All Classes

Varnish, oil, lacquer, or stain? There are many different ways to finish your woodworking projects, and choosing the right materials and methods is critical to making every piece look beautiful and last for as long as possible. Many a woodworker has labored over a project, only to botch the finish at the end. But finishing […]

The finish on any woodworking project is not only protective, but can greatly enhance the beauty and appearance of any piece—if it is chosen thoughtfully and applied properly. This hands-on course will focus on more advanced finishing techniques, including spray finishing, varnish, and lacquer, and you will make several samples to build your skills and […]

New class! Professional wood turner Matt Monaco will teach you how to design, shape, and hollow out an original wood vessel that emulates the details and forms found in several handmade pottery styles.

Finishing Advanced This class is held over two weekends and meets on Sat. and Sun, on both weekendsOnce you know the basics of finishing, then you'll be able to protect and enhance your woodworking projects with a well-applied finish. But there is so much more you can do!Techniques such as glazing, dying, shading, color correction, […]

Prerequisite: SketchUp Basic or equivalent Many professional woodworkers have turned to computer-aided design (CAD) software to produce high-quality 3D drawings before ever beginning a project. But even a hobbyist can use these programs to draw out ideas and consider scale, proportion, and construction details before beginning a project. CAD models allow you to think through […]

While learning to finish is a critical skill for any furniture maker, the art of repairing a finish is just as important — and can be useful for non-woodworkers, too. Whether you're ready to apply a new finish to a refurbished piece, or you want to repair damage to a beloved heirloom, Tom Licurgo is […]

Add Your Tooltip Text Here Make a Dining Chair with Michael Fortune For many woodworkers, chair-making seems daunting. It represents a big jump in skill development and is a fantastic learning opportunity. Chairs are subject to tremendous physical stresses, but they must also be comfortable and attractive if they are to be useful. To meet […]

Milling is the process of machining rough lumber to your desired dimensions. Once you learn this process, you'll be able to select any wood you want and mill it to your own specifications.Otherwise, you'll be limited to buying dimensioned lumber, leaving you at the mercy of the lumber yards. So unless you enjoy working with […]

Get the sharpest tool in the shed! Sharp cutting tools are essential to precision woodworking, and yet very few woodworkers know how to sharpen their own hand saws. And for good reason: it’s tricky! It’s easy to be overwhelmed with terms like fleam angle, rake angle, and file card, but learning to sharpen your own […]

Ready to move beyond the basics? The second step in our three-part Fundamentals series, this course builds on the skills taught in Fundamentals I and prepares you for even more advanced craftsmanship as you progress in your woodworking. In addition to hand tools, this class introduces power tools. This is a hands-on class, during which […]

Would you like to enhance your woodworking with beautiful artwork pictures that make your projects POP?Then you will want to learn Marquetry!Marquetry is the art and craft of creating pictures and decorative designs by the skillful use of the grain, figure, and color of thin wood veneers. Once you learn the basic techniques, you'll start […]

This hands-on course is for the beginning woodworker or anyone who wishes to review fundamental skills and get a solid foundation in methods of fine craftsmanship.

Can you steam bend kiln dried wood? You can if you know how! Discover the fascinating world of wood-bending, and unlock a new realm of possibility for your woodworking. In this hands-on workshop, master woodworker Michael Fortune will introduce you to a variety of methods for bending wood into exact shapes. These techniques can be […]

Build a Bookcase is one of our most popular workshops — and for good reason! In just two days, you'll build a versatile and attractive bookcase inspired by classic Arts & Crafts design that will look great in any decor. The bookcase features two adjustable shelves, plus the bottom shelf and top, for plenty of […]

Stereotomy is a time-tested system used for centuries by carpenters and masons to visualize and execute complex works. It has tremendous potential to assist contemporary woodworkers, as well as architects, builders, and anyone interested in design.One of the most effective ways to understand the art of Stereotomy is through making net models, which involve flattened-out […]

Timber framing is a time-tested method of building structures of any size — from a backyard pergola to a multi-story home. Long before nail guns (or nails) were ever invented, carpenters were hand-cutting sturdy timbers and interlocking them with pegged mortise and tenon joinery to create open and elegant structures that endured hundreds of years. […]

From historical construction to contemporary woodworking, Stereotomy is a time-tested system to visualize and execute complex works. In France, the journeyman tradition of carpentry includes the study of Stereotomy and a young carpenter arriving in each new shop would typically build a pair of trestle sawhorses, with the complexity of the objects serving as a […]

Milling is the process of machining rough lumber to your desired dimensions. Once you learn this process, you'll be able to select any wood you want and mill it to your own specifications. Otherwise, you'll be limited to buying dimensioned lumber, leaving you at the mercy of the lumber yards. So unless you enjoy working […]

Veneering — the art of applying thin sheets of wood to a substrate — has a long history in fine furniture-making and offers a wide range of design possibilities that can greatly enhance your woodworking projects. For this exciting three-day class, master furniture-maker and veneering expert, Paul Schürch returns to the Southwest School of Woodworking […]