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Nov 29
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2022 Classes

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Update: Registration is open! 

Registration for 2022 spring and summer classes will open Friday, December 17th, at 10am.  You can receive updates here or by signing up for our email list.  It’s found at the bottom of each webpage.  We send out a couple messages a year, giving updates on classes and any happenings at the school.

We’ll welcome three guest instructors next spring: Michael Puryear (spoon carving), Dawson Moore (chairmaking), and Megan Fitzpatrick (English Tool Chest).

I’ll teach a handful of classes as well, beginning with an introduction to woodworking class for anyone interested in getting started with machine and benchwork.  That will be followed up with classes on sharpening, a Shaker-style table and a greenwood chair (along with another class or two).

We hope you can join us.  Send me a message at glenna@berea.edu with any questions along the way.

–Andy Glenn

Oct 11
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October Session: Class Openings

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We’re in the middle of our Fall 2021 session and have a few open spots in our upcoming classes:

  • Megan Fitzpatrick’s Dutch Tool Chest: 10/15 – 10/17……one spot available (due to recent cancellation)
  • Andy Glenn’s Greenwood Stool: 10/18 – 10/20……two openings
  • Andy Glenn’s Wooden Carrier Class: 10/23 & 10/24……one spot

Please reach out if you’re interested.  Next session happens April 2022.  We’d love to see you in Berea.

 

-Andy Glenn

Jul 29
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The School without classes (classes coming soon)

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We’ll get there.  Only about 10 weeks until Aspen Golann shares her creative energies and immense talents with Berea during her “Intro to Carving” class, scheduled to begin October 8th.  It’s been a long time coming.    It’s challenging to be a school when you don’t host classes!  But that’s the predicament COVID put us in – waiting and cancelling and pushing the schedule back.  Soon, hopefully, we’ll return to a full bench room, the sounds of carving tools and mallets, and the joys of a shared meal.

I’m excited for guests to join us again in the Pine Croft shop (formally The Kelly Mehler School of Woodworking).  Kelly closed it, sometime around 2014-’15, to focus on his health.  In 2019, Berea College purchased the full property and reopened the shop as “The Woodworking School at Pine Croft.”   Kelly and I both taught classes at Pine Croft in the early summer of 2019.  We made plans for our first full season in 2020, which were cancelled in early March of last year, along with the plans of so many other craft schools.  I loved our line up of guest instructors for our initial, full season of 2020; Megan Fitzpatrick, Brendan Gaffney, Michael Puryear, Cathryn Peters, Kelly Mehler, Pete Galbert, with Nancy Hiller hitting cleanup (baseball reference).

We created a smaller schedule for the spring of 2021, which seemed appropriate given the level of uncertainty with community health.  We took a cautious approach (and will continue to take a health conscience approach) to the pandemic and knew we might need to push the classes back.  Which happened around February.  Aspen and Megan (the Dutch Tool Chest) rescheduled their classes for October.  We’re thankful Aspen and Megan can join us in Berea and worked with us through the changes.  But we’re tired of changes and are all ready to teach again.  Pine Croft is ready to host classes and welcome guests to Berea.

Feels like we’ve taken the long road to get Pine Croft to the starting line.  It’s nearing, and we couldn’t be more excited.

–andy glenn

 

May 05
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Other “local” offerings

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We’re excited to offer our four October classes and hope you’ll join us in Berea.  It’s been a long time coming.

But if the timing or content doesn’t work out for this fall, please check out a couple other places offering great woodworking workshops in our area.

  • Greg Pennington is hosting chair making courses in his Hendersonville, TN shop.  I believe Travis Curtis is planning a ladderback class there for this summer as well.  Greg and Travis make beautiful chairs and I hear great things about their classes.
  • Lost Art Press is opening the storefront for a couple of classes this fall as well.  Megan Fitzpatrick (who is joining us at Pine Croft in October) is teaching a couple of tool box classes.  Peter Follansbee visit’s LAP in October for a weeklong class.

