Take your skills way beyond the basics! This two-week course is ideal for intermediate level woodworkers who are ready to take a big step up in their technical knowledge and skills.
Internationally renown woodworker and teacher Michael Fortune has designed this course in the tradition of the apprenticeship style of craft education in order to share his vast knowledge gained over forty years of experience.
Through daily demonstrations and individual instruction, students will explore more advanced woodworking forms, techniques, and processes while undertaking an original project of their own design.
You will leave this class with a dramatically higher skill level and competence with more complex techniques, giving you the ability to undertake more serious designs and have greater success in future projects.
Under Michael’s supervision, each student will design and build an original project of their own that incorporates more advanced techniques than they have previously used. All workshop tools will be made available for the duration of the class and students are encouraged to experiment with new tools and methods.
Students will purchase their own lumber and hardware and bring it to class with them.
Alternatively, students can submit a lunber material list to the school at least two weeks in advance and we will purchase the materials on your behalf.
You will learn:
- How to generate and develop design ideas, including the use of sketching, full-size drawings, model making, and mock–ups
- Project planning and initial consultation
- The history of furniture, including historical influences and styles that you never knew existed!
- Methods for working with curves, including: steam bending, laminating, hot pipe bending, clamping strategies, and vacuum press
- Jig design and construction
- Joinery methods including: mortise, 3-way miter joints, and mitered dovetails
- Curved joinery
- Working with compound angles
- Cutting and joining veneers
- Inlay techniques
- How to optimize your workshop environment, including workbench, toolkit, machinery, and storage
Prerequisites:
This class is intended for intermediate-level woodworkers. Students should be competent with standard woodworking power tools and hand tools.