Alaska Creative Woodworkers association
a club for carvers, scrollers, and woodworkers
Woodworking Classes and Monthly Meetings
Woodworkers Monthly Meetings 2nd Tuesday of the Month.
Classes are held at the
Alaska Industrial Hardware Store (AIH)
2716 Commercial Dr, Anchorage, AK 99501
Monthly Meetings are held at the
Alaska Industrial Hardware Store (AIH)
2716 Commercial Dr, Anchorage, AK 99501
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$40.00 membership fee required to take classes, good for 1 year and covers a family,
Larry's Bar Stool
Date(s): February 21-22 and February 28-March 1.
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
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What you will make: Bar stool and angled legs with wooden contoured seat.Tools you will use: Jointer, table saw, planer, bandsaw, various hand tools.DIY dowel maker, tools to shape the contour of the seat including power grinders.
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: Working with angled mortise and tenonjoints, carving tools to shape seat.
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor: 40 years as amateur woodworker, 10+ years building houses and remodeling, Furniture and cabinet making experience,Musical instrument building,Timber framing experience.
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+ You must be at least an advanced beginner or an intermediate woodworker to sign up for this class.
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 6 students
Tools: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Materials List: Your choice of wood. Skill learned; picking out appropriate wood.
Seat: 8/4 Approx. 14”X18”
Legs: 8/4 Approx. 2”X2” X28” X 4
Rails: 4/4 Approx. 1X4 X 72” in 14, 12 and 10 inch lengths.
Please contact the instructor if you have questions about the materials or any other issue.
Cost: Each student will provide own materials. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee $220 Total cost: $260
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class. Please click here to join the club
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.
Contact: Instructor Larry Holman: holmanlarry750@gmail,com
Knitters Box
Date(s): January 3-4, 2026
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
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What you will make:A knitters yarn box with lid.
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Tools you will use:
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Knowledge and skills you will gain:
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor:Instructor John Fritz has been refining his woodworking skills for the past half-century while creating many furniture projects, heirloom boxes, and various wooden objects. He is becoming quite versatile at fixing and making invisible his numerous woodworking errors, miscuts, mismatches, etc
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 5 students
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $15 materials fee. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee: $15 Total cost: $70
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class. Please click here to join the club
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.
Contact: John Fritz: 907-382-0290
CNC Christmas Decorations 2025
Date(s): Dec. 6 & 7
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
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What you will make: You will make 6 Christmas Decorations with Epoxy inlay
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Tools you will use: Shark CNC Router Engraving Machine
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: How to use the Shark CNC Router Engraver
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor:This class is taught by Lisa Lackey, expert at engraving, design, and using a CNC router.
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 5 students
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $35 materials fee. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee: $10 Total cost: $$95
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class. Please click here to join the club
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.
Contact: Lisa Lackey at: 907-982-3495 or Sandy Mckinnis @ 907-562-3994.
Tissue Box Cover
Date(s): December 13-14
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
1. What you will make: , which can be a nice home accessory or a simple yet attractive gift. Sized to fit the 5 inch cubical tissue box commonly available. It is an open bottom box(roughly 6”x6”x6”), made from any hardwood, preferably with a contrasting top and exposed splines. One board ½” thick, 6” wide and 24” long will suffice for the sides; the top isa 6”x6” square of any contrasting or attractive piece 3/16” thick. Splines can be made from a 6” wide, 3/4 ” thick scrap board about 8” long. The corners are splined miter joints,with a final 45⁰ cut along each vertical mitered edge, to expose the contrasting spline. An additional option is, after the sides are fully prepped but not assembled, the CDCengraver can be used to decorate the sides. Others have knowledge of this machine, so I step back…
2. Tools you will use: Thickness planer, miter saw, table saw, dado blade or router table, oscillating spindle sander, scroll saw, clamps. not necessarily in that order. The woodsupplied will be a selection of hardwood boards which must be milled to size. I will try to prep some wood for the 3/16” tops. I will supply a template for the hole in the lid, either atsuba or an oval.
3. Knowledge and skills you will gain: Measuring and marking tips for accurate wood preparation,cutting accurate miter joints, adding spline slots to the miter face, cutting a dado,box gluing and clamping tips
4. Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor: John Fritz is a long-time, experienced woodworker who has taught several classes for the club. His projects are always innovative and useful.
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students limited to: 5
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $20 materials fee.$40 shop fee. Instructors fee: $10 Total cost: $70
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class.
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.
Contact: John Fritz at: 907-382-0290
Shoe/Hall Bench with Storage & Doors
Date(s):Jan 17-18, Jan 24-25, 2026
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Mar 21-22, 28-29
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
1. What you will make: Shoe/Hall Storage with Doors using Red Oak
2. Tools you will use: Table Saw or track saw, Panel cutting jig, Biscuit Router, Hand Router, Router Table, Jointer, Dado blades, Band Saw, Hand Drill, Drill Press, Sander/sanding blocks Hand Chisels, Clamps.
3. Knowledge and skills you will gain: Making Sliding dovetail, Assembly without metal, glue-up of wide boards, Rabbetting doors for sliding doors, setting router heights, Dado set-up
4. Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor: 45 years of self-styled woodworking, mostly utilitarian pieces. Occasionally working in American Cherry hand cutting dovetails. Also working with recycled wood.
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 4 students
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $310 materials fee. $40 shop fee. $20 Instructors fee Total cost: $370
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class.
Please click here to join the club
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded
on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.
Contact: Tom Rueter twrueter@gmail.com 907-223-2907
Mantle Clock
Date(s): 1-31-26, 2-1,7,8-2026
Time: 10am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
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What you will make: You will construct a 12 inch tall by 10 inch wide mantel clock with drawer.
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Tools you will use: Table saw, mitre saw, router, drill press, and CNC Router Engraving Machine
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: 1. How to construct a 25 piece clock case. 2. How to safety mill small pieces.3. How to use a router to cut 5 different profiles. 4. How to use a computer driven router engraving machine to make a clock face.
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructors: Sandy Mckinnis has been building things out of wood for over 40 years.She has taken many classes through the ACWA from both local and nationally recognized instructors.She particularly likes building furniture—couches, doors, bookcases, tables, etc.Tam Pikey has been taking classes through ACWC.
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 4 students
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $40 materials fee. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee: $60 Total cost: $140
Club Membership: You must be an ACWA member to attend this class. Please click here to join the club
Cancellation Policy: Club membership is not refundable. Fees will be refunded on a case by case basis or if we can find someone to take the spot.