Woodworking classes, basic carpentry

In this BASIC carpentry and joinery course, you will learn the basics of the trade, because you want to know more about wood, because you are interested in everything related to this beautiful trade, because you have only once started working in your workshop and you do not know how to continue but you want to know more or because you want to be a professional in the future.

* IN ALL MY CONSTRUCTION COURSES, I INCLUDE A TECHNICAL DRAWING OF THE FURNITURE AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE WOOD YOU NEED TO WORK WITH AND HOW TO ORDER THE WOOD AND FITTINGS. In PDF format that you can download for your workshop. SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE ...

My objective is clear, to teach you the steps to follow to develop your project and to assimilate the theory and practice of the trade.

You will see what the basic tools are and how to buy them, you will see how to start working the wood with them, how to sharpen them, their use and handling.

I will also help you to professionally set up your workshop if you such desire.

I am attaching in pdf format, a list with the basic tools to start working with and a second very complete list in case you want to set up your workshop as a professional.

Then we will study the machines that exist in the market in case you later decide to better set up your workshop.

We will also see the wood you must buy.

I am going to give you 3 fundamental exercises for carpentry-cabinetmaking.

- How to sharpen the different tools such as chisels, carving gouges, carpenter's plane, cabinetmaker's blade. Manual sharpening and mechanical sharpening.

- the carpenter's-cabinetmaker plane: there are many kinds of planes, but one can be used for almost everything. You will see the use and handling and how to get the wood squared with it.

- A basic exercise to learn how to trace with a tracing gauge and work with saws, chisels and final sanding. This way you will see all the steps to follow when doing woodwork. I add a technical drawing in pdf that you can download, from the exercise so you will learn to read a carpenter-cabinetmaker’s plan.

I also add a bibliography with some inteesting books about the trade that you can buy or consult in libraries or online, so you can accompany the classes and better understand the trade.

I advise you to spend at least 3 hours a week to gradually learn how to work with the different tools and start enjoying them and the wood. It is a very pleasant profession, but it requires dedication.

Here I present this first course so that you can learn the first steps to follow. Of course there is material for years if you want, it depends a lot on the time you can spend on it. For this reason, I will be presenting several different works and in different courses so you can learn what you like at your own pace. For example: how to make a box with dovetails, how to make a frame with bridle joint, how to make your carpenter's bench or how to do marquetry. Different courses that I will offer you from now on.

It is one of the most beautiful trades, but also the longest to learn. For this reason, after this introduction to the woodworking profession, I recommend you continue with the other carpentry, joinery and restoration courses that I have so you will fully enter the subject. Go for it!

I hope you enjoy wood as I have been doing for over 35 years. Best wishes.

Jean Baptiste Van den Heede, cabinetmaker.