Introduction
Ever wonder what it takes to build well-designed, nicely detailed and long- lasting outdoor furniture? That’s exactly what we’ll be doing in this exciting two day hands-on workshop.
For many woodworkers the idea of building refined furniture pieces for the outdoors is something new. In this class we’ll call upon my experience as a specialist in high-end outdoor furniture and as a designer to help you create a great backless bench suited for a long life outside or indoors.
This class is focused first and foremost, on improving your woodworking skills by creating robust joinery–especially beefed up mortise and tenons joints suitable for outdoor environments, using patterns for shaping and about getting the details right in final construction. In the process we’ll be working with the major machines in the shop: table and bandsaws, jointers and planers, routers and router tables, mortisers and sanders of every type.
In this class we’re going to be building a 48” backless bench designed to be used indoors or outdoors. And, we’re going to build it in two days. In developing these new designs I’ve come up with faster joinery techniques and incorporated them into these new pieces. This should make building and completing and bench in our weekend class quite possible for most you. You’ll be surprised how fast the joinery goes.
Class Description
This class is focused first and foremost, on improving your woodworking skills by creating robust joinery–especially beefed up mortise and tenons joints suitable for outdoor environments, using patterns for shaping and about getting the details right in final construction. In the process we’ll be working with the major machines in the shop: table and bandsaws, routers and router tables, mortisers and sanders of every type.
In this class we’re going to be building a 48” backless bench designed to be used indoors or outdoors. And, we’re going to build it in two days. In developing these new designs I’ve come up with faster joinery techniques and incorporated them into these new pieces. This should make building and completing and bench in our weekend class quite possible for most you. You’ll be surprised how fast the joinery goes.
- Learn about the design, construction and special joinery techniques for building long lasting outdoor furniture.
- Learn about selecting and working with the right wood, adhesives, fasteners and finishes for outdoor furniture
- Taking in consideration special outdoor issues like expansion/contraction, UV and water flow
- A belt and suspenders approach to outdoor joinery
- Heavy duty loose Mortise and Tenon router joinery you can use for your own projects.
- Working with patterns and shaping for accuracy and repeatability
- Learn about how a design is developed and variations on the same architecture are made
- How adding design details that make a big difference
Tools:
We all have tools that may or may not be essential that make us comfortable when working in the shop. I have an assortment of tools in my shop apron that if I don’t have them around it drives me crazy. The important thing is to bring what makes you comfortable.
- Safety glasses, ear protection, dust mask
- Tape measure
- Pencil or mechanical pencil and erasers.
- Metal ruler 12” or so.
- Small combination square
- Large combination square or a medium sized square
- Dial or digital caliper if you have one
- Block plane
- A couple of small chisels 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”
There’s a lot of joinery in these pieces and to speed things up we’ll be using heavy duty loose tenon joinery. That means lots of mortises need to be cut. I’ll be providing special mortising jigs, patterns and tenon stock to make it go very fast. But, the school has a limited number of plunge routers. If you have one and can bring it to the class, that would a great help. Along a few accessories, too.
For Router Joinery:
- Plunge Router in you have one plus the accessories below:
- 5/8” Pattern Bushing. The short ones, made to use in this kind of work. There are common ones that fit most routers, but some routers like Bosch have ones designed just for their bases. If you don’t already have one get one that fits your router. A very useful accessory.
- 3/8” Upcut Bit. Carbide is expensive but last forever.
- If already have them bring along your 1/8”, 1/4”, 1/2” round over bits.
For Finishing:
- 1/4 Sheet Sander. If you have one bring it along.
Materials:
For Outdoor or Indoor use:
5/4 & 6/4 Kyaha Ribbon Mahogany.
The reason for this wood choice is that this particular wood is outstanding for outdoor or indoor use, expands and contracts very little under various weather conditions, resist cracking, rot and takes joinery well.
For Indoor Use Only:
Cherry
The materials charge includes the wood and stainless steel screws.
More about this class
Prerequisites
Prior experience using a router and bandsaw.
Class Information and Registration
Class starts at 9:00am on the first day.
Please read our What to Expect page for general information about the School.
Please also read our Registration Policy.
| Class size: |
10 |
| Cost: |
$300 |
| Materials Charge: |
$195 (Khaya)
$155(Cherry)
|
Coming Classes:
If you are interested, please let us know and we will notify you when this class is scheduled to be offered.
