Chuck Bender - Woodworking

Build a Tall Case Clock Week 1 – Hands-on Class
2020-07-23 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-07-24 08:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Acanthus Workshop, 62 Indian Trail Rd., Jim Thorpe, PA, 18229, United States
To many woodworkers, the tall case clock represents the pinnacle of furniture making. This is your chance to reach that summit. Join me for this 2-week class and build something extraordinary – a Simon Willard tall case clock.
Tall Case Clock
You’ll start the first week of the class at the top. That’s right, the hood is where the project begins. It may be the smallest component of the entire clock, but there’s more to making a clock hood than meets the eye. It’s a complex case that will put all your skills to the test.

3D Cutting Board With Alex Snodgrass – Hands-on Class
2020-07-25 09:00 - 16:30, 2020-07-26 09:00 - 16:30
Make a 3D Cutting Board with Alex Snodgrass here in the Acanthus Workshop. Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, you can learn how to make a beautiful, mystifying end-grain cutting board.
3D Cutting Board with Alex Snodgrass
This hands-on class begins by teaching you how to tune a bandsaw to make perfect cuts. Once learned, this skill makes future bandsaw use a breeze. You will then progress through the techniques required to make the cutting board: how to make dead-on straight cuts on the bandsaw, how to make accurate angled cuts on the bandsaw, and how to plane, sand, glue, and clamp the cutting board.
Using only three woods, walnut, cherry, and maple, you’ll work under Alex’s direction to make a beautiful and functional cutting board that you’ll take home. More importantly, you’ll go home with the knowledge and experience to be able to set up a bandsaw to make accurate cuts regardless of what you’re making. Oh, and you’ll be able to easily repeat the construction process to make enough 3D cutting boards for all your friends and family.

Shaper Basics – Sponsored by Felder USA
2020-07-27 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-07-28 08:30 - 16:30
Shapers are one of the more misunderstood machines in the workshop. In fact, many woodworkers avoid owning or using a shaper because they believe they are unreasonably dangerous. By eliminating the shaper in the shop based on irrational fear, many woodworkers limit their capabilities and the options available to them. In Shaper Basics we’ll dispell the mysteries surrounding this essential shop tool.
Shaper Basics
The shaper is much more than an oversized router table, and its capabilities are far greater. In Shaper Basics you’ll gain a broader view of how a shaper can increase the options available to you in the shop.

Essential Shaper Jigs – Sponsored by Felder USA
2020-07-29 08:00 - 17:00, 2020-07-30 08:00 - 17:00, 2020-07-31 08:00 - 17:00
A few shop-made shaper jigs allow you to make custom moldings or creating tight-fitting joints easily and accurately. In Essential Shaper Jigs you’ll learn how to make and use several single and multipurpose jigs.
Essential Shaper Jigs
Many woodworkers wrongly assume the only thing a shaper can do is make sticks of molding. And while it does a good job of that particular job, there’s so much more the tool can accomplish with the application of a few well-made jigs.

Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table – Hands-on Class
2020-08-03 09:00 - 16:30, 2020-08-04 09:00 - 16:30, 2020-08-05 09:00 - 16:30, 2020-08-06 09:00 - 16:30, 2020-08-07 09:00 - 16:30
The Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table class is perfect for the beginning furniture maker or the master.
Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table
Although this project looks complex, this mid-century modern coffee table is perfect for the budding furniture maker. Simple wedged, round-tenon joinery gives this table an elegant appearance without being ornate.
Some of the skills learned in the Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table class are:

Proper project planning
Round-tenon joinery
Preparing surfaces for finish
Matching figure in wood to provide the best possible look for your project

Make a Boston Blockfront Chest – Hands-on Class
2020-08-10 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-08-11 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-08-12 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-08-13 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-08-14 08:30 - 16:30
The Boston Blockfront Chest is a distinctly American form. Not only are the drawer fronts stepped (or blocked) to form symmetrical concave and convex surfaces, but the top, base molding, and feet are blocked as well.
Boston Blockfront Chest
This 5-day class begins with case construction. You’ll learn how to form the blocked drawer blades that separate the four blocked drawer fronts. With the case together, you’ll move on to forming the drawer fronts to match the blades. The week wraps up with the creation of the base molding and feet.

Build a Tall Case Clock Week 2 – Hands-on Class
2020-08-31 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-01 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-02 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-03 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-04 08:30 - 16:30
To many woodworkers, the tall case clock represents the pinnacle of furniture making. This is your chance to reach that summit. Join me for this 2-week class and build something extraordinary – a Simon Willard tall case clock.
Tall Case Clock
Week two begins with lower-case construction. You’ll build the structure that keeps the works and hood elevated for centuries. we wrap up the week with decorating the case with inlay stringing and shaded fans.

Sliding Table Saw Basics – Sponsored by Felder USA
2020-09-14 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-15 08:30 - 16:30
Whether you’re new to sliding table saws or a seasoned pro, Sliding Table Saw Basics will bring you up to speed and help you get more out of your saw. You’ll learn basic setup, calibration, and usage for a table saw with an emphasis on safety.
Sliding Table Saw Basics
Sliding table saws do everything a fixed table saw does only better and safer. In this class, we’ll explore the differences between a sliding saw and a non-sliding saw and why a slider makes the most sense for nearly every type of woodworker. Take your saw’s precision and safety to new levels with Sliding Table Saw Basics.

Essential Table Saw Jigs – Sponsored by Felder USA
2020-09-16 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-17 08:30 - 16:30, 2020-09-18 08:30 - 16:30
When it comes to sliding table saws there are a few essential jigs you need in order to take advantage of the saw’s capabilities. In this class, you’ll not only learn how to make these jigs but also how to use them.
Essential Table Saw Jigs
By making multi-purpose jigs for your sliding table saw you can dramatically increase the safety of the machine. Using the slider for most operations dramatically reduces the risk of kickback and danger to your fingers.

Woodworking Fundamentals – Hands-on Class
2020-09-21 08:30 - 16:30
The five-day Woodworking Fundamentals program is one fun-filled, action-packed week of woodworking!
Woodworking Fundamentals
Whether you’ve never worked wood before, or you’re a master, after one week in our shop you’ll have the basics needed to start your woodworking hobby or career. As a student, you will learn about hand tools and how to use them. You will learn about the basic machines used in today’s fine woodworking projects. Your skills will all come together with lessons on how to create shop drawings, choose the right lumber for your project as well as a good working knowledge of the basic woodworking joints. Students begin building a one-drawer stand that they can take home.
