It's sweater season. Flip-flops are buried under muck boots. Decorative gourds have again infested your dinner table. And along with a renaissance of cider and earth-tones come three months of scheduled classes from your friends at Measure Twice.
We've hit the harvest-field running. Starting in October we're offering two donation-based classes, both onTuesday evenings: an Introduction to the Wood Shop, and an Explanation of Sharpening. And back by popular demand, we'll be hosting another Hand Hewing Workshop, paid, full day.
The long-form course descriptions can be found below.
An Introduction To Wood Shop Tools
The wood shop is a place of dexterity,
care, rumination and production. Most of the tools found there in
have existed largely unchanged for two-hundred years, some a
millennium. They can be loud, intimidating and flat out
unwelcoming. MT is providing you the opportunity to gain familiarity
with an unexplored environment.
For all ages, genders and experience
levels we're offering a free Introduction to Wood shop Tools. One by
one, we will cover the most often used hand and power tools found in
any garden-variety wood shop. We will present each tool with its'
nomenclature, save use, and history. Participants will be encouraged
to use each tool after professions demonstrate appropriate practices.
Safety equipment, tools, and measured
guidance will be provided. A five to ten dollar donation would be
appreciated, but is by no means required. Running from 6:35 –
8:00pm, Tuesday, October 9th at 339 Pine Street, BVT, in
the wood shop of Waste Not Products. Call 802-578-2286 for answers.
- - -
An Explanation of Knife & Chisel Sharpening
You should know it's happened to me
too. You don't have to be ashamed. I've been there before: your
friends are gathered in the kitchen. Music playing. Pot
luck-giddiness in the air. You take out one of the good knives. You
feel the soft, heirloom flesh under your fingers. Metal connects with
the skin of the fruit and it's like a Twizzler on a water balloon.
You're making crushed tomatoes, not caprese.
Take some pride in your equipment. Take
some time with your equipment. We'll bring the stones. You bring
your knives, chisels, and anything else you want to take a stab at
sharpening. We have to warn you: it's not easy and it takes time.
You may take a step backwards in the process. We also need to warn
you that it's addictive, meditative, and deeply satisfying.
It's also happening from 6:30pm –
8:00pm on Tuesday, October 16th at 339 Pine Street in
Burlington, VT. As always, in the production facility of Waste Not
Products. A ten to twenty dollar donation is requested but not
required, as sharpening does degrade stones. Call 802-578-2286
should you have the need.
- - -
Hand Hewing Workshop
This summer, in the ungodly high heat
of July, six sweaty fools turned three logs into posts & beams.
They used axes, a level, a chalkline, and hard-headed determination.
Some of the axes had been around longer than the State of Montana.
Everyone left with a keen appreciation of the past and a more-robust
upper body.
Just as before we'll start in the shop
with some seasoned oration on history, care and importance. We'll
move on to sharping as no thinking person uses a dull tool. Finally,
before lunch, we'll move out to the hewing field and have at it.
Same place, new time: running from
9:00am – 4:00pm on October 20th down in the old Waste
Not Products wood shop at 339 Pine Street in Burlington, VT.
Fifty-Five dollars gets you in the door and includes all equipment
and complementary blisters. As always, call 802-578-2286 with
questions or concerns.
