Dates: Monday, August 4 - Friday, August 8 (5 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Andy Glenn CF '08

Teaching Assistant: Juliana Heck CF '24

In this five-day class, students will build a fan back Windsor chair.  We'll knock the crest and spindles out of a red oak log before shaping the parts on the shave horse. We'll then steam bend the comb and put the spindles in the kiln to dry.  The pine seat is sculpted by using a scorp, travisher, and spokeshaves to achieve its comfortable shape. Once all the parts are made, the lower frame is assembled before drilling and fitting the upper. Our goal is to have the chair together on Friday afternoon.  Finish prep and painting will happen after class (Andy will demonstrate and discuss finishing techniques). Windsor chairs are most frequently painted.  

Note: Turnings (legs, stretchers, and stiles) are provided. We will not turn them during our class; 5-days simply isn't enough time to add turning to the mix.

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: All levels are welcome; previous chairmaking experience is helpful but not necessary.

Date: Saturday, August 9th

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. 

Dates: Thursday, August 14th & Friday, August 15th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Rachel Prentki CF '18

Hone your chisel skills while making a stately dovetailed tray. In this class students will learn how to layout and cut dovetails accurately by hand. We will cover how to use marking gauges, chisels, saws, and mallets to create strong and beautiful joinery while also covering how to avoid or fix common mistakes. 

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: Experience with dovetails or other hand cut joinery preferred. Students should feel comfortable using chisels, saws, and combination squares. If you have questions about your experience, please contact ce@nbss.edu.

Dates: Saturday, August 16th & Sunday, August 17th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Mark DeVeber CF '21

This two-day workshop provides an introductory foundation to machine woodworking techniques, focusing on the creation of a functional and beautiful cutting board. Students will gain hands-on experience with various woodworking machines, learning essential skills and safe tool usage through practical demonstrations. 

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, August 16th & Sunday, August 17th (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Eric Goodson

Spoon carving is a wonderful introduction to the world of Slöjd, or Scandinavian handcraft.  Using fresh wood and just a few hand tools, students will learn to carve convex and concave shapes and address changing grain direction.  Special attention is paid to teaching safe and efficient ax technique, along with about a dozen different knife “grasps” commonly used in all sorts of carving projects. We will also explore topics like wood selection, grain orientation, the subtleties of spoon design, finishing oils and paints, and decorative techniques like chip carving and kolrosing.  No experience is required, and so long as you can open a jar of spaghetti sauce, you have sufficient hand strength.  The instructor will supply all tools and materials, though if students already have carving knives and axes, they should bring them along.

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: Monday, August 18 - Friday, August 22 (5 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Ellen Kaspern CF '03

Teaching Assistant: Juliana Heck CF '24

In this hands-on woodworking class, students will explore traditional furniture construction while building a hardwood side table. Students will work with both machines and hand tools to construct their tables. They will start by building the base of their table using traditional mortise & tenon construction. Then, they will learn how to work off a pattern to shape the table legs. Students will finish their table by making the top. While making the top, they will learn about the milling process, gluing up boards, and wood movement. The basic furniture-making techniques learned in this class can be applied to building various projects. This class is suitable for all levels. If you have prior experience, this class will help you refresh & refine your woodworking skills and learn new tricks & techniques. Everyone will leave the class with many new skills and a brand-new table.

Tools & Supplies: Please bring a notebook. All other 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: All levels are welcome.

Dates: Saturday, August 30th & Sunday, August 31st (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, and splay angles, and discuss what those mean in relation to design and function. Lastly, we’ll saddle a seat and join them 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

Dates: Saturday, August 30th & Sunday, August 31st (2 meetings)

Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Instructor: Dan Weissman CF '20

Teaching Assistant: TBA

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