BASIC WOODWORK - FIRST LEVEL - WHOLE DAY COURSE

BASIC WOODWORK - FIRST LEVEL - WHOLE DAY COURSE

at PERTH COMMUNITY FARM with IAN WATT

- HAND TOOLS ONLY - FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS -

- OVER 18'S, WOMEN AND MEN WELCOME -

MAKE SOMETHING TO TAKE AWAY WITH YOU

A chance for complete beginners to learn basic woodworking skills and practise with everyday hand tools in a safe, friendly and fun setting.

This is an extended version of the very popular first level woodworking course I've been developing over the last few years. I've had brilliant feedback from students who get a great sense of achievement through making something from scratch between them. We have a whole day for this course so all participants can make something they can each take home, maybe a birdbox, stool, small table, plant stand or worktrestle, and go a bit further with finishing and other techniques. These are small classes with a maximum of seven places so there's plenty of personal attention and everyone can learn at their own speed. All materials are supplied and there's plenty of tools available - though you're welcome to bring your own tools with you if you'd like to try them out.

These are some of the most useful handwork skills you could learn, wood being such an important part of so many of the things we use everyday. Whether you want to make your own raised beds, make and repair furniture, do some picture framing, put up a shelf or a shed or maybe even make your own eco home one day, these are some of the simple basic skills you will need.

Perth Community Farm is a brilliant venue for this course as the large open section of the polytunnel makes a great workspace with plenty of light and...

... you can see how useful the skills you'll be learning have been for making things around the farm, a variety of raised beds and sheds for a start. It's the heart of sustainable living - being able to design and make the things we use all the time for ourselves with renewable materials which can be sourced locally. We'll have a look around the farm too, lots of interesting stuff to see.

Numbers are restricted to seven participants, so there's plenty of individual tuition and everyone can learn at their own pace.

RISK ASSESSMENT See page here

PLANNED PROGRAMME FOR THE COURSE: may work out a bit differently in practice...

SAFETY: working safely - the main points

SAWING: using a variety of handsaws to cut safely, squarely and accurately. Importance of sharpness.

MARKING OUT: measuring: feet and meters, why we use both. Marking out, marking square, marking angles, accuracy.

CLAMPS: importance of holding your work steady, how to use the various tools etc for that.

DRILLING: using cordless drills to drill and screw – different kinds of drill bits and fixings. Other kinds of drill.

PLANES, RASPS, FILES: we'll be using some of these so you can see how rounding off edges etc can improve the look of your work dramatically.

WOOD: different kinds of wood in everyday use, in lengths and in sheets, new, reclaimed and green, why they’re used, different strengths and weaknesses, a bit about how wood grows and understanding grain.

FIXING WITH SCREWS: using screws to fix different thicknesses and kinds of wood together.

PRACTICE PROJECTS: all four/five students will be able to make something simple they can take home with them, maybe a bird box, stool, small table, plant stand or work trestle.

YOUR OWN PROJECTS: please ask for advice on things you would like to make, repair, re-purpose, salvage etc etc yourself.

I’ve done a wide range of woody things in a long and varied working life, from making and repairing guitars and furniture, designing and fitting kitchens to building various houses including a straw-bale build, roundhouses, caravan conversions, the PCF shed made of pallets and the "GazeeBarn", and used a wide range of softwood, hardwood, reclaimed and green wood. I've come to the conclusion that abundant woodland and woodworking skills, along with food growing and gaining a better understanding of natural processes - and working with them - are the backbone of the sustainable future.

DIRECTIONS TO PERTH COMMUNITY FARM

Take the track down from Jeanfield Road between houses number 29 and 27, through the gates that lead to the cemetery - small sign says "Commonwealth War Graves".

Then take another track through the first gates on your left, sign to Perth Community Farm.

We'll be in the big polytunnel right at the far end of that track. You can park right down towards the tunnel, or there's some space just inside the gates.

Host or Publisher Ian Watt