woodworking courses/books

[davobob]

I am looking into the possibilty of doing an evening carpentry course to improve my woodworking skills. I have a basic skills in what I call 'Farmyard joinery' and have recently made a few bookcases etc but all screwed joints. Has anyone done such a course and are they worth doing. Im in Norfolk.

Also any good book reccomendations?

Thanks

[slackbladder]

Hi

I can only reccomend any of the Jack Hill books.They give completely individual looks yet not too bad to work to

[delabodge]

Hi

I can only reccomend any of the Jack Hill books.They give completely individual looks yet not too bad to work to

 

I second this, jack hill was a ledgend,,,his country woodwork book is good, I have two copies of his chair book, and have made his kids rocking chairs for both my kids and my nieces,and there still going strong,,,

[wisewood]

Green woodworking by Mike Abbot is a great book, will be needing to acquire a new copy myself, after discovering a leak in workshop was getting soaked up by my current copy:thumbdown:

[canoehead]

it sort of depends on what you want to be able to do. if you do an evenings nvq carpentry course you are going to spend as much time learning about (cosh for site work) as you are getting hands on practical experience in carpentry, because they are geared toward you having an apprenticeship and doing the vast amount of practical work off campus. personally i'd suggest just making things. there are loads of books in lots of different areas that can give you a heads up about how you go about doing things, but practical experience can only be gained by doing it. everybody has to start somewhere, and the key to becoming any good at it is just about how often you do it, and how interested you are in it. after a while you'll find your familiarity with one way of doing s things gives you confidence to approach other less familiar things.

 

if you're interested in timber framing there are a few god books which help you look at sequencing and choice of construction detail which is key;

jack sobon - build a classic timber framed house (which i used alot)

steve chappelle - a timber framer's workshop

rupert newman - oak framed buildings

 

if you are into boat building (and lowestoft has the best boat building course in the u.k.)

 

building the maine guide canoe - jerry stellmok and rollin thurlow

the wood and canvas canoe - jerry stellmok and rollin thurlow

building the strip canoe - gil gilpatrick

 

and general carpentry

 

tauton press make a series of book's in a series called for pros by pros

that include; framing roofs, stairs, finish carpentry etc.

 

i even occasionally look at a 1940's ministry of labor publication for the course work in carpentry (that my grandfather did, which was essentially the same as the one i did) that was revised and republished more recently as

carpentry and joinery: bench and site skills - brian porter

 

hope that helps, good luck with it all.

[canoehead]

it sort of depends on what you want to be able to do. if you do an evenings nvq carpentry course you are going to spend as much time learning about (cosh for site work) as you are getting hands on practical experience in carpentry, because they are geared toward you having an apprenticeship and doing the vast amount of practical work off campus. personally i'd suggest just making things. there are loads of books in lots of different areas that can give you a heads up about how you go about doing things, but practical experience can only be gained by doing it. everybody has to start somewhere, and the key to becoming any good at it is just about how often you do it, and how interested you are in it. after a while you'll find your familiarity with one way of doing s things gives you confidence to approach other less familiar things.

 

if you're interested in timber framing there are a few god books which help you look at sequencing and choice of construction detail which is key;

jack sobon - build a classic timber framed house (which i used alot)

steve chappelle - a timber framer's workshop

rupert newman - oak framed buildings

 

if you are into boat building (and lowestoft has the best boat building course in the u.k.)

 

building the maine guide canoe - jerry stellmok and rollin thurlow

the wood and canvas canoe - jerry stellmok and rollin thurlow

building the strip canoe - gil gilpatrick

 

and general carpentry

 

tauton press make a series of book's in a series called for pros by pros

that include; framing roofs, stairs, finish carpentry etc.

 

i even occasionally look at a 1940's ministry of labor publication for the course work in carpentry (that my grandfather did, which was essentially the same as the one i did) that was revised and republished more recently as

carpentry and joinery: bench and site skills - brian porter

 

hope that helps, good luck with it all.

[davobob]

Thanks for replys. I got some of the books ordered.

Canoe head- What you said is good advice and the last thing I would want out of a course is a lot of site work h+s. All I want is to learn a bit more so that I can turn out half decent furniture and bits for myself and friends.

David

[delabodge]

Thanks for replys. I got some of the books ordered.

Canoe head- What you said is good advice and the last thing I would want out of a course is a lot of site work h+s. All I want is to learn a bit more so that I can turn out half decent furniture and bits for myself and friends.

David

 

go on a few weekend courses mate, the pole lathe association, coppice groups etc have fab weekends that donk cost a mint, and are run by experience like minded people,,,,you`ll learn loads,,,

[agg221]

Following the boat-related ones (if that happens to be your thing) I would recommend 'How to Build a Wooden Boat' by David McIntosh. A lot of the techniques on setting out irregular structures, holding things in place, making things fit etc are common to other large structures and it's written with a very dry sense of humour. My favourite quote is 'the difference between an amateur boatbuilder and a professional is that the professional has almost enough clamps'.

 

Alec