My family and I are putting together a retirement gift for my Dad of formal woodworking education. He’s been a semi-serious woodworker for most of his adult life, and would like to start selling his work once he has more time to devote to his hobby. He’s never taken any formal training in woodworking, and is very familiar with standard power tools as opposed to planes, chisels and handsaws. He enjoys building fairly straight-forward furniture (bookcases, small tables, cabinets), but has never tackled some of the more advanced projects/techniques (windsor chairs, hand-cut dovetails, etc).
Our idea is to pool our money to fund a 1-2 week trip to one of the many woodworking schools in the US/Canada. Neither I nor any of my friends have ever done this (although many of us have day dreamed), so we’re having trouble narrowing down the list of schools. I’ll try to summarize what I think the key criteria would be below and hopefully someone out there will have some suggestions on schools we might try. All help is welcome.
– Designed for people who may have skipped learning hand tools and become familiar with the power tool equivalent but who would like to go back and cover that ground while learning more about power tools as well
– Designed for people who haven’t received much formal design training but are fascinated by the construction process and aesthetics of design
– Designed for people interested in becoming semi-professional in woodworking or at least far more proficient as a hobby
– Preferable somewhere interesting to travel to.
Thanks in advance.
MDP
Replies
I'd look seriously at the Andersons Ranch scool in Colorado or the closest Woodcraft University, there's one in Denver and one in Salt Lake City. Hope that helps.
2 places come to mind for a woodworking vacation. Dana Robes in New Hampshire. I have not taken a course there but a friend of mine who has, raved about it. It is in a beautiful area of New Hampshire where you can find other things to do, such as going to the Shaker Museum and other sight seeing trips. http://www.danarobes.com
The other place is the North Bennett Street School in Boston's northend. I took a silver smithing course there and through it was great. Have heard good reviews about their woodworking also. They have a reputuation of quality, traditional instructions. http://www.nbss.org
Good luck - this sounds like a great retirement gift idea!
Martha
Call me biased, but you should check with Ben Hobbs (my Dad) at http://www.hobbsfurniture.com. He has week long classes on a variety of projects and have been very well received by beginners and well seasoned woodworkers alike. The projects are based on period furniture styles. The school is in Northeastern North Carolina.
He and my Mom also have a bed and breakfast on site. Each unit is a restored pre 1840 house they have moved to their property from the surrounding counties, currently about 18 houses. They in the process of completing their restaurant, but for now my Mom serves great Southern cooking in the dining room (main house is approximately 1750 or so).
Sounds like a great gift.
Calvin Hobbs
You could consider the 'Tools and Techniques' class offered once each summer by the Fine Furniture program at the College of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, CA. Sounds close to what you're asking for, it's in a spectacularly beautiful area of the North Coast, and it's nice and cool there in the summer too. This year, it's June 14 - July 2, and the cost is $575.
I don't know where you are/he'll be coming from, it is kinda remote. It's a (scenic) 3.5 hours' drive north from SF airport on the CA coast - quite a long single day's travel from anywhere on the east coast. I don't know whether they still have any space available this summer, though. They have only 22 (?) student benches, they take applications as of March 1, and when it's full, it's full.
See http://www.crfinefurniture.com/
I have also heard good things about the North Bennett school in MA, mentioned above, if that's seriously more convenient, or if the CofR class is full.
Clay
PS, to Calvin Hobbs - you must have been the only person in the country to have actually been happy when the comic strip with (almost) your name ceased publishing! I still think that Calvin & Hobbes provided some of the most penetrating philosophical insights of the so-called 'Me Generation.' Don't know your age, were you actually named after the strip?
Edited 5/5/2004 11:47 pm ET by miami
Clay,
I get asked every couple of days of my life "Have you heard of that Comic Strip----?" and I actually have always gotten a kick out of it and always liked the strip.
My great grandfather was John Calvin Hobbs, I am a junior(34 yrs old), and I have branded my son the third, so we have a legit claim on the name I guess!
Cal
MDP,
Check out http://www.rosewoodstudios.com.
I think they have some things you might like.
-Kit
MIAMI mentioned College of the Redwoods ... which means James Krenov, the magical, master of woodworking. It has been a dream of mine to attend that college but life, somehow, just seems to keep getting in the way.
