Meet Your Instructor

Frank Strazza

Live Virtual Class

Introduction to Joinery for Woodworkers

Handtool work and joinery are vital skills for all woodworkers. There is nothing more valuable than being able to select and cut joints with skill and ease.

Learn along with other makers as you participate in this live video conference class taught by renowned furniture maker Frank Strazza while you chat with your classmates from around the nation and world in real-time.  There is a lot of interaction, and you’ll get to watch and engage with Frank as he leads you through the process of joinery for furniture makers.  Frank will be leading this from his workshop in Texas where he is a master furniture maker and inlay artist.

The class is split into manageable sections of approximately two hours online followed by work periods where you will work at your own pace.

You will learn how to select joints, how to lay them out, how to cut them accurately using a variety of hand tools. It is an incredible class, no matter your skill level, and will build your confidence and impact the quality of your woodworking for years to come. Along with learning about and making a wide variety of joints, you will improve your layout skills, radically improve your measuring and accuracy, and gain a better understanding of joint selection and wood behavior.

If you are not confident in your hand skills and joinery, this is a perfect class for you.

You’ll learn and practice joint making techniques that will include:

• Selecting the right joint
• The layout of joints with a wide variety of measuring & marking tools
• Using handtools to precisely cut the following foundation joints
• Dado
• Mortise and Tenon
• Dovetail
• How to recover from joinery mistakes

This is a hands-on technique and a skill-based class. You will focus on making joinery samples that you will be able to use as a reference for later projects.

Resources

We’ll have a “Tech Check” call a few days before the start of the class for you to verify your connection and get familiar with Zoom if you need to.

You’ll also be invited to join our private Facebook group where you can chat, post questions, and get advice outside of class hours.  Come and join the quarantine team!

Finally, will we record each day, so that you can refer back to it as you work through your assigned tasks and homework.

Tools Needed:    Along with a laptop with a wifi connection you will need the following tools   CLICK HERE FOR Joinery Tool List  

You will also need a work surface that you can clamp your stock to and a means of clamping your work tight. A vice is preferable.

Materials Needed:

You can provide your own materials or you may order a materials kit at checkout.
3 pieces that are 5/8” thick x 5” wide x 10” long for dado and sawing practice
2 pieces that are  5/8” thick x 2” wide x 8” long for single dovetail practice
2 pieces that are  5/8” thick x 3 1/2” wide  x 8” long (optional) for double dovetail if we get to that aspect
2 pieces that are 1 1/4” thick x 2” wide x 10” long for Mortise and tenon practice

We recommend that you use quartered or rift sawn pine that is clear of any knots and also even grain. This stock must be prepared and milled carefully – look for straight grain, no knots, no cracks.

Class Schedule

Saturday, September 26th, 10:30am – 12:30pm EST and 4:30 – 6:30pm EST
Sunday, September 27th, 10:30am – 12:30pm EST and 4:30 – 6:30 pm EST