Published: June 28, 2008 10:25 pm      

Woodworkers Guild housed in former lumber companyd

(First of a series)



Goshen residents may not be aware of a community treasure, the Goshen Woodworkers Guild, located behind the city’s farmer’s market.

The guild, begun in 1999, is an example of the community building and artistic encouragement that has been experiencing a revival in downtown Goshen in the past decade.

The guild is housed in the mill rooms of the old Home Lumber Co. Two spacious rooms, well lit by natural light on a sunny day, give plenty of counter space for members to work.

“That’s the advantage of the guild,” said member Cal Graber who first started working with wood as a young boy on his family’s Iowa farm. “You don’t have the hassle of setting up and tearing down at home. You can just spread out at the guild.”

Underneath the counters are cupboards with numbered doors where members can store their personal tools.

The shop was clean and well kept when I visited, although the thin layer of dust that covered the equipment bothered Ken Mirer, who kept a clean shop in his days as industrial arts teacher at Goshen High School. Mirer, who now heads the guild, kept saying, “We need to have a cleaning day in here.”

The guild is furnished with top-of-the-line equipment. “That’s one of the selling points of the guild,” said longtime member Mike Zehr, who joined the guild at its beginnings and now is one of its more consistent workers. “As a member, I have access to first-class tools that I could never afford to buy for my own personal use.”

Ken Mirer agreed: “I could never justify buying these tools for myself.”

The collection includes a 10-inch Delta unisaw, 12-inch Powermatic tablesaw, 16-inch bandsaw, 8- and 12-inch jointer/planers, 15-inch thickness planer, 24-inch wide belt sander, floor drill press and 36-inch lathe. The guild provides some smaller tools, including drills, nail guns and clamps, as well as a fume-absorbing spray booth.

“Most of our equipment was purchased secondhand or donated,” Mirer explained. “We’ve gotten some of it from shops that have gone out of business. One older gentleman, Ralph Bower, gave us some of his really fine equipment when he was no longer able see well enough to work any more.”

The Woodworker’s Guild has 40 members of varying degrees of experience, skill and commitment.

“We are real flexible here,” Mirer said. “If you get an idea for a project, you can come over to the Guild whenever you have the time and work on it at your own pace. There are no assigned projects.”

A small, oddly-shaped room on the west end of the building affords a pleasing view of the millrace. There members can pore over plans and read from a library of books and magazines covering all sorts of woodworking, from African arts to specialized furniture making.

According to Mirer, “We have all sorts of people in here, from those who’ve barely worked with wood in their life to professional cabinet makers.”

The guild offers a forum for members of all levels to learn, teach and share ideas. Periodically the guild offers classes.

“If one member is particularly good at a certain skill and other members are interested in learning it, then we offer a class,” Mirer said. Classes have covered blanket chest making, joinery, turning and a general beginner’s class.

A turning class taught by Paul Troyer was a favorite class of Mike Zehr and got him hooked on making bowls.

“I make a lot of bowls now on the lathe. I probably have 50 to 60 now,” he said.

Zehr also uses a segmenting technique to add extra interest to his bowls. He glues together pieces of contrasting wood before carving them out.

“Most of my work I either give to family and friends, or I donate to a cause like the Boys & Girls Club or a church youth group fund-raiser,” Zehr said.

Mirer agreed: “I like to make things for my kids and grandkids. A handmade gift means much more to them.”

Graber has donated a lot of his time and effort to Camp Friedenswald in Cassopolis, Mich., making bunk beds for six cabins.

Members usually work individually on their own projects, but sometimes they participate in a group project. Recently several members worked together to make a counter for the town’s new water and sewer department building on South Fifth Street. Members have also worked together to build bird houses and rocking horses to donate to charitable causes. Christmas is by far the busiest time at the guild.

“I had a vision for a guild like this for a long time,” Mirer said.

But it took the initiative of David Pottinger to make it happen.

“It all started,” Mirer recounted, “when Dave Pottinger came into my office one day about 10 years ago and said ‘I’m gonna change your life.’”

Pottinger, also a woodworker, had already helped to start the Clay Artists Guild and wanted to see something similar with woodworking. And so in 1999, the Woodworker’s Guild was born in the mill rooms of the dilapidated Home Lumber Co. along the millrace.

Pottinger, who is a restorer of old buildings, said, “Instead of building all new facilities, we take what is here to create a usable space.”

The property had its origins in about the 1840s, Pottinger explained. “Then it went through various owners through the years as it tried to compete with big corporations which started coming in.”

By the time Pottinger got to it, the place was in shambles.

“It was a mess,” Mirer said. “The buildings were falling down and rotting.”

Everyone expected the buildings to be torn down. However, with the hard work of Pottinger and the help of lots of volunteers, the lumber yard was put back into commission.

Members speak positively about their experiences in the guild.

“It’s a really nice asset to the community and to me personally,” Graber said. “It brings different people together for enjoyment and community. The location is great also. It is close to the downtown area and right next to the farmer’s market and the other guilds.”

Zehr appreciates the friendships he has made with other members. “We are like a little family,” he said.

Sometimes members bring in their sons and grandsons in to work with them.

“Hands-on experience is the best way for young people to learn and become interested in woodworking,” said Mirer, the former teacher.

Being in the guild requires cooperation and teamwork.

“That’s what we look for most when we interview people who want to be members,” Mirer said. “We accept people of all skill levels as long as they are willing to work with people and contribute to the guild.”

The guild puts out occasional newsletters, has meetings a few times a year and holds periodic work days to keep the space in good condition.

Guild members welcome new recruits, and they are still waiting for their first female member. The initial membership fee is $200 with a monthly fee of $50. Applicants for the guild will be interviewed by Mirer.

“We mostly just want to make sure that they will fit in well here and be good contributors to our community,” Mirer said.