Cerritos Students Association of Woodworkers’ guest speaker Kelly Mehler hoped that woodworking students will have more appreciation for their craft as he spoke about his profession of table saw furniture work last Thursday.

Mehler, who began his woodworking career more than 30 years ago, explained that the reason that he began to have an interest in the field was because of the ability to create something from wood.

He began at the University of Cincinnati’s Ohio College of Applied Science in 1974. He continued to study Industrial Arts at Berea College in Kentucky. Also, he wrote his first book titled, “The Table saw Book” as well as two fine-wood videos “Build a Shaker Table With Kelly Mehler” and “Mastering Your Table saw.”

However, he commented that it was not “until four years ago” that Mehler decided to teach the craft of woodworking so he could share his knowledge of it and provide students with the business of finely crafted custom pieces that emphasize the beauty of the natural color and grain of hardwoods.

He said that he had the opportunity to open his commercial workshop in Berea, KY in 1978 and said that “it was small but that’s how I was able to get started in my career.”

As he was displaying some of the furniture, he also showed pictures of a stereo cabinet. He commented that, “Some of the work I create could have been better (such as this piece of furniture).”

In addition, one of the things that he emphasized was how critical it was for those interested in woodworking to know what it’s like to be in the field and how it brings out a person’s creative side.

For more information about Mehler’s School of Woodworking you can visit: www.kellymehler.com