Timothy Clark brings over 30 years of experience to his woodworking classes designed for beginning and experience woodworkers.

Make Your Own Shaker Bench:
Cutting Dovetails by Hand

pictures

This Shaker Bench class has been a favorite of students for years. While building their own Shaker Bench, the main focus of this class is making the hand cut dovetail joint, one of the most admired joints in the field of furniture making. We will begin by making a few practice dovetails in small pieces of wood and then get into our Shaker Benches. We will be making through dovetails as are shown in the picture of the bench. Half blind dovetails which are used in the the front part of a drawer will be discussed and if time permits, students may have a a chance to do some practice versions of these. Students will learn to use handplanes to clean up their joints and to apply edge details. We will also learn to make a wedged mortice and tenon joint that will make up the cross support of the bench.

This class is designed for beginning woodworkers or those who have not made these joints. All tools and materials will be supplied, but participants are encouraged to bring their own tools and or safety equipment. 

We will use- small hand planes, chisels, mallets, cross cut dovetail saws- Feel free to bring your own tools.

Safety equipment- each student should have their own safety glasses, I will have hearing protection and paper dust masks for your use but I encourage you to bring your own.

Students will have their choice between working with poplar or pine. Pine will be 11" wide. Poplar stock will be random width from 9-10". Each wood has advantages and disadvantages. Pine is softer while poplar is a bit harder and more dense. The pictured bench is pine and was made as a Christmas present years ago. I use pine or poplar on my drawer sides and backs. So, either will be used in a professional setting.

Build Your Own Cod Rib 12 Canoe

pics and video

Each student will make his or her own Cod Rib 12, skin on frame, double-paddle, solo canoe. Warm wood and a translucent skin make for a wonderful aesthetic, and its light weight (20# or less) will make trips to the water a breeze. It is a boat that can take you on a quick lunch-time paddle or on an extended back-country trip. A fun group project, we will cut fine joints for the pine stringers with Japanese saws and steam bend the ash or oak ribs. Dacron will be shrunk to a perfect fit on the hull with a household iron, and inwales and outwales will be bent and screwed into place. The project is well-suited to those with no prior woodworking experience and can be quite fun for experienced woodworkers. At the end of the class, students will each have a canoe that is ready for finish coats of polyurethane.

**Paddle is not included in the class.
A Double Bladed Paddle class will be offered in the future if there is enough interest. (Students will not have time to build a paddle but will be given information on what size to purchase or build for themselves.)

Click for more images of the project.

Possible classes to come-
Let me know of your interest-
email me

Paddle Making:
Shaping Wood
by Hand and Eye

1 and 1/2 days

Double Paddle Making:
Shaping Wood
by Hand and Eye

1 and 1/2 days

Build Your Own Windsor Work Stool

2 Saturdays

Build a Windsor Fan Back Side Chair of your own design

5 days

In years past, I was the resident woodworker at the Shelburne Craft School and then I started The Wood School in Burlington Vermont where I ran my own program of woodworking classes. I have also taught these classes at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, The WoodenBoat School and Yestermorrow Design / Build School.

Since I moved to Waltham and built my house and shop, my focus has been on building custom furniture of my own design. While I am still happily continuing will filling orders for my work, I have decided to offer a few of my favorite classes again. I have always found that classes that have a focus are an efficient way to learn specific skills.