Timber Framing
This course focuses on timber frames. Students will learn about material science of wood, what makes a timber frame appealing, and why timber frames are more environmentally friendly, sustainable, and energy-efficient than traditional stick frame structures.
Upholstery Basics: Wrap and Staple Essentials - FULL
Begin your upholstery journey with this entry level and versatile project - a wrapped and stapled seat cushion. Whether you want to reupholster old furniture or add upholstery to furniture you build, this class will teach you the basic tools and techniques. The wrap and staple upholstery method can be used on a variety of furniture pieces such as dining chairs, bar stools, ottomans, head boards and more.
Women: Woodshop Safety - 5 spots left!
Learn how to safely and properly use the most common power tools and make your own tool caddy! Using woodworking machines without proper training can be dangerous. This course will teach you to use tools safely so you can focus on enjoying your time in the shop.
Comprehensive Lumber Grading with Bob Vogel
Join us at the SBWI for an exclusive one-day Lumber Grading course led by industry veteran Bob Vogel, former CEO of Hardwoods of Michigan. In 2010, Bob was named as one of North Americas 50 most influential people in the hardwood lumber Industry.
Cutting Board Class - 4 spots left!
Cutting boards are the perfect project for people at the front end of their woodworking journey. They are made from beautiful hardwoods and they will add a lot of character to anyone's kitchen.
Balloon Back or Fan Back Windsor Side Chair
Build a Windsor Balloon Back or Fan Back Side Chair with Chairmaker Luke A. Barnett. Students will join us for a 5-day class. Students can choose to build either a balloon back or a fan back side chair.
Intro to Woodturning - FULL
Explore the world of woodturning. Students will learn the basics of spindle turning and bowl turning in a fun and informative weekend. Projects to be completed include a woodcarving mallet and a bowl as well as various knick-knacks that will be created while doing exercises.
Upholstery Basics: Wrap and Staple Essentials - FULL
Begin your upholstery journey with this entry-level and versatile project - a wrapped and stapled seat cushion. Whether you want to reupholster old furniture or add upholstery to furniture you build, this class will teach you the basic tools and techniques. The wrap and staple upholstery method can be used on a variety of furniture pieces such as dining chairs, bar stools, ottomans, head boards and more.
Finishing Basics - Full!
Do you have a nearly complete project at home that’s ready for that perfect finishing touch? (Or two? We all do!) Let’s tackle one together in this hands-on finishing workshop. We will demystify the many different wood finishes on the market and how to choose the right finish for your project. You will learn best practices for surface preparation, application methods, and achieving your desired aesthetics.
End Grain Butcher Block Cutting Board - FULL
End grain cutting boards and butcher blocks are very durable and with proper care can last for generations. They are great for form and function as they are both beautiful and utilitarian. Use them daily in your kitchen or just leave them on your counter for decoration, they are great conversation pieces.
Shaker Oval Boxes
Spend a day mastering the Shakers’ timeless method for bending thin wood into elegant oval boxes. Through live demonstrations and plenty of hands-on practice, you’ll discover how heat and moisture make wood flexible, then learn the precise steps for shaping, fastening, and finishing a matched set of three nesting boxes. No prior experience or tools are required—all materials and equipment are provided.
Scroll Saw Ornaments
Learn scroll saw basics while creating a unique, handcrafted ornament - the perfect gift to loved ones or a little slice of holiday cheer. In this class, students will learn scroll saw safety with proper blade selection, installation, and tension. You will also learn how to transfer a pattern, proper techniques with cutting, blade-entry holes, and table squaring. Students can choose from a variety of ornament designs and will be able to create multiple pieces to take home. We will also have milk paint available to add embellishment to your ornament.
Farm House Table
Build a full-sized dining room table in a weekend. Bring a friend at no extra charge. Design your table to fit your home. Table tops will be chosen from a variety of hardwoods, and the legs will be pine.
Learn Dovetail Joinery - FULL
This class is geared toward people who have beginner woodworking skills and want to learn more advanced techniques, but students new to the woodshop are also welcome to join! Students will learn the skill of hand cut dovetails while using layout tools, chisels and handsaws. At the end of the class, you will take home a step stool that is practical yet beautiful enough to leave out on display.
Modern Windsor Rocking Chair - 3 spots left!
Build a Modern Windsor Rocking Chair with Chair maker Luke A. Barnett. Students will join us for a 7-day class. We will start with logs on Monday morning and finish with a rocking chair on Sunday.
MCM Funky Footstool Workshop
Dive into the world of Mid Century Modern design with our Funky Footstool Workshop. In this two-day course, you'll learn the foundational skills of woodworking and upholstery by constructing a stylish and functional footstool. This project is perfect for beginners looking to gain hands-on experience in both crafts.
Learn Dovetail Joinery
This class is geared toward people who have beginner woodworking skills and want to learn more advanced techniques, but students new to the woodshop are also welcome to join! Students will learn the skill of hand cut dovetails while using layout tools, chisels and handsaws. At the end of the class, you will take home a step stool that is practical yet beautiful enough to leave out on display.
Woodshop Safety for Teens
With the guidance of an experienced instructor, you’ll get hands-on with real tools and machines—yes, you will be running a table saw, miter saw, band saw, and more (safely, of course). You’ll learn the same safety standards used in professional shops, and by the end of the day, you’ll walk away with serious skills and a certification to prove it.
Smooth Abstract Sculpture Carving with Mike Sasaki
Red Pine sculpture in the general style of Mike Sasaki’s wood forms, which are smooth, abstract, freestanding and geometrically and/or organically inclined.
The Art & Craft of Axes
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the art and craft of axe work in this 6-day immersive course. The Thoreau’s Cabin Series, Part 1: The Art & Craft of Axes is designed for anyone interested in learning the history, anatomy, and practical use of one of the most essential tools in woodworking and timber processing. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced woodsman, this hands-on course will equip you with the skills to handle an axe with confidence and precision.
Hand Tool Timber Framing: Build a Cabin
Step into the world of traditional craftsmanship in Thoreau’s Cabin Series, Part 2: Hand Tool Timber Framing. In this immersive 6-day course, students will build a full-scale replica of Henry David Thoreau’s famous cabin at Walden Pond, gaining firsthand experience in the fundamentals of timber framing—all using hand tools.
Riving, Shingling, and Siding a Timber Frame Cabin
The final phase of building Thoreau’s Cabin is ensuring its protection from the elements, and this 6-day immersive course will teach students how to split (rive) wood using traditional hand tools to create the materials needed for roofing, siding, and interior lath work.
Introduction to Timber Frame Engineering: Design/Make/Break
Starting with an overview on how to determine the forces and loads a traditional timber frame structure (or really any structure) will see over the course of its lifetime, the course focus will transition into sizing of beams, as well as a primer on basic joinery and connection design. In order to break up the class room portion, we will design a basic timber frame joint, calculate its allowable design strength, and then fabricate it out of timber. After the joints are fabricated, we will “bust” them by pulling them apart using a hydraulic load frame, with friendly bragging rights awarded for the best prediction of strength and best capacity.
Intro to Woodturning - 1 spot left!
Explore the world of woodturning. Students will learn the basics of spindle turning and bowl turning in a fun and informative weekend. Projects to be completed include a woodcarving mallet and a bowl as well as various knick-knacks that will be created while doing exercises.
Windsor Continuous Arm Chair - 1 spot left!
Build a Windsor Continuous Arm Chair with Chair maker Luke A. Barnett. Students will join us for a 7-day class. We will start with logs on Monday morning and finish with a continuous armchair on Saturday. Students who have not completed their chair or are making a rocking chair will return Sunday.