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Click on the Workshop Title to access the Description:
(They are in chronological order according to our 2011 schedule)
Joinery Essentials with Tom McLaughlin
Experience Woodworking 101 with Tom McLaughlin
Woodfinishing Overview with Tom McLaughlin
Make a Shaker Pedestal Table with Tom McLaughlin
Designing Furniture with Tom McLaughlin
Make a Shaker Bow Front Table with Tom McLaughlin
Precision With Hand Tools with Tom McLaughlin
Make a Jewelry Chest of Drawers with Tom McLaughlin
Veneering Workshop with Terry Moore
Chairmaking with Tom McLaughlin
Make a Traditional Table Masterpiece with Tom McLaughlin
Getting Started Series with Tom McLaughlin
Make a Pencil Post Bed with Tom McLaughlin
Procrastinators Unite! with Tom McLaughlin
Make Christmas Gifts on the Lathe with Graham Oakes
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Joinery Essentials
Fine Woodworking, most simply stated, is the ability to put wood together well. And this “putting together” of wood, the study of joinery, is the difference maker when it comes to defining great craftsmanship. This four evening class will cover the two most common types used in fine furniture making: the mortise and tenon, and the dovetail joint. Many variations of these primary joints, and their applications, will be discussed.Using both machine and traditional hand cutting methods, you will have ample opportunity to make practice samples. Some of the joints covered will be: through, half-blind, sliding and lap dovetails; standard, through, angled, pegged, and wedged mortise and tenons. By the end of the class, you will have a collection of joinery samples, essential skills, and great memories to take home with you.
Fundamental joinery terms
Choosing the optimum joinery for the job
Laying out and marking out, tools and techniques
Effectively using a marking gauge
Sharpening and tuning joinery tools
Cutting and fitting precisely
Selecting and using adhesives
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: April 6,13,20,27
(6-9 PM)
Tuition: $260,
plus
$55 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: April
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Experience Woodworking 101
During this comprehensive 5-day class, open to all skill levels, you will gain the essential knowledge base for making beautiful fine furniture. The week is full of the methods, approaches, and techniques you need to build a solid, foundational start in fine woodworking. As an added bonus, these core skills will be acquired as you make a classic Shaker style end table that is yours to take home at the end of the class. Those with previous experience, as well as beginners, have raved about this course, noting how much this week added to their woodworking understanding, confidence, and skills. We offer this class twice each season due to its popularity, so sign up early. SPECIAL OFFER: Round off your class experience and get a jump on finishing your project by taking Woodfinishing Overview on Saturday for $30 off the class fee!
Safe and effective machine use
Design considerations
Selecting and buying wood
Mortise and tenon joinery
Effective table saw jigs
Sharpening, using Handplanes and chisels
Layout and handcut dovetails
Dovetailing a drawer to fit an opening
Sharpening and using a cabinet scraper
Finishing options and advice for your table
Table Dimensions: 21"W x 18"D x 27"H
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: April 11-15 or
July 11-15
Tuition: $670
plus
$170 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: April, July
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter |
Woodfinishing Overview
Wood finishing is mysterious and intimidating to many furniture makers, but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this one-day, concentrated class, Tom will break it down into understandable components. You will end up with a thorough overview and knowledge base to more confidently and consistently achieve great finishes. The day will be chock full of explanations, demonstrations, question and answer sessions, and hands-on opportunities. As an added bonus, Tom will share a few of his favorite finishing recipes, which he has applied successfully on fine furniture over his 21 years as a custom furniture maker. SPECIAL OFFER: Sign up for the week long class running the week before this class and take Woodfinishing Overview for $30 off the class fee!
Surface preparation
Understanding and applying wood stains and dyes
Oil finishes, use and application
Understanding and applying shellac and lacquer
Approaches to achieve special effects: filler, glazes, tints and toners
Techniques to rubbing out a finish
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: April 16 or
May 7 or
July 16 or
Sept. 17 or
Tuition: $130,
plus
$65 matls.
Class
size: 6-10
Check status: April, May, July, Sept.
