Fall 2023
October 30 - November 3

In this five-day course for beginners, students will gain proficiency in foundational furniture making by crafting a side table from scratch. Students will have the opportunity to operate a variety of woodworking machines, practice essential joinery methods and learn furniture mechanics.This course is designed to build confidence for those interested in woodworking by gaining foundational machine woodworking skills.This experience will empower students to take on future independent projects in the shop.

The course structure is designed to take you through four essential phases of furniture making: milling stock, joining, assembly, and finishing. It will build your confidence in the shop and spark a fire to take on independent projects after the course.

Machine tools students will learn include the edge joiner, thickness planer, and table saw to mill stock. Students will also take on machine tool joinery such as cutting mortise and tenons on the table saw and floating tenons with the domino joiner. In addition, we will explore characteristics of wood such as movement and the use of different species for specific applications. Throughout the week, shop and machine safety will be a consistent theme. 

This course is perfect for:

• Someone who is comfortable with hand tools and ready to learn how to use more woodworking machines

• A DIYer who is ready to take their craft skills to the next level by making their own pieces

• A person with a desire to enter the woodworking craft by gaining foundational hands-on learning

Furniture making is a practice of empowerment.Throughout the course you will experience how transforming raw wood into a functional object will bring out your personal power while also gaining a sense of accomplishment. You will walk away with a beautiful side table, relevant skills, and the proof that you are capable of creating amazing things.

Tools 

Required:

• Caliper - Dial preferred but digital is OK

• Mechanical pencil

Recommended:

• Personal protective equipment (eyes, ears, dust)

• Shop apron 

• Tape measure

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to info@ptwoodschool.org.

Prerequisites

For Beginners

Class Information and Registration

Classes run 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday in Building 304 at Fort Worden. Map
Please read our What to Expect page for general information about the School.
Please also read our Registration Policy.
Please sign up for the waitlist if the course is full.

Class size: 10
Cost: $850
Materials Charge: $75