Good morning, I hope everyone is doing well!
Fall has arrived here in Maine—my favorite time of year! The temperatures are cooler, and the colors have peaked. While I didn’t manage to put together my usual fall color batch of boxes, I’ve included a photo from previous years to bring a little bit of autumn to you. Hopefully, by next year, I’ll be back on a more typical schedule now that the new workshop addition is completed and fully operational!
I wanted to share a few updates from the workshop and highlight some exciting things coming up. It’s been a busy but productive year, and I’m looking forward to the projects I’ve got lined up in the months ahead. I’d also love to get your feedback on one of my planned projects—more on that below!
For those who ordered one of the antique newspaper-lined Shaker boxes, thank you so much! I hope you’re enjoying them as much as I enjoyed making them.
Unfortunately, after fulfilling pre-orders, I didn’t have any extras to list on the website. However, I’m currently working on a new round of items that have been requested over the past few months. The bands have been bent, painted, and are well on their way to completion. This next batch should be ready around the first of December—just in time for Christmas! Expect to see divided carriers, round recessed lid boxes, and much more. Keep an eye out if you’re looking for something special this holiday season!
I’d love your input on an upcoming project. After the first of the year, I’m planning to create some pieces using Civil War-era newspapers, which feature articles on battles and historical moments. Tricia and I picked up a large stack of these newspapers a few months back, and I’ve been saving them for something special.
I’m considering incorporating them into trays or carriers where the newspapers will be visible. What do you think? Would you prefer to see them in trays, carriers, or even boxes? Your feedback would be really helpful in shaping this project, so please feel free to share your thoughts!
I’m happy to report that the workshop expansion is fully up and running! The cedar shingles are on, and I’ve added some new equipment that’s making a big difference—a second drum sander, a planer, and a transfer blower to handle the sawdust. This setup allows me to mill more lumber while keeping the main workshop relatively dust-free.
Thanks for your patience while I worked on getting this project finished!
Over the past few months, I’ve heard from fellow box makers and instructors across the country who have had trouble sourcing materials. Several reached out to me, asking if I could sell some of the lumber I mill here. To help keep the box-making tradition alive, I started listing lumber and tacks on my website, and so far, it’s been a success!
Recently, I fulfilled an order for a high school in Massachusetts for 125 students. Who knows—maybe there’s a future box maker in that group? I plan to expand this offering after the first of the year, including various forms, templates, and maybe even a box-making video tutorial. Stay tuned for more!
To make it easier for you to stay up to date on when new items will be available, I’ve added a schedule page to my website. While the dates may vary by a couple of weeks, it should give you a reasonable idea of what’s coming up. I’ll do my best to keep it updated every few weeks. You can check out the schedule by Clicking Here
As always, thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the Civil War newspaper project, I’d love to hear from you!
Sincerely,
Robert LeHay
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Bob Balcom
December 01, 2024
Thank you Robert for filling the void regarding box making materials. I have sent several of the box makers at Hancock Shaker Village to you and they have been very pleased, especially regarding copper tacks. Keep up the good work and may you have a very fulfilling year in 2025!