Beginners Courses (Dublin)

Dave!

Hi guys,

I'd love to get into woodcraft/woodwork as a hobby, and something a bit different from my usual routine! I'd be completely new to this kind of thing, but eager to give it a shot.

I'm wondering is anyone aware of some classes aimed at newbies, which would provide materials and guidance to help you to build a project of some sort.

I've found one which seems quite good in Hill Picket studio in Wicklow, but it's only a 1 day thing. I'll probably do it anyway, but I wanted to check what else is out there.

Also is there such a thing as a communal/community workshop for this kind of thing? I live in an apartment block, so wouldn't have my own workbench or anything if I do end up pursuing this as a hobby.

Thanks

Dave

RobAMerc

dun laoghaire college have one - dont know when its starting again

Woodsy-eile

Quite a few schools do evening courses over. Couple of weeks but you may be out of luck until it kicks off in sept again. I did one in ringsend that was decent

magicbastarder

hartstown just emailed me with the launch of the autumn/winter prospectus; this is a monday evening course:

105 CARPENTRY - A PRACTICAL APPROACH
To provide the learner with a basic understanding of Carpentry and Joinery. Understand different timbers, create basic joints, while appreciating health and safety in relation to tools and equipment. Create a mirror/ picture frame/ miniature door and frame/ architrave.
7.00-9.30pm
10 weeks

Dave!

I really recommend this 1 day woodworking course with Chaim. Lovely day, lovely people, lovely food!

http://www.chaimfactor.com/woodworkclasses/

..Brian..

+1 nearly worth it for the included lunch on it's own! :P

Vexorg

+1 for Hill picket Studios and the lunch.

They used to do morning and afternoons for for small fee, where you could use the workshop equipment and tools to finish or make your own projects. Pity there is nowhere closer to Dublin with similar facilities.

Dave!

I've registered for this 2 Day Adirondack Chair Course in Fethard-on-Sea, might be of interest to some Cost is €200, dates 17th/18th September.

http://www.bevelwoodworkingschool.com/woodworking-courses/

Looking forward to it, bit of an unusual project!

rich.d.berry

Dave! wrote: »

Also is there such a thing as a communal/community workshop for this kind of thing? I live in an apartment block, so wouldn't have my own workbench or anything if I do end up pursuing this as a hobby.

I also live in an apartment but I have an attic, being the upstairs occupant, and I've managed to make myself a little workshop. I've had to give up on the use of power tools so as to not be a nuisance to my neighbours, but getting back to hand tools has given me a fresh enthusiasm for the hobby, especially with all the YouTube resources available such as Paul Sellers and Tom Fidgen.

Thanks for the course recommendation, I'd love to do something like this to improve my skills and give me some fresh ideas and enthusiasm.
.

istaunton

Dave! wrote: »

I've registered for this 2 Day Adirondack Chair Course in Fethard-on-Sea, might be of interest to some Cost is €200, dates 17th/18th September.

http://www.bevelwoodworkingschool.com/woodworking-courses/

Looking forward to it, bit of an unusual project!

I have actually done this course twice and also made the matching table to go with the chairs. I cant recommend it highly enough. Tommy is a great teacher and the set up is top notch also.

Dave!

Good to know, thanks!

Yelnahs

Dave! wrote: »

I really recommend this 1 day woodworking course with Chaim. Lovely day, lovely people, lovely food!

http://www.chaimfactor.com/woodworkclasses/

I second this, Chaim and Carol are lovely and the courses are excellent.

jwwb

Starting the class in Hartstown on Monday. Will see what I remember from the Inter - which will tell you how old I am.

magicbastarder

See you there!

delaney001

Dave! wrote: »

Good to know, thanks!

How did you get on?

Dave!

delaney001 wrote: »

How did you get on?

Really good! Tommy's a nice guy, good teacher. The class all moves along stage by stage together and you don't really have the opportunity to move on by yourself if you're so inclined, so maybe more experienced people might find that part frustrating.

But you get a fairly awesome chair out of it at the end! Would recommend it for sure.

Dave!

Also just found out that the Hazel House in Rathfarnham does classes Will probably do one of those at some point

http://www.thehazelhouse.ie/woodwork-classes-for-adults.html

Sean Farrell

Thats a well made adirondack Dave....nice finish. What wood did you use for the job?

magicbastarder

jwwb wrote: »

Starting the class in Hartstown on Monday. Will see what I remember from the Inter - which will tell you how old I am.

you were the chap in the blue shirt up near the front?
i'd have said hello, but 'hi, i'm magicbastarder' reduces my margin for error.

Dave!

Sean Farrell wrote: »

Thats a well made adirondack Dave....nice finish. What wood did you use for the job?

I actually can't remember, forgot to ask again...

Thanks!

jwwb

magicbastarder wrote: »

you were the chap in the blue shirt up near the front?
i'd have said hello, but 'hi, i'm magicbastarder' reduces my margin for error.

Yes that was me...

You should have swept into the room and shouted "I AM MAGICBASTARDER" and if you had a cape that would have made it much more impactful

Sparks

You say that like he's never done that before...

istaunton

Dave! wrote: »

I actually can't remember, forgot to ask again...

Thanks!

Its Scandinavian Pine. Grows a lot slower than pine here so the rings are much smaller. Basically a stronger Pine than what we can get here.

At least thats what I was told when i did the course

magicbastarder

was at the craft fair in the RDS this weekend, and talking to a chap who runs woodworking courses down in fethard on sea.
intriguingly, he runs a 'build your own workbench' course, which was intriguing as that's something i'm sorely lacking - the finished product does look very sturdy.

however, it's €390 for a two day course, which includes all materials, apart from the vice. and given that he does not assume any prior experience, you're probably not going to learn an awful lot. so it's €390, plus the cost of the vice you supply yourself - let's say that brings it up to €500, then add in the petrol/accomodation costs, and then probably having to have the thing shipped home, and i reckon you'd be as well off buying one, or going through the trial and error of maling one yourself from scratch, and learning a lot more in the process.

unless anyone here has done a course like this and has any feedback?

Sparks

Building a workbench in two days from scratch? That's got to be using machines, right?
Feeling rather slow now, looking at my own build log

magicbastarder

yes, he mentioned that he does the morticing for you using a morticing bit - and tenons too, iirc. like i said, i suspect you don't learn too much. you're probably just working off a template.

magicbastarder

it's the one listed on this page - though this does say some woodworking experience is assumed:
http://www.bevelwoodworkingschool.com/woodworking-courses/

Sparks

Forget the morticing, after you make a dog's breakfast of the first three or four, you can get through those readily enough. It's the planing and the jointing I'm thinking of. Or is he making it up from previously prepped slabs? I mean, that'd work... and I suppose if what you want is a workbench and to get on with it, that's not a horrible option, it beats the couple of grand you'd pay for some commercial benches and their delivery...

Sparks

Oh, okay, not a nicholson. Or a roubo really. That's a big beefy frame with two slabs laid across the front and back legs and a thin plank between them. I could see that being doable in a weekend allright, especially with power tools and a morticer.











bloody ugly looking thing though :P

magicbastarder

the notion of making mortices and tenons on sizable pieces of wood, without the benefit of the workbench you're actually building, does not sound like fun.

Sparks

Nope, it's a pain in the fundament allright.

Number one tool you keep wishing for when building a workbench is another workbench.