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter |
Make a Shaker Pedestal Table
The small round table that is the focus of this class is considered by many to be the most beautifully designed tables ever made by the Shakers. Upon closer inspection it treats your eye to a restrained perfection and uncompromising craftsmanship. You can settle for admiring this Shaker masterpiece at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, or you can get immersed in their world of mastery and make one for yourself.In this 3-day beginner to intermediate class, you will learn how to combine the use of light power tools and hand tools to achieve historic results. By class end, you will take home your own Curly Maple masterpiece, ready for finishing.
Design considerations
Sliding dovetail joinery
Wedged mortise and tenon joinery
Bandsawing and shaping the curved legs
Sharpening and using a cabinet scraper
Tuning and using a handplane
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: April 21-23 or
Sept. 1-3
Tuition: $390,
plus
$135 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: April,
Sept.
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Designing Furniture
Each furniture creation begins simply with an idea. When you have one, for that shining moment you stand shoulder to shoulder with all the creative genius of history. What happens next, taking your idea to reality, is the fascinating world of design...where masterpieces come to life. In this one day introductory exploration into the world of furniture design you will learn the important things to consider in making a successful piece, and discover what separates the good from the truly great.
The elements of great design
Learning from the masterworks
The process of design
Sketching, drawing, making models
Sources of inspiration
(Special: if you have also signed up for the bowfront table class beginning the next day, you will receive a 20% discount by signing up for this design class)
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: May 2
Tuition: $130
Class
size: 5-10
Check status: May
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Make a Shaker
Bow Front Table
It is amazing how much visual interest is gained when a simple curve is incorporated into a furniture design. This cherry bow front Shaker style table is a great example of a curve’s pleasing effect. But if you’ve ever tried, you know that making furniture with curved elements is easier said than done. In this 4-day class Tom will describe simple and effective approaches to creating curved work with a special emphasis on laminate bending techniques. By the time its over, you will be on your way to making dramatically appealing furniture that really gets noticed. SPECIAL OFFER: Round off your class experience and get a jump on finishing your project by taking Woodfinishing Overview on Saturday for $30 off the class fee!
Design considerations
Drawing the table design
Tapering jigs on the table saw
Using hand tools to efficiently add detail
Mortise and tenon joinery
Splined and glue block joinery
Making the curved front apron
Laminated curves using a variety of core materials
Using a vacuum press for veneering and creating curved laminations using custom forms
Making a template pattern and using a router
Table dimensions: 17 ½”deep (at center), 38 ½ wide, 28" high
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: May 3-6
Tuition: $520,
plus
$145 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: May
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Precision With Hand Tools
After these four evenings in the shop your enjoyment and confidence using hand tools will dramatically increase. Hand tools open up new worlds of efficiency, accuracy, and pleasure for woodworkers, even those with modest skills. In this class, you will move through a series of exercises, based on typical furniture making techniques, which expand and refine your hand tool skills. These include flattening boards to polished smoothness, fairing curves, fitting drawer faces, making moldings, jointing and chamfering edges, and more. You will also work with at least two different types of wood to feel how each responds to the tools.
Sharpening, tuning and using of a wide variety of planes, marking tools, chisels, and more
Effective techniques discussed and ample hands-on practice
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: May 4,11,18,25
(6-9 PM)
Tuition: $260,
plus
$25 matls.
Class
size: 6-10
Check status: May
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Make a Jewelry
Chest of Drawers
The perfect follow-up to Experience Woodworking 101, this class focuses on the core skills related to making traditional case piece. In this 6-day class, geared to advanced beginner/ intermediate skill levels, you will learn traditional techniques to making a chest or drawers. You will gain a new level of mastery and confidence with hand-cut dovetail skills. As an added bonus you will be learning these skills while making your own small “collections” or jewelry chest, a sure heirloom that will be a great compliment atop a full-sized chest of drawers. The skills you learn in this class will equip you to make all kinds of chests to treasure!