Mr. Krenov's whole philosophy is the promotion of those of us who love this wonderful craft and not the artsy-craftsy aspects of it. He writes for the amateur, which he considers himself, and not the professional. His joinery is unbelievable but yet the man just considers himself a humble, run-of-the-mill amateur. His story is totally amazing.
In addition, he emphasizes the use of hand tools but not overlooking the functionality which the basic power tools bring to our craft. He believes that these power tools should be used to save our backs thus giving each of us more time to spend with our hand tools such as the wooden planes which he prides himself in.
I have followed his lead in this respect and feel very fortunate that I now have the experience of having made several planes from rock maple or other hardwoods. These do not sit idle on my bench for passers-by to gawk at. These are tools which embody the very essence of woodworking. These are the tools which allow us to leave our 'mark' on our work. Last year I had the pleasure of restoring an altar in an 150 year old church in southern New Mexico. Guess which tools did most of the work? My wooden planes.
There is absolutely nothing as wonderful as hearing the swoo-oosh that a properly sharpened and tuned wooden plane makes as it burnishes that table leg or top. This is what makes people reach out and touch a furniture piece. Their fingers and hands will tell them just how skillful and thoughtful the craftsman was who constructed the piece they are admiring. I learned all of that from just reading his books. I can only imagine what it must be like to take a course at that school.
I could go on forever on this subject as I am very passionate about this man, his beliefs, and what he has done for our wonderful craft in general. I believe that he retired last year, but the staff there is second to none. His books are an inspiration in themselves as well. Your father may enjoy them as immensely as I have. He has written only five books. The last one was actually a promotional of this students' work as opposed to a book on methodology, if you will. It is entitled 'With Awakened Hands'. That title alone should tell you something of the man.
What a wonderful gift for your father. I wish you and your family success in this endeavor.
Warm Regards,
Phillip
P.S. If you're interested you can speak to David Welter - I'm sure that he is still there. The number is (707)964-7056. Or your can email the staff at [email protected]. You can, of course, just look them up on the internet. My information may be outdated but you should be able to find them will little effort.
PhillipB,
Wow, you've got the "Krenov" bug even worse than me! LOL Seriously, I know how you feel. His books have inspired at least my attitude and approach to the work if not yet the work itself. The hand grinder that he describes in one of his books opened the door for me to begin the use of hand tools. I still use it, almost twenty years after I put it together, every time I have to grind a tool.
When I started woodworking I was able to acquire large quantities (100 sheet packs) of sand paper from the place I worked. Since reading his books, I use sand paper very sparingly and after all these years those packs of sand paper are still sitting, stored away inside one of my benches.
I'd love to get the chance to go to College of the Redwoods even though he's now retired.
The guy is truly one of great ones!!
Regards,
Mack "WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
Mack,
Nice to hear from you.
Let me tell you a story. I used to work for Chevron in El Paso and I had just harvested an elm tree from their property. A short time later I was reading 'The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking' and at the very beginning of the book Krenov talks about exactly what I had just done - harvest a tree - but not just that he also mentioned an ELM tree. It was as though he was speaking directly to me.
But the truly amazing realization that came from reading his books was that he was making me aware of feelings about woodworking that I had but was not really cognizant of. He brought all of these emotions that I had about building good quality furniture or boxes or whatever - anything that a person could make out of wood - to the surface. I mean I wasn't even AWARE of my own inner feelings on this. Sounds bizarre I know but that's the truth of the matter. It's like you hash things over in your mind then just dismiss it, but Krenov helps you dig past the bark so you can see that, yes, there IS good wood under here. He teaches you to see, to feel, to sense with all of your senses in regards to our craft.
Wood isn't just that stuff that tree's are made of. You can do wonderful things with it - if you know how. You can make nice things with it. Give it a new life in the form of a table, a box, or whatever. Make it's new owner happy as he/she runs their fingers across the surface and feels the skill of the craftsman. BUT, before you can do any of those things you have to be aware of your inner feelings, you must be aware of your skills and shortcomings as a craftsman and most importantly you have to be respectful of this wonderful material which wants to become useful, functional. Work of art? Perhaps. Someone else can diddle with that.
