Practical Skills for Woodworkers | Michael Cullen

Build on your foundations of woodworking and power tools

Learn by doing.  Once you have taken the Beginning Woodwork class and perhaps the Intro to Handtool and  Joinery class,  this would be an excellent class to help bring your skills into focus and take them a step further.  You will work on 3 different projects, all of which build practical skills beneficial in many different projects. You will make a small sliding lid box with either decorative fasteners or pins to join it, a hanging candle box with decorative scrollwork, and finally a tray with dovetailed corners.  Each project, while small, will help you build finesse, skill and competency.

Key Learning Points:

• how to properly fit a sliding component
• how to layout, cut and file scrollwork
• how to make a dovetailed construction that includes a floating panel bottom

The projects you’ll make include a sliding lid box and dovetailed tray –  both good foundational projects that are full of learning while still resulting in a wonderful product. The third is a hanging candle box based on examples of period American pipe boxes – you don’t have to have a pipe!

Additionally, you will gain experience seamlessly merging the use of hand tools and power equipment to create an efficient workflow. Finishing topics will be discussed for each piece. I can give examples of milk paint finishes as well as shellac and oil varnish.

This class is beneficial and enjoyable for any skill level. Beginner with knowledge of basic joinery but not necessarily experience, all the way up to a more advanced woodworker with much experience.

These projects are small and not exceptionally demanding physically. There will be some preliminary machine work for each of the 3 boxes, followed by intimate work refining them at the bench. A fair amount of the bench work can even be done seated.