John Wilson, who unlocked the mysteries of Shaker oval boxes for millions of woodworkers around the world, died on Friday, Jan. 27. He was 83.
Wilson of Charlotte, Michigan, began his career as an anthropology professor, but then became a home builder and professional woodworker whose main line of business was building Shaker oval boxes and supplying woodworkers with the training and raw materials for these boxes (especially the copper tacks that hold the bent bands together).
But Wilson’s career encompassed more than just the beguiling and beautiful boxes. He also wrote extensively about toolmaking and taught classes on a wide variety of subjects, from boatbuilding to workbench building.
The business at the center of it all, The Home Shop (aka ShakerOvalBox.com), offers all the supplies and information that woodworkers need to build the boxes. Wilson retired fully from business in December 2022, leaving Eric Pintar, his long-time employee and partner, in charge of the business.
“John took full retirement… in full confidence that we will carry on with The Home Shop, and I’m ready to live into that,” Pintar said.
Pintar worked for Wilson for 28 years, and began as a shop assistant there when he was 16. In 2004, Pintar became an equal partner with Wilson in The Home Shop. Since the start of the pandemic Pintar had taken the lead responsibility for the output of the Home Shop including the teaching of Shaker oval box classes. With Wilson’s passing he takes ownership of the Home Shop and will lead it into the future.
So the supply of Shaker box supplies is secure for years to come, Pintar said. Still Pintar is humbled by the role he is moving to fill and said he is saddened that it is under these circumstances.
From Professor to Woodworker
Wilson grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., and was allowed full use of his father’s hand-tool workshop. While he studied anthropology at university, he worked as a carpenter on the side. After graduating with a master’s degree, Wilson taught anthropology at Purdue University, Michigan State University and Albion College. Despite his best efforts, a doctoral dissertation eluded him, thus ending a career as a university professor. Wilson then went to work in home construction.
In 1977, Lansing Community College offered him a job teaching furniture design. There was a catch: The class began in two hours, according to a 2007 interview of Wilson by Kara Gebhart Uhl. On his way to class, Wilson checked out Ejner Handberg’s “Shop Drawings of Shaker Furniture and Woodenware, Vol. 1” (Berkshire House). That book, and the course, led Wilson to investigating the Shaker’s oval boxes and figuring out how to make them.
“To be able to take the methods used by the Shakers and share those with others is a very beautiful thing, and in the spirit of the Shakers,” Pintar said. “Before John (making these boxes) was mysterious. He brought the methods and materials to the public.”
Wilson began making the boxes to sell and taught others how to make them in classes all over the country. That led to him starting The Home Shop, a large workshop on his land that he built using mostly recycled materials. The Home Shop supplied makers of Shaker boxes everything they needed to build them, including the carefully sawn wooden bands, plans and – most importantly – the copper tacks.
In 1991, the W.W. Cross Nail Co. – the last copper tack manufacturer – stopped making tacks. Wilson acquired their machinery and began making seven sizes of tacks and 1/2” copper shoe pegs. The noisy, ingenious machines crank out a pound of tacks in about 15 minutes. In the early 2007 interview, Wilson said he was making about 300 pounds of tacks a year.
Wilson insisted for years on keeping the personal touch with The Home Shop. It was years before they had a website. Orders were taken over the phone and shipped with a bill – the honor system.
The Home Shop also offered classes on toolmaking (planes, spokeshaves and travishers), joinery (hand-cut dovetails, mortise-and-tenons), plus sailboat building and paddle making.
John Wilson & John Brown
I first heard of Wilson by reading the column of Welsh chairmaker John Brown (aka JB) in Good Woodworking magazine. JB took his first trip to teach chairmaking in America in 1997 and taught at Drew Langsner’s school, Country Workshops in North Carolina, and at The Home Shop in Charlotte.
Wilson always used an efficient blend of machinery and hand tools to make furniture. JB, on the other hand, used only a band saw to rough out the pieces and then was passionate (probably an understatement) about using hand tools only for the remainder of the work.
During the class, the men famously butted heads. Though Wilson was hosting the class, he also was a student in it. So when Wilson got behind in his work in the class, he would try to catch up in the wee hours of the morning with the help of some power tools.
JB was furious.
“I received a proper dressing down such as a boot camp sergeant might give,” Wilson told Gebhart in 2007. “I stood attentive like a good solider, listening to a man deserving of respect because of his expertise and experience. I could appreciate his point of view, so passionately given, on the virtue of hand tools while blending that kernel of truth with the mix of tools I had just employed that morning.”
JB also confiscated a micrometer from one of the students and threw it in a lake.
In the end it all turned out OK, and Wilson ended up making several of the chairs for his family: his wife, Sally, and children Molly and Will.
Writing it Down
In the early 2000s, Wilson began writing magazine articles and books to help spread the word about Shaker oval boxes and toolmaking. He wrote multiple articles for Popular Woodworking Magazine, which is how I got to know him. Many of his articles are free for the reading here on The Home Shop’s website.
