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 you will improve your skills through exercises and projects, concluding with a beautiful bench with mortise and tenon joinery and draw bore joints.
You will learn:
- Safe use of power tools, including jointer, planer, band saw, miter saw, and table saw
- Hand-cut dovetails, through and half-blind
- Hand-cut mortise and tenon
- Sharpening
- Shaping with spokeshaves
- Surface preparation for finishing
- Working to a drawing
- Marking out
- Gluing up
Schedule: Evening classes, 6–9 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, for a total of 36 instruction hours. There will be additional shop time available as needed to work on the exercises.
Prerequisite: Fundamentals I or equivalent.
Tools required: All tools and materials supplied by the school.
Please bring ear and eye protection and a safety mask.
Class size: Maximum 9.
Please read and understand our Refund and Cancellation policies. By making payment you acknowledge that you have read and understood these policies.
Safety
Eye, hearing and dust protection are required in the machine room or when operating machines in the bench room.
Long sleeves and loose-fitting clothing are not allowed around the power equipment. Long hair must be pulled back and secured.
Closed-toe shoes are required. Open-toed shoes or sandals are not allowed.
COVID Policy: Masks are optional, however, if you are exhibiting symptoms of any contagious illness or if you have had a positive test for COVID or influenza within the past 5 days, please notify the school and do not attend class.
Thank you for your understanding.

Meet your Instructor
Raúl has been a professional furniture maker since 1990. A member and former president of the Arizona Association of Fine Woodworkers, and a member of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers, Raúl specializes in custom furniture and antiques restoration, and is particularly interested in traditional hand-tool techniques. He began to teach himself woodworking during the 1970’s while working in the aerospace industry and eventually changed careers to devote himself to the craft. In 2008, with the help of other accomplished woodworkers, he founded the School in order to bring the highest level of woodcraft education to Arizona and to create opportunities for the next generation of woodworkers to learn from some of today’s most respected masters.