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Classes

We have a great line up of classes for winter of 2011 and spring of 2012! Classes are held in my shop on a quiet rural setting 35 miles north of the Twin Cities. We do our best to make our classes fun and relaxing as well as educational. With a maximum of 8 students in a class you will get plenty of one on one time with your instructor. Beverages will be on hand throughout the day and a healthy lunch will be provided. The shop is air conditioned. For the sake of other students you will be asked to please turn off your cell phone during class, you can check messages on breaks and at lunch. We also have a Wi-Fi connection. You will be expected to sign a liability waiver before you can work in the shop.

Gateway Skill Workshops

I would like to draw your attention to my skill building workshops. Acquiring gateway skills like sharpening, sawing, planing, chiseling and layout will make your woodworking more enjoyable and will help you get more out of a class because you are better prepared, enabling you to focus on learning more advanced skills . These basic skills are the foundation that the rest of your woodworking is built upon.

2011–2012 class schedule — More details and classes to come!

Harvey Ellis #802 Server

  • Date: 6 days, November 28th – December 3rd, 8:30 to 4:30
  • Cost: $650
  • Materials: $200
  • Skill Level: Intermediate/all

Course Description

We will construct the handsome Harvey Ellis server made by Gustav Stickley using Quartersawn Oak to achieve that distinctive Arts and Crafts/Mission style look. You will learn mortise and tenon construction, hand cut dovetails, tapering of legs and handplaning

Tools

  • Dovetail and/or carcass saw
  • chisels
  • mallet for chisels
  • smoothing plane
  • block plane
  • marking gauge
  • hammer
  • card scraper
  • marking knife
  • square, rule
  • measuring tape
  • hearing protection
  • safety glasses
  • dust mask

Christmas Box

  • Date: Saturday and Sunday, December 10th – 11th , 9:00 – 5:00
  • Cost: $270
  • Materials: Included
  • Skill Level: All/intermediate

In this workshop we will make a dovetailed box with wooden hinges. You will use hand planes to prepare your stock, cut it out with handsaws and learn to layout and cut dovetails. We will assemble the box with wooden pegs. You will have some latitude in the final size of your box.

Tools

  • Smooth plane
  • block plane
  • dovetail saw
  • marking gauge
  • knife
  • chisels
  • mallet for chisels
  • hammer
  • card scraper
  • square
  • rule
  • measuring tape
  • hearing protection
  • safety glasses
  • dust mask

Dovetail workshop

  • Date: Saturday January 7th, 12:30 – 5:00
  • Cost:$100
  • Materials: Included
  • Skill Level: All

The hand cut dovetail is a functional, attractive and actually a fairly simple joint that adds visual interest and quality to your work. We will go over the layout and cutting of a through and a half blind dovetail. With a bit of instruction you will be making fine joints. We will make practice joints and then a box. Bring a marking gauge, a dovetail saw, a mallet and your sharp chisels.

Sharpening and Using Handsaws

  • Date: Saturday morning January 21st 8:00 – 12:00
  • Cost: $60
  • Materials: included
  • Skill Level: All

A gateway skills class

Course description

Most people have never used a properly sharpened handsaw so they don't realize how well they work. Find out what you are missing! Mike will demonstrate .how to bring an old saw back to life. We will go over what to look for in a handsaw and how to sharpen a saw. Mike will demonstrate the mechanics of sawing and how to cut square and straight. We will supply files and vises. Bring a saw to sharpen, between 10 and 6 points per inch and a saw vice if you have one. If you don't have a saw that you want to practice on Mike has some practice saws.

Tools

Bring an 8 point cross cut saw that needs to be sharpened and a saw vice if you have one. If you don't have a saw you want to practice on Mike has some practice saws.

Making a Saw Bench Using Handsaws

  • Date: Saturday afternoon, January 21st, 1:00 to 5:00
  • Cost: $75
  • Materials: included
  • Skill Level: All
  • A gateway skills class

We will use our sharp saws to make a saw horse/saw bench, giving you the opportunity to practice your sawing skills and make an important workshop accessory.

Tools

Your sharp handsaws, cross cut and rip.

