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Mar 31
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Class: Shaker Tray

By decommission

Shaker Tray

With Megan Fitzpatrick

October 14 & 15, 2023

$525

Shaker Tray

Make a classic Shaker silverware tray in this introduction to hand-cut dovetails and gentle curves. Continued below…

Class Description:

Make a classic Shaker silverware tray in this introduction to hand-cut dovetails and gentle curves.

In this two-day class, you’ll learn:

  • Dovetail layout with dividers
  • How to cut the joints, aiming to “fit off the saw”
  • How to wield a coping or fret saw
  • How to pare and chop to a line with a chisel
  • Strategies for transferring the tails to the pin board
  • Techniques for fitting the joint
  • How to lay out then cut and fair the handles (both the hand holds and the curved top edge)
  • How to smooth-plane your surfaces
  • How to use cut nails (to secure the bottom board…if you wish – but there’s an argument for leaving it loose)
  • And of course, how to put it all together (and why I recommend liquid hide glue).

Tool List:

  • Cutting/Marking Gauge (FWIW, I prefer a wheel marking gauge, such as the Tite-Mark)
  • 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 or fretsaw
  • Bevel-edge chisels (ideally 1/4”, 3/8” – but bring whatever you have)
  • Chisel Mallet
  • Rasp (11 or 13-grain)
  • Files and/or sandpaper (#80 through #180-grit)
  • Spokeshave (optional)
  • Block plane
  • Smooth plane
  • Double square (a.k.a. diemaker’s square or machinist’s square) or 6” square
    0.5mm mechanical pencil (yes, really – a 0.5!)

Lunches provided.

(…..and bring that 0.5mm pencil)

Register
Mar 31
Love0

Class: Candle Box with Kelly Mehler

By decommission

Dovetailed Candle Box

With Kelly Mehler

Dates Pending

$525

Dovetailed Candle Box

Candle boxes are simple, eye-catching, and useful. You can easily incorporate this box into many household uses. With only six parts, you will fully construct and finish this project during this two day class. The candle box is a great project for incorporating a variety of woodworking skills. The box displays bookmatched parts, hand-cut dovetails, and a hinged top. The skills that you learn while making this project will be used again and again in other projects large and small. Continued below…

Class Description:

Candle boxes are simple, eye-catching, and useful. You can easily incorporate this box into many household uses. With only six parts, you will fully construct and finish this project during this two day class. The candle box is a great project for incorporating a variety of woodworking skills. The box displays bookmatched parts, hand-cut dovetails, and a hinged top. The skills that you learn while making this project will be used again and again in other projects large and small.

The materials, including the hardware, will be provided for you.

You will learn to:

  • re-saw the rough pieces from a block of wood to obtain a beautiful wood match.
  • layout through-dovetails.
  • hand saw and chisel dovetails.
  • cut and fit the dovetails.
  • install hinges.

By the end of the class sessions you will gain helpful foundational skills to reinforce your woodworking repertoire.

Tool List:

Tools and supplies to bring IF you have them: (There will be extra tools on hand for you to try or use and can recommend sources if you need help.)

  • Dovetail saw
  • Dovetail marker or a bevel gauge
  • Cutting Gauge (The wheel type work the best.)
  • Dead Blow Hammer (12-16 oz) NOT a rubber mallet
  • 2” or 3” steel square
  • 6” or smaller combination square
  • Tape measure (smaller is better)
  • Pencils
  • 6” Rule
  • Mallet for striking chisels (A round carver’s type works well.)
  • Sharp basic chisel set (We are set up for some sharpening.)
  • Safety Gear: safety glasses, dust mask, hearing protection

All power tools and consumable supplies will be supplied.

Lunches provided.

Register
Dec 08
Love0

Class: Wooden Carrier

By decommission

Date(s): February 25 & 26. 9am – 5pm. Two class days.

Instructor: Andy Glenn

Cost: $440

Description: Join us for two days in June 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 steam bent handle and the nailed bottom. The handle detailing is created with a single carving tool. You’ll leave with the skills to create these carriers in all sizes.

Early examples are credited to Shaker communities who used the wooden carrier in their medicinal herb business. Consistent with 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 (we’ll have extras of tools if your kit isn’t complete).

Lunches provided.

Tool List:

  • Combination Square
  • Bevel Gauge (two, if you have them)
  • 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 (if you own one)
  • Optional: Small v-carving tool (for cutting in the hatching on the handle).
Dec 08
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Class: The Anarchist’s Tool Chest

By decommission

Class Date(s): Monday, June 13 through Friday, June 17. 9am until 5pm.

Class Instructor: Megan Fitzpatrick

Title: Anarchist’s Tool Chest

Cost: $1450

Class Description: Aside from a workbench, a sturdy tool chest is one of the most important things to have in your shop. It organizes and protects your tools from damage, rust and loss. While many woodworkers have attempted to improve upon the traditional chest design that emerged 300 years ago, the old form has remained the absolute best way to keep the most tools in the smallest space. And if you need an even slightly smaller footprint for your chest, you’re in luck. In this class, you can choose between making a full-size chest (25-3/4” tall, 24” front to back, 40-1/4” long) or a traveling version that will fit into the back of a car or truck (14-1/2” high, 19-1/2” front to back, 39-1/2” long). The full-size chest will hold a complete set of the hand tools typically used for furniture work; the travel size chest will hold most of them.

In this five-day class you will build the shell of your own traditional tool chest using hand tools and techniques. This is an excellent first project for a new hand-tool woodworker. Skills you will learn in this class include:

• Truing up panels using bench planes

• Traditional through-dovetail joinery

• Cutting basic mouldings by hand

By the end of class you will have all the skills you need to complete the interior of the chest at your workshop at home, whether you want to make just a few sliding tills or even a full-blown interior cabinet with dovetailled drawers.

If you’d like to learn or improve your dovetails this is absolutely the class for you – you’ll get plenty of instruction and practice as you make a handsome and (almost) bomb-proof tool chest.

Wood is included. Hardware is not included; Megan will send a list of suggestions at various price points.

Lunches provided.

Tool List: 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

Block 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” and 3/8”

Mallet

Rabbeting plane, moving fillister or a large shoulder plane

Hammer

Coping saw with extra blades (I recommend Pegas blades)

3/16” Beading plane

Flush-cut saw

Drill and bits

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) and multiple pencils.

Oh – and if you’re driving and have long cabinet clamps (39” or longer) and don’t mind bringing a few, we can always use more clamps in this class!

And don’t worry if you don’t have/can’t get all the tools listed above; we have some to share.

Oct 11
Love0

October Session: Class Openings

By decommission

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