Intro to Handtool & Joinery 

Essential skills for all woodworkers

There is nothing more valuable than being able to select and cut joints with skill and ease.

This class taught by Andrew Gibson will elevate your joinery skillset regardless of your skill level. You will learn to select joints, lay them out, and cut them accurately using various hand tools and machine-based methods. This class is excellent for building your confidence and will impact the quality of your woodworking for years to come. 

Along with learning about and making a wide variety of joints, you will also improve your layout skills, enhance your measuring and accuracy, and better understand joint selection and wood behavior.

At the end of the week, what once seemed difficult will be approached with confidence.

In this five-day class, you’ll learn and practice joint-making techniques, including:

• Sharpening your chisels and hand planes
• Hand planing lumber
• Selection and layout of joints with measuring & marking tools
• Hand-cutting lap joints
• Mortise and tenons
• Dovetails 
• Approaches to cabinet, frame, table, and chair joinery
• How to recover from joinery mistakes

This class is technique and skill-based– focusing on creating joinery samples that you will be able to use as a reference at your home workshop.

TOOLS NEEDED:  NONE (feel free to bring what you have but the School has a full suite of tools for each student)

Materials: provided by the School

Recommended Book – The Joint Book by Terrie Noll