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Woodworking
Danish Modern Plant Stand
with Rachel Prentki CF '18

Date: Saturday, October 25th
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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Introduction to Bowl Turning on an Electric Lathe
with Eric Goodson

Dates: Saturday, October 25th & Sunday, October 26th (2 meetings)
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Eric Goodson
This two-day class will introduce students to bowl turning on a western-style electric lathe. Students will learn how to turn a finished bowl straight from a freshly felled tree (once-turned), and how to create bowl blanks that can be dried and turned again (twice-turned). Topics like wood selection, blank preparation, tool sharpening, methods of attaching the bowl to the lathe, ways to dry your bowl/blank, and various finishes will also be covered. Each student will have a dedicated lathe and will produce two or three 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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Bellflower Inlay
with Kevin Hopkins CF '18

Date: Saturday, November 1st
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.
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: Students should feel comfortable using sharp tools.
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Introduction to Chairmaking: Make a Milking Stool
with Charles Thompson

Dates: Saturday, November 1st & Sunday, November 2nd (2 meetings)
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Instructor: Charles Thompson
Teaching Assistant: Haniel Wides CF'24
Participants will learn the basics of staked furniture by way of making their own three-legged stool with hand tools. We’ll learn how to make tapered chair legs, either by hand plane or draw knife. Then, we’ll figure out seat layout, splay angles, and discuss what those mean in relation to design and function. Lastly, we’ll saddle a seat and join it to the legs with a tapered mortise and tenon joint.
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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Woodworking 101
with Rachel Prentki CF '18

Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, November 4-18 (4 meetings)
*Class does not meet on Tuesday, November 11th
Hours: 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Instructor: Rachel Prentki CF '18
Teaching Assistant: Stephen Thrasher
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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Advanced Woodworking Technique: Housed Tapered Dovetail
with Ellen Kaspern CF '03

Date: Saturday, November 8th
Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Instructor: Ellen Kaspern CF '03
Teaching Assistant: Alana Schwartz CF '25
This course focuses on the steps to execute housed tapered dovetails using a router table and some handwork. Unlike non-tapered sliding dovetails, which can swell during glue-up and become stuck, the tapered version only becomes tight at the very end of the assembly process, allowing for a more controlled and stress-free fit. Each student will make a mid-century wall shelf using housed tapered dovetails. As well, we will discuss and look at different samples of this joint in class. Housed tapered dovetails are great for case work, shelves, and knock-down
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: Fundamentals of Machine Woodworking, Introduction to the Router, or equivalent experience. If you have questions about your experience, please contact ce@nbss.edu.
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Turning End Grain Cups on an Electric Lathe
with Eric Goodson

Dates: Saturday, November 8th & Sunday, November 9th (2 meetings)
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Eric Goodson
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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Woven Backpacks
with Sue Muldoon

Dates: Saturday, November 8th & Sunday, November 9th (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. The instructor accepts cash, checks, credit cards, PayPal, or Venmo.
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
Age Requirement: Students must be 18+ to attend adult CE classes. No one under 18 years old is permitted to register for an adult class, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian.