Students in Jeff Zimmer’s woodshop class (III & IV) have been achieving things even beyond the vision of their high school teacher’s expectations.
And it’s not just the boys who are flourishing.
Amongst the smell of sawdust and burnt wood and away from the usual tables, shelves and bookcases, three female students have been working hard on their works of art — creations worthy of being displayed prominently in ones living room, bedroom or office.
Ashley May, a senior at Becker High School, decided this semester she was going to make a cedar chest. After choosing a design and pattern from a picture she found on the internet, Ashley discussed the project with Zimmer and together they tweaked the design. Beyond that, Zimmer’s “teaching” is minimal as he allows the students to decide what kind of wood to use for their project and pull together all the necessary components to build and finish their assignments.
Zimmer is always on hand to help answer any questions or show techniques, but because this is an advanced wood class, he allows the students to grow and experience through their own daily tasks.
Ashley decided to use oak for the majority of the project and lined the cedar chest with cedar (of course) when it was close to being finished. The project began nine weeks ago and Ashley completed her chest just days before the term expired. She plans to utilize the trunk in her bedroom at home and fill it with blankets, clothes and shoes.
“I really like how it turned out and can’t wait to get it home and start using it,” she said.
Ashley also showed this reporter how students use the computer to design engraved artwork for projects and to set up precision-cutting tools to cut out handles in wood for serving trays or to have lettering carved into wood in all shapes and sizes.
Another senior student, Grace Olson, said she found a photo of a hall coat rack on Pinterest and decided right away that was what she wanted to build. Olson had a unique advantage over others — she has a grandfather (Rick) who works at Country Lumber so she was able to find tin from an old barn and some old cedar planks to make her project have that antique look to it.
“I like the older look in furniture,” she said. “I don’t know what I’ll do with it. Maybe give it to my mom.”
Her hall tree consists of a back panel in tin with a framed mirror hanging in the middle from some rustic rope. The piece has a table top and a shelf down below for shoes or other items. Hooks on the two sides of the hall tree can be used to drape a jacket, hat or even jewelry.
Another female student, Sam May (sister), a junior, found her idea also on Pinterest and built a huge wall picture frame consisting of 18 small picture frames all glued and screwed together.
“I like taking pictures so I thought this would be a great project,” Sam said.
She cut out the individual frames with the CC Cut machine, then routered, sanded and stained the pieces before assembling them in horizontal and vertical positions. Oak was her wood of choice.
“I wanted to do something different and not boring,” she said.
She plans to utilize her picture frame unit in her family’s home and fill it with pictures she decides.
One final student is Ben Blad and he is a junior at BHS. He is in a band with some friends so he decided he wanted to build his own guitar out of wood. He created the guitar’s shape by taking images from other guitars he’s seen and creating a one-of-a- kind look.
“It’s gonna be a six-string guitar and it’s sort of based on a guitar I already own,” he said. I plan to stain it green and finish it with a clear coat.”
Blad is using poplar wood for the body of the guitar and oak for the head, maple for the neck and rosewood for the fret.
Zimmer’s Wood Tech III & IV class consists of 31 students (normally, he has 20-24 students in his classes). Those he supervises keep daily logs and take photos for thier journals to keep him on track with how their projects are progressing.
Zimmer is in his 23rd year as a teacher at BHS.
