Hands-on Symposiums

Cutting Dovetails with Hand-Tool Methods



Hand-cut dovetails remain the signature of fine woodworking, yet most woodworkers rely on routers and machines to cut these simple woodworking joints. Learn the intricacies of hand cutting dovetails using traditional hand methods from our master craftsman Paul Sellers. We offer this hands-on workshop for students of all skill levels to develop the techniques passed down through the centuries. Our instructors will also demonstrate how to develop more complex dovetail joints such as secret and hounds tooth dovetails. Students will follow a series of exercises developed by the school staff for this symposium, so that each student will master the skills of traditional hand dovetailing as well as layout procedures, sizing, patterns and so on. Using hand methods will not only prove more efficient and rewarding than machine methods, but they will also simplify other aspects of woodworking. Our craftsmen teachers will take you step by step to show you how, through this one-day symposium of short lectures, seminars and hands-on demonstrations, you too can develop the skills of traditional dovetailing. We provide all the materials, tools and related equipment: Students who wish to bring their own tools are welcome to do so.
The Half-Blind Dovetail		The Parts Of The Dovetail

		Working with Hand Planes



Learn the intricacies of hand planing from our master woodworker Paul Sellers assisted by our craftsman instructors. We offer this hands-on workshop on tuning, sharpening and using traditional bench planes. Our instructors will also demonstrate the use of a variety of other hand planes used in woodworking, including rabbet planes, shoulder planes, block planes, panel-raising planes and low-angle planes. Though we provide the hand planes and related equipment, we encourage students who want to restore their own hand plane or fine tune their new one to bring them along.Through hands-on exercises developed for this symposium, each student will master the skills of traditional hand planing using bench planes. Most woodworkers rely heavily on machine methods to trim and finish their work, yet despite this increased dependency, the quality of work produced by using hand-planing methods still far exceeds modern machine methods. A vast percentage of power sanding, planing and trimming can be eliminated by simply developing some basic hand-planing skills. We show you how through this one-day symposium of short lectures, seminars and craftsman demonstrations.

Cutting Dovetails with Hand-Tool Methods