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woodworking
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The Art of Chairmaking
Explore the essentials of chair making through design and construction techniques to create a fine, hand-made chair, which is an expression of the maker.
In this hands-on immersion course you will build one of three possible furniture projects: a Windsor Comb Back Side Chair, a Windsor Tall Kitchen Stool or a Back Door Boot Bench. In this 2-day course you will unlock the secrets of traditional mortice and tenon chair design, layout and tools. Your project will be well-engineered very comfortable and styled to fit any décor. Native hardwoods like cherry, oak, walnut and pine will be used. There are no prerequisites. All skills levels are welcome. Older teens are welcome if accompanied by a parent or grandparent.
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Sloyd Spoon Carving Weekend
Spoon carving has quickly become one of the most sought after green woodworking projects in the world today, and rightfully so. Many folks find “their flow” by chasing the ideal design; the design that feels, smells, and looks “almost” perfect. This state of flow becomes addictive and that intense focus begins to filter into other areas of daily life. This class is both a time to breath-out as much as it is a time to breath-in.
The focus of this course is on learning how to safely execute about a dozen different carving grips that come from the Swedish Sloyd tradition. The first day is spent learning the grips and practicing on a “try stick”. Students will put the new grips to use in carving a simple butter spreader. The second day will begin with a review of the grips learned the day before and then be spent carving previously prepared spoon blanks. Topics ranging from wood selection and harvest, tool sharpening, axe work, and spoon design get discussed and demonstrated throughout the class, but the focus is always on learning the safe practice of fundamental knife carving grips. At the end of the weekend, with many skills mastered, one finds they can confidently begin their journey chasing that ideal design in the mind-centering practice of Sloyd Spoon Carving.
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Timber Frame 101: Building Sawhorse
This workshop is an introductory course to the fundamentals of how to lay out and cut simple timber frame joinery. In this course, students will be introduced to a variety of measuring and cutting tools, have the opportunity to lay out basic timber frame joinery, and then to gain hands on experience using hand and power tools cutting that joinery in the construction of timber framed saw horses.
Each student has the option of taking home just the education or the equation and the sawhorse they were working on. The cost to do so is $50. Those students who wish to bring home just the education will have made sawhorses that will be used in workshops at the Michigan Folk School for many years to come.
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Crafting Oval Shaker Boxes
Before the age of canisters and Tupperware, Shaker craftsmen made and marketed oval boxes made of wood. Explore the traditions of the Shaker box as you learn how to soak, bend, tack, carve and sand cherrywood to form the box and lid. In the end you will make a stack of three nesting boxes finished with homemade beeswax furniture polish. Your finished product can be used for all occasions, utilitarian as well as decorative. Its charm and grace make a difference whatever role it plays.
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Shaker Boxes: Beyond the Basics
The quintessential Shaker Box is a mix of simplicity of form, economy of materials and utility of function creating the ideal blend of craft and art. This class marks the continuation and expansion of Shaker Box craftsmanship. Students will tailor their workshop experience by selecting several projects from a variety of styles of Shaker boxes. With simple instruction and professional support, students will have the option of making fixed & swing handle carriers, #6 or #11 serving trays, or #5 or #6 sized boxes.
This class is taught by a John Wilson, a craftsman that embodies the ideal of Shaker Box artistry. John’s unique blend as a woodworker, teacher and social anthropologist has led the Shaker Heritage Society top refer to him as the “Johnny Appleseed of Shaker Boxes.” Ask the right questions and John will also provide some background commentary on Shaker life and craftsmanship. Please note that the supply fee will be collected on the day of the class. The cost is actual cost of supplies and determined by the project selected. Supply fee is estimated at $40-$80.. Prerequisites: While this class is intended for both new and experienced woodworkers, it is HIUGHLY recommended that students first take Crafting Oval Shaker Boxes or enter with pervious Shaker Box making experience.
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Creating End-Grain Cutting Boards
You can't beat the look, feel and durability of a butcher-block end-grain cutting board in the kitchen. Creating this knife-saving tool has been described as self-healing. This workshop will show you the way around the woodshop, basic tool safety and the properties of wood. Perfect for beginning woodworkers, this class offers step-by-step techniques to help you construct a one-of-a-kind, useful and beautiful cutting board for your kitchen.
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Making Wooden Tools: The Blockplace
Spokeshaves have long been a tool of choice for shaping spindles and legs, as well as refining curved or complex edges and surfaces. They are extremely versatile tools in the hands of both experienced woodworkers and those just getting started. And great news - making your own tools can provide a tremendous amount of satisfaction and also save you some money.
This 1-day class takes students through the complete process of making a wooden spokeshave and shaping the tool to their own needs so that it’s comfortable in the hand. Students will be introduced to metalwork and learn to refine simple hardware-store metal into a harden, precise, sharp, and nimble blade. |
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Building a Dovetail Picture Frame
Hand-cut dovetails are the mark of a true craftsman. In this two-day class, we'll introduce you to the techniques and sequences of steps to cut dovetails by hand using a handsaw, plane and chisels. You'll develop your hand skills as you learn the time-tested techniques of dovetail joinery. Easier to cut and fit than mortise and Tenon joinery, dovetail enable a supreme finish work with practice. You will receive the materials and tools to make a small box.
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Restoring an Old Axe/Hatchet
It can be easily argued that no tool has had such a profound historic effect on the role humans have played in shaping their environment as the axe. It can also be argued that the design of the axe reached its zenith when exposed the the booming lumber industry of the developing United States. This course will delve into the design and anatomy of an axe, the cultural connotations different designs can carry, as well as different axe makers and regional patterns throughout the 19th and early 20th century United States. Students will learn how to identify a quality axe by brand, condition, and design, how to restore that axe head to working condition using simple tools, how to select the proper piece of wood for a new axe handle, and how to craft that piece of wood into a handle specific for them. The end of the course will focus on axe use and tree felling. Your supply fee includes an old tool to be restored.
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Restoring Old Hand Tools
American made tools were once a standard to be set against. In this course, students will be given a brief history of regional tool brands and what they were known for, gain the skills and knowledge to be able to identify old tools in any flea market or antique store and how to restore these tools to excellent working condition using simple methods and materials. The course itself will focus on hand planes and chisels, but students are encouraged to bring any tools they are interested in restoring or have questions about. Your supply fee includes an old tool to be restored.
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Build an Outdoor 2x4 Finger Joint Bench
Every indoor mudroom and outdoor garden, porch or gazebo needs a nifty place to sit. A comfortable place that is Shaker-simple in design, yet aesthetically pleasing to the eye. With no previous woodworking experience, you will build a finger-jointed bench, then finish it with a stain or milk paint for an indoor or outdoor elegant, inexpensive addition to your home.
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Spoon Carving All-Day Workshop
Learn the basics of spoon carving using green (unseasoned) wood and various grasps and carving techniques using high quality handmade crook knives and a small hatchet/axe. This class is suitable for both novices and those with some experience who wish to hone their carving and whittling skills. By the end of the day, you will have made a simple spoon and gained mastery of the basic skills to make spoons on your own.
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Building a Traditional Shave Horse
The Shaving horse is the ideal "workbench" for traditional woodworking, such as making tool handles, walking sticks, rustic furniture, carving spoons, and more. This foot operated clamp holds stock securely when shaping with the drawknife and spokeshave. Students in this course will make a hybrid style shaving horse with a treadle frame and a plank seat. The horse can be easily broken down for transport or shipping. This is a fun and easy project, yet abounding in usefulness.
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