Featured Classes

News

Congrats to our New Fundamentals Series Grads!
Our Fundamentals of Traditional Woodworking series is a thirteen-week long program consisting of Fundamentals I, II, and III, which are designed to turn novice woodworkers in to competent furniture makers. The hardy souls who complete all three courses not only receive their certificate, but also build increasingly complex projects, culminating in a Shaker-inspired table. The next Fundamentals series begins on January 4th. Congratulations to our new graduates and a big thanks to Carol Barger and John Rivard for assisting our instructors.

Recent Serving Tray and Cutting Board Workshop

Last weekend’s Serving Tray and Cutting Board workshop with Doug Forsha was completely full. This was a fast-paced and intense workshop as the photos show. Clockwise from bottom left: Doug is showing how to lay out prior to making cuts; Jessica is putting her boards through the thickness planer; students hard at work in the bench room; Don is putting a coat of Water lox on his project; and (bottom right) Jeremiah and Libby display their completed projects. Thanks to Doug and volunteer Eric for another successful workshop.

The Southwest School of Woodworking is an educational organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. Our mission is to promote the craft of woodworking and to instill the concept of craftsmanship in all of our students.

Inspired by other leading woodworking schools in the U.S., as well as the Old World tradition of apprenticeship, we believe that craft is best learned through mentorship with experienced practitioners. The expert instructors at our school strive to create a welcoming, supportive environment in which to lead students beyond mere proficiency and into mastery. We keep our classes small—usually no more than eight students—and emphasize hands-on learning with a diverse array of classes for students at all levels.

Curriculum

The core of our curriculum is designed for beginning and intermediate woodworkers, starting with our three-part Fundamentals of Traditional Woodworking series, offered multiple times each year, which establishes a foundation of practical knowledge and aesthetic understanding.

We also offer a variety of classes focused on specific skills and advanced techniques, allowing students to gain targeted knowledge in areas of interest ranging from turning to veneering.

Our master classes bring well-known instructors from around the world to give local woodworkers an opportunity to learn directly from the most accomplished contemporary practitioners of our craft.

And our special project classes and weekend workshops allow students to develop their skills under the guidance of an experienced professional woodworker while producing a finished work of the highest quality.

No matter what kind of woodworking experience you have, you can gain more here!