Summer 2024
July 29-August 2

This five-day class will teach the making of a sitting bench rooted in traditional eastern timber frame joinery used to construct Buddhist temples. Students will learn how to make furniture that will last not only a lifetime but hundreds of years, generation to generation, without any extra time or work necessary. This can be done just by utilizing the characteristics of the wood and its behavior. Taeho will share his profound knowledge of joinery that will take students’ work to a new level. Not only will the end result be a unique two-in-one sitting bench/coffee table, but also students will obtain knowledge of the proper utilization of wood to truly last for millennia.

The complex joinery (three different joints interlocking) may intimidate beginners, however, shaping and some joints will be made by using jigs that Taeho will bring. This workshop is good for all levels of woodworking experience.

This five-day course introduces students to the complex joinery of eastern timber framing practice through the building of a unique furniture project: the cantilevered bench/table. While this joinery (three different joints interlocking) may intimidate beginners, this workshop is good for all levels of woodworking experience, and Taeho will be showing students how to make and use various jigs to simplify the process. 

The course will begin with a brief lecture about the design of the project and the history of Eastern and Western timber framing. Taeho will be providing shorter lectures throughout the week about utilizing wood movement and wood characteristics to make successful projects that last hundreds of years! 

The project will cover layout of mortise and tenons, lap joints, and the fist tenon. Students will learn various methods of cutting joinery, but the primary focus will be on using hand tools with supplemental machine use for efficiency and accuracy. We’ll also cover glue-up and finishing, and each student should be able to go home with a completed project by the end of the week. 

Although this bench may seem straightforward consisting of only six parts, challenges will occur. However, by the last day, students  will leave with a great enhancement in hand skills, knowledge of the wood movement, and, of course, a beautiful piece of a functional art piece.

Tools

PTSW will provide all the tools necessary for this course. However, if you have your own tools please use the recommended list as a guide.

Recommend Tools

• Bench chisel set 

• Mallet

• Hand saws (Japanese pull saws recommended, both Dozuki [one-sided blade with spline] and Ryoba [two-sided blades]) 0.3mm or thinner blade is recommended

• Marking and layout tools

• 4 – 6 inch combination square (3” & 6” Incra T-Rule works best)

• 12-inch combination square

• Measuring tape

• Pencils (0.5mm Mechanical pencils. Sharp pencils are essential)

Prerequisites

Open to all

Class Information and Registration

Class runs from 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: 12
Cost: $895
Materials Charge: $200