Steve Levine
Dayton, NJ
Every trick in the book. One of a series of book-themed jewelry boxes designed and crafted by wood artist Levine, this set of classics features ash, leopardwood, cherry, bubinga, spalted maple, wenge, walnut, and other species—more than 20 in total. The tomes measure 18” wide, 12” deep, and 16” high. After spending weeks laminating the various woods, Levine finished his library set using Danish oil. Closed, the objet d’art appears as a collection of stacked books, but opens to reveal a series of drawers and storage compartments—some with unique and tricky locking mechanisms. Goes to show you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!
Jim Krillenberger
Bellville, OH
A buffet of oak. A hobbyist woodworker and self-proclaimed tinkerer, Krillenberger built this beautiful dining room set consisting of a sideboard and small credenza. Both are made of quartersawn oak and finished with Jacobean stain and lacquer. Krillenberger tried his hand at leaded glass for the sideboard’s center door insert, while the side doors’ panels are resawn and bookmatched. He had the curved and beveled mirror cut at a local Amish glass shop. The sideboard is 57” tall, 54” wide, and 19” deep, while its companion measures 36” tall, 25” wide, and 13” deep.
James Smoller
Pittsburgh, PA
Nicely aged. Frequent contributor Smoller, who recently celebrated his 91st birthday, shared this vintage ukulele he built back in 1956, during his service in the U.S. Navy. Still in great condition, the instrument’s body is mahogany veneer and it features a walnut fretboard. The uke measures 3 × 10 × 29”. Maybe the secret to a long life is not to fret the small stuff— unless it’s a ukelele.
Bill Fearns
Chesapeake, VA
Rocking horsepower. This Virginia woodworker decided his newborn grandson could skip the tricycle and go straight to the chopper. So he spent more than four months crafting this
22 × 34 × 68” rocking cycle from his own design. The hickory and black walnut body features accents of chechen, leopardwood, olivewood, ash, and other species. Fearns says he’s been woodworking for more than 50 years and his sons have begun to pick up the hobby; perhaps this piece will one day inspire his grandson to follow suit. One thing is for sure, this chopper rocks.