Mr. Krenov has taught me all I know about our craft simply by opening my eyes, making me aware of everything that espouses our craft. He makes you adhere to what you truly believe in so you are not easily influenced by the avant-garde aspects of our craft.
This is emotional stuff, man! Bottom line for me is I don't CARE what people say about my work, because I have rules that I adhere to and I don't waver about any of it. If I'm not happy with whatever it is I make, people can say what they want but I may be saying to myself 'I could have done better, the design isn't quite right' and so on. I am my own worst critic and always will be. That's the way I like it.
There is no greater sin, in my opinion, than doing shoddy, cheap work. You do yourself, the material you used (wasted?) , and your client an immense disservice. If you want to rivet your cabinet together with nails rather than take the time to develope the skills to make nice, crisp dovetails then thats your choice. Society has come to appreciate that kind of craftsmanship because we use it for a year or two then 'styles change' and we toss it away. A very small minority of the population care about quality in regards to our craft. We have become a 'throw-away' society. Quality? What's that? I believe that there is an inverse relationship between your level of skill and your clientele: The greater your skill the smaller your clientele.
This all sounds like I'm complaining but I'm not. I make my pieces because I LOVE to do what I do. I am not influenced by a need to make five of these or 4 of those. I make pieces that are one of a kind and thats the end of it. They can be boxes or bracelets or a walnut crotch coffee table or pears or altar carvings or whatever but, I finish the work and never duplicate it again. Yes, I catch a lot of flak from my better half but she has come to recognize that I dance to the beat of my own drummer. I never feel pressured to stay in 'style' because I believe that quality NEVER goes out of style.
A few years ago I asked David Welter at the College of the Redwoods why Krenov never made a video like other woodworkers of his genre. His reply was that Mr. Krenov did not want it to be just another 'how-to' scenario on tape, because to truly understand or appreciate what it is we feel, you had to be aware that our craft went much deeper than just the 'how to' aspect of it. I agreed with David but just to have a chance to hear Krenov expound on all of the virtues of the inner, emotional, personal aspects that he has taught us through his books would be mind-boggling.
I apologize for going on about this but this is what I believe in, what I have become, what I practice. The world be da*ned! I have to look myself in the mirror as say that I took no short cuts on quality and I did the very best that I know how to do.
Some of my work follows (if I'm lucky). A segment of a walnut crotch coffee table.
Regards,
Phillip
PhillipB,
You hit a lot of cords there!! I like Krenov's writing almost as much as his work! I think he has the ability to make even casual readers feel that he is "speaking directly to them". His wry and subtle sense of humor keeps things on a just slightly casual keel. He never gets off on a "cult" thing although I think his devotees would readily go there!! He reminds me of certain military leaders I've known that when they were around you just stood straighter! He's able to fan a flame that exists or kindle one that's dormant.
I can relate to your statement about being your own worst critic. My wife can never seem to grasp why or how I am able to spend so much time making something that in the end looks so simple. I've only done a few pieces that I consider even decent but I am looking forward to the time when life gets simplified enough for me to spend much more time in the shop typing to elevate my own craftsmanship.
Next time I get down to the shop, I'm gonna' crack open a Bert Grant's and drink a toast to "Jim"!
Regards,
Mack"WISH IN ONE HAND, #### IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
Morning, Mack!
We could write book after book on why something we create took so long to make, but I remember reading the following:
'Something as simple as a small box can require you to have the skills of a master craftsman in order to accomplish successfully.'
Don't recall exactly who said that but it IS true. So when I feel that I have spent too much time on something I simply remember that and know that everything is OK.
And we have to remember that everything is relative. By this is mean that that, for instance, making joints from hardwood requires a different approach than that required if using softer wood. Soft wood (pine) is more 'forgiving' than hardwood (maple) which means you can be a little sloppy with the soft stuff because it will give or compress somewhat and still look good but the hardwood joinery will not tolerate any of this sloppiness. With hardwood, if you want nice, crisp joinery, you either get it right or you start over. Period. All of this takes time to do properly.
Now to contradict everything I just said, Krenov wrote that in order to work pine properly a craftsman must use tools that are scary sharp. Again, this is because the soft fiber's of pine are easily crushed. So, if you want nice, crisp joinery in pine you must 'tune' your tools for the job at hand. More than once I have read that the true test for a 'just sharpened' chisel is to run it across the end grain of pine. I promise that this will either teach you to sharpen properly or else you'll just quit the craft. Take up gardening or something.
Ah, 'Jim!' He made a difference in my life. Take care.
Regards,
Phillip
Have you looked at the list of schools on the Taunton site? http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/fw_schools.asp
unfortunately I can't help you with a recommendation. however, I suggest that before you commit to a school, you talk to the instructor(s) about their course and how suitable it may be for your dad. Maybe involve your dad in the discussion as there would be nothing worse than spending two weeks in school with a teacher you couldn't relate to.
In addition to a formal woodworking school have you considered the option of an internship with a more local maker ?
Ian
That's a great idea and it will lead to an experience he'll value forever. His background sounds much like mine was. I attended the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockland, Maine several years ago and really learned what woodworking is all about even though I'd been making stuff for many years with a fairly well equipped shop. Peter Korn, founder and director (and author of several books published by Taunton Press) suggested I take the Basic course. This put me off at first, but it only took a couple of hours there before I realized how little I actually knew about fine woodworking -- from sharpening to jointing. Now there's never a day that I don't use something learned from those two weeks of basic intensive learning and doing and I've gone back for more advanced instruction since. They have a very extensive facility which even includes an exhibition gallery and a full-time staff. Check them out on line at woodschool.org. Email me if you'd like to know more from an alumnus. Jim
mark Adams school has some very repitable instructors. Though I have not taken any wood classes from such as school. A good person to ask would be John over at woodshop demos http://www.woodshopdemos.com
real nice guy with a lot of info on that sort of thing.
Darkworksite4:
El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera
As you can see, there are plenty of good suggestions. But you need to treat this as a major purchase, hopefully just as you would any other major purchase. Using what you posted as a starting point, put together a "request for proposal" or RFP and fax it to the top dozen or so schools you and your friends have picked.
Be specific in your RFP - ask for an outline, day by day that the school will provide for your father. What are the fees? tuition? Accomodations? How large will the class be? Ask for a description of the facilities. Who is the instructor? His/her background, how long have they been teaching.
Take your time and analyze the responses. The schools that are really interested will addrees your questions. Folks ask the same questions when they seek a K through 12 school for their children, so you have every right to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck.
Good luck. And you should let us know which one you choose and afterwards, a critique from your father on the experience. That would be wonderful info for all of us.
Ed Gregg
Ask him first!
I hate schools, prefering to learn on my own.. he may feel that a school is somehow an insult (or the greatist gift you've ever given depending on his viewpoint)
I'd recommend taking a close look at the Center For Furnture Craftsmanship run by Peter Korn in Rockport, Maine - http://www.woodschool.org. I think that it meets all the criteria you list. I think that you're unlikely to find everything you want for him in a two week course but do check their course catalog.
Even the Intro course, which may sound pretty basic, would teach many hobbyist woodworkers a lot! I took the course as part of their 12week intensive and realised how little I knew.
Rockport is just outside Camden in a gorgeous part of Maine - so if he's accompanied there lots for the the rest of the family to do.
Pester me if you want more insight.
Tim
MDP
I have been to 2 Marc Adams classes in the past few years. Both were related to hand tools. I enjoyed them both. However, I also had the pleasure of taking 2 trips up to New Hampshire. There is a furniture factory up there named Dana Robes. Located in Enfield, New Hampshire. You work on a particular piece that you have selected from their catalog. A craftsman will work along side you working on the same piece for their use (sale/showroom). You will of course keep yours. It was a great experience both times. There pieces are high quality and a bit pricey. However, it was worth every cent. Just one week of concentrated woodwork. They have great power tools of course. Worked with a very patient craftsmman,Ralph, and all the guys were always helpful whenever I needed help.
I certainly would recommend looking into it for anyone. Level of skill will fit piece that one selects to make.
They have a website:
http://WWW.Danarobes.com
Coordinator is Chris.
They usually only have one, or at the most 2 studentrs at any one time for the full week course.
If this helps fine. Highly recommended
Regards
Ron from Pittsburgh
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