Courses

Without question, the Adirondack chair is a timeless classic - its high back, large armrests and contoured seat and back are unmistakable.  For many, the Adirondack chair defines the ideal deck or lawn chair for a well-deserved break.  This course is the perfect opportunity for you to learn and expand…

Pick up your hammer!  This course is designed for students with little or no building experience who want to build a tiny home, small cabin or workshop. The techniques for building a small frame building are not only for the skilled carpenter; nearly anyone can come away from this course…

None of us are getting out of this alive, so we may as well bury ourselves in our work!  Put your hands to work making something truly useful while also building a strong base of woodworking skills. The above-ground applications of your resulting project are numerous – a bookshelf, coffee…

Considering when and where to start on that big cabinet project you want to build and install?  Start here.  Before you jump into a big project, learn the basic techniques, tools and equipment used by both traditional and contemporary cabinet makers.  As a class project, each student builds a pine…

Create beautiful and useful things for your kitchen using simple hand tools and birch wood. Participants in this course will be introduced to the Swedish traditions of ‘köksredskap,' or the process of carving functional utensils, including butterknives, small spoons or bread boards. Students will start by splitting a green log,…

Coopering — the craft of joined 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…

Discover the secrets of the old Saami school of ski construction by crafting a custom pair of birch skis to meet your needs. In this course you'll learn about the origin of ski design, function and construction. We'll also cover topics such as wood grain, bending wood, types of bindings,…

The axe is perhaps the most indispensable of all tools in the north woods. A sharp axe, skillfully wielded, makes tasks from splitting kindling to carving spoons and canoe paddles a pleasure. In this course, students will begin with a hand-­forged axe head, then make a hardwood handle and fit…

The wooden bowl is a reflection of both utility and beauty - an inspiring craft form to experience. Explore the grains of northern birch as you learn safe lathe operation and turning techniques to turn a wooden bowl on the electric lathe. From tree to bowl, working with fresh cut…

In this two day course each student will build a post-and-rung stool as we explore aspects of traditional chair making. On day one, students learn about splitting logs for stool pieces and how to shape stool parts using a shaving horse, drawknife, and spokeshave. On the second day, students use…

"Get the Edge" might be another appropriate title for this course. Chisels, planes, gouges, knives, scissors, spokeshaves and more--these tools of the trade function at their best when the cutting edge is truly prepared for business. Ready to slice butter? This comprehensive overview of sharpening will help you understand the…

Dining will never be so rewarding or more elegant than when you and your guests sit at a finely crafted traditional pine trestle table with classic lyre-shaped legs.  Using hand and power tools, students with woodworking experience will build a table that measures approximately 84 inches long by 44 inches…

Tired of unimaginative, small outbuilding kits available from your local lumberyard? Explore all the basic elements of timber frame construction and take home a hand-crafted building. More than 100 timber frame buildings have been built and raised throughout the country by North House students since 1997.  During the first days…

Whether they are built for the workshop or used to support a tabletop or workbench, timbered sawhorse trestles are reliable, sturdy and reflective of the craftsmanship that goes into timber framing. During this course, you'll focus on the layout and cutting of the mortise and tenon joints needed to create…

Have bench, will travel?  Indeed - with this workbench you can do both!  A fine workbench is an essential fixