Woodworking Classes in Michigan
Learn woodworking and carpentry in a fully equipped woodshop at Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute in Adrian, Michigan. SBWI offers hands-on weekend workshops and week-long classes in furniture making, timber framing, joinery, woodturning, carving, chair making, upholstery, preservation, and other traditional and contemporary woodworking skills.
Classes welcome adults at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Use the class finder below to search upcoming woodworking classes by date, subject, skill, project type, experience level, or instructor.
Upcoming Woodworking Classes
What People Are Saying
“I attended the Windsor Continuous Arm Chair class several weeks ago at the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) under the guidance of Luke Barnett. SBWI has a very spacious shop and a classroom with all kinds of equipment and tools you could think of. Mr. Barnett is a highly knowledgeable and experienced chair maker and knew exactly when and where I might make a mistake building the chair. As such, he was able to give me heads-up many times to prevent me from making serious errors. Shaving spindles while sitting on a shave horse outdoors was a very unique and cherishable moment. Also memorable was driving through endless cornfields from Detroit Airport to Adrian and walking around the Detroit Institute of Arts. The class was more than worth the 14-hour flight from South Korea. I will definitely attend another class at the SBWI.”
— Soek Yung, South Korea
“My mother-in-law and I took the farm table class last Fall in 2024. It was education and instruction rich which led to the creation of a beautiful table that I sit at now as I write this review.
Armando and his team provided fantastic instructor and made every student, myself included, comfortable and confident in what we were doing every step of the way.
This class sparked a sincere interest in woodworking within myself and since then I have begun to put into practice the skills obtained from taking this class and really enjoy my newfound weekend hobby.
Thanks SBWI and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!”
— Will Peterson, Chicago, IL
“My husband and I have taken two one-week classes at Sam Beauford now (a cabinet and a chair class) and we had great experiences both times. It is a great management and team working there who give you a feeling of being welcome and who all are committed to woodworking.
The teachers are excellent, providing the right amount of information to carry out the tasks well even with limited prior knowledge. They also have very good equipment and provide useful guidance on how to use the tools well. We're hoping to be back soon”
— Vibeke O Nielsen, Norway
Frequently Asked Questions
Are SBWI woodworking classes beginner-friendly?
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Yes. Many SBWI woodworking classes are designed for beginners or welcome students with little to no experience. Even for complex projects, our instructors are experienced at being able to teach to the level of the student. Most classes will have a range of us student abilities from beginner to very experienced. Class descriptions will note the recommended skill level, and students can filter classes by beginner, intermediate, weekend, or week-long options.
Are tools and materials included?
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SBWI woodworking classes include the tools, equipment, and materials needed for the class project. If a class requires students to bring specific tools, materials, safety equipment, or reference images, those details will be listed in the individual class description. We understand that many students will want to bring their own tools. We absolutely encourage you to do so, but it is not required. SBWI is highly equipped with enough tools for everyone.
Can I take woodworking classes without enrolling in a full-time program?
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Yes. SBWI’s public woodworking classes are separate from the full-time trade school programs. Students can take individual weekend or week-long woodworking classes without enrolling in the 40-week programs.
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Do you offer on-campus housing?
We not not currently offer on-campus housing. Adrian is a small college town and there are many lodging options available including shared housing with other students. Please click here to see all the options.
Learn and Master Veneer
5 days · $1275 · Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced
Learn the secrets of veneer while making a number of projects including a stunning, highly-figured chessboard in this hands-on woodworking class. Designed for all levels, the course covers selecting, cutting, seaming, matching, pressing, inlay, compound veneering, and much more, While giving you the confidence to use veneer like an artist.
Taught by Scott Grove, a master craftsman and veneer artist with 45+ years of experience. All tools and materials are provided; students should bring a notebook and some ideas.
Learn Timber Framing
6 days · $1275 · No experience needed
Learn the art of timber framing while making full-size white oak pavilion in this hands-on post and beam class. Designed for all levels of student from people who never used a tool to the experienced home builder, the course covers how to read plans, layout using square rule, timber frame specific tools, cutting mortise and tenon joints cut mortise and tenon joints, assembly, rigging, raising and most importably, safety., and prepares you to build your own timber frame.
Taught by Ethan Higgins, owner of Roof Jumper Timber Frames. All tools and materials are included; students should bring work boots and outdoor clothing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.