Plus he wrote and self-published four books. Three were on Shaker Oval Boxes plus “Making Wood Tools.” Like his business in general, Wilson made his books with a careful eye to quality with a personal touch – every book was autographed.
I made several visits to The Home Shop to help take photos for Wilson’s articles. I was always struck by how nearly everything there was made by him. I mean everything. He built the buildings, the kiln, the shop, the storage areas. Plus everything inside them.
His work was always soft and humane. The workshop was flooded with light thanks to enormous skylights (salvaged from sliding doors). I got to stay in his so-called “Little House,” a 15′ x 15′ structure where he lived for 12 years. This building – built decades before the “tiny house” movement – was incredibly well-considered. It felt absolutely roomy and comfortable thanks to his planning and careful construction of every bit.
As a person, Wilson was remarkably generous with his knowledge and his time. He sent hand-written letters (always accompanied by a postcard for The Home Shop). And he has been generous to the craft. His work with oval boxes has launched the woodworking businesses of hundreds of people over the years, and he never sought credit or royalties or anything. He just seemed thrilled that other people enjoyed making the boxes as much as he did.
Thanks to Wilson, I’ve made a bunch of these oval boxes – they are incredible gifts to give. And I couldn’t have done it without him.
So thanks John, for everything you gave us and more. You will be missed.
— Christopher Schwarz (photos by Al Parrish)
I enjoyed a sheer box class thought by him 10+ years ago. He was a class act…
RIP John Wilson…never had the privilege to meet him but he seemed very generous with his knowledge. His book Make Wood Tools is a favorite. Lost a good one.
I had the good fortune to take several classes at John’s shop, including the nesting shaker box class. He will be missed.
I took the Shaker Box class with John. He came to the Kansas City Woodworkers’Guild several times thru the years. He was a true Craftsman who shared his knowledge. He will be missed.
A legend. I saw a video with him once and he said something along the lines of “they say you can’t take it with you but you know what you do take with you? Your knowledge, unless you share it.”. That’s stuck with me.
It stuck with me as well. I have taught a couple of Shaker Box classes using his methods and I only charge for materials and overhead. They are a great non intimidating entry to woodworking.
John was an incredibly generous and gentle man and will be missed by many.
I took a travisher class at his shop about 10 years ago and still use it. It was a fun class and he was a great guy.
Well, now I’ll have to get out in the shop and build the Shaker Box kits I bought. I’ll be thinking about John Wilson and the friends and family that kind man left behind.
My memory of John will be the many phone conversations I’ve had with him throughout the years. I cherish his thoughts and ideas and even though I did not take the opportunity to meet him in person, I will always remember his kind words and his enlightenment to the richness he passed to all his friends. I will always have cherish thoughts of him while constructing the art of shaker box making.
Joe Souza
This is incredibly sad. He had so many accomplishments. By rescuing his tack machines from being melted down for scrap by Cross, he single-handedly saved the craft.
His honor system for purchasing supplies is remarkable in the 21st century. And a point he made in his classes, books, and articles, was to share your knowledge freely with everyone — something we’ve read many times from Chris as well.
Best of luck to Eric and The Home Shop.
Similar to others above, I took a class with him in Shaker Village in Kentucky. Best time, best value course I’ve taken so far. Insanely organized, to get 5 nesting boxes done. Good man, clear and helpful in his direction. He’ll be missed.
Completely agree
I took his class of Shaker boxes in the early 90s. Loved it! He was kind and generous.
A beautiful story about another True Master of the craft. While I was never lucky enough to have met John, I feel as if I do know him from your story. I pray he is at peace now thanks for the story.
Thank you for this sad news about this wonderful man and woodworker. He will be missed, but thanks go to Eric Pintar for continuing the Shaker Oval Box Company.
I have great admiration for him. I learned to make Shaker boxes from someone who took his class and eventually I taught others and worked with my 12 year old daughter to have her make some. I have bought supplies from him and have his box-making booklets. I also got one chance to meet him on a trip to MI. He was a great and humble guy and the world owes him a favor for his renaissance of Shaker box making. RIP John.
We need more men like John, I am afraid they are a dying breed as time passes.
Have talked with him over the phone placing an order, he was so very kind and genuinely interested in talking about our craft. RIP Good Sir
I’m so very sorry to hear this. I met john once, about thirty years ago. He was very kind and generous with his time. I later ordered some tacks from him as well as some shoe pegs (I’m a former bootmaker and I thought those copper pegs were really cool).
I’m ashamed to say I still haven’t made a box but I have the tacks and plenty of time on my hands.
