At the Sydney Mint Museum we frequently had demonstrations of traditional
wood-working craft, both as holiday programs, and as part of an intensive
interpretation of the site offered to institutional and other groups called
'Raise high the roof-beam, carpenters'.  We used the services of a highly
skilled craftsman, Bob Crosbie, who is also a historian and teacher.  He
brings his own C19th tool-box and tools, and is happy to both demonstrate
his skills and talk about the building and the convicts who constructed it.
 This has been very popular with visitors, and greatly enhances the
interpretation of the site

Recently we began to work with him to develop an in-house program, using a
replica of our 1815 shutters that Bob made for us last year, together with a
group of traditional tools we were going to acquire for the education
collection.  Staff would not actually demonstrate the tools (no-one with
real carpentry skills was available) but would show which tool was used to
achieve what detail of the shutter, talk about the life and times of the
convict timberworkers, and about the development of the tools, including
contrasting the specialist planes of last century  with their modern
equivalents.

Sadly we are not going to be able to continue with our public programs, as
the museum will be closing later this year.

Heleanor Feltham
Sydney Mint Museum
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From: daemon
To: MUSEUM-L
Subject: Woodworking Demostrations
Date: Sunday, 11 May 1997 8:49AM

Our Education Dept. is planning a new summer program demostrating
traditional wood working as part of a new exhibit. As they are not online,
I have been asked to forward this for your comments and help.
What types of demos does your site do? Do you use skilled woodworkers or
train staff and docents? What would be your suggestions on setting up such
a program? Do you have a training manual? If so, what information do you
find helpful.Do you have any hands on activities for the visitor?

Thank you,
Daniel Sheret
Southern Oregon Historical Society