Coopering, the craft of joining wooden staves to create a vessel, was an integral skill in many cultures worldwide; from Japan to Ireland, every meal had a food or drink that had at some point been stored in a coopered vessel. The skill and product is still relevant today. This course will cover the American and Western European traditions and methods encompassing one of the four traditional coopering styles. Students will each make a wooden bucket from cedar using hand tools: froe, draw knife, hollowing knife, compass, and cooper’s joiner plane. Connect to history and partake in the rebirth of an ancient craft! Please note that the four days of class are full of hand tool work, which can be tiring for some.

Required Tools

• Closed-toed footwear
• PPE: Safety glasses and hearing protection are provided for students and required for certain tools in our workshops, but you may wish to bring your own for fit and comfort

Optional Tools

• Feel free to bring your favorite draw knife, sloyd knife and whatever materials you might feel appropriate for this course.

All skill levels are welcome. Students will be using hand tools for the whole of three days. If that poses a potential challenge physically, please contact instructor before enrolling at decadencebyhand@gmail.com