Hand tools are at the heart of woodworking, emphasizing precision, control, and a hands-on connection to the material. This course will provide students with an introduction to sharpening, maintaining, and using woodworking hand tools. Focusing on hand saws, planes, and chisels. Students will learn how to effectively use traditional hand tools and apply those skills to an introductory joint of their choosing. Hand tool woodworking can also provide a good alternative for those without a lot of space or access to ample machinery.

Try out woodturning in this single-session beginner class in which students will learn to safely mount a hardwood blank between centers on a wood lathe, and then use spindle roughing gouges, parting tools and calipers to measure and shape a rolling pin tailored to their preferences. The finished projects will be ready to take home that night and put to work right away. 

This course takes place in our beautiful, light filled woodshop at the very back of our campus. 

All materials for the creation of your rolling pin are provided.

First Day at Shelburne Farms, Following classes at Craft School

Create a bench and learn about sustainable forestry, wood properties and selection, milling and building in the process.Forest to Furniture is a course that allows students to learn about the northern forest and to create a table or bench using wood sustainably harvested from Shelburne Farms.We will kick off the course by visiting the woodlands at Shelburne Farms. We will explore natural history, discuss management, and learn not only about the importance of forest ecosystems but also their role in carbon sequestration. You will then carefully select your wood, harvested and milled at Shelburne Farms, based on the properties of the wood and your planned use for your finished product. A simple, locally sourced and prepared meal will be shared. The rest of the course takes place at the Craft School where you will build your beautiful bench.

This course is in memory of Marshall Webb who loved the forests of Shelburne Farms and the woodshed of Shelburne Craft School.

Over the course of three weeks, students will learn how to turn a chunk of tree trunk into a wooden bowl or vessel. Students will learn about shop and machine safety while practicing wood turning with blank starts on a lathe. This class assumes no prior wood turning experience but may be repeated for more challenging projects and instructor guidance.

We source our wood for bowl turning predominately from Shelburne Farms.

This course takes place in our beautiful, light filled woodshop at the very back of our campus. 

All materials for the creation of your bowl(s) are provided.

The price of this course covers one adult and one child (8+). 

Join your child in our beautiful light-filled woodshop and build a three-legged stool!

This workshop, specifically for women and nonbinary folx offers participants the opportunity to start exploring our historic woodshop while learning how to make a beautiful handmade serving set.

This course is appropriate for brand new beginners as well as those with some skill who might like to try out our space.

We think this would make a fabulous friends night out...and you’d both leave with a one of a kind project!

Try out woodturning in this single-session beginner class in which students will learn to safely mount a hardwood blank between centers on a wood lathe, and then use spindle roughing gouges, parting tools and calipers to measure and shape a rolling pin tailored to their preferences. The finished projects will be ready to take home that night and put to work right away. 

This course takes place in our beautiful, light filled woodshop at the very back of our campus. 

All materials for the creation of your rolling pin are provided.

Are you looking for an introduction to wood turning by making spindle projects like ornaments, mallets or bud vases? Join us in our warm, light-filled, wood shop to learn the beautiful art of wood turning. Over the course of three weeks, students will learn how to use the basic tools of spindle turning: gouges, parting tool, skew and scraper to turn several small projects from dried stock. Students will learn about shop and machine safety while practicing wood turning with blank starts on a lathe. This class assumes no prior wood turning experience but may be repeated for more challenging projects and instructor guidance.