SAWLAPALOOZA 2025!

Ready to kick-butt making your own saw and woodworking tools?

Join Mike Siemsen and me to do just that, June 9-13 at the Mike Siemsen School of Woodworking in Chisago City, MN!

“Want to learn how to sharpen your own danged saw? How about making your own Bad Axe Joiners Saw? I'll bring your skill set from zero to 60 mph in five days. We'll start off understanding rudimentary saw theory and dive right into practical exercise on day one, and by the end of the week you will have successfully sharpened at least two of the vintage saws you bring, as well as making your own Bad Axe Joiners Saw under my oversight.” 

--Mark Harrell, Founder, Bad Axe Tool Works and owner, SawSharp (www.sawsharp.com)

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“We'll make a traditional Moxon double screw vise, a mallet, a marking gauge, and a marking knife. You will use hand tools to chop mortises, bore with a brace and bit, tap and thread a screwbox. We will do a bit of metal work on the marking knife, grind and file the blade to shape, then harden and temper the steel. Bring the tools you have. I have some I can loan you.”

--Mike Siemsen, Owner, Mike's School of Woodworking (www.schoolofwood.com)

Itinerary:

Sunday, 12 June 2025

1700: Show up for our social and cookout! We'll shower you with cool swag, orient you to the premises, and you can meet your new buddies.

Monday 9 June through Thursday 12 June.

0800: Training commences. We'll split the class of 16 in half; 8 students link up with Mark to learn sawmaking, and the other 8 students will go to Mike's shop for the toolmaking piece.

1200: Break for lunch on site (catered).

1300: Class swap; those who were with Mark goes to Mike's shop, and vice versa.

1700: We're done for the day. It's Miller Time--go drink some beer and re-charge your batteries.

Thursday PM (after training)--it's a cookout on-site!

Friday, 13 June:

0800-1200: Graduation exercise: by noon you will have made your Bad Axe Joiners Saw and Mike's tools.

1200-1600: Course completion, catching up on unfinished business & extra skills, time permitting.

1630: It's closing time. You don't have to go home, but you can stay here (as the song goes).

Getting here: Chisago City is located half an hour north of the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. For those of you driving, simply plug in Mike's School of Woodworking address at 9912 Green Lake Trail, Chisago City MN 55013-7460. Clicking on the graphic below will reflect various hotels wihin a 15-minute radius of the school.

Payment:

$2500 for the week. Tuition is a two-part payment; $500* is a non-refundable down-payment, followed by the balance of $2000 we'll invoice you for 30 days out in mid-May.

Here's what $2500 gets you (knowledge, of course, but there are also tangible things):

Bad Axe Joiners Saw & Bench Hook Set

SawSharp Coffee Mug

Mike Siemsen Mallet

Mike Siemsen Layout Knife

Mike Siemsen Marking Gauge

MIke Siemsen Moxon Vise

There is also lunch every day, along with the social cookout Sunday evening and the cookout Thurs PM the day before course closure.

* Please note that the down payment is non-refundable, and is applied to sourcing materials ahead of the event. That said, life happens; if for some reason you are unable to attend, your down payment may be used toward the purchase of the saw and tools associated with the course.

We look forward to seeing you!

Host or Publisher Mark Harrell, Founder SawSharp, Bad Axe Tool Works