About the courses
Lunch Time Lecture (Course 1) Video Snippet
This is just a taster of the lunch time lectures. The remainder of the time will be spent hands on working on your projects.
Course one (Tools and things)
These are self interest courses where my aim is to give you the confidence and the knowledge to use basic hand tools and some of the more common power tools, to show you how to look after your tools, keeping them sharp and in a good usable state. We will discuss what to look for when you go shopping for tools, the safe use of hand held power tools and again, how to look after them.
A basic tool kit and an apron will be provided for your use while you are with me and the course fee includes ear defenders that will be yours to keep at the end of the course.
You will be able to pick from a list of projects before you arrive that I believe you can complete in 5 days or less so that you will go home with one of them and you can proudly say “I made that”. (Don’t worry if you finish early there will be other things to make and learn about.)
I cover the teaching of how to handle tools by getting you started on your project and, as you need to use a new piece of equipment, I show you how. This means that the instruction is fresh in your mind and you do the task there and then.
There will only be a maximum of 4 at a time, this will mean that I will be available when you need help and advice.
The courses start at 9 o’clock on Monday morning. We will normally stop for tea at 10 o’clock ( tea and coffee will be available whenever you want it but I like tea at 10) but that will not stop me talking as this is a good time to cover general information on woodworking and for you to ask questions of a more general nature, The same at lunch time and afternoon break. There is a van that comes at lunch time where you can buy sandwiches, fruit and pies etc. We will finish the day at 5 o’clock. The rest of the week we will follow the same sort of timings although I am usually in the workshop by 8.30am and you will be able to get to your bench from then on. We will finish the week on Friday at 4 o’clock
These courses are intended to be relaxed, happy and informal where you go at your own speed, there is no pressure or exam at the end, but I hope that you will complete your course with a sense of achievement and the desire and the skill to make more things from wood.
Although the workshop has many facets to it, on course weeks you get the undivided attention of both Mark and I to make sure that we are there to help and advise when you need it.
For the course dates and costs click here.
Course 2 (Wood and things)
This is a continuation of course 1 (tools and things) with the emphases on timber, what are acceptable defects in timber and what isn't, how do you write out a cutting list that means something to your supplier, what to look for when buying wood and what to avoid. You will ideally have done course 1 (tools and things) or have a good working knowledge of how to use hand tools and have used hand held power tools.
The same basic tool kit and apron will be provided for you whilst you are with me.
The projects for you to pick from will be more complicated and will involve the use of the more sophisticated hand tools and hand held power tools and will include using some of the static power tools in the workshop. We will also be looking at buying timber with a visit to a local timber yard and making cutting lists and drawing plans.
The level of accuracy that is required to successfully complete the projects will be greater. There will still be a maximum of 4 per week so that I will be there to help when you need me.
The same timings as course 1 will apply and you will find that I have run the course 1 and course 2 end to end so that if you want to you can do them both and have 2 weeks in the Lake District.
After this week I would hope that you will feel confident enough to tackle most of the woodworking projects that you will want to do and be able to buy wood with the confidence of knowing what you are talking about.
And just as on the beginner’s course, you will be here to enjoy your week and take home another achievement.
For the course dates and costs click here.
Course 3 (things)
The advanced course is rather different from the previous two. To come on this course you will need to have done both the other courses and have used your skill at home on your own projects and be ready to take on something more difficult.
This course is by invitation only as I need to be confident that you can handle the project that I will set for you, it will be a challenge to complete it successfully as it will include some interesting design features.
The course timings remain the same as the other two.
And just as on the other courses you will be here to relax and enjoy your week and take home another achievement and the knowledge to make more.