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.
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.
* We do require masking indoors, whatever your vaccination status *
__________________________
Taught by Meena Mangalvedhekar.
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. 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.
_______________________
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 Aria Kampfer
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.
-----------------------------
Taught by Meena Mangalvedhekar (@meenanew) Bio 1. Bio 2.
Build a communal set of timber framed sawhorses. With mortise and tenon joinery, this class will build two sets of sturdy trestles and learn the basics of square-rule timber framing. Each participant will use professional grade power tools and traditional hand tools to layout, carve and assemble green 6"x6" timbers into 3' long benches that will enable Fireweed to offer more advanced timber framing classes in the future. This class does require upper body strength, good near vision, and standing for long periods of time though we try to use tools and approaches to create ergonomic and less physically taxing work.
There is no materials free for this class as the saw horses will be made for Fireweed.
_________________
Taught by Alo
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.
Taught by Aria Kampfer and EB
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.
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!
Fireweed Woodshop Home | All Classes | Donate
