The four types of joinery we will cover in Joint Gymnastics are the mitered corners with splines, butterfly joints, wedged mortise and through tenons, and handcut dovetails. While students are welcome to sign up for the specific joinery they are interested in learning, the sessions are organized so we will start with the most forgiving joint and work our way towards the most complicated. These classes will build students' confidence in handsaw and chiseling skills.
Joint Gymnastics Part One: Mitered Corner with Splines will walk students through the different variations in splines and when to use them. We will cover through splines, feather and classic spline keys, and dovetail keys. Students will learn how to crosscut wood with a Japanese pull saw, how to cut on an angle, and how to create a flat plane with a chisel. There will be special focus on how to lay out a joint and the importance of precision in handcut joinery. While the objective of the class is for students to be able to create a clean and tight joint, there will be the opportunity to build a bookend or small knickknack shelf too.
The materials fee for this class is $25 and is included in the admission cost.
* We do require masking indoors, whatever your vaccination status *
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Taught by Aria Kampfer and EB
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 7 participants and needs 5 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!
Until further notice, NO GREENWOOD ON THE BANDSAWS.
NO TURNING AT OPEN SHOP. Instead please register for one of our Open Turning Sessions.
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 Aria Kampfer
Make a cutting board while learning how to use power tools. We will cover using the electric planer, ripping on the table saw, cross cutting on the miter saw, curved cuts on the bandsaw, and finishing. This is a great chance to get to know, or brush up on the most powerful tools in the shop. Take home your very own cherry or maple cutting board at the end.
The materials fee for this class is $20 and is included in the admission cost.
Email hello@fireweedwoodshop.org to request ASL interpretation for this course.
Taught by Meena Mangalvedhekar.
Join us for a special BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) centered class to practice the basics of Power Tools
This class is intended for BIPOC students.
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Taught by Meena Mangalvedhekar (@meenanew) Bio 1. Bio 2.
In this 2-day course students will use the bandsaw to create a box that can be used in countless ways! Working from a solid piece of wood salvaged from lumberyard offcuts, you will learn to design, layout, cut, sand, and reassemble the pieces to form a functional box and lid. Once you learn the basic process, the possibilities are endless! You will learn and use the following tools during class: bandsaw, spindle sander, orbital sanders, clamps.
A 30 minute meal slot will be set aside for all, you are invited to bring something to eat and drink each day.
The materials fee for this class is $43 and is included in the admission cost.
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Taught by Gwen Comings
~Power tools 101 is a prerequisite for this course~
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.
The materials fee for this class is $25 and is included in the admission cost
Taught by Aria Kampfer
In this special hands-on demonstration, Teresa Audet will give a presentation about several techniques for creating organic compound curves in wood on a small scale, including bricklay stack lamination and coopering with a handplane. She will also showcase a variety of hand tools used to smooth and shape these surfaces, including planes, gouges, and rasps. Participants will then experiment with these techniques in small groups at several workstations set up around the woodshop.
*Photos courtesy of Callingbird Photography
The materials fee for this class is $5 and is included in the class admission cost.
Taught by Teresa Audet
In this weekend intensive workshop, students will design and build their own wooden stool using wedged tenon joinery. We will cover the basics of woodworking using both machine and hand tools, including spindle turning and shaping by hand. Students will explore carved textures using gouges and spokeshaves, and learn how to layer milk paint to create dynamic finishes. Each student will design several elements of their piece including the shape of the seat and the number of legs. Key skills covered will include turning spindles on the lathe, drilling complex angles, and creating wedged tenon joinery. This class is suitable for all skill levels but will be fast-paced; students should bring a willingness to learn and have fun!
Open shop but for turning! This open shop is only for students with previous turning experience or those who've taken a turning class with Fireweed. Bowl blanks will be available for purchase but feel free to bring your own prepped wood if you've got a project you are working on. Instructor Abbey Dickhudt will be at the shop to make sure everyone is staying safe. This IS NOT a class. This is a time for self-directed work to make shavings, make mistakes, and ask questions. *Woodshop lathes accommodate limited size blanks. If you have any questions about the wood you want to bring or the lathes, please reach out in advance.
Registrants of open shop MUST have taken Bowl Turning or be comfortable and experienced using turning tools and the lathe. Every attendee of open shop must register. Please no guests without registration!
Facilitated by Abbey Dickhudt
Join instructor Theoren Keenan for a walk on East River Road learning about common tree species to the Twin Cities! This course will cover summer identification features including leaves, bark, and branch arrangement as well as uses of the trees for craftspeople and foragers.
This course will be held in unfavorable weather such as rain but will be rescheduled considering extreme heat, thunderstorms, or air quality warnings during the scheduled instruction time.
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Taught by Theoren Keenan.
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!
The materials fee for this class is $15 and is included in the class admission cost.
Taught by Julie Arnold
Butterfly joints are used to either join two pieces of wood together or to reinforce cracks in wood by inserting a key into the compromised wood. Joint Gymnastics Part Two: Butterfly Joints will utilize chisels, hand saws and the bandsaw to create the components of the butterfly joint. Students will draw their own key shape, learn to chisel a mortise, transfer the shape of the mortise to their key material, then use the bandsaw or hand saws to make the key. Students can choose whether to practice joining two pieces of wood together or reinforce a crack.
Build a cedar bench for your patio, garden, sauna, or anywhere else you want to sit and enjoy the outdoors! The dimensions of this bench are 47 inches long and 14 inches deep (this is the maximum size- you could choose to customize your bench length to fit your space). Students will use a miter saw to cut 4x4 beams of cedar to size and the biscuit jointer and drill to assemble. Benches will be left unfinished.
The materials fee for this class is $150 and is included in the admission cost.
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Table design is often where furniture makers begin. Two ingredients—legs and aprons—are the parameters for designing a sturdy table. As the apron holds the leg in place, the maker is free to play with proportions, scale and shadow. In this class we will talk through fundamentals of wood and designing with joinery in mind, covering examples and applications. For our table design, we will be working with variations on the T-bridle joint. Joinery will be done by hand, with hand saws and chisels. There will be two options for table sizes to choose from prior to the class: a console table or a coffee table. Come learn how to think through design while playing with proportions and curves to create a contemporary table with the traditional joints.
Wedged mortise and tenons are a beautiful way to showcase joinery, where a strong, durable, and visible connection is desired. They are often used on furniture to attach legs to stretchers on tables, chairs or beds. Stuents will use pull saws, chisels, marking gauges, and angle finders to create this joint. Students will learn how to chisel on an angle and techniques in precision. While perfecting this joint may take a few repetitions, students will be provided with material to make a bookend or small shelf.
SAVE THE DATE FOR TIMBER FRAMING AT FIREWEED.
We have a 4-day Timber Framing class in the works. We are still sorting the final details and date but the class will run sometime between November 12 and November 16.
More details coming soon!
Taught by Jenna Pollard with Aria Kampfer.
Learn to tile while making a beautiful and functional serving tray! In this class, students will learn how to cut tile using two methods, how to mix mud, use a trowel, lay tile, and create clean grout lines. These skills will show the basics of tiling, to support a student with their home DIY projects. Students will then build a serving tray to display their tiling. The dimensions of the tray will be 12-by-16 inches wide, and 3 inches tall. The tray will be an introduction to using a table saw, cutting 45-degree angles on the miter saw, brad nailer, and drill press to make the hand-holds. Students will have the opportunity to personalize their tray using the bandsaw and router table for adding a profile.
The materials for this class is $35 and is included in the admission cost.
Taught by Abbey Dickhudt and Aria Kampfer
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