Interview with TWW Guild Apprentice David Nichols

Article - May 23, 2016

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We have many perks in The Wood Whisperer Guild and one of our newest offerings is a chance to work side by side with Marc as an apprentice on a future Guild project. Curious how you can become a future apprentice? Below is an interview with our 1st TWW Guild apprentice, David Nichols. He helped Marc build the Barrister Bookcase and graciously shared his experience and advice for any future apprentices!

If you are a Guild member and would like to apply to be the next Guild apprentice for the Tall-Case Grandfather Clock, you have until May 31st to fill out the application! If you get the “job” you would work with Marc side by side for 2 weeks (7 days a week) starting Monday, August 15th and lasting until Sunday, August 28th. The pay you would receive would be a hands on woodworking experience directly from Marc. Ideally you would want to be local, but if you aren’t you would be responsible for your own lodging and transportation (We can help you locate affordable lodging if you need).

What advice would you give to your fellow Guild members looking to do the apprenticeship? I would tell anyone applying for the position not to have a hidden agenda. They are being given a great opportunity to meet Marc and Nicole and to be a part of something beyond their day to day woodworking. The Guild videos that come out of my time with Marc will be a lasting souvenir of the experience. I would caution anyone that this experience should not see this as an opportunity to picks Marc’s brain about how to be a woodworking “star”.

What did you like most about the experience? What I liked most was getting to meet Marc and say “thank you” in person for what the guild has done for me. I look around my house at some of the pieces I have built and I almost can’t believe that I built them. I have learned so much from my participation in the Guild and I know I have found a hobby that I will enjoy for the rest of my life.

People always say learning in person is better than learning online. After your experience with the Guild both virtually and now in person, how would you say the two compare? While I would say that it is more fun to learn in person, I realize that I learn best visually and through repetition so the online learning is best suited to my needs. I frequently refer to Guild videos on how to do specific techniques even if I am not building a Guild project.

Did you learn anything unexpectedly? Yes, regarding all the different joinery, watching (in real time) the steps Marc would take to “sneak up” on and refine the fits to achieve the best results made me realize that I need to SLOW DOWN and enjoy the details.

Do you have a favorite moment? Yes, earning my “gold stars”. There was a couple of times during the month that I made suggestions about the project that Marc liked so much that he adopted them and added them to the project. Holy cow, that was so cool!

Thank you David for taking the time to drive from Kansas City to spend the month of April with us! It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you!

Here are just a few shots of Marc and David in the shop together!

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