Sharpening Chisels, Plane Irons and Scrapers

  • Date: Saturday Morning, January 28th, 8:00 – 12:00
  • Cost: $65
  • Materials:
  • Skill Level:

A gateway skills class

Course Description

Getting your tools sharp is possibly the most important skill a woodworker can learn. Sharpening should be a quick and easy task. Mike will show you what it takes to obtain and maintain a good sharp edge. We will discuss various sharpening systems as well as different bevel angles and why they are used. You will also get ideas for setting up a sharpening station in your shop. Our goal is for you to achieve the 5 minute edge, the time it takes to remove and sharpen a plane iron, replace it, and get back to work.

Tools

Bring your dull planes and chisels and your sharpening stones.

Note

If you sign up for both sections on Saturday lunch is included (sandwiches and beverage) Those who sign up for both days of plane classes will receive enrollment preference over those who only take one or two sections.

Tuning Hand Planes

  • Date: Saturday Afternoon, January 28th , 1 – 5 (see note above)
  • Cost: $65
  • Materials: none
  • Skill Level: All

A gateway skills class

Course Description

In this course you will learn what it takes to make a plane work properly, whether you are flattening a board and removing lots of material, jointing an edge, or smoothing for a finished surface. We will discuss when an iron needs camber and when an iron should be straight, and the nuances in between. Please have the rust and gunk cleaned off of your planes before you come, all screws should be loose(not seized with rust) and all adjustments should function. You will learn what to look for in a plane, and what to avoid and how to correct deficiencies in your planes.

Tools

  • Bring your planes

Using Hand Planes

  • Date: Sunday, January 29th, 10:00 – 5:00
  • Cost: $125
  • Materials: Includes materials and lunch (sandwiches and beverage)
  • Skill Level: All

A gateway skills class

Course Description

We will put our properly sharpened and tuned planes to work to flatten boards, make glue joints and trim end grain. Mike will demonstrate work holding techniques to make your planing simple and accurate. We will try out specialty planes for cutting grooves and dados and making sash and moldings.

Note

Those who sign up for both Saturday and Sunday plane classes will receive enrollment preference over those who only take one or two sections.

Three Side Tables

  • Date: 6 days, Sunday – Friday, February 5th – 10th, 8:30 to 4:30
  • Cost: $650
  • Materials: $100
  • Skill Level: All/intermediate

Course Description

Build a small side table in one of 3 styles, Federal, Arts and Crafts, or Shaker. Learn what variations change the basic form into a specific style. You will hand plane all of your surfaces, hand dovetail a drawer, and cut mortises and tenons. We will also cover inlaid stringing.

Tools

  • Smooth plane
  • block plane
  • dovetail saw
  • marking gauge
  • knife
  • chisels
  • mallet for chisels
  • hammer
  • card scraper

Holtzapfel Style Workbench

  • Date: 5 days, February 20th – 24th, 8:30 to 4:30
  • Cost: $600
  • Materials: Approximately $250 in Materials
  • Skill Level: Intermediate/all

Course Description

Holtzapfel Style Workbench
The work bench is the centerpiece and main work holding device in a wood shop. We will build a great looking, solid, simple, functional work bench for your shop that disassembles easily for moving. Mike's 16” jointer and 24” planer will help make quick work out of flattening the 2 ½ “ thick tops. We will also cover some workbench appliances like the holdfast, the sliding deadman and the bench hook. To simplify things Mike will order in enough lumber for all of the benches so they will be the same. The hardwood lumber used will be purchased to get the best price, and provided at cost plus machining fees. Let Mike know how long of a bench you wish to build. If you want to bring your own lumber contact Mike for specifics. You will need to bring a vise to attach to your bench. Mike has a few vises rescued from a High School that he will sell on a first come basis to those in the class for $25

Tools

  • chisels
  • mallet for chisels
  • smoothing plane
  • jointer plane if you have one
  • block plane
  • marking gauge
  • hammer
  • card scraper
  • marking knife
  • square, rule
  • measuring tape
  • hearing protection
  • safety glasses
  • dust mask.

Windsor Nanny Rocker

  • Date: 7 days, March 4th – 10th, 8:30 to 4:30
  • Cost: $750
  • Materials: Approximately $100 in Materials
  • Skill Level: Intermediate

Course description

Windsor Nanny Rocker
Mike and Jim will lead you through the many steps it takes to create this beautiful rocker. From riving your parts from green wood, working on the shave horse to make you spindles, to shaping the seat with an adze. The skills gained in chair making open up many other avenues in woodworking. You may bring chairmaking tools if you have them, we have several sets that you can use.