Replies

1. 
   rubydog | Mar 17, 2006 02:26am | #1

   Hi Joe, I teach at the Folk School once or twice a year and adore the place. There are walks and music in the morning before breakfast, late afternoon demos and local studio tours, and evening contra dancing, slide shows, music, and the like. Local dance groups practice at the Folk School and you can watch them. Strolling through the studios in the evenings is fun, especially if there is a cooking class going on.

   If you want a meal out Country Kitchen in Hayesville and Shoebooties in Murphy are wonderful. The Nantahala River gorge, Smoky Mountain National Park, and the Appalachian Trail are nearby.

   When in Asheville, be sure to check out the Grovewood Gallery. They have a huge furniture showroom; it's very inspiring.

   Have fun, Steve

2. 
   wordworker | Mar 17, 2006 09:54pm | #2

   About 45 mins. northeast of the Folk School is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, one of the largest stands of first growth forest east of the Mississippi.  Huge poplar, hemlocks, etc. with very little undergrowth due to the tall canopy.  On a sunny day in May, with the sun streaming through the 100'-plus canopy it is truly like a cathedral. I theorize that it is very much like the first settlers saw the Appalachian.  Nearby is the Cherohollow Skyway, a beautiful drive, much like the Blueridge Parkway but shorter and very lightly traveled. About 30 minutes due west on Hwy. 74 is the US Olympic kayak site with great hikes along the Ocoee River and into the mountains. 

1. 
   jalhess | Mar 18, 2006 12:03am | #3

   Thanks Steve and WW,I'm really looking forward to this trip. I was in Charlotte 15 years ago for NASCAR (Coca Cola 600), but that's my only experience in North Carolina. I only wish I had an extra week to see everything. What do you teach at the school Steve?Joe

1. 
   rubydog | Mar 18, 2006 02:15am | #4

   Hi Joe,I teach a woodworking class called "Router Magic". I'll teach the "Making an End Table" version in October and the "Making a Wall Cabinet" version next February.
   Check it out: http://sptwoodworking.com/classes.htmlHave fun! Steve

1. 
   silver | Mar 19, 2006 06:16pm | #5

   whattsup rubydog,

   The folk school looks like a very fun place to teach.

   I also teach woodworking at a local community college and am loking for new ideas for a router course.  The links to your courses weren't working...do you have more info? I did find a link to Routers a to z and I got some ideas from there.

   I also checked out your web page- very nice indeed.

   thanks for the needed inspiration,

    silver 

1. 
   rubydog | Mar 20, 2006 05:12am | #6

   Hi Silver,I just checked my website and it seems to be working. I built it with an imac so there may be a mac vs windows issue, but I've not been aware of that. You could try to approach the classes from the Folk School homepage which is folkschool.org.I focus on getting students to understand the weird forces during a router cut; to use the cutting action (and resultant reaction) to aid in safety and accuracy. We do a couple of different dovetail approaches, a couple of other drawer joints, mortise and tenon, inlays, veneering, and hardware installation. All in a week. All while hanging out at the cooking class!What is your class like? Is it part of a degree program? Are pictures of your work posted anywhere?Steve

2. 
   silver | Mar 21, 2006 06:10am | #11

   Yo ruby dawg,

   I don't have pictures posted anywhere but your web page inspired me to create my own web page.

   I have been teaching evening woodworking, cabinetmaking and router classes for the past 13 years. No degree-just for fun mostly...adults that want to learn woodworking.

   The router class I teach runs 4 nights for a total of 12 hours...I cover the basics and we table mount student routers...not much time for any serious stuff...

   Your classes interest me in the sense of the next step for my classes...but I couln't get any more info from the folk school site.

   Do you do a set-up and then a demo... and then everyone does their own set-up or do they use your set-up??

   At the end of your course, does everyone end up with 2 or 3 completed projects?

   Just curious...I'd like to offer a "certificate" upon completion and offer courses similar to what you have described...hence my interest.   

   best regards,

   silver  

3. 
   rubydog | Mar 21, 2006 04:08pm | #12

   Hi Silver,I'll get to the shop before breakfast and set up the setups for the day. Some students bring their own routers and recreate my setups for their own use, something I encourage. Most students are fine using my setups; indeed, a goodly number of students are enrolled for a woodworking experience, not because they want to persue woodworking at home.At the end of the week everyone might have completed the project. I'm there every evening as late as anyone wants to work. (Except Tuesday - contra dance night - whan I lock the shop and prod everyone into dancing.) Some will really get into it and finish the piece early. Some will really get into all the music-dance-makefriends-longmeals-goodtimes of being there and go home with a pile of parts. Everyone has fun, sometimes in spite of my juvenile, pun laced sense of humor.Steve

4. 
   silver | Mar 22, 2006 03:05am | #13

   thanks for the info Steve,

   man sounds like fun to me!There is a folk school a hour south of here...you just gave me some good reasons to check it out. 

   silver

3. 
   cgpq225 | Mar 20, 2006 11:56pm | #7

   In addition to previously described places, there is a circuit that you can drive to see several waterfalls if you are into scenery.  Check the hotel tourists maps.

   As for eating, I second the recommendation in Hayneville, however, my highest recommendation goes to Lulu's in Sylva, NC.  It is highly ranked by Southern Living.  Also, on the same block is a fun eatery called Italian Meatball (I think) if you like college hangouts.

1. 
   jalhess | Mar 21, 2006 12:30am | #8

   Is Sylva near Brasstown or Asheville?

   Edited 3/20/2006 5:31 pm ET by jalhess

1. 
   rubydog | Mar 21, 2006 01:17am | #9

   Yes yes, Lulu's is great! Sylva is about halfway between Brasstown and Asheville.The mention of a waterfall circuit reminded me that the organization Handmade in America publishes directories of studios throughout western North Carolina. The Folk School has them.Steve

2. 
   cgpq225 | Mar 21, 2006 01:40am | #10

   Yes.  It is about half way between Brasstown and Ashville.  There are two ways to get there from Brasstown.  Both are scenic.  The Southern route is through Hayesville to Franklin and then over the mountain via US23 to Sylva.  The Northern route is through Andrews, Bryson City to Sylva.  Take your wife.  She will like it.