Simon shaping the curved lid on his jewellery box.

It’s been a very busy few weeks since I moved to the Cornmill at the end of August. I started with a Beginners Make a Table course followed by two Dovetailing days the following weekend then a weeks special tuition for two students who wanted more intense instruction. My weekly afternoon and evening classes are also running on Tuesdays.

You heard about the beginners course in my last blog. On the dovetailing days we learnt how to cut neat though and lap dovetails and also a trick for making easy lap dovetails. As  with most woodwork, dovetailing is mainly about application of method and sharp tools. By using a methodical approach the work is kept tidy so you can see where the cut needs to be made. A student commented in an email:

“Hello Chris and thanks again for another great educational day – this time dovetailing. No matter how many times one sees it on you tube, on DVDs or reads about it, nothing can replace the hands on guidance of an expert.”

My special tuition weeks are aimed at those with a particular project or skill they want help with. Marc came on  special tuition last week, he has done a little woodwork and attended a couple of courses and wanted to tackle a dovetailing project. So we made a small set of two drawers with lovely delicate dovetails. Simon wanted to tackle a jewellery box to a design of mine, this gave practice in veneering and laminating and also dovetailing. Simon can already cut some fine dovetails having been on one of my dovetailing courses already.

I have a wide spread of activities on my afternoon and evening classes, from complete beginners to keen experience hobby woodworkers. It makes for some interesting ans stimulating sessions. I hope to blog on this soon.

It’s only when you start working in a workshop that you get to know it. It soon became evident that while the natural lighting if fantastic the artificial lighting was a little under powered. So I have had a new double strip light installed and changed all thee other tubes for a stronger white light. It’s quite dazzling in the workshop now. Light is very important for detailed work so not only do I have stronger ambient lighting I also have a spot light for each bench.

Woodwork can be tiring, so I have also invested in some fine IKEA high stools to save my students legs and feet when they are working at the bench.

Marc concentrating on his dovetails.

My drawers on the right, Marc’s on the left.

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Thankyou, Chris.