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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.

People

I can’t part with the three I’ve made!

Tom Beattie

I have three beautiful Shaker boxes in my study. I made them recently with the help of Alastair Boell at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking, and they’re supposed to be a wedding present for my niece. But I’m not sure if I can part with them! Made of American Cherry with a contrasting Blackwood inset in the top, they are replicas of the functional boxes the American Shaker community started making over 200 hundred years ago.

In the one-day Shaker box class Alastair runs at his well-equipped workshop in Box Hill, I learnt the entire process for making the boxes. Alastair provides all materials, and we (group of eight of us) started by cutting the distinctive swallow-tails which stabilise the joint holding the box together; soaked the cherry to enable it to bend into the required oval shape around pre-cut forms; and secured the box and its top with the delicate copper tacks which are true to the Shaker tradition.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and whether you’ve done no woodworking at all, or quite a lot, you’ll come away with three boxes and the satisfaction of making them from beautiful material for a great result. I think I’ll need to go back and do another Shaker box class with Alastair because, no, I can’t part with the three I’ve made!

Lucy Callaghan - 26th June 2012

categories Testimonial