The Inside Scoop!
with Cory Culmer
Interview with Master Carpenter Larry Martel
Cory Culmer: Where are you from?
Larry Martel: I grew up in Rancho Cucamonga.
Cory Culmer: Why do you love woodworking?
Larry Martel: My grandfather was a carpenter, and he taught me how to build things. I learned a lot from him and enjoyed our time together building things. I was 9 years old and installed a ceiling fan by myself. My father was very impressed that I had learned so much from my grandfather. This was the first time that he realized that I enjoyed fixing things and making things out of wood. Making things out of wood is my superpower!
Making things out of wood is my superpower!
Larry Martel Master Carpenter
Cory Culmer: What is the best thing you ever made?
Larry Martel: A goat playground! I designed a playground with ramps, holes, brushes, spiral staircases, and beams to walk across. It is a never ending project!
Cory Culmer: What did you do to become a master carpenter?
Larry Martel: Practiced. I made a lot of mistakes! If you aren’t making mistakes then you aren’t trying hard enough. The hard part is not making the same mistake over and over.
“If you aren’t making mistakes then you aren’t trying hard enough. The hard part is not making the same mistake over and over”.
Cory Culmer: How old were you when you became a master woodworker?
Larry Martel: I think you become a professional or master woodworker when you begin to get paid for what you do. I was paid for my first project when I was 12 years old. I was a carpenters assistant and helped put an addition onto my family’s home.
Cory Culmer: How do you become a wood shop instructor?
Larry Martel: By having students! I think you become a instructor because you want to teach other people. This is the type of knowledge that can be passed on forever.
Cory Culmer: What type of woods do you use for making things?
Larry Martel:I like to use whatever wood I can rescue! I look at someone’s junk and think, “What project can I make from that?” Typically there are certain uses for different types of wood. Oak wood is used for strength. Maple or Birch Wood is used for it’s beauty. Alder Wood is used when you plan on painting your project.
Cory Culmer: What kind of blade do you use in your machines?
Larry Martel: Sharp Blades! Having a sharp blade is very important. Dull blades can be very dangerous and can cause a lot of mistakes. It is important to learn how to sharpen your blades using a wet stone and oil. If you take good care of your tools, they will take good care of you.
Cory Culmer: How do you fix a drawer?
Larry Martel: If I am fixing a drawer I will use wood glue and clamps. Sometimes the drawer isn’t worth fixing and I have to just make a new one. There are no shortcuts with quality furniture. A good piece of furniture should last 200 years!
Cory Culmer: How can other people learn woodworking?
Larry Martel: Take a class, listen to someone, talk to people, ask questions. The most important way to learn is to try. Woodworking is an art, you learn through experience what works and what doesn’t.
Cory Culmer: You’re currently teaching your Splinter Group students to make a Jelly Bean Dispenser. How many jelly beans does it take to FILL the Jelly Bean Dispenser?
Larry Martel: As many as you want! It would hold a million jelly beans, just not at once!
