Hands-On Craftsmanship

Walking around the Rooster Woodshop at Masonic Villages, Jim Smith and Clarence “Brock” Brockman are like two kids in a candy store. Their excitement grows with each piece of equipment they show off. Their eyes gleam as they recall the projects they’ve completed and the ones in progress. And they are not alone. All of the 35 members of the woodshop share a passion for creativity, hands-on work and quality craftsmanship, Smith said. “We are all serious woodworkers,” he remarked. “We all take great pride in our work.”

Masonic Villages has had a woodshop on its grounds since 1963. In 1991, the shop relocated to a renovated chicken house, and in 2016, it moved to its current 8,700-square-foot building, funded primarily by resident Robert Umbaugh. The facility features workstations for each member; various equipment, including band saws, lathes, radial arm saws, sanders and joiners; a finishing room, complete with a spray booth; and a dust-collection system that keeps the mess to a minimum.

State-of-the-art equipment includes safety features such as a SawStop, which prevents users from encountering the blade. “You can’t hurt yourself on this,” Smith said. “Well, you can, but you’d have to be trying pretty hard. It’s nice for us old geezers.”

Each member brings his or her (currently, there is one female member) particular interest and skill to the shop. Both Smith and Brockman enjoy cabinet and furniture making. Other members like to turn wood, while others are into scroll and fretwork. A small store at the entrance to the woodshop is open to the public and showcases items for sale, created by members. Items include bowls, clocks, gavels, games, toys, cabinets, bird houses, tables and chairs. The members will complete custom orders by request and also offer repairs.

Members of the woodshop must be residents of Masonic Villages and must go through a vetting process. “Each member has to have experience with woodworking because of the equipment we use and the potential risk and danger in operating it,” Smith explained. Currently, the group’s youngest member is in his 60s, and Brockman, at age 97, is the oldest member. When members need ideas for projects, they often turn to Brockman, the club’s vice president, for suggestions.

Brockman said the woodshop gives him an outlet for socializing with other residents and allows him to engage his creativity. Both Brockman and Smith noted that the camaraderie of the group is a big draw for members. “We rely on each other constantly,” Smith commented. “We ask each other questions all the time. Nobody is experienced in everything.”

The woodshop is self-supporting, with members buying the wood, including sapele, cherry, oak, poplar, walnut, maple and pine. Any extra money the shop makes is donated to charities on the Masonic campus.

As for their favorite pieces they’ve ever made, both men said they can’t pick one. “There is always something that’s better,” Smith said, noting that each project turns out nicer than the last one. “Our favorite projects are the ones we’re working on right now.”

The Rooster Woodshop is located at 1 Umbaugh Drive, Elizabethtown. The showroom is open to the public from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays and 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays.

The Rooster Woodshop features workstations for members around the perimeter of the room.

Items created by woodshop members are for sale in an on-site store.

ONLINE NEW YEAR’S DAY AUCTI N

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R091388

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S . J 21

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Clarence “Brock” Brockman (left) and Jim Smith in the Rooster Woodshop

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