Furniture making for beginners – a dovetailed box with Tom Kealy
Ref: S4D10937
Beginners/Intermediate
£514About this course
Extend your woodworking experience as you learn to make a dovetailed box. You will be taken step-by-step through the relevant techniques, such as the use of cutting gauges, chisels and the basic use of a router.Course Description
This course is suitable for anyone who would like to extend their woodworking experience to include dovetailing. The aim is to enable you to learn how to make a dovetailed box, through demonstrations and practical work, using basic woodworking tools.
You will be taken step-by-step through all the relevant techniques. Topics covered will include the setting out, cutting and assembly of dovetails as well as other processes necessary to make the box, such as the use of cutting gauges, chisels and the basic use of a router.
Timetable
Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above
Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.
Daily timetable
Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.
From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).
Evening working - students may have access to workshops, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Last day
Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.
Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.
(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)
Course Materials
What students need to bring
- Please source or purchase the essential tools listed below to bring to the course:
- Tools:
- Please note it is essential that you bring the following two items as they are not provided by the College.
- 1. Dovetail saw - important note this is very specific and needs to be a rip cut saw.
- 2. Dovetail marker
- If you do not already have these tools, or their equivalents, they can be purchased from
- Axminster Tools and Machinery or Classic Hand Tools Ltd
- If you are purchasing new tools the following makes are recommended:
- Dovetail saw: Veritas dovetail saw, Lie-Nielsen dovetail saw, or if you are familiar with using Japanese saws, a Japanese dovetail saw is also suitable.
- Dovetail marker: 1:6, Veritas Dovetail Saddle marker.
- Please contact Tom Kealy if you need advice about the dovetail saw. Email: bookingsoffice@westdean.ac.uk. Please include your name, course title, and course dates.
- Please also bring the following:
- Reading glasses (if worn), pencils, ideally a clutch pencil, 0.5mm HB,
- Sturdy, comfortable covered shoes are essential
- You will also be using the following tools, which can be borrowed from the College for use on the course, you do not need to buy these tools. However, if you have your own tools we recommend that you bring these with you, as they will be tuned to suit you better.
- Jack plane, block plane, bevel edged chisels, marking knife, cutting gauge, steel rule, 6” engineers’ square,
- piercing saw/fret saw with blades of 18tpi or more, hammer, cork block, scraper
Available to buy
- Available from tutor:
- The timber will be supplied by the tutor at the cost of approximately £40 per person. This charge must be paid to the tutor before the end of the course, by cash or cheque.
Tutors
Tom Kealy has designed and made contemporary furniture since
training at Parnham College in 1979, and for ten years was senior
craftsman in the John Makepeace workshops. He runs furniture making
classes from his workshop, and teaches at the Centre for Furniture
Craftsmanship in America and the Building Crafts College,
London.
Accommodation
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
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