North Bennet Street School

Dates: Monday, March 16 - Friday, March 20, 2026 (5 meetings)

Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Instructor: Matt Monaco

In this comprehensive course, students will learn the importance of practice in developing fine technique, finesse, and tool control while exploring the benefits of using properly shaped and sharpened tools, an understanding of grain orientation, and wood selection leads to the effective creation of high-quality objects at the lathe. 

Throughout the week, students will be introduced to many aspects of Matt’s design aesthetic, based on his formative years of training, sharing some of his most effective approaches in turning side-grain & endgrain, and of his following years of applied trade development & work experience as a professional woodturner.

• Gain direct understanding from a professional woodturner who has 20 years of experience, in both the wholesale tradeshow, retail, and interior design market industries.
• Gain a direct understanding of how developing fine technique directly mirrors the execution of creating well-designed, finely proportioned objects of any kind on the lathe. 
• Explore what tool control at the lathe, practical usage, and cutting execution are, and why using traditional woodturning tools yields superior results. 
• Learn to properly identify and understand a vitally important variety of cuts and types of traditional woodturning tools, to develop a working language at the lathe. 
• Learn how to sharpen and shape tools effectively and consistently, whether using jigs or sharpening freehand, and the advantages of modifying tools.
• Learn to develop a repeatable method and ethic for seeing results, and how to properly gauge improvement, while introducing design aesthetic. 
• Learn to recognize how body ergonomics greatly affects the creation of high-quality work on the lathe. 

Tools & Supplies: All 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: This class is for beginner to advanced students. 

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.