our problems - and get solutions as well as sharing our experiences.  Those most appropriate to woodworking include:

• rec.woodworking, which has very heavy traffic,
• rec.crafts.woodurning, for the turners specifically - again, very heavily used
• and rec.crafts.carving for carvers working in a range of materials.

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