 

 

Apr 23
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October Classes

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Our spring classes, originally set for April and May, are all rescheduled for October.  We’re thankful the new dates work for Aspen Golann and Megan Fitzpatrick to join us in Berea.  The four autumn classes are open for registration:

  • Introduction to Carving: Traditional Techniques and Contemporary Applications.  October 8-10 with Aspen Golann
  • Dutch Tool Chest.  October 15-17 with Megan Fitzpatrick
  • Greenwood Stool. October 18-20 with Andy Glenn
  • Wooden Carrier. October 23 and 24 with Andy Glenn

As always, please send any questions or thoughts my way:  glenna@berea.edu

warmly, andy glenn

 

 

Apr 13
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small detail/big impact

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I made a set of three carriers around holidays as a gift to my wife.  Time got tight as it always does (I was making other shop-made gifts at the same time).  So I pushed back the hatching on the handle.  It’s a small detail that wasn’t present on the original Shaker wooden carrier (made: late 1800’s) that initially caught my attention.  I made a carrier this past fall and added the hatching.  I liked the hatching but didn’t view it an a necessity, thought of it as ornamentation that the carrier could do without.

To my surprise, I missed it.  The hatching makes all the difference.  The carrier felt incomplete without it.  Which led to a quick carving session over this past weekend.  Carving implies more skill than it takes.  It’s a simple layout: all lines are 1/4″ apart.  The layout is centered on the handle and the angles are either 90° or 45°.  Then it’s skimming a small v-tool (something similar to a 15/3)  across the handle’s surface to remove the pencil line.  It doesn’t take much muscle.  Just a controlled, gentle touch to cleanly remove the pencil line.

That’s it.  Laying out the pencil lines took just as long as the carving.  Afterwords, I added a little oil to the hatching to give it some color and I may put a little dirt/color onto the handle once the oil cures to add a little more definition to the lines.  It took about an hour to carve three handles.

I’m teaching a wooden carrier class this fall, October 23 and 24.  The hatching is optional, though I will strongly encourage it.  It’s a subtle detail that adds a big impression.

–andy glenn

Feb 09
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Update on Spring 2021 Class Openings

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We’re getting nearer to our spring season at Pine Croft.  I want to share a quick update on the openings within our four classes:

  • Wooden Carrier class with Andy Glenn (April 10&11): full class, wait list started
  • Intro to Carving with Aspen Golann (April 16, 17 & 18): two spots remain
  • Greenwood Stool with Andy Glenn (April 30, May 1 & 2): two spots remain
  • Dutch Tool Chest with Megan Fitzpatrick (May 14, 15 & 16): two spots remain

We’re using a smaller deposit and are being flexible this season.  We know things can change quickly.  We’re hopeful that conditions will allow for our classes but will continue to reevaluate as we get nearer.  Send me a question if you have questions or concerns about a class or our plans for Pine Croft.

 

–andy glenn (glenna@berea.edu)

Jan 19
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Berea woodworker in need

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Friends and supporters of Pine Croft,

The shop of Steve Farmer, owner and operator of Bittersweet Woodworking in Berea, KY, was destroyed last week in a fire.  Steve is a fixture in the craft community, previously working as part of the team here at Berea College Student Craft and as an independent woodworker here in Berea for over 40 years. The studio was also used by artist and woodworker Robert Bagley. The entire structure and all equipment and inventory were completely destroyed. Thankfully no injuries occurred.

There is a way to donate funds, for those of you who may like to support Steve and Robert as they work through this loss and towards their future plans.  A GoFundMe page has been established for them by fellow Berea woodworker Tim Wade.

Donations can be made here:http://www.gofundme.com/f/bittersweet-woodworking-studio?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet
Nov 30
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Wooden Carrier

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October 23 & 24, 2021

Join us for two days in April to build a charming cherry carrier.  With a focus on hand tool woodworking, we’ll cut compound-angle dovetails at the bench to create the box before adding the bent lamination handle and nailed bottom.  The handle detailing is created with a single carving tool.   You’ll leave with the skills to create them in all sizes.

Early examples are credited to Shaker communities who used the wooden carrier in their medicinal herb business.  Like much of the Shaker design, the carrier combines both beauty and utility.  Open to beginners though familiarity with the tools is beneficial.

Participants need to bring a small kit of tools for the class (list provided and we’ll have extras of tools if your kit isn’t complete).

Wooden Carrier Class Tool List

Recommended

  • Combination Square
  • Bevel Gauge (two, if you have ‘em)
  • Chisels (¼”, ½” and 1”) or entire set.  An ⅛” chisel is helpful but not necessary.
  • Mallet
  • Marking/Cutting Gauge
  • Dovetail saw
  • Smoothing Plane
  • Hammer
  • Marking Knife
  • Coping Saw

Optional

  • Small v-carving tool (for cutting in the hatching on the handle).

Andy Glenn

Wooden Carrier

October 23 & 24, 2021

$375

To Register: Call Aaron Beale at 859-985-3224 or email at bealeaa@berea.edu

Nov 30
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Dutch Tool Chest

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October 15-17, 2021

This handsome and portable tool chest is a great three-day introduction to several bedrock hand-tool joinery techniques: dovetails, dados, rabbets and shiplaps. Plus you’ll learn rules for carcase construction (and when to break them), how to cut a fingernail moulding, raise a panel, use cut-nails and install either butt hinges or strap hinges (your choice!). By the end of Day 3, you’ll be able to pop all your tools in your new chest (which fits in the back of almost any car) for your drive home. Better yet, you’ll have learned the joinery skills to build many future projects!

Beginners are welcome.

Participants need to bring a small kit of tools for the class (list provided and we’ll have extras of tools if your kit isn’t complete).  Materials wise, the wood and fasteners are included in the class.  Students select and bring their own hardware.

Dutch Tool Chest Class Tool List

  • Cutting/Marking Gauge (I prefer a wheel marking gauge, such as the Tite-Mark, but any will do)
  • Dividers (two pair if you have ‘em)
  • Marking knife (Ideally, one that has one flat side, but any will do)
  • Dovetail template/marking gauge or bevel gauge**
  • Dovetail saw
  • Coping saw
  • Bevel-edge chisels (ideally 1/2” and 3/4” – but bring whatever you have)
  • Mallet
  • Crosscut-filed sash saw (or other large-ish crosscut backsaw) or panel saw
  • Large router plane
  • Hammer
  • 3/32” drill bit
  • Countersink
  • Screwdriver (slotted)
  • Block plane
  • Smooth plane
  • Ear plugs/ear protection
  • Double square (a.k.a. diemaker’s square or machinist’s square) – but only if you already have one. I’m happy to share.
  • And any other tools you just can’t bear to be without. For me, that includes my waterstones and honing guide, a 6” adjustable square, and multiple .5mm mechanical pencils.

 

Strap hinges or Butt Hinges
The 9-1/2” x 3-1/2” spear point unequal strap hinges here
http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware/page.aspx?p=41912&cat=3,41241,41262

These are, in my opinion, the best butt hinges for the price. You can buy cheaper, but…
https://www.horton-brasses.com/PB-409.asp

Lifts
http://www.leevalley.com/US/Hardware/page.aspx?p=40222&cat=3,70806,43566,43570

Full hardware kit
By the time this class takes place, Horton Brasses (https://www.horton-brasses.com/) should have a blacksmith-forged hardware kit available for this tool chest, as I’m working on it with them for a book. It will include strap hinges, lifts and a hasp (the hinges and hasp are visible on the unpainted chest shown above)

Megan Fitzpatrick

Dutch Tool Chest

October 15-17, 2021

$875

To Register: Call Aaron Beale at 859-985-3224 or email at bealeaa@berea.edu