Summer is a great time for vacations. Why not make GPD Academy your destination and further your woodworking skills and knowledge? We still have openings available in some exciting classes, so check out the links below and get signed up right away.
Limbert Coffee Table June 11-14 (Only 2 spots still open!)
Course based on Gregory's article which appeared in Fine Woodworking magazine.
Comprehensive Finishing - July 21
Having good finishing skills make all the difference between an OK project and a phenomenal one. In this full day, hands on, finishing workshop, students will learn about various finishes available to the woodworking enthusiast, their pros and cons, and easy ways to apply those finishes. We’ll remove the mystery that shrouds the uses and compatibilities of the common woodworking solvents and finishes, and we’ll examine surface preparation for successful finish application as well as pre-finishing techniques. Students will also learn how to combine dissimilar finishing materials in to the same project, literally allowing them to mix oil based and water based components. Plus, Gregory will share pro-shop tips to ensure fantastic results, and field an active Q&A session with students throughout the day. A lot of information packed into a full day - Bring a pad and pencil to take lots of notes!
If you've been struggling with finishing, and are unhappy with your finishing skills – Or are still searching for that elusive “silky smooth as glass” finish, this hands on class is a must for you!
Sharpening - July 24 5:30pm-8:30pm
Are you frustrated with tools that just don't cut it anymore? Sharp tools make woodworking easier and enjoyable. In this workshop Gregory will cover a variety of methods to make your tools razor sharp, including sandpaper on glass, water stones, and slow speed grinding machines. We'll also focus on achieving the "burr", or "wire edge" which is often described in text, but so elusive to so many woodworkers. Upon completion, you'll literally be able to make an edge razor sharp. Feel free to bring a dull chisel or plane iron to practice on.
Build a Wooden Hand Plane - July 28-29
For what it's worth, this class is taught by yours truly! I have a bit of a plane making addiction, and I really enjoy helping others catch it as well.
Tuning and Using Wooden Hand Planes - August 11
We hope to see you this summer!
Scott
Limbert Coffee Table June 11-14 (Only 2 spots still open!)
A scaled down version of Charles Limbert's classic #158 Library table, our Limbert inspired coffee table offers several challenges to even the intermediate level woodworker. This entire piece fits together like a puzzle, and is held together with mortise and tennon joinery, numerous bridle joints, and even a housed lap joint.
You'll learn how to lay out and cut the oval shaped top and shelf, and the large table top will be flattened and smoothed with hand planes. There's a lot of skill building which takes place in this short 4 day course!Course based on Gregory's article which appeared in Fine Woodworking magazine.
Comprehensive Finishing - July 21
Having good finishing skills make all the difference between an OK project and a phenomenal one. In this full day, hands on, finishing workshop, students will learn about various finishes available to the woodworking enthusiast, their pros and cons, and easy ways to apply those finishes. We’ll remove the mystery that shrouds the uses and compatibilities of the common woodworking solvents and finishes, and we’ll examine surface preparation for successful finish application as well as pre-finishing techniques. Students will also learn how to combine dissimilar finishing materials in to the same project, literally allowing them to mix oil based and water based components. Plus, Gregory will share pro-shop tips to ensure fantastic results, and field an active Q&A session with students throughout the day. A lot of information packed into a full day - Bring a pad and pencil to take lots of notes!
If you've been struggling with finishing, and are unhappy with your finishing skills – Or are still searching for that elusive “silky smooth as glass” finish, this hands on class is a must for you!
Sharpening - July 24 5:30pm-8:30pm
Are you frustrated with tools that just don't cut it anymore? Sharp tools make woodworking easier and enjoyable. In this workshop Gregory will cover a variety of methods to make your tools razor sharp, including sandpaper on glass, water stones, and slow speed grinding machines. We'll also focus on achieving the "burr", or "wire edge" which is often described in text, but so elusive to so many woodworkers. Upon completion, you'll literally be able to make an edge razor sharp. Feel free to bring a dull chisel or plane iron to practice on.
Build a Wooden Hand Plane - July 28-29
Modern wooden planes were put into the spotlight by James Krenov, and for good reason. Unlike a metal bodied plane, there are no knobs or levers to get in the way, and each plane's styling reflects that of its maker. Using a wood plane is wonderful experience, rooted in raw woodworking, but using a wood plane that you made yourself is just incredible!
In this two day class, students will craft a wooden bodied plane from a blank - Laying out and cutting all of the precise angles, and custom tailoring their plane to perform best for their style of woodworking. Focus will be placed on key plane making trouble spots and how to address them, and various hand tool and power tool techniques will be covered throughout the plane making process. Students will leave class with a wood smoothing plane capable of producing beautiful shavings, half the thickness of a human hair, leaving an ultra smooth finished surface. More importantly, students will leave with the skill, knowledge, and confidence, to make an entire shop full of planes on their own!
Warning: the first shaving you take with your new wood plane may cause an addiction!
In this two day class, students will craft a wooden bodied plane from a blank - Laying out and cutting all of the precise angles, and custom tailoring their plane to perform best for their style of woodworking. Focus will be placed on key plane making trouble spots and how to address them, and various hand tool and power tool techniques will be covered throughout the plane making process. Students will leave class with a wood smoothing plane capable of producing beautiful shavings, half the thickness of a human hair, leaving an ultra smooth finished surface. More importantly, students will leave with the skill, knowledge, and confidence, to make an entire shop full of planes on their own!
Warning: the first shaving you take with your new wood plane may cause an addiction!
For what it's worth, this class is taught by yours truly! I have a bit of a plane making addiction, and I really enjoy helping others catch it as well.
Tuning and Using Wooden Hand Planes - August 11
Wood planes are entirely unlike their metal bodied counterparts. A finely tuned wood plane with a sharp blade can provide excellent tactile feedback and exceptional results (many times exceeding that of a metal bodied plane), but you have to know how to make that happen. In this class, you will learn how to adjust a wood plane using a simple small mallet, your ears, and touch. You will also learn how to use these planes, which allow for a variety of hand holding positions. Finally, you will learn how to account for natural wood movement and how it affects a wood plane.
Hand Made Table - August 13-17
There's something incredibly rewarding about building a piece of furniture by hand! And during this intensive hands course, your work area will be filled with wispy hand plane shavings, thinner than a human hair, as you accelerate your journey to becoming a hand tool Pro!We'll show you how to layout and hand cut all of your joinery as you build a beautiful occasional table by hand, which works incredibly well as a night stand too. We'll cover wood movement, and the things you need to consider when building a hand cut, dovetailed drawer. As well as how to fit the enduring Mortise and Tennon Joint perfectly! Plus, you'll pick up lots of tips and tricks along the way, which will help take your project to the next level. Some of the things you'll learn during the week are:
I teach this class as well. Just went through it last week with a couple students and it's a great way to get intensive introduction to hand planes and hand cut joinery (mortise and tenon and dovetails).- Create and fit a drawer, with Hand Cut Dovetails
- Learn to make perfect fitting Mortise and Tennon Joints
- Virtually eliminate sanding by finishing wood with a hand plane
- Sharpening to a razor's edge
- Choosing, tuning, and using the correct hand plane for the task at hand
- How to flatten a table top by hand
- Understand wood properties so your table will last for generations
We hope to see you this summer!
Scott
