Why the Samurai Carpenter?
The name came about when a close family friend was watching me use my tools, with my Japanese saw hanging off my back. He thought that I looked like a Samurai… so he started calling me The Samurai Carpenter, and the Legend[ish] was born.
Where did I learn woodworking?
I’ve learned on the job site, from other expert carpenters, books, basically whatever I can get my hands on… but more than anything, I have learned the most from messing up and from complete and utter failure. Really the art of learning What Not To Do, has taught me more than anything else!
Where should you start?
I would recommend that if you are interested in learning woodworking or simply increasing your skill, then start with a project that is just outside of your current skill set. This will stretch you, you will learn from your mistakes, and if each time you take on a project that is just a little bit more challenging than the last, you will grow your craft until you can build anything you want.