What I do, and why I do it.

Every aspect of creating a piece of furniture, from selecting appropriate woods to the final rubbing and polishing is done with the goal of creating a true heirloom piece. The backs are finished as well as the fronts to provide maximum flexibility in room placement. There is no shortcut to quality.

I’m a big fan of cad and create drawings for most of my pieces. I can send and receive most file formats. When it comes to making the cuts though, its all MCM for me. (Manually controlled machining)

Mortice and tenon joinery and dovetail joints were developed because they are simply the strongest way to join wood at an angle. They still are. When combined with modern adhesives, they are guaranteed to stand the test of time.

Veneer has mistakenly developed a somewhat dubious reputation. Everyone has seen peeling and cracked veneer. A lot of the problem is the very way most veneer is made. Even when sliced very thin, microscopic cracks about halfway thru occur about every 1/8” or so as the veneer is sheared. Sliced veneer has a “tight side” and “loose side” Theoretically they are filled with adhesive and finish so they appear smooth. But they are still there, and as time goes on and the wood moves, those little cracks work their way to the surface. You can see it and feel it. Wood, while no longer alive, is not a static material. It absorbs and gives off water, expanding and contracting with the seasons. Proper finishing minimizes this, but it still moves.

Wide surfaces of solid wood can move significantly, causing failures if not allowed for. The biggest advantage to veneer is that when applied over plywood, wood movement is virtually eliminated. The words “Mdf” and “particle board” should never be used in the same sentence as fine furniture.

The solution is to saw veneers, eliminating any knife checks and the issues they cause. I saw my veneers to a thickness of just over 1/16” and laminate it with marine epoxy to birch core plywood. A big advantage of this, is that the solid wood parts of a piece can be made from exactly the same wood as the veneered panels. With veneered panels, the design options are almost unlimited. Multiple woods, inlays, marquetry, and curved pieces give much more design flexibility than straight runs of solid wood.

As much as I love veneering though, I still appreciate a large solid tabletop and enjoy making them. There is almost something therapeutic about working a large thick tabletop of solid walnut or cherry, especially after tackling a complicated case piece with lots of inlay.

Chairs are a pleasure to make as well. A chance to showcase joinery skills, they can be akin to making a functional sculpture. All of my chairs place ergonomics at the highest priority.

The natural beauty and variety of colors and textures in different woods is simply astounding. I nearly always finish with clear varnish and no stains or dyes. I feel like the use of stains kills the chatoyance and subtleties of the figure. One thing I do is fume some pieces with ammonia. It darkens some woods and is great for instant patina on cherry or the mission white oak look.

Traditional varnish is a blend of oils and resins that is still the standard for heirloom quality furniture. It doesn’t crack, peel, or develop rings if someone leaves a wet glass on it. Spill some Jack Daniels? No problem. Unlike a sprayed lacquer finish that sits on the surface, Varnish penetrates the wood fibers while enhancing the natural color of the wood. The downside is application time. I usually take 2 weeks to completely finish a piece. This inclues a rubbing process that uses abrasives all the way up to 4000gr.

The end result speaks for itself. A long lasting hard sheen that is repairable, resists water, and alcohol, and begs to be touched.

Bio

Ron Benoit, originally from upstate New York, migrated to Cache Valley, on the Utah-Idaho border, in 1974. Both of his grandfathers whom he had never met, had been cabinetmakers. This would later inspire him to continue a family tradition.

After attending Utah State University, he began a career as a maintenance mechanic for a local manufacturer. These skills later proved to be invaluable as he began to acquire tooling and equipment to pursue the art of furniture making. By 1980, he had realized his true calling and began to create pieces for himself, friends and a few clients. A voracious reader, he read as many books as he could find on the subject. A complete collection of Fine Woodworking magazine still provides reference and inspiration. He left the industrial manufacturing world behind in 1996, never to look back. After honing his techniques in finishing and joinery, his focus has turned to the artistic aspects of furniture making. Inspired by the grandeur of the Mountain West, a love of wildlife, and beautifully figured woods, he looks forward to many years of creating “tomorrows’ heirlooms today”.

He describes his style as somewhere between Sam Maloof and Wendell Castle, with a more contemporary direction. As always, it’s all about bringing the wood to its full potential.

He has received multiple awards, including Best Woodworking at the Western Design Conference, Best of Show at the St George Art Festival and the Logan Utah Summerfest.

He now lives outside of Preston, Idaho with his wife, son and daughter, where, surrounded by a forest of his own trees, he creates heirloom pieces for discriminating clients from around the world.