Design considerations
Selecting and buying wood
Effective use of marking and layout tools
Handcut-dovetail joining a case
Sliding dovetails using jig techniques
Sharpening tuning and using Handplanes and chisels
Making handcut dovetailed drawers
Fitting a drawer precisely to an opening
Sharpening and using a cabinet scraper
Finishing approaches
Dimensions approx. 19"W x 10"D x 7"H with three drawers (two over one)
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: Oct. 24-29
Tuition: $790,
plus
$185 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: Oct. 24-29
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Veneering Workshop
After a 3-day encounter with Furniture Master and veneer specialist Terry Moore, a new world of artistry and craftsmanship will burst open to you. Many of the finest furniture pieces made throughout history were made using veneers. Unknown to most, the best figured lumber, burls and crotches, bypass the lumberyards and are sent straight to veneer mills. These beautiful materials are only available if you know how to use them. In this class, Terry will guide you through time-tested techniques to using veneers effectively. You will enjoy a lot of hands-on practice as you decoratively veneer two decorative panels. Day one you will make an 18x18” book matched top with a border, day two a striking 18” round sunburst panel, and the third day you will make and inlay a compass rose/star design into the center of the sunburst top. These tops are yours to take home to make what you will -- a table, and lazy-susan option will also be described.
Purchasing, handling, and flattening veneer
Essential veneering tools
Cutting, matching, and taping techniques
Designing and laying out classic patterns
Choosing the best adhesive
Using a vacuum press
Correcting mistakes and unexpected problems
Border and edge band techniques
Making and applying inlay designs
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Instructor: Terry Moore
Dates: May 26-28 or
August 25-27
Tuition: $390,
plus
$90 matls.
Class
size: 6-8
Check status: May, August
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter |
Chairmaking
Making a chair, or set of chairs, may represent the ultimate woodworking experience. Unfortunately, with so many compound angles and curved parts, the prospect of actually making a chair seems too intimidating and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this 5-day course, Tom will simplify the process of chairmaking, breaking it down into understandable stages. The focus will be on how to make a stylish mortise and tenoned chair design. As a bonus, you will apply your new knowledge and skills by making your own contemporary style side chair (Similar to the article featured in Wood Magazine, May 2011). As time permits, the chair will be assembled in class and completed at home. This will likely be the most rewarding project you will have undertaken and conquered. (Note: The Experience Woodworking 101 class, or equivalent experience, is a recommended prior to taking this class).
Design considerations, for comfort and style
Drawing techniques
Making good patterns you can use
Mortise and tenon joinery
Simplifying compound joinery
Clever table saw jigs
Hand tool skills to add detail and value
Upholstery options
Finishing approaches
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: July 25-29
Tuition: $670,
plus
$195 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: July
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter |
Make a Traditional
Table Masterpiece
There is arguably no better path to learning fine craftsmanship than to reproduce classically styled eighteenth century furniture. The artistry and excellence so common to the great furniture of this period is unmistakable, and has a way of rubbing off on you. In this 5-day class, Tom will share the same processes and techniques he learned during his apprenticeship years with master craftsman and traditional furniture specialist, Pug Moore. The focus of the class will be making your own classical, solid cherry Queen Anne table that will be at home in many settings. Plenty of enjoyable handwork will add generously to your skills and confidence, not to mention your satisfaction upon its completion. (Note: the Experience Woodworking 101 class and some experience with wood turning is recommended, but not required prior to this class).
Design considerations
Creating full-size drawings
Making a cabriole leg pattern
Mortise and tenon joinery
Woodturning demonstration for the pad foot
Making the cabriole leg; Layout, sawing out and shaping
Sharpening and using cabinet scrapers
Spokeshave, rasping, and scraping techniques
Finishing approaches
Table Dimensions: 46"wide, 15-16"deep, 28”high
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: August 8-12
Tuition: $670,
plus
$235 matls.
