The Port Townsend School of Woodworking and Preservation Trades is proud to present an expanded youth program at the School in July and early August 2011.
We're offering these classes as part of the local 4-H program run by the WSU Externsion Program in Port Hadlock.
This partnership provides our youth program with the 4-H resources of instructor training and background checks; participants with 4-H enrollment, and the School with additional teaching resources. The School and 4H will cooperate in the program’s rigorous safety procedures.
We'll send you links to the forms for young people to enroll in the 4H program before the class starts. We'll pay the 4-H insurance fee for you.
These are all day camps - attendees will need to bring a bag lunch and beverages each day. A small fridge and microwave oven are available to the School.
Classes indicated as 14+ are open to young at heart of all ages. The Intro to Fine Woodworking camp is also open to Adult / Youth pairs at a discount.
Classes will be taught in the School's Bench Room or outside depending on the class content.
Fort Worden Bench Project: (July 5th - 8th)
with John Edwards
Ages 10-16
This is the final stage of the bench making project sponsored by the Friends of Fort Worden. The project began in the summer of 2010. These sitting benches will be installed at various locations around Fort Worden.
You will be cutting and assembling these cedar slab benches with hand tools. The biggest part of the class will be adding art to each of the benches. You get the chance to carve a design on the bench that captures the history of the Fort, celebrates the wildlife at the Fort or is just great art. We'll have a local carver (or two) on hand to teach you how to carve!
The installation of the benches will be done by the Park's maintenance crew and you'll be a guest at the installation.
Class Fee: $200
Class Size: 8 students
Class times: 10 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day
Plank Skate Long-board Class: (July 9th - 10th)
with Matthew Hirsch
Ages 12-14
Imagine cruising down the street on a sweet design of your own. Flat long boards are much stiffer then their bouncy brothers laminated from plywoods. And although they are a little trickier to make a tight turn, they are FAST!
In This class you will select contrasting domestic woods and piece together a blank board that is 32” long, by 9” wide with a design that is unique to you. Using a variety of clamps and clamping methods, you will glue up the blank and then make a paper template you will use to shape it into your own classic woodie design.
You will learn to use a hand plane to smooth the faces, and then a rasp to soften the edges. Finish off with some fine sanding. Then measure and mark for the trucks and wheels. Finally you will wipe on Tung oil based polyurethane that dries quickly. Install the hardware, and you will be toes to the nose in no time.
Day 1:
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Select the wood strips and piece them together while discussing the different ways of cutting that help to improve strength.
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Glue and clamp the strips together
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Design a paper template to use for shaping.
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Use the template to lay out for the hardware placement.
Day2:
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Use a hand plane to surface the two sides, rasp to ease the edges.
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Use a Fairing block and sandpaper to finish sand.
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Mark and drill for the trucks.
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Apply Tung oil based wipe on polyurethane.
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Quick lesson in Safety while skating.
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Mount the wheels and out to the quad for a test roll.
Safety first:
Just remember that wearing the appropriate safety equipment like helmets, elbow and knee pads will provide a completely different wipe-out experience than if you were not wearing them. And you look cool wearing it! Please bring your safety gear if you plan to test your board at the Fort.
Class fee: $120
Materials charge: $30 for wheels & trucks (or you can bring your own trucks and wheels)
Class size: 14 students
Class times: 10 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day
Introduction to Fine Woodworking: (July 11th - 15th)
with Tim Lawson and Faculty
Ages 14+
This is an introduction to traditional fine woodworking skills.
In this class each student works at a separate workbench and uses the school's professional quality hand tools.
This class requires significant concentration and attention to detail. Prior experience in shop class would be beneficial but is not required. This class will help dedicated young woodworkers.
Want to take this class with your child, grandchild or your protogee? A class like this can be a great opportunity to develop your skills and to build a deeper relationship. We'll support pairs of people taking this class by offering a 10% discount when an adult and young person sign up together. Select the "Pay-by-phone" for the payment option.
Class fee: $375
Class size: 8 students, age 14 +
Class times: 9 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day
Laminated Skate Board Workshop: (July 18th - 22nd)
with John Edwards
Ages 15+
Let’s build a skate board deck!
Learn the basics of vacuum veneering while building a skate board deck. This Fun and informative course teaches you how to press 7 layers of maple veneer into a real street cruiser using a one- sided foam mold and atmospheric pressure. You'll add art to the deck either by painting the deck or making a bold pattern out of different veneers. Then you'll install the trucks and wheels.
Safety first:
Just remember that wearing the appropriate safety equipment like helmets, elbow and knee pads will provide a completely different wipe out experience than if you were not wearing them. And you look cool wearing it! Please bring your safety gear if you plan to test your board at the Fort.
Class fee: $325 (includes basic wheels & trucks)
Class size: 8
Class times: 10 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day.
Wildlife Habitat Boxes at the Fort: (July 25th - 29th)
with John Edwards
Ages 6-14
We're partnering with the Fort Worden Environmental Stewardship program to create, install and maintain birdboxes, bathouses, Mason Bee boards and other forms of shelter for local critters.
You'll learn the basics of hand tool woodworking as you build the habitat boxes for a variety of birds, bats and bees. In this course you'll be using lumber harvested from other state parks (and in the future wood harvested from Fort Worden). The boxes will be designed to just fit the species we want to encourage at Fort Worden and in the local areas.
After the class you'll be able to show your work at the Jefferson County Fair.
We're hoping that you'll build a lot of boxes: you'll take home a couple, some of bird boxes we'll install at Fort Worden. Any left over bird boxes we'll put other bird boxes up for sale to raise money for the Environmental Stewardship program at Fort Worden.
Class fee: $225
Class size: 10 students
Class times: 10 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day.
Wooden Boomerangs: (August 6th - 7th)
with Matthew Hirsch
Ages 11-15
This is a class that teaches you to understand the natural working characteristics of wood and the ability to read its grain patterns which is a very important part of wood working. It is knowledge that you will apply to every wood working project you undertake. Wood is an excellent medium that will stimulate your creativity every time you find an interesting piece.
Day1:
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You will learn how to read natural grain patterns and understand why wood is cut in specific ways.
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We will also discuss a couple different methods of boomerang construction.
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You will use sustainable, domestic woods suitable for making a boomerang.
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You will shape it as an airfoil - working both arms into a leading, and trailing edge using hand tools such as a spoke shave, wood rasp, and sanding block.
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Also a hand brace to drill to place weights at the tips for balance.
Day 2:
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Finish up shaping and sanding.
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You will steam it over a pot of boiling water and twist it to shape therefore tuning it.
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You will learn how to throw it, and tune it again to get a boomerang that comes back to you.
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You will use natural oil and wax wood finish that will seal the grain but still allow the wood to “breathe”.
Class fee: $75
Class size: 16 students
Class times: 10 to 4 pm
Reminder - these are day long classes and students will need to
bring a packed lunch and something to drink each day.
