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14 Cottage St
Blackburn, VIC, 3130
Australia

0413 537 490

The Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking was founded by Alastair Boell in 2007. After graduating from the world renowned North Bennet Street School, Boston (USA) Alastair felt that there was a great need in Australia for an educational facility that focuses on traditional skills. 

The Guild is committed to preserving and advancing craft traditions in furniture making. We are also committed to promoting a greater awareness and appreciation of
craftsmanship. In our classes we emphasize the skillful use of hand tools and power equipment and an informed use of appropriate materials. We are passionate about what we do and want to share information, ideas and skills with all our students young and old, from beginner to advanced.

Kumiko Box - Beginner's Course

Classes

Kumiko Box - Beginner's Course

Jacqueline Boell

$690.00 AUD

Presented by Michael Ooi

The Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking is excited to present this unique course dedicated to beginners – the Kumiko Box! In this 7-week Beginner’s course, you will make this stunningly elegant hexagonal box made from Walnut and Maple or Celery Top Pine (depending on availability).

You will be directed to the MindBody booking page.

The class will be divided into two main sections. The first section being devoted to the 6-sided box in Walnut and the second section being dedicated to a Kumiko panel to be installed into the lid.

In the first component of the course, you will learn how to safely mill a box blank using our bandsaw, planer, thicknesser, wide belt sander and panel saw. After this, you will learn how to piece together the hexagonal box perfectly with hand tools.

In the second component, we will focus on two Kumiko methods to produce this attractive ‘kasane rindou’ pattern. The first method will be used to prepare the Kumiko frame utilizing a table saw jig (especially prepared for the class). The approach for the second method is more traditional and uses just hand tools to create the more intricate pattern inside the Kumiko triangular segments.

After the Kumiko lid is completed, we will line the hexagonal box with Maple or Celery Top Pine and time permitting, we will learn how to apply a basic shellac finish to the completed Kumiko Box.

Although it is one of the smallest projects we teach at The Guild, most of us agree that it is one of the prettiest pieces on offer and certainly packs a punch in terms of skills learnt in a short period of time.

Alastair Boell - Director: Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking

Instructor
Michael Ooi.jpg
Michael Ooi

Coming from a background in music and architecture, Michael’s journey into furniture making was prompted by some ideas and interest that he had in instrument making (drums in particular). The study of furniture making seemed to be the most practical and logical step to acquire the necessary skills for wooden instrument making.Accordingly in 2014/15 Michael undertook a Certificate III in Cabinet and Furniture making at Holmesglen TAFE full-time.

Through participation in the Furniture Making course, he became more interested in the craft of furniture making itself and gained a great satisfaction and inspiration from the experience of working with wood.

Since 2016 Michael has been a full time furniture maker making furniture at Whelan, Westwood and Tide Designs.

Michael has entered pieces in the Student Craftsmanship category of Furnitex Awards in 2014 and 2015, both of which became finalist pieces and also received an award for Excellence in Craftsmanship at the Holmesglen TAFE Design Awards for 2014.

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When

Mon 3rd February to 24th March 2025
From 7pm to 10pm Weekly
 (7 weeks)

Location
Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking.
14 Cottage St, Blackburn

 
categories Beginner
tags Monday, Michael Ooi