Can I opt out of Woodworking Essentials?

Yes. However, as a long-time professional woodworker and teacher, I feel confident that you'll be challenged by the level of precision and attention to detail that you'll encounter in Woodworking Essentials. If you're a woodworker who is primarily self-taught or if you lack sufficient experience with hand tools, Woodworking Essentials will help to fill in the "gaps" in your skills.

After looking at the list of "essential" skills below, if you feel confident in your woodworking abilities and would like to opt out of Woodworking Essentials, please feel free to contact me and we can discuss your woodworking background.

"I learned an incredible amount in a short time--and had a wonderful time doing it!"--Charlie H., CO

Woodworking Essentials is a great value! Just take a look at some of what you'll learn:

• The best methods for avoiding layout errors

• Checking layout tools for accuracy

• How to avoid parallax errors in layout

• Layout of mortise-and-tenon joints

• The proper way to fit a tenon

• Layout, sawing, and fitting of dovetails by hand

• The importance of a baseline and how to make it work for you

• How to effectively and accurately pare to a line

• Tuning and sharpening chisels

• Ways to grip a chisel for the best control

• Why balance is so important in a chisel

• Sharpening planes and chisels in under two minutes--without a honing guide

• Tuning a bench plane to remove .001" shavings

• Smoothing and leveling surfaces with a bench plane

• Tuning a block plane for "difficult" grain

• Tuning a shoulder plane for precise cuts

• How to adjust the cutting angle of a block plane for optimum results

• Why it's important to mill stock flat

• Milling stock to size with machines

• Using planers, jointers, tablesaws, and bandsaws safely

• Fitting an inset drawer to tight tolerances

• The best place to position a drawer stop--and why

• How to keep beautiful, wide boards flat

• Understanding seasonal wood movement and construction methods that allow for movement

"This class had the perfect combination of instruction,
hands-on practice, reinforcement, critique and Q & A."--Steve Q., GA