Furniture Making (Intermediate)

Students must have proficiency in the safe operation of basic shop machinery – the table saw, chopsaw, drill press, and bandsaw. Students will learn the safe operation of the jointer and thickness planer and learn how to square-up (a.k.a. milling or dressing) rough lumber which is a necessary step for making accurate joinery.

The first project for this class is a table. Students have the option of making a side table with a drawer, a side table without a drawer, or a coffee table. Project plans will be provided. Students can make certain design changes such as size (height, width, and/or depth – NOT to exceed a 36” x 48” footprint because of limited shop space), add a shelf (or two), or add stretchers. Each of these table projects enables students to learn mortise and tenon joinery construction, which is foundational in furniture making. Students who choose to make a table with a drawer will also learn dovetail joinery, giving them a more comprehensive foundation of furniture making knowledge.

Students will learn how to read project plans, generate a cut list, and understand the importance of project planning. In the first two classes, students will learn how to buy wood to fill the cut list for the project. During the course, we will discuss the properties of wood and the importance of understanding wood movement when designing and making furniture. Students will learn to use hand tools like hand saw, marking knife, cabinet scraper, card scraper, bench chisels, and how to sharpen and maintain bench chisels. We will discuss clamping and keeping wide expanses of wood flat, how to do glue-ups, and preparing projects for applying finishes. Finishing techniques will be discussed for students to do finishing work at home.