This highly informative class introduces you to selecting the project, design, sketching, architectural standards, shop drawings, full size drawings, models and templates. Don will also discuss wood selection, lay out, joinery, assembly and finishing. At the end of the day, you will have the basis for understanding the design and construction of fine furniture.
*WALK IN CLASS. STOP IN BETWEEN 9AM-2PM TO TURN A PEN. EACH PEN TAKES ABOUT 30-40 MINUTES. MAY BE A SHORT WAIT DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF STUDENTS* No Experience Necessary! Ages 10-110! Bring the family! Use a lathe to turn and take home your very own Pen. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
*WALK IN CLASS. STOP IN BETWEEN 2PM-5PM TO TURN AN ORNAMENT. EACH ORNAMENT TAKES ABOUT 30-40 MINUTES. MAY BE A SHORT WAIT DEPENDING ON AMOUNT OF STUDENTS* No Experience Necessary! Ages 10-110! Bring the family! Use a lathe to turn and take home your very own Christmas ornament this season. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Understanding the different types of routers available and their use is one of the most useful subjects in the woodworking industry. Among the topics covered will be general router operation, maintenance, safety, router bit selection, and operating techniques. Don will introduce you to and you will operate the following routers: Bosch 1617EVS 2 ¼ H.P. combo kit, Bosch 2.3 H.P. combo kit, Dewalt 618 3 pack combo-kit, and the Dewalt 621 dedicated plunge router. Don will demonstrate advanced router techniques including pattern making, template routing, using a plunge router for joinery work, and jigs and fixtures. Towards the end of the day do will demonstrate cutting through dovetails on the Leigh Jig. By the end of the day you will possess the information and experience necessary to select equipment wisely and to operate your router safely with confidence. If you own a router bring it along with it’s accessories to the class. Don will help explain specific features and help tune it up!
In this class we will take a close look at the world of acrylic pens, and you will make your own blanks and turn your own pen. We will explore all the different types of “acrylics” on the market for pen makers. After an overview of the fundamentals of casting (products, techniques, getting rid of bubbles and coloring) and turning, you will be ready to cast your own Alumilite blank and make a pen. Due to the nature of casting and hardening, the pen will be made from a precast readily available blank. In this class you will be exposed to the basics of color casting, pen making, component selection, finishing and assembly. This is a great starter class for the pen maker and for someone interested in getting into the world of casting.
This is a full day hands on table saw class using the new Saw Stop table saw. The class starts off with a discussion on equipment tune up and saw blade selection, then moves quickly to safety procedures and hands on experience. Planning your cuts, saw set up, the correct use of push sticks, feather boards, hold downs, and guards will be explained. You will practice ripping, crosscutting on a sled, cut dadoes, Cut rabbets, and learn to cut tenons. Don will explain how to build his favorite jigs and fixtures and demonstrate them for you. Extensive handouts will be provided.
In this class we will be turning two types of peppermills – a traditional grinder and a fun “antique style” crank peppermill. Together we will go over all the details and work as you make your own mills - wood selection, cutting and drilling your blanks, a surefire way to get the best match for the style and grain, finishing and assembly tricks and tips. With the holidays right around the corner this will be an heirloom gift or just something you will use every day. The first mill will be a small self-contained that uses a simple 3” x 3” blanks of any height. A great intro to turning or simply an intro to peppermills. For the second project we will be exploring the traditional two-piece grinding peppermill – a little more turning, some precision, and bigger wood canvas to work with. Come out and “take your turn” at turning a peppermills.
Don knows that good planning and organization are the first steps towards successful wood working. Through out his career, Don has set up many different shops, small and large, temporary and permanent, all efficient enough to make a living in. He will explain to you how he reads a space then transforms it into a working shop. Tool selection, work stations, tool and material storage, dust collection, electrical, lighting, along with layout procedures and the importance of a scaled floor plan will be covered. Steps to create a detailed electrical plan will be discussed. He will explain all the ins and outs of setting up and surviving in a small space. You will be amazed at how efficient and comfortable any size shop can be.
Understanding the differences between sharpening systems and selecting the best system for you is one of the most confusing subjects in woodworking. Don starts at the beginning explaining the sandpaper system then continues to compare water stones, diamond plates, and oil stones. He will give you information on cross referencing the different grit systems so that comparing performance and price is easier. You will be provided with equipment to flatten and sharpen on sandpaper. Final honing will be completed on waterstones with a jig to produce a surgically sharp tool. You will also learn how to hollow grind on a bench grinder. By the end of the class you will understand what sharp is and have had the opportunity to experience tools sharper than you could have ever imagined.
This is an advanced hands-on, finishing class for everyone. The class begins with a discussion on surface preparation and the selection of sand paper. You will learn what surface each grit will produce and be able to recognize when to advance to the next grit. Each student is expected to prepare numerous hardwood samples obtaining preparation results from 150, through 400 grit. We will discuss and use oil finishes, oil base poly urethanes, and water base poly urethanes as clear top coats. The second half of the class will introduce you to numerous pre stains, stains (both oil and water based), dyes, and dye stains.