Denny Huber
Have you ever taken a deep look at a finely crafted jewelry box and thought, “I could never make one of these; only a highly skilled craftsman could do this.”
Well, I hate to tell you this, but you may be wrong.
That jewelry box-maker didn’t start off by making jewelry boxes. He or she probably started with a bird house like every other woodworker. And that’s our approach at Quail Creek Woodcrafters—you can start out and advance to any level that you’re comfortable with.
There seems to be an underlying misconception in Quail Creek that the wood shop is only for folks who really know their craft. Not true! Of the 114 current members, maybe a third are novices and beginners; bird house level. Another third are intermediate and learning, and the remaining third are fairly advanced (and still learning).
The wood shop is open to club members any time there is a monitor present. To become a club member, you need to be a Quail Creek resident, take a safety training course (no matter your skill level), pay dues—$50 annually—and sign a safety pledge.
We take safety very seriously and in the six years the shop has been open, no finger has been left behind!
Our list of woodworking tools is fairly complete: three table saws, four band saws, two lathes, a drill press, a miter saw, a jointer, a planer, a scroll saw, a router station, drum sanders, three work tables, and lots of hand and power tools. Unique among wood shops, we also have a CNC machine, which is a computer-controlled router that can do all kinds of lettering and intricate designs.
A dust collection network keeps the shop clean—well, clean enough.
If you think your wares are good enough to sell, you can even do that. The shop has a display case that features all kinds of items from pepper grinders to cutting boards to bowls.
Various contingents of the membership are involved in charitable woodworking. We have groups who make wooden toys for the Tucson Medical Center and Diamond Children’s Hospital. Another group makes keepsake wooden boxes, also for Diamond Children’s Hospital. We have an individual who makes small decorative bowls for Beads of Courage.
If you find that you are interested in exploring your woodworking skill levels, you can simply drop by the wood shop, or look for us online at QCWoodCraftersClub.com.