Description
This class is a great opportunity to learn the fundamentals and the fine points of traditional joinery done entirely by hand. Everything from the basics of sharpening to the basics of furniture joints.
You will learn to use handsaws, planes, chisels and scrapers. You will learn how to hand cut dados, dovetails and mortise and tenons. Frank draws on 37 years of woodworking experience and having trained under a traditional apprenticeship, he will teach you what he has been taught but also what he has learned over three decades of building furniture day in and day out.
We will examine and practice the essential components of making a well fitted dado joint, a perfectly laid out dovetail and, probably the oldest furniture joint- a mortise & tenon- all by hand. We will dive deep into each joint and then examine variations on each, including half blind dovetails, and through mortises and tenons.
We will then start with a rough board and, after learning the fine points of working with a handplane you will learn how to mill a board “four square” - entirely by hand.
Plan on leaving the week with the confidence to handcut joinery as well as tune up and use a hand plane and a handsaw to their fullest advantage.
Most folks are project oriented and want to finish a project, instead of focusing on the actual skills used in making the project. In a weeklong class with limited time, it is too easy to rush and miss some of the learning process for the sake of the project. This class is all about technique but if there is still time we will put our skills to work on a simple dovetailed box
Skills learned in this class
-Handcut Dado joinery
-Hand cut dovetails, both through and half blind dovetails
-Handcutting mortise and tenons
-Handplaning a board from rough to 4 square
-Using many essential handtools
-Sharpening chisels, saws, scrapers and planes
Tuition: $965.00 plus materials ($50.00 plus tax)