Recently I participated in a one-day Shaker Box course at MGFW with two objectives in mind: One, to make some of these instantly recognisable oval boxes by hand using traditional techniques, and two, to experience an organised class at MGFW prior to participating in a longer and more involved course.

Over the day I, and the seven other participants, each completed three boxes of different sizes using a variety of beautiful Australian and imported exotic timbers. Tasmanian Blackwood, Ringed Gidgee and Coobah (Acacia Salicina) are my favourites. In his very well setup workshop Alastair showed us how to perform each step. We then tried to emulate Shaker craftsmen chamfering the swallow tails, heating and bending the sides and bands around their forms and clinching them with copper rivets, and finishing and precisely fitting the top and bottom to each box.

Alastair was ever ready to advise us on what to do and how to do it with plenty of good humour when things went awry. His enthusiasm for working with timber and fine woodwork is unlimited, and he clearly enjoys teaching and mentoring people with similar interests. MGFW is much more than doing only what is necessary to complete the task: Alastair encourages every class participant to discover and share with him a deep respect and admiration for the craftsmen of yore who, with their traditional tools and techniques and love of their work, produced exceedingly elegant and functional items that are used and greatly admired to this day.

I achieved much more than my initial objectives for the day - I now have a long list of people who would like one of those beautiful Shaker oval boxes , and I am really looking forward to a forthcoming Windsor chair-making course.

Simple Gifts indeed - thank you Alastair!

Leigh, June 2011