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Have you ever dreamed of making something beautiful? Out of wood?? Then you should pop down to John and Ginny Matchaks Woodworkers Club. Theyll show you how to turn your dreams into anything from jewelry boxes to kitchen cabinets.
Thats what we love doing enabling people to stretch their imagination, says Ginny. Johns hobby had always been woodworking so when they saw an ad for a woodworking club down in Maryland, they set off to see what it was all about. They had work tables and equipment with all the tools people needed to come in and work on projects, she adds.
The Matchaks were so inspired that they bought the first franchise of Woodcraft, a nationwide chain of stores that sells everything for working with wood. And they built their own club, a place where novice woodworkers can learn the art of working with wood, and where professional tradesmen and furniture makers can find special tools that might be missing from their own arsenal.
Bobby Frisch, who was working on his first major project, a seven-foot dining table, was enthusiastic about all the help he had received. Everyone is really helpful, both the staff and other people working on projects. They showed me how to use all the tools and gave me great advice on how to finish the table.
We have a lot of ladies in our classes. They leave with chairs, bookcases one woman even made a boat! Our workshop manager, Katherine Park, has a degree in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design, and shes an inspiration to our students, Ginny continues.
The club is a full-service operation. Youll find a big selection of wood for projects, mostly domestic and locally harvested. If you feel brave enough to tackle a new kitchen, John can order furniture grade plywood with any veneer and you can take classes to make your own cabinets.
The Woodworkers Club is at 215 Westport Avenue, Norwalk. Telephone: (203) 846-4923
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