If you took notes on a few ways you can better your life through resolutions for the new year, you will know about a unique opportunity to master craftsmanship right here in Omaha. We urged you to consider learning a new skill in 2016, possibly while taking a seat at Bench.
Bench is a public woodworking shop, co-working space and artisan hub located in the north downtown area. They house hobbyists and professional makers of all kinds in their 10,000-square-foot facility, providing the community, equipment and space they need to build great things. But the beauty of Bench is that they bring the intimidation of the creative field down a notch by offering classes to anyone and everyone who wants to learn an artisanal trade. They provide classes on woodworking, metalsmithing, ceramics, photography and even coffee roasting.
If you find yourself excelling in these classes and want to take your skills to the next level, you might become a “Benchmate”, which includes unlimited access to their co-working space, and discounted prices for their classes and materials. Or maybe you already have a trade you practice, but lack the adequate space to work on projects. Becoming a Benchmate is the perfect way to have access to their incredible space and high-quality tools, and the creative community within their walls.
Speaking of their walls, the 2,500-square-foot workspace available to Benchmates is filled with commercial grade woodworking and metalworking machinery, power tools and hand tools, and even a room designated for finishing. In their upstairs Studio Commons, several local artisans inhabit private studios where they run their small businesses alongside a co-working and event space.
How did this all come about? Owner, founder and master craftsman Ben Petersen founded a furniture company, TimberSmith Goods, in 2009. He soon realized how difficult it is to run a small creative business without access to shop resources, exposure to a local market, and the support and mentorship of a like-minded community. He worked for several years from his home garage, but decided to fulfill a need in the Omaha community in 2012 when he founded Bench. It has now grown to be the ideal space for makers of all levels, from hobbyists to professional artisans.
Ben’s love for woodworking didn’t evolve in recent years or overnight. He grew up on the same farm that his father and grandfather grew up on in Iowa. At a young age, he observed his father work with wood and began to follow suit. At the age of 12, Ben built his first stool and was gifted a small workshop of his very own for his birthday, and he has been happily woodworking ever since. Ben is very active in the Bench community as he regularly works in the shop himself and collaborates with Benchmates.
Be a part of this exciting community by enrolling in a class. If you’re interested in woodworking, consider signing up for one of these upcoming woodworking classes, taught by Ben Petersen himself. Or consider one of the other classes with available upcoming dates.
Introduction to Woodworking Classes at Bench:
Saturday, January 9, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, January 30, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, February 20, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Bench’s Introduction to Woodworking class includes two classes rolled into one: Safety Orientation and Woodshop 101. This class offers a great overview covering the basics of shop safety while working at Bench, and gives each participant hands-on experience using every piece of equipment on site. You will practice a variety of cuts, skills and techniques, learn about traditional wood joinery and the process of turning a log into usable lumber.
Cost: $100 for non-members and $70 for members
Wood Materials and Joinery Techniques Classes at Bench:
Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Learn about the milling process, wood products, wood joinery and wood movement and grain at Bench’s two-hour Wood Materials and Joinery Techniques Class. What a wonderful, educational and fun way to spend your Saturday morning!
Cost: $60 for non-members and $50 for members
Box Making Classes at Bench:
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 from 7 – 9 p.m
This class is as straight-forward as the title sounds. Learn how to build four different boxes, including a miltered box, a finger-joined box, a dovetailed box and a rabbeted plywood box — each 1-foot-by-1-foot or less in dimension. The practical implication of this skill is to learn how to make case goods, cabinets or dressers.
Cost: $125 for non-members and $100 for members
PHOTOS COURTESY OF: Bench, Timbersmith, COOP