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Hand-Carved Wooden Benches
Carve a bench! In this course, students will craft a bench using the techniques of green woodworking, utilizing freshly cut wood in shaping the legs and tenons. We will witness the magic of shrinking wood and relative ease of working with hand tools. Legs will be shaped using a draw knife, spoke shave and shaving horse. The seat will be from rough sawn logs, flattened and smoothed with hand planes. This project is a great introduction to hand tool woodworking- using a small set of tools and accessible materials.
Itinerary:
Day 1: We’ll begin by welcoming participants and sharing introductions before learning about the project and practicing best uses of our hand tools. Students will learn from demonstration and guided instructions as they begin working on their own benches!
Day 2: We’ll return on the second day to continue carving benches, honing in on our hand tool skills from Day 1. We will also move along to the process of finishing our benches, adding final touches before regrouping to close and reflect! You’ll leave with your own, functional bench, improved hand tool woodworking skills, and a carving community in fellow students!
Meet Your Instructor:
Lauren Newby
Lauren Newby is a wood worker, artist, and teacher based in the Upper Great Lakes. Trained in sculpture to timber framing to windows and chairmaking, she is captivated by simple tools and traditional processes. As a current artist in residence at North House Folk School, Lauren is designing furniture through the lens of green woodworking- working with wood’s natural strengths and movement.
Carving Time: When we have access to tools like chop saws, band saws, and belt sanders, the idea of hand tool woodworking might seem foolish or even unnecessary. And yet, plenty of woodworkers would disagree. There is value in the process of carving wood by hand. When we carve without power tools, we can see greater evidence of our hand in the project. Hand tool wood workers can be extremely precise, but it takes a steady hand, a good eye, an understanding of wood grain, and time. Carving out time to carve by hand allows us to become more intimately connected to a piece of wood. The grain, our body’s positioning, and the angles of the tools all come into play when we work with hand tools. Slowing down for this intentional craft practice opens up time for us to focus on one thing, quieting our minds, and engaging with the present moment.
Green Door classes are immersive and intentionally long. We find that over prolonged time together, students form deeper bonds with each other, the craft, and their instructor for an over all more impactful experience. Even if you are a Traverse City local, the intention is that these classes feel a bit like a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you are visiting from afar, the experience can be even deeper.
Class Details:
Where is the class held?: This class will be held at Green Door Folk School in Cedar, MI, a place that so readily lends itself to community in crafting.
Visiting from out of town?: Surrounding Green Door Folk School is Cedar North of J2 Farms. Cedar North is dedicated to enriching the world through arts and agriculture. Stay in the airbnb…steps from the classroom, art studio, and farm!
Green Door Folk School , where you’ll gather in community in a beautiful classroom setting surrounded by rolling farmlands
Date/Time: October 18th and 19th @ 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Prerequisites/Skill Level/Age Requirements:
- No prior experience required.
- Ages 18+
Booking Information and Policies:
What happens after I book the class?: After you book, we will send you a confirmation email that you are IN! A week out from the class, we will send you an email with more details about our meeting locations and some housekeeping items.
Want to make sure you have all of the information before you dive in? Here’s our cancelation policy: We understand that plans change, and we do our best to accommodate while honoring the time, energy, and resources that go into preparing for each class.
Cost includes all required materials.
Cancellations made more than 14 days before the class start date Receive a full refund, minus a $25 administrative fee. This fee helps cover the cost of filling your spot. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for cancellations made less than 14 calendar days before class begins.
At this time, we are not able to offer:
• Course credit
• Transfers to other courses
This policy allows us to keep class sizes small and intimate, while minimizing pressure to increase overall course costs.
If the class is canceled by the school: In the event of inclement weather or other disruptions, we will issue a full refund and do our best to offer a reschedule option.
Policies:
Go for it! If you’re curious about hand tool wood working, find yourself drawn to the textures and movement in wood grain, or simply long for the feeling of making something useful with your own two hands, this is the class for you!