The first meeting with carpenters in 2024 is on Saturday, January 20, in Sibiu

On Saturday, January 20, 2024, Revista din Lemn will attend this year's first meeting with carpenters, organized in Sibiu by Oak Tower. At this edition, which will take place in the workshop of Mihai Ursu (Creative Bear), the organizers want to create the environment for discussions about current challenges in the field, solutions and plans for the future. I have been invited to the event as a specialist in wood finishing and wood-derived panels, so in addition to the above topics, there will also be discussions on how and with what to protect wood to make it resistant in different conditions, but also pleasing in appearance. Revista din Lemn aims to participate in as many of these meetings as possible this year, at events in Bucharest and throughout the country, with the intention of growing and strengthening the community already formed.

Who is the Oak Tower

For those who still don't know, Turnul de Stejar stands for Fane Pănăzan and Mihai Ursu. It has been created as a physical and virtual space for learning, exchange of experience, education, but also for meetings and discussions related to the craft and the trials of a wood business. Fane is well known in the carpentry community being often challenged to show his skill in sharpening chisels and chandels so that the cut wood is so thin that you can read the newspaper through it. We have written extensively about him here.

Mihai - younger, more withdrawn and sweet-talking - is less well known. His passion for wood and his desire to become better and better, I think they deserve to be known. He caught the woodworking bug as a child, when he lived with his father and grandfather in a small workshop next to the apartment block where they lived. While they were making various wooden objects to order, little Mihai spoil nails and wood. He was 10 years old when the workshop was dismantled, but the germ had already entered his bloodstream.

Years later, when her daughter was born, she took parental leave. In that year he made a rocking chair, a swing and a small sand playground for his little girl. The pleasure he took in making the objects prompted him to think about a personal wood-related business. Creative Bear was born. His wife, who is responsible for everything that goes with it, has been by his side, partner and supporter papers business-related. In order to improve his theoretical knowledge, Mihai enrolled at the Faculty of Furniture Design and Wood Engineering in Brasov.

He knew Fane from the Carpenters. It was Mihai who broke the ice. He called him one day to ask if he could help him straighten some oak cabinets. Then they started visiting each other at the workshop for coffee. After a few coffees they realized they had the same way of looking at wood and woodworking. And so began the collaboration that led to the Oak Tower.

According to the organizers, the event aroused interest in the guild

I spoke to Mihai the other day and I understand that 18 people will attend the meeting. There were many more who wanted to attend, but the limited space in the workshop meant that the number of participants was limited. He was pleasantly impressed by the fact that only one Facebook post, the one on December 18, had aroused so much interest.

The event is aimed at both experienced carpenters and those just starting out. The intention is to create links between members of the guild, to provoke open debates on topical issues, to create opportunities for collaboration, exchange of ideas, joint projects.

As I said, we will be there on January 20 to participate in the discussions, but also to bring you the inside scoop from inside the guild. So, don't stray too far away as written and video material will follow. 🙂