Popular Woodworking 2004-06 № 141, страница 39

A Well-stocked Library

Another small room off the assembly room is the resource library (with wainscotting and a coffered ceiling, completed by the students). This also serves as the computer room (at least for now - they're planning to add a 500-square-foot design room) where students can go online or do computer design work.

The school's philosophy is to teach students the building process first, then allow them to design on paper or with computer-aided design programs. There is a "sketching" period before construction, but actual design follows functional building training.

The school uses CabinetWare (cabinet-ware.com) as its computer-drafting software. Fortner says many students are engineers and because there's usually a variety of design software in use, standardization is good.

Big Blue

As you move out of the assembly area past a 20" planer and 12" jointer, you encounter three 10" cabinet saws carefully set up with outfeed tables for specific machining steps. Beyond these saws is an Altendorf 12" table saw with a sliding table, directly in front of the garage door. This is where the plywood and lumber first enter the shop.

Looming outside the windows is a huge blue dust collector that would make any

woodworker envious. With as many machines as the program can have running at one time, size does matter.

The program has safety guidelines in place that are universal for students and instructors. Every student must go through the safety lecture each semester and has to pass a safety test. Every saw and tool has a power disconnect (an actual power shut-off box, not just a plug) to ensure it is without power before any service or tooling changes occur.

As you move into the next room, the machines are similar - more cabinet saws - but the purpose is slightly different: These saws are set up for joinery work and cutting project parts' finished sizes.

Next to that is the burgeoning CNC (Computer Numerical Control) program. Most of the instructors are woodworking purists and are not all that fond of having the large robotic machines in the school. But the reality is that much of the furniture-making industry uses this type of machinery, so to produce marketable students, the CNC training is a must.

Post-graduate Work

While some students simply are learning to please themselves, many are looking for a career in woodworking after graduation. They routinely compete in (and often win)

Every tool is hooked to a central dust collection system, which feeds into this huge collector around back.Associate Editor Michael Rabkin (6 feet 3 inches tall) stands in to provide scale to an impressive machine.

juried competitions around the country. The program itself even won the prestigious Woodworking Machine Industry Association's Educator of the Year award (2000).

During a recent ceremony for the woodworking program, executives from Gulfstream (a premier manufacturer of luxury private aircraft) were invited to view the students' projects. Thirteen students ended up being hired by the company to help it produce some of the most exacting high-end woodworking on the market today.

Other students go on to be instructors themselves. Steve Lacey took courses at Cerritos taught by Fortner, who instilled an appreciation for the Arts & Crafts style in him. Lacey now owns his own custom woodworking company (redbarnfurniture.com) and gives back by teaching aspiring woodworkers at Cerritos.

The extremely organized shop at Cerritos College continues to be productive and grow. While it may seem like a strict schooling process, the enthusiasm, excitement and success of the students prove that the process works well. PW

Above, one of three cabinet saws (front) and an Altendorf sliding-table saw (rear) are positioned near the garage door. The cabinet saws are outfitted with tables to reduce large materials into manageable pieces. Right, the second machining room is set up for joinery and finished sizing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the woodworking program at Cerritos College, visit the program's web site at www.cerritos.edu/wood

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