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 Bench - May 2026
Date(s): May 23-24, 2026
Time: 9am to 4 pm. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store, 2716 Commercial Drive, Anchorage
Class Description:
1. What you will make: Wooden bench either of local Spruce or Birch approximately 3 to 5 feet long
2. Tools you will use: Jointer, table saw, band saw, table router, hand planes, chisels, Festool crosscut saw, Festool circular saw with track, clamps for gluing.
3. Knowledge and skills you will gain: Thru mortise and tenon joint with shim, working with green wood,
4. Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor: 10 years building houses. Furniture and cabinet making experience. Musical instrument building. Timber framing experience. Chainsaw milling,
5. Must be an advanced beginner in woodworking. Please identify which material you want to use for your project, either Spruce or Birch by paying the appropriate amount. I have enough of each for 3-4 woodworkers. First come first serve. Outdoor
Age: Adults; Young adults 16+
Number of Students: Class size is limited to 6 students.
Tools and Materials: All tools are provided. You do not need to bring any tools.
Cost: $20 for local Spruce, $40 for local Birch materials fee. $40 shop fee. $120 Instructors fee Total cost: $180-$200 depending on material chosen.
BIRCH Supply is now taken. Anyone signing up must select spruce.
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: Larry Holman at holmanlarry750@gmail.com
Potting Bench
Date: April 4 and 5, 2026, continued April 11-12 if necessary
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 , sturdily constructed from 2x4’s with a large 2 ft by 6 ft table surface, a soil-sieving hatch-covered area, a lower storage shelf, and upper shelves. This project can be made of either hem/fir dimensional lumber, or cedar. A rough estimate of cost of materials (to be reconciled later*) is:
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Participants must specify in advance which wood option they would like, so the supplies can be acquired and delivered to the AIH shop.
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Tools you will use:Tape measures, various marking tools, handsaw, miter saw, jigsaw, drill/driver, tin snips, hammer.
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: Saw to a line, frame construction techniques, how to fit wood around projections, how to cut curves in wood. This project is relatively simple, involving mainly straightforward sawcutting methods and screw joinery.
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor:John Fritz has been a woodworker for many decades and has taught several ACWA woodworking classes. He has constructed this very potting bench design, with his then-12 year old son as assistant.
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. Materials are provided, see note below.
Cost: $200 materials fee for hem/fir lumber; $450 for cedar. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee $10 Total cost: $250 or 500
*Exact materials fees will be determined after purchases, and participant costs adjusted accordingly*
**PARTICIPANTS MUST SPECIFY WOOD OPTION IN ADVANCE**
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 twinblade88@hotmail.com
Shoe/Hall Bench with Storage & Doors
Date(s): 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
Deck Planter
Date(s): May 9,10, 16, 17 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:Cedar Deck Planter Box
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Tools you will use: Table Saw, Router, Drill Press, hand drill, hand chisels, rasps, Miter Saw, Glue, Air Brad nailer,
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: Measuring, Uniform length cuts,
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor: 40 years Building utilitarian projects for use around home and office.
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: $115 materials fee. $40 shop fee. $25 Instructors fee Total cost: $180
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
907-223-2907
CNC Planter or Sign
Date(s): April 25th and 26th from 10-5
Time: See above. Lunch is not provided.
Where: Alaska Industrial Hardware Store; 2716 Commercial Dr., Anchorage
Class Description:
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What you will make: Students will design and rout the front panel of a planter box, or a sign.They will then construct a planter box incorporating the routed front piece, or will cut their sign to shape.
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Tools you will use: Computer, Origin CNC hand-held router for planter front piece or CNC Router engraving machine.Hand tools, table saw, mitre saw, and router for planter box construction.
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Knowledge and skills you will gain: How to use a hand held, CNC Origin Shaper, router engraver or a CNC Router Engraving machine; and construction of a simple box
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Brief woodworking related biography of the instructor:This class is taught by Amanda McGaha, expert at engraving, design, and using a CNC router, accomplished woodworker, and Sandy Mckinnis who has been building furniture and other woodworking projects for over 45 years.
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: $20 materials fee. $40 shop fee. Instructors fee: $20. Total cost: $80. $
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: Sandy Mckinnis @ akspeech@mtaonline.net.