Shaker Box Workshop

Well, I was not sure how our workshop was going to go, would everyone finish it all on the first day or would we still have homework to complete on day two?

In the end it worked out quite well, with just the right amount of time for refreshments at the end of the day.

Friday 19th April

With myself, Carolyn, Ian and Kevin as the presenters and support team, we arrived on Friday to set up the machinery required and move all the benches around, Carolyn and Ian set about refurbishing two of the old workbenches for the Forest Discovery Centre, whilst the eight members enrolled on the course picked their rooms and settled into the accommodation.

A table was booked at the Dwellingup Hotel, so everyone walked down and organised their dinner. We were really pleased that Steph Ryan was able to join us and with super quick service everyone was eating and socialising in no time at all.

Saturday 20th April

With master chef Kevin in charge, breakfast was on the go from 6.30am so that the early risers could get their first cup of coffee, by 8am everyone was in the workshop raring to go, so after a brief talk about the origins of the “shaker” movement, everyone had a sample to practice cutting their “swallow tails” and Ian introduced them to the finer points of scroll saw cutting.

We soon had our one of our own bands cut and sanded, and we even had time to walk back to the lodge for a leisurely lunch. Getting back to the workshop we were soon busy checking the time to see how long the bands had been bubbling in the bath.

 

This was the critical part of day one, would they bend around the ready prepared cores? Of course they did!

So, we were carefully hammering the tiny copper tacks into place and as soon as they had a plywood shaper in each end, they were set aside to dry overnight.

Now all we had to do was to add the top bands and just complete another two sets.

Luckily, it was soon time to relax and gather around the gazebo at the Lodge, for refreshments and snacks whilst Jacqui and Kevin whipped up another amazing dinner, followed by Carolyn’s famous sticky date dessert.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 21st April

Another great start to the day curtesy of Kevin and back to the workshop to check out the next step.

The first job today is to finish off the inside of the band, then mark out and sand to size the top and bottom of each box, not too hard a challenge, but tricky to get exactly right and that “perfect” fit.

Ian had managed to get the big drum sander working and with help from Carolyn and a couple of the members that had finished, sanded, and glued up the second of the heritage benchtops.

 

 

 

 

After another quick demonstration on how to use the plunge router, everyone was setting out the holes for the wooden pegs, drilling, chiselling, and sanding to get each top fixed in place.

At the end of the day, everyone that came along had completed three different sized “Shaker Boxes” ready for sanding and a final finish.

As with all these workshops, there is a considerable amount of work done beforehand to get everything ready to ensure it all runs smoothly on the day.

 

So, I would like to thank Jacqui for preparing morning and afternoon tea, together with an amazing dinner on Saturday, with lots of help from Kevin and Carolyn.

 

Kevin for slaving over a hot stove every morning, as our short order chef at breakfast time and making sure we all had a great lunch.

Kevin also donated all the timber and machine time to make three sets of cores and all the shapers required to fit each box (54 in total) and together with my help spent time cutting and machining all the Beech bands, as well as all the top and bottom timber.

I would also like to thank John Smith of Mixed Ink for producing all our booklets and acrylic templates that were an essential part of the participants kits.

We must also thank Eric Pintar of The Home Shop, Charlotte, Michigan not only for supplying the traditional “Shaker” supplies needed for the course, but for copies of the many articles and pictures that will keep all those interested busy for months to come.

The whole point of all our workshops is to learn how to use different tools and new techniques, but more importantly socialise with like-minded people and have a good time!

I think we can safely say that the Shaker Box workshop at Dwellingup 2024 managed to achieve what we set out to do!