I’ll be in Anchorage, Alaska – at least hope to be – from Feb. 28-March 6 to give a presentation on Western Shaker furniture, then teach two hand-tool woodworking classes.
It’s expensive not only to fly folks in to teach, but to have the wood shipped in – so I need a few more students than usual to make it viable for the club.
The first class – the Boarded Bookshelf from Christopher Schwarz’s “Anarchist’s Design Book” – is a two-day: Feb. 29-March 1 ($425). The second class – the Dutch Tool Chest – is a three-day: March 4-6 ($450).
So if you’re in the Anchorage area, or want to take a trip that could involve not only woodworking, but the start of the Iditarod, please consider signing up! Note that the registration fees include the wood – which makes these incredibly inexpensive in comparison to classes in our shop (I dropped my cut to a crazy low rate because, well, Alaska! Iditarod!). For more information and to register, visit the Alaska Creative Woodworkers Association website.
Shipping lumber TO Alaska?
Forget that I asked. I can see that how you would need a stack of good predictable lumber for a short class Finding a local supply would be challenging, especially if you are doing it from out of state.
I live 60 miles from the Pacific, but the last three times I bought sardines or kippers they came from Maine, Poland or Thailand. I have only ever used Oregon sardines for bait.
Struggling to find a lesson in there… here it is: stay away from the Thai sardines. Scales.
There is only one store in Anchorage that sells hardwood, they’re only open 8-4:30 M-F and their whole inventory fits into what amounts to a two bay mechanics garage.
I’m not an Alaskan native, but have been a tourist there. Anchorage has a lot to offer. Yes, they do have paved streets and Walmart. Take a day trip and walk on a glacier with no mamby pamby fences or guide ropes; yes, you really can slip into a crevasse if you are stupid. Long winded way of saying thumbs up to a trip to Alaska for anyone thinking about it.
Check to see if the Iditarod still has the “red lantern award” for the team that comes in last. My ex was once upon a time a bank teller in Anchorage and that bank was a sponsor of the award. Commemorative sweatshirts from the ’80s had a rendering on the lantern on the front and a dog’s “pucker” on the back (because that was your view for much of the race).
More fun than Shakespeare? wow ! Good for you!