Class
size: 5-8
Check status: August
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Getting Started Series
If you are relatively new to woodworking, this class is your perfect place to start. The class content of the four evening sessions will give you a solid footing and confidence as you begin to go deeper into this wonderful craft.The core focus will be to gain a fundamental understanding of wood, workshop machines, and the purpose and use of this course will provide an effective overview of these foundational topics. Questions will be invited throughout our time together and some hands-on application will be included as well. This course is an ideal first step on your way to enrolling in the more intensive skill building and project based classes.
Characteristics of wood
Best furniture woods
Where to buy the best wood
How to buy wood, what to look/watch out for
Workshop machines, their purpose and use
Setting up shop considerations
Buying machinery
Hand tools you will need, their purpose and use
Sharpening techniques
Buying hand tools
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: Sept 7,14,21,28
(6-9 PM)
Tuition: $260,
plus $20 matls.
Class
size: 6-10
Check status: September
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Make a Pencil Post Bed
In this 5-day class you will learn techniques to make an exceptional traditionally styled pencil post bed. Everything about this bed is solid, honest, fine. The posts are beautifully proportioned and will be personalized with your choice of a cove or “lambs tongue” detail. The headboard will also be customized to one of several shape options. Bed rails attach to posts through the traditional method: bolted mortise and tenon. Special presentations on hand tool use as apply to creating the bed details will be included. Your bed can be made in either solid Cherry or Curly Maple and in your choice of double, queen, or king size. When completed, you will have a classic piece to be proud of, and a bed to last generations SPECIAL OFFER: Round off your class experience and get a jump on finishing your project by taking Woodfinishing Overview on Saturday for $30 off the class fee!
Design considerations
Techniques and jigs for shaping the octagonal tapered posts
Carving a lamb’s tongue detail
Sharpening, tuning and using hand tools
Techniques for making the mortise and tenon joinery on the posts and rails
Buying and installing the traditional bed bolts, bed irons, and bolt covers
Designing, making patterns and shaping the headboard
Finishing approaches and techniques
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: Sept. 12-16
Tuition: $890 plus:
$940 (double), $990 (queen), $1090 (king) for solid Cherry.
For Curly Maple, add $100 to any size.
Class
size: 4-6
Check status: Sept.
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Procrastinators Unite!
Got an unfinished project hanging around you are tired of looking at (and who doesn t)? Somehow you got stuck or just lost motivation to finish it &maybe even a class project you started here.
Just like Planet Fitness, our shop is a judgement free zone -- enter without shame &I am one of you! But you have to make the first step &it s time to take action.
Join kindred spirits for a great day on the road to completion and achievement. Here s how it works: Bring your project with you (nothing larger than you can carry yourself). We will get to hear eachother describe our project and learn about the challenges we confronted, and Tom (your personal shop trainer for the day) will offer guidance to get you confidently back on track.
Then spend the day working on your project, and return home with fresh momentum. You will be someone's hero, maybe even your own!
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Instructor: Tom
McLaughlin
Dates: October 15
Tuition: $75,
plus
$0 matls.
Class
size: 10
Check status: Oct. 15
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
Make Christmas Gifts
on the Lathe
You ve been asking for more turning classes, and an an opportunity to make some beautiful Christmas gifts with a personal touch. Consider this class.
What better way to learn woodturning techniques and improve your skills than making gifts for family and friends? In this two-day class you will do just that as you learn under the guidance of the talented Graham Oakes. His enthusiasm and can-do spirit will have you making beautiful objects before you ve digested breakfast.
The class will begin with making turned lidded boxes. Designed to hold little special things, these lidded boxes can be wonderful jewels in themselves, limited only by your imagination.
Next you will explore the wonderful world of making Christmas ornaments. A two-part process is involved: hollow vessel turning to make the bulb section, and spindle turning to make the delicate icicle that hangs below. I can t wait to try this myself!
Finally, the class will delve into making turned kitchen ware as time allows. This will include decorative napkin rings, and turned kitchen spoons.
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Instructor: Graham Oakes
Dates: Nov. 11-12
Tuition: $250,
plus
$45 matls.
Class
size: 8
Check status: Nov. 11-12
Click to Register Online
Click to Register via mail
Click here to view/print the class What-to-bring Tool Letter - forthcoming |
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