Woodworking Skills

A practical, intensive eight week course about wood and working with wood, from trees and wood selection through to jointing, laminating and bending.  We assume that people have no prior woodworking experience - students start with the basics.  The syllabus is much wider than the City & Guilds 6217-05 or 6217-06 level 1 certificate students achieve at the end of the course, which is reflected by the additional award of a Boat Building Academy certificate.  Students also design and make a 'personal project piece' to take away at the end of the course.  Click here to see what students have produced in this part of the course.

The next course runs from 6th April to 28th May 2010.  The fee for the course is £3,250.00.  The fee includes use of tools, City & Guilds registration and materials, with the exception of materials for the personal project piece, which are charged at cost.

City & Guilds require nine pieces of joinery, mainly simple joints, and one more complex piece.  These assesment pieces are completed during the first four weeks of the course.  What students make depends on whether they decide to follow the 'Carpentry and Joinery' or 'Furniture Making' route.  On the 'Carpentry and Joinery' option the assessment piece is one of the following:

On the 'Furniture Making' option the assessment piece is one of:

These pieces, with the nine simple joints, are assessed to City & Guilds standards.  Click here to see samples of the City & Guilds assessment pieces that students have produced.  

Student project pieces are completed during the second half of the course (although you work on the research and design during the first half of the course).  The project could be a toolbox based on a classic apprenticeship piece or something a student would like to make for their home.  Whatever the student chooses to produce it must be a piece of work that demonstrates the skills they have learnt on the course.  Because of the small size of the school, and a low student to Instructor ratio, we can allow great flexibility in what students choose as their personal project.  Should a student wish to enter the construction industry after qualifying, the student project piece is an excellent practical representation of the standard of their work. Click here to see samples of student project pieces.

The student project piece counts toward the BBA certificate. 

Practical sessions form the majority of the course, although a small amount of time is spent in the classroom.  Instructors demonstrate all work 'hands-on'.  Comprehensive handouts cover all aspects of the training, both theory and practical.

Skill areas covered by the course include:

Timber types (including sheet materials) and preparation

Cutting joints:

Bending, laminating and rounding timber (including steaming)

Woodworking adhesives from PVA to epoxy

Fixings

Use of power tools:

Introduction to large woodwork machinery and its uses

Making a rod

Looking at how to aid woodworking processes; specifically measuring, laying out and marking out.  These techniques help prevent errors and also make duplicating projects much easier.

If you would like further information on the course, or to make an appointment for an interview, please contact us on 01297 445545 or go to the contact page