New Class: 'Sawing Secrets' at the Woodwright's School

For me, this is like the day I first saw my name in the phone book. I am somebody.

This summer I’m teaching a three-day class at Roy Underhill’s school, The Woodwright’s School, in Pittsboro, N.C., conveniently located next to the City Tap room. The class will run Aug. 2-4 and will be on sawing.

During the three days, we’ll work on everyone’s sawing skills using all the old tricks I’ve picked up through the years. Everyone will also build a traditional sawbench (me included; I need another one). We’ll start with the big handsaws, learning how to rip and crosscut. Then we’ll move into the joinery saws and learn to cut all sorts of odd angles and traditional joints, including dovetails.

The class is $405 (plus a small materials fee) and the class is limited to 10 students.

If you haven’t taken a class there, you are in for a treat. Underhill’s school is like stepping back in time about 80 years. There are no power tools. No dust collection system. Just benches, lots of natural light and a nice wooden floor.

If you’d like to read about my visit to his school last year, check out these blog entries:

– A Visit to The Woodwright’s School

– Roy Underhill’s New School

– One Schwarzpower. Fail.

For more details and information on registering, visit the school’s web site.

– Christopher Schwarz

Other Traditional Hand Tool Resources I Like

– An interview with Roy Underhill

– A review of Underhill’s new book “The Woodwright’s Guide: Working Wood with Wedge & Edge” (UNC Press)

– DVD: “Handplane Basics: A Better Way to Use Handplanes”