Classes & Workshops
Make Good Traditional Handcrafts now offers classes and instruction for new woodworkers hoping to start their journey in the tradition.
Get Started Woodworking
( in a small space )
Our in-person classes are designed to help you begin woodworking in your own home, without noisy, dusty, and potentially dangerous machines. Enjoy the satisfaction of exercising your creative spirit, and truly make something with your hands.
When I wanted to start a hobby in woodworking, I was living in a small apartment. I assumed I would have to wait until I could find a studio space or garage that would allow for the large, loud, and expensive machines of the modern trade. I researched and familiarized myself with hand tools, especially those used in the Japanese tradition. I became inspired by their effectiveness and simplicity, and their small footprint let me work in my own apartment. I want to help others find their way to this alternative—a quiet, mindful practice of traditional hand-tool woodworking.
Develop Your Skillset
Fundamentals
“Begin at the beginning” — These classes are meant to start you on your woodworking journey. No prior woodworking experience required.
PART I: Become a Woodworker
“Build Your Toolbox”
This 2-session, 14-hour class offers participants a deep-dive introduction to the rudiments of hand-tool woodworking with Japanese tools, including saws, chisels, planes, and more. In this class, you will learn how to use, sharpen, and maintain these tools and develop good work methodology. You will leave the session with everything you need to complete your first project, a toolbox we will start making in class, that you will finish at home, with your own tools in your own space. Classes meet in-person in Brooklyn.
Chisels & Saws
After an overview of woodworking fundamentals, we’ll begin with basic technique with saws and chisels, followed by sharpening and tool maintenance.
Handplanes
Next, we’ll get familiar with the nuances of the Japanese hand plane, effective work methods for small spaces, and some basic joinery concepts.
Joinery & Assembly
Here’s where we start putting it all together. We’ll look at project design and joinery in application, and then we’ll get started building your toolbox.
“BUILD YOUR TOOLBOX”
$600.00
(includes materials)
Note: Participants are expected to bring their own tools for this class, and may need to purchase some or all of these tools beforehand. Once you register, you’ll receive a list of tools and suggestions for where to buy them both locally and online. The total cost of a complete set should fall in the range of $250-350. Feel free to reach out with any questions.
PART II: EXPAND YOUR PRACTICE
“Build Your Workbench”
Continue the journey with a broader base of skills and techniques. Develop your competence and gain confidence in your abilities as you step into increasing self-sufficiency with your woodworking—all while kitting-out your home workshop. “Build Your Workbench” is an intermediate class, designed to help hand-tool woodworkers develop the next set of skills and setup that can further their home woodworking practice, through starting the build of a Japanese-inspired workbench. Conceived in a similar vein to “Build Your Toolbox,” with a balance of in-class learning and at-home work, this course is meant to build upon skills and tools learned from that starting point.
Hand Milling
Using our Japanese hand-tools, we will start by making a 5ft planing beam from thick poplar stock, prepping it for work while learning to cut and flatten by hand, and adding friction-fit planing stops.
Structural Joinery
Next, we’ll begin to build a pair of lightweight but sturdy workhorses. With lessons in planning and layout of structural joinery, milling reference faces with hand tools, and cutting and fitting large joints.
Beam & Workhorses
A planing beam set on solid workhorses, a few clamps, and wood planks can together serve as a sturdy workbench. It can be assembled in minutes and just as easily broken down into parts for storage.
“BUILD YOUR WORKBENCH”
$775.00
(includes materials)
Note: Participants will be required to bring their “Build Your Toolbox” kit (240mm Ryoba saw, 12mm chisel, 48mm Kanna handplane, mallet, hammer, square, folding ruler, sharpening supplies, etc…) On top of this, some additional tools may be recommended, e.g. a larger plane (58-70mm), larger chisel (24-30mm), and a mortising gauge.
Skills learned in “Build Your Toolbox” are a prerequisite for this class. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
More Classes Available @ Nihonsan Tools
For more beginner classes in the fundamentals of Japanese Woodworking, check out the offerings at Nihonsan Tools in Park Slope.
Joinery Techniques
These classes are meant to build upon your growing skills and understanding by focusing on various types of hand-tool joinery techniques. Basic knowledge of hand-tool woodworking fundamentals is required.
Dovetail Joinery
The pride of hand-tool box making, dovetails can take a simple box and turn it into a demonstration of true craftsmanship. Learning this joint can be a great way to advance your skills
$200
Mortise & Tenon Joinery
A foundational joint for countless furniture builds—and one of the most versatile you can learn. Master the basics and add it to your repertoire.
$200
Staked Joinery
A simple, rudimentary chair-making technique that can be done with a minimal hand-tool kit. In class we’ll make a three- (or four-) legged farmhouse stool.
$200
Project Design
Take your skills to the next level by designing a project and then completing it on your own. These courses are intended to help new hand-tool woodworkers of all levels of skill and experience to focus their efforts and create beautiful handmade objects of their own.
Bookshelves
$250
Stools & Benches
$250
Accessory Tables
$250
Small Boxes
$250
IMPORTANT:
Once purchased, you will be registered for your session. If after purchasing, circumstances change and you will not be able to attend, please email classes@makegoodwood.com immediately. For cancellations made at least 10 days in advance, we can provide a refund, minus a 10% processing fee OR you can also choose a 100% credit—good for a future class. If you need to cancel within 10 days of the first session, we will try to fill the spot. If we’re unable, we will not be able to refund or give you credit. We cannot provide full or partial refunds for no-shows.
Gift Certificates
Want to give the gift of a class or private instruction? Gift certificates are good towards any class and can also be used to purchase private instruction.
Private Instruction
If you have a project in mind and/or would like specific lessons in some aspect of woodworking, let’s design a custom session together.
Topics Could Include:
Joinery Methods
Sharpening with waterstones
Milling with hand tools
Project design and planning
Non-toxic finishing
Repair & Restoration
and more…
Join our Community
There is a growing group of woodworkers in the New York City area, interested in the tools and techniques used in the Japanese tradition.
Every second Thursday, we meet to discuss the craft and support each other.
Follow the link below to our meetup’s website, sign up for our newsletter, and come on down to join us at our next event.
Get In Touch
Ready to get started with your new woodworking hobby? If you’d like to sign up for a class or private lesson, or just have a question to ask, fill out this form and reach out!
We’ll be in touch with you soon.