Wood Workers Craftsmen

There are craftsmen like these men who will give their time and talents to help children in low-income families in every community in America

he builders of the bookcases should possess the minimum requirements to operate hand and electrical tools for cutting, planing, routing, clamping, and gluing wood such as plywood, medium density fiber board and solid wood material. If one possesses the capability to construct tables, furniture or cabinets, then the bookcases will be no difficulty.

he craftsmen should have a leader selected by your bookcase project committee. It is unnecessary for this person to be a master craftsman, but the leadership skills to direct and delegate others for procurement of wood material and other material as needed and to guide the builders through the whole process. This process includes everything from purchasing of the materials to the delivery of the bookcases to the location of the Awards Ceremony.

ou will be able to locate and secure many good woodworking craftsmen, starting with your central community. Other possible sources would be from among friends, co-workers, wood worker clubs, and local chapters of AARP. Some other craftsmen may also respond to the flyer that was included in the book at your “Bookcase Literacy Banquet.” You will need 4 or 5 craftsmen, with several in reserve, when or if situations of absence arise.

ne or two persons can do the work but the meaning of community spirit and fellowship is missed when the efforts are limited to a few. Remember though, a quality repeatable product is most desirable. All work is performed by volunteers and all woodworkers must declare that if any accidents occur, then the individual is solely responsible and no group is chargeable.

Purchasing of Materials

nder no circumstances should material purchases be made until monies are available and a schedule is set by the Bookcase Project Committee for the Awards Ceremony. The Awards Ceremony will allow the craftsmen to move back from the ceremony date to allow sufficient time to order material and do all cutting and assembling, plus the finishing and storage. Your Craftsman Leader may purchase the products or delegate to a responsible craftsman for the purchase of the material requested.

Material needed for 50 bookcases are:

• Solid hardwood, we prefer red oak, approximately 200 board feet; three quarter inch oak veneer or MDFO, medium-density fiberboard with oak overlay, approximately 16 sheets.
• One-quarter-inch oak plywood for the bookcase backs, 9 sheets are required.
• Yellow glue, high quality, approximately 4-5 bottles, 16 oz. each.
• Shelf pins, we prefer brown, 200 required. Power, table or cabinet, saw blades, high quality one each of crosscut and rip.
• Dado blade set, good quality.
• Router bits, one each, high quality, ¼, round over and cove bits either ¼ or ½ shank to the craftsmen type.

Construction Area

he bookcase project committee should assist the craftsmen in securing a good place to construct the bookcases. It may also be possible to store them there until the Awards Ceremony takes place. Be sure to consider the time of year when the construction will actually take place due to heat or cooling for the craftsmen. In Conway, Arkansas our craftsmen have been given the privilege of assembling the bookcases in a local Church fellowship hall. This only requires 2-3 weeks but thorough clean-up is a must.

Finishing

he finish on the bookcases should be in a professional manner by the craftsmen or by a local finishing/painting shop. We are fortunate to have a man in our community who owns a paint company and allows us to use his equipment free of charge. We use all-volunteer labor but pay him a small amount of money for his stain and varnish materials.

Nameplates

he children’s nameplates should be attached after the final finish is applied and before the Awards Ceremony. Brass name plates are available from several different places, most likely an awards/trophy shop. The Director and staff of the Head Start Centers will submit the names of the children to the chairman of the craftsmen committee, who are to receive a bookcase. Have the Head Start people recheck the names and the spelling because it is critical to get the spelling of the child’s name on the nameplate spelled correctly.

A personalized name-plate means a lot to a child from a low-income family

Storage

he finished bookcases should be stored in a secure place before transporting them to the Awards Ceremony. It may be possible to store them for a short time at the location where the Awards Ceremony takes place. Remember transportation and storage is an important part of this process.