$1,450 (total cost including instruction and materials)
Course Description:
In five days, we are going to build traditional full-size English tool chests – a.k.a. “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” from Christopher Schwarz’s book of that title – using (mostly) hand tools.
If you don’t like dovetails, this is not the class for you. If you’d like to learn dovetails (while you build a sturdy chest that holds about 50 hand tools…which is to say almost all the hand tools you need to build furniture), this is absolutely the class for you – you’ll get plenty of instruction and practice. We’ll start at the back, so by the time you get to the joints on the front, you’ll be an expert!
Plus, we’ll make handsome and (almost) bomb-proof raised-panel lids, and cut the moldings, skirts and lids by hand. Though we will have time to build only the outside of the chest, I’ll discuss how to divide up the interior for efficient work and show you some options.
A fully catered lunch is included and served every day and drinks and snacks are provided all day. Please let us know in advance of any special dietary needs. It is a good idea to make your lodging reservations well in advance.
ATC Tool List (the ones you need to build it – not all the stuff you’d want to put in it…)
· Smoothing plane
· Jack plane
· Marking or cutting gauge
· Marking knife
· .05 or .03 mechanical pencil
· Dividers (2 pair if you’ve got ‘em)
· 12” combo square
· Dovetail marking gauge or sliding bevel
· Dovetail saw
· Chisels ½”, 3/8” and ¼”
· Mallet
· Medium or large shoulder plane
· Hammer and nail set
· Coping saw with extra blades (I recommend Pegas blades)
· 3/16” Beading plane (I’m happy to share mine – don’t worry if you don’t have this tool)
· Ear plugs (it gets pretty loud with lots of people chopping!)
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, a double square (a.k.a. diemaker’s square or machinist’s square), a block plane and multiple pencils.
