Project Wood Working

The Village Carpenter Part I

Recently I has the good fortune to meet with Kari Hultman and take a tour of her Pennsylvania woodworking shop. For anyone who doesn’t know who Kari Hultman is (and if youre reading this I find that near impossible to believe), shes the woman behind The Village Carpenter, one of the absolute best woodworking bogs out there.

The Room

The Village Carpenter

Karis shop is a purpose Built room attached to her house. While site logistics may have determined its placement, I feel its coolest feature is its location. Karis shop is located right off her bedroom. Isnt that what we all dream of? Who wouldnt like to wake up and walk right into the shop? In Karis own words "I planned it that way, so that I could work out there in my jammies in the middle of the night if I felt compelled to do so."

Karis shop is 17 1/2 by 36. It has windows along 3 sides (between the shop and bedroom, along the side wall and on the back wall). One of the windows even lines up with Karis band saw so that she can feed it extra long pieces. The shop is well lit with florescent lighting which is helped by white walls and ceiling. There is a detail light which lives in the dog holes of Karis main bench.

Karis shop, as viewed from the door to the bedroom.

When I visited in July the shop was comfortable due to a standard window mounted air conditioning unit. A standard entry door allows access to the back yard and its popularity is evidenced by the trail Karis dogs have worn in the floor leading up to the back door. A pair of French doors exit the side of the shop and allow easy transport of bulky items to the adjoining driveway and garage that serves as a lumber storage shed. There is also small lumber storage area in the back corner. The opposite corner houses a sink, which adds further functionality to the shop.

Coming next week, the tools and bench layout of the Village Carpenter. In the mean time, does your shop let you get there from bed?