Mike Davies is a professional woodworker, specialising in woodcarving and education, originally from the UK, where he spent eight years studying woodcarving, conservation, and furniture making, alongside formal training in teaching traditional hand skills.
Early in his career, faced with the steep learning curve of restoring work by some of the world’s great master carvers, he developed a clear, structured, step-by-step approach to mastering what can otherwise feel like a fluid and highly artistic craft. From this, his now well-known Carving by Numbers teaching system was born.
Over the past 30 years, this method has been published in magazines and books, featured on television, and adopted by woodworkers and schools around the world. Mike has worked on high-profile projects in more than 15 countries, including commissions for the British royal family, conservation of historic buildings internationally, projects in Malaysia, work for Disney theme parks in Tokyo, and the creation of national artworks in New Zealand.
Alongside his teaching and demonstration work, Mike has worked with Record Power for over a decade, providing international support for their global community of woodworking enthusiasts. He also helped develop a carving tool range specifically designed to support the Carving by Numbers education system, enabling makers to achieve reliable, repeatable results with a small, well-chosen toolkit.
Today, based in New Zealand, Mike continues to teach, travel, and create, while restoring his sailing cutter Meridian Passage, his floating workshop and most adventurous project yet. This unique setting reflects his philosophy that great craftsmanship and creativity can be practised anywhere, and his demonstrations at Makers Central connect traditional hand skills with modern making culture, adventure, and accessible learning for beginners and experienced makers alike.
You can also catch Mike at the Record Power booth for free, hands-on workshops in carving, bandsaw scrollwork, woodturning, and workshop safety. Sign-up available on the day.”