I am a little conflicted by John….his shop in less that 2 hours from our house in ann arbor, and my wife and i took a 3 day box class about 10 years ago(maybe more !)….john gave some wonderful lectures but did little teaching….john had recently married a considerably younger woman and spent most of the time in their house……..his assistant did most of the instruction was quite good and i think was from ohio, although i do not remember his name………it was a definitely a worthwhile experience and we came home with 3 boxes each, but the shop was somewhat outdated and with no dust collection to speak of………john taught at kelly mehlers, once or twice, and even at kelly’s, shop the dust was an issue…………john was extremely gifted and i will remember him fondly………………
I meet John several years ago, spent a few hours touring his shop and had a wonderful time. His boxes, his skills and his dedication to the craft was beyond that of an ordinary craftsman. We will all miss him.
I just used his tip for putting a few grains of salt into the glue when it was slipping at glue-up. It worked great and I thought about the show I saw him do it on.
I was lucky enough to have taken a class there about a year before the pandemic. It was a combined class where Eric was leading the half I was in and John was leading the other half. Good to hear Eric is continuing the shop’s life.
I’ll be careful about how I say this, but the most startling thing — in a good way — about John and his shop was his clear desire for inclusivity in the craft. Woodworking is weirdly insular and intimidating to dive into as a new hobbyist. John’s shop was just like… “Oh, this is a place I can be myself, and I can be as bad/good at this stuff as I need to be at this point in time.”
Such sad news. I learned box making from John. He was a good guy, welcoming to students, and fair with his customers. Thankfully Eric will continue to carry the torch.
I talked to John once, when ordering supplies to make some boxes. It was shortly after the article ran in pop wood. I brought up the article, then I found out it was him. He talked to me about some gotchas and lookoutfors when building the boxes. Very heart warming experience with a vendor.
The sad part is I built two boxes and didn’t enjoy the process at all. I remember scarfing was a royal pain. After all these years I’m glad I still remember the call. Also, building the boxes gave me the confidence to build a ukulele (tedious, but super fun). No idea what happened to the boxes.
It is always sad when we can no longer benefit from the company of Good People.
Like so many of us, I got to “know” Mr. Wilson through his boxes and materials. Over the years I’ve purchased a good amount of the materials. It was always of the best quality to make a fine box. So sorry to hear of his passing. Working with him felt so personal, even if so distant–his touch was remarkable. I am delighted the business will continue with Eric (also a pleasure to work with).
What a shame but such good news that he had the foresight to pass on the business to his longtime business partner. I always thought it such a sign of an old-fashioned businessman that he would send the order with a simple receipt and then you mailed the payment afterwards. What trust and a throwback to simpler times.
I crossed paths with Mr Wilson while I was working at Tillers International and he was conducting a class on Shaker Boxes. I wasn’t even a student in his class but he managed to learn my name before meeting me
A beautifully written and informative tribute.
Thank you.
I had the great pleasure of meeting John in (I think) 1986. He was talking to a university woodworking class in England, about the Shakers, their furniture and those beautiful boxes, of which he fetched many examples in various states of completion.
A true gentleman and, to a certain extent, already grieving for the loss of the Shakers themselves. If memory servers me right, there were only three Shakers still alive at that time.
We built Sailor Girl 2 in The Home Shop when all four kids were almost all still in single digits and she is still sailing today. Then I helped John make sails for another Sailor Girl weekend workshop. He is a treasure who will be missed. ❤️
We built Sailor Girl 2 at The Home Shop when our four kids were almost all still in single digits, and she still sails today. Then I helped John make sails for another Sailor Girl weekend workshop. He is a treasure and will be missed. ❤️
I never had the pleaser of meeting, John in person, I have spoken with him on the phone on a couple of occasions. He was helpful and more than generous with his knowledge. He supplied me with materials to make three (3) cheery #17 SOB before the pandemic shutdown, he even supplied copies of instructions from his book on how to make them. I have built a large trough to prep the bands but not made the boxes. I had told John I would send a picture when I completed the boxes, I am deeply sorry not to have done the boxes sooner. I will include a dedication on the boxes to John when completed. John Wilson, may you rest comfortably in peace with Jesus, a fellow craftsman.
My name is David Abeel, I have been teaching Windsor chair classes at the home shop with John for close to 10 years. Wonderful essay about John. Thank you Chris for writing.
I took John’s travisher class 10 years ago and while complementing him for a fun Saturday I said “john, great class but most of the students here have no practical use for the tool they just made. You need to be offering a Windsor chair class so they can come back and put those travishers to work.” John said “most chair class are a week long affair. This shop has to be back on line Monday morning ready to make shaker box supplies. If you can do a chair class in two days, we could give it a try.”
And so a wonderful relationship, and a whole new line of offerings at the Home Shop began.
Rest in Peace my friend.
I took Johns class at Pleasant Hill KY back in ’96 and had the pleasure of meeting him several more times over the years. I’ve continued making boxes ever since albeit not as consistently as I’m like but John (and Eric) wee always there when a problem or challenge arise. I’m very glad to hear the Home Shop will continue in Eric’s capable hands but John will be missed.@
I had the great pleasure to meet John years ago and took a couple of classes that he taught. What a kind and giving person to everyone he was in contact with. He will be missed.