I enjoy taking classes that allow me to get out of my head and make useful and sometimes beautiful objects.

I took a machine shop class at Minuteman Regional Vocational High School. I learned how to use a lathe and a milling machine. I made the brass headed hammer and die wrench during that class. All the external threads are single pointed, the die wrench handles are knurled. This has given me an appreciation for the skill that a machinist brings to the craft.

I also took a cabinet making class at Minuteman. The blanket chest was an ambitious project for a beginning woodworker. To make this chest, I had to learn how to use a planer, jointer, router, and shaper. The project started with raw maple boards which had to be ripped, jointed, and planned. The top and panel inserts were assembled using biscuits and glue. The rails and stiles were constructed using mortise and tenon joints. It was finished with linseed oil. I use it for storage but also as a coffee table.

I have been taking pottery classes for several years. Making pots reinforces that there is always something new to learn and that practice leads to improvement. Pottery also reinforces that sometimes things may not go as planned but the result can be a pleasant surprise.