Learn the ins and outs of bowl turning. Turn a greenwood (fresh cut) bowl on the electric lathe. Learn lathe anatomy, bowl blank prep, turning with a bowl gouge and parting tool, drying, and finishing.
The class runs 5 hours total. Please avoid dangly clothing and wear close toed shoes. Leave with your very own bowl!
The materials fee for this class is $35 and is included in the admission cost.
*** We do require masking indoors, whatever your vaccination status***
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Taught by Jess Hirsch
Learn how to carve a spoon from a fresh cut tree using traditional Nordic carving techniques. We cover tree anatomy, axing out a blank (roughed out spoon shape), knife holds for the hook & sloyd knife, drying, and finishing. This class is great for the beginner or the person wanting to learn Sloyd style carving. The class fee includes tool rental, materials, a finishing kit, and safety gloves. Please wear pants and close toed-shoes, as we are going to make some wood chips!
The materials fee for this class is $25 and is included in the admission cost.
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This class is taught by Katie Speckman.
It can be hard to find just the right picture frame--especially for one-of-a-kind art--and custom frames are expensive. Solve that problem by learning how to build your own! We'll use the table saw, mitre saw, and v-nailer to construct basic frames out of oak, maple, or cherry. Students should come to class with dimensions of the piece they want to frame, and we'll take it from there!
The materials fee for this class is $15 and is included in the class admission cost.
Taught by Julie Arnold
Using common woods we will make a frame and create tone bars with different musical pitches. When we’re done, we can practice playing together.
No woodworking experience required to enjoy this class. Over the course of 3 sessions you will use the table saw, chop saw, sander, drill press, band saw, and various hand tools to shape your pieces and create the instrument.
The materials fee for this class is $15 and is included in the admission cost.
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This class is taught by EB .
Learn how to transform rough lumber into finished sizes while making a mitered box. This class will cover how to use the tools to create parallel edges and perpendicular corners before building the box. Through box-making, we will learn how to make several forms of joinery including miters, splines, and dados. The box will have a paneled top and bottom, so students will learn how to laminate veneer to a plywood core as well. This class is open to students of all levels of ability, and I will make accommodations for anyone with a disability.
The materials fee for this class is $25 and is included in the admission cost
Taught by Aria Kampfer
Learn how to use the lathe while making a lovely candlestick holder. We will cover the basic cuts of spindle turning: bead, cove, v-cut, and flat. Learn how to drill on the lathe to make a hole for your candle. This is a beginner-friendly class!
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Open shop is a time for you to bring in any projects or crafts you are working on and have access to the tools and the space. While we will have an instructor on staff to help open shop run smoothly and make sure tools are being used safely, this is a self-directed work time NOT class time. Open shop is capped at 8 participants and needs 6 participants to run.
Registrants of open shop MUST have taken power tools 101 or be comfortable and experienced using power tools. Every attendee of open shop must register. Please no guests without registration!
Please email fireweedwoodshop@gmail.com if you have any questions about open shop or what tools are available to use.
*** We do require masking indoors, whatever your vaccination status*** _________________________________
Facilitated by Julie Arnold.
This craft hang is gathering in the hand tools classroom at Fireweed Woodshop.
6:30-8:30pm Registration is free or give what you can without pressure!
Bring your own hand-carving project to the shop for some company, community, and sharing tips and tricks. This is NOT A CLASS, just a hangout. Masking indoors is encouraged, not required at this event.
This is a FREE event, open to all. If you like/are able to contribute, we have some different donation levels at registration, or you can choose "FREE!" registration. Thank you!
What to bring:
-your project (all handcrafts welcome!) - your carving tools (we will have some spoon blanks for sale)
Join herbalist Emily Pearson Ryan and printmaking instructor Jessie Merriam to learn about the lore and uses of cedar, and carve a 4x6 woodblock of your own. A template will be provided for the block, so this class is beginner friendly.
Cedar trees are beloved plants to people around the world. The many species given this name are all valued for their sturdiness, their scent, their spiritual use.
In this class, herbalist Emily will begin by offering students a deep-dive into the Cedar tree - discussing the tree's ecology, medicinal value, pest- and microbe-resistant nature. (Note, many species will be covered, but the focus will be on our native Eastern White Cedar - Thuja occidentalis.) Students will sample tea and be given a cedar salve to take home.
Students will then work with printmaking artist Jessie Merriam to carve a woodblock print of elements of the Cedar tree. Paper will be provided, and students will leave with several prints and their own block to continue practicing.
