Instructor - Craig Stevens

• to be scheduled again (5 day class)

Making a handmade table is an excellent project for learning woodworking skills or expanding those that you already know. The project offers the satisfaction of creating a beautiful and functional piece of hand-made furniture. Through discussions and hands on work, students will make a coffee table using traditional techniques and joinery methods.

Students will learn both solid wood and veneering techniques. The table base is constructed using mortise & tenon joinery. High-quality veneers are used for the contrasting tabletop, which is then edge-banded with solid wood. Unique to the table is a 5-sided leg design that is pillowed slightly above the top surface of the table. Hands-on assistance focused on improving participant’s woodworking skills and craftsmanship will be combined with daily demonstrations and lectures.

Alongside learning to safely use machines, students will gain experience using a variety of hand tools such as layout tools, chisels, scrapers and planes. Combined with the careful consideration of wood to create a harmonious design and the development of good work practices, this course offers students an excellent introduction to the world of fine furniture making.

The images show two tables of the same design, one made of nara with a machiche (canary wood) top and the other made of black walnut with a redgum top. The wood species to be used in this course will be maple or ash with a cherry top.