Date: Saturday, April 12th

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Rachel Prentki CF '18

This one-day class introduces students to mortise & tenon joinery and the lap joint, which are traditional furniture making techniques.This class is a great way to familiarize yourself with woodworking and is perfect for those who are curious about the craft.The students will use the table saw, mortiser, and router to construct the plant stand and learn basic skills. The plant stand is designed to fit a 10-inch diameter by 10-inch high planter. The plastic planter and wood will be supplied in class.

Tools & Supplies: All tools and supplies are provided for this class.

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions. 

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

This class will introduce students to end-grain cup turning.  Unlike most bowl turning, which orients the grain perpendicular to the lathe bed, end-grain turning orients the grain parallel to the lathe bed, like spindle turning.  Students will learn to use both traditional bowl gouges and ring tools, as well as explore the advantages of turning with the machine running in reverse and once-turned versus twice-turned vessels. Each student will have a dedicated lathe and will create two or three cups or bowls.

Tools & Supplies: All tools and supplies are provided for this class.

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions. 

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Dates: Saturday, April 12th & Sunday, April 13th (2 meetings)

Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Sue Muldoon

Learn to weave and shape backpacks of various sizes using reed. On the first day of class, students will make a small backpack and learn basic weaving techniques (over/under weaving, twining, lacing, and weaving a closed bottom backpack). On the second day of class, students will learn how to measure and create their own patterns for their second bag while exploring additional weaving techniques (layering, triple-twining, twill patterns, and more) using the instructor's inventory of natural, dyed, and rattan materials. Staining and sealing methods will also be discussed for students to complete at home after the backpacks have completely dried. Students are encouraged to bring in additional elements and pieces of ornamentation that are personal to them, such as beads, ties, wire, wool, leather, and more.

Tools & Supplies: Students are required to bring a pair of sharp clippers or scissors and any materials they would like to incorporate into their second-day project.

Additional Supply Costs: Students must purchase supply kits from their instructor on the day of class. The first-day kit costs $70, and the costs of the second-day kit vary depending on students' projects, which they will decide after completing day one. Estimated costs for bags according to size are $50 (small), $80 (medium), $100-$125 (large), and $20 (lids, flat rate). Costs vary for add-ons such as ceramic handles, beads, aluminum wire, etc.

Prerequisite: None

Date: Sunday, April 13th 

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Kevin Hopkins CF '18

The bellflower inlay is a common decorative motif found in furniture of the Federal period (roughly 1780 - 1820).  In this class, students will learn how to sand shade and inlay a traditional bellflower. 

Tools & Supplies: All tools and supplies are provided for this class.

Prerequisite: Students should feel comfortable using sharp tools. 

Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, April 15-24 (4 meetings)

Hours: 6:00 - 9:30 pm

Instructor: Kevin Hopkins CF '18

Teaching Assistant: Juliana Heck CF '24

Interested in woodworking and looking for a way to get started? This introductory course is designed to give beginner students an overview of shop safety as well as some of the most common machines and hand tools used in woodworking. We work towards the completion of a small project while building basic skills and getting comfortable with machinery and working at the bench. This class is geared toward beginners looking to get a peek into woodworking. For more in-depth skill-building, check out our Fundamentals of Fine Woodworking and Fundamentals of Machine Woodworking classes. Many students choose to take Woodworking 101 before a Fundamentals class, but it is not required.

Tools & Supplies: All tools and supplies are provided for this class.

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Dates: Saturdays, April 26 - June 28 (10 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Kevin Hopkins CF '18

This comprehensive course builds foundational hand skills that are essential to completing many fine woodworking projects. The class is suitable for both beginners looking to jump-start a hobby in woodworking and intermediate/advanced students looking to refresh their skills. Topics include sharpening, tuning, and the use of basic hand tools, including paring chisels, hand planes, dovetail saws, cardscrapers, and marking gauge; characteristics of wood and wood movement in furniture making; and cutting dovetails and mortise and tenon joinery using flat and square reference surfaces. Demonstrations and exercises develop skills such as chopping and paring with a chisel and hand planning. Traditional cabinet-making practices are explained throughout the course, and instructors emphasize how these methods can be used systematically in any woodworking project. Each student will complete a box with a sliding lid.

This course focuses on handwork at the bench. Check out our Fundamentals of Machine Woodworking class if you are looking to learn more about machines. Many students take both classes. If you are just looking to get your feet wet in the shop, check out our Woodworking 101 class.

Tools & Supplies: Please bring the items on this supply list to the first day of class.​ Need an item? Our NBSS Store/Gallery carries dozens of tools and supplies, in addition to NBSS branded items and handmade goods. You may make purchases online, in person (Monday-Thursday 7:30 am - 2:00 pm), or via email at store@nbss.edu. Tool orders must be made via email or over the phone.

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions. 

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Dates: Saturday, April 26th & Sunday, April 27th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Rick Angus

Turn bowls from wet local hardwoods recently cut and provided by the instructor. The bowls are first prepared from a log with oversized walls, allowed to dry, and turned a second time to finished dimensions. Students will receive a refresher in the fundamental gouge and scraper cutting techniques and review all procedures used in the Fundamentals course. We start with a bowl blank freshly cut from a log. Before cutting it, we examine the grain lines and visualize the “bowl within the wood,” and make a plan to reveal it. Blanks of wood will be mounted between centers, and the grain pattern will be planned. We shape the outside of the bowl, remount the blank in a chuck, and cut the inside, leaving slightly thick walls. This bowl is allowed to dry (for three to six months) and distort to an oval shape (approximately). Next, students receive a similar but dried bowl prepared by the instructor. We examine our once-turned bowls and find the grain pattern planned when it first was turned. It is remounted on the lathe and the final shape is revealed through a process of removing the “high” spots of the oval until it is round again. This is based on visualizing the grain pattern and truing the spigot so that the dry oval bowl spins on nearly the original axis. The remainder of the process is cutting the outside while between centers, remounting in a chuck and cutting the rim and inside, and finally, mounting in a jam chuck to finish the foot.

Tools & Supplies: *There is an additional $50 material fee due to the instructor on the first day of class. The instructor accepts cash or checks. All other tools and supplies will be provided for this class.

Attire: This is a general list of how to dress for the shop environment, please contact ce@nbss.edu if you have any questions.

• Closed-toe, comfortable, and protective footwear (sneakers or boots)
• No loose clothing
• Long pants suggested
• No loose jewelry
• Long hair must be tied back

Prerequisite: None

Date: Saturday, April 26th

Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Kolin Schmidt CF '21

In this class, students will learn how to start incorporating Layout into their CAD/SketchUp workflow. Layout is an included extension with the purchase of the modeling software SketchUp. Layouts' purpose is to enable making documentation from your models. These documents can be used for building, client presentation, and work collaboration.  From full home blueprints to simple project organization; builders, makers, and hobbyists of all skill levels can benefit from producing clear and precise project plans.

Tools & Supplies: Please bring the following required supplies to the first day of class. 

Required:

• SketchUp Pro - Layout is included in the purchase of SU Pro. Students can use the 30-day free trial, but just want to make sure they don’t begin their free trial period too early before the class start date.  
• A laptop or Chromebook that meets the minimum requirements to run SketchUp
• Your laptop or Chromebook’s power cord

Recommended: 

• Notebook and pen or pencil
• A 3-button mouse (left, right, and clickable scroll wheel) is highly recommended.

Prerequisite: None