The class is 3 hours and 15 minutes long to allow for a short break. Students are welcome to arrive 5 minutes early to settle in. Email jessiemerriam@gmail.com with any questions. The materials fee for this class is $35 and is included in the admission cost
Taught by Jessie Merriam (@wheelbugs) and Emily Pearson Ryan
Come learn how to turn your own bowl on the lathe! We will start with a freshly cut bowl blank and take it all the way to its finished shape. You will be learning parts of the lathe, how to mount your blank, and how to use bowl gouges, scrapers, and different chuck attachments. We will also cover how you will later on dry, sand, and finish the bowl. In this 4 hour class we will go at a pace at which everyone is comfortable, leaving plenty of room for demonstration, questions, and hands-on time.
The materials fee for this class is $30 and is included in the admission cost.
Taught by Abbey Dickhudt
Learn to make functional and beautiful whisk brooms. In this 5 hour introduction class you will learn techniques to make a strong and sturdy hand broom. We will also learn to process stalks, plait handles and stitch the broom flat. Leave feeling confident and inspired to explore the world of broom making.
Please wear closed toed shoes.
The materials fee for this class is $12.50 and is included in the admission cost.
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Facilitated by Aria Kampfer.
Calling all bakers, chefs and hobbyists! Novices and pros alike!
Learn the basics of spindle turning in this fun, beginner-friendly course. Class will introduce the anatomy of the lathe and students will learn the techniques to turn a maple or walnut French rolling pin. Course will also cover sanding and food-safe finishes.
The materials fee for this course is $20 and is included in the admissions cost.
Taught by Tiff Tran
Spoon nerds come together to investigate eating spoons and their best qualities! Over the course of three sessions, we will each design an eating spoon of our own, learn axe work techniques, practice carving with straight and hook knives, and learn about the fundamentals of sharpening edged tools. This class is intended for folks who have carved spoons before, but who want to take a deeper dive into the process of crafting a wooden eating spoon that they want to use all the time. Folks should bring one or two spoons of any material to investigate. Anyone is are welcome to bring any personal tools they enjoy carving with, but they do not have to.
The materials fee for this class is $20 and is included in the admission cost.
This class is taught by Mo.
It can be hard to find just the right picture frame--especially for one-of-a-kind art--and custom frames are expensive. Solve that problem by learning how to build your own! We'll use the table saw, miter saw, and v-nailer to construct basic frames out of oak, maple, or cherry. Students should come to class with dimensions of the piece they want to frame, and we'll take it from there!
*** We do require masking indoors, whatever your vaccination status*** __________________________
Carve a dough bowl!
Hone your green woodworking skills by learning the essentials of bowl carving! Learn how to safely and efficiently use your axe, an adze, and other hand tools. Each class will feature an Axercise warm-up, demos, and guidance as you practice your green wood carving skills. Students will start by learning how to split a log, flatten their half into a workable rectangle with the axe, and map out the layout of their bowl. We’ll learn hollowing techniques using the axe, adze, and gouges. We’ll use shave horses and learn work-holding techniques at our workbenches, shaping our bowls with axes, gouges, draw knives, and spokeshaves. Our approach to bowl carving is a mash-up of traditional and modern techniques. We support both incorporating precision measuring tools and trusting our hands to tell us where we’re at.
Expect to leave class with a mostly finished bowl and feeling comfortable using a variety of hand tools. Finishing cuts always happen on a dry surface and your green wood bowl needs some slow drying time to prevent cracking or splitting. We will go over various finishing techniques in class.
Dough bowls are long and shallow bowls that were historically used to separate out cream from milk but are used today to knead dough, hold fruit or bread, show off tools, or whatever you want!
This class is suitable for beginners but some carving experience is helpful.
The materials fee for this class is $40 and is included in the admission costs.
Taught by Jeanette Torkelson and Ema Thoen
This class is designed for people who have taken our Power Tools 101 class, or any other introduction to power tools class. Learn how to transform rough lumber into finished sizes while making a mitered box. This class will cover how to use the tools to create parallel sides and perpendicular corners before building the box. Through box-making, we will learn how to make several forms of joinery including miters, splines, and dados. This class is open to students of all levels of ability, and we will make accommodations for anyone with a disability.
Learn how to carve a Dala horse using traditional Nordic carving techniques. We'll cover grain direction, knife holds for the hook & sloyd knife, and finishing. This class is great for the beginner or the person wanting to learn Sloyd style carving. Please note: we will not be painting these horses.
Please wear pants and close toed shoes, as we are going to make some wood chips!
The materials fee for this class is $20 and is included in the class admission cost.
Taught by Jess Hirsch.
https://jesshirsch.com
Traditional Appalachian Sweepers use craft broomcorn (stalk is attached to the hurl) to create a full sweep broom with a beautiful plaited (woven) pattern around the handle. Day 1 Learn to wind the soaked broomcorn onto the handle in multiple layers and plait (weave) the stalk around the handle. Students will take their brooms home to dry before the next class. Day 2 we will focus on stitching the broom. Participants should have moderate hand, leg and foot strength to control the footbreak while winding the broom by hand.
The materials fee for this class is $50 and is included in the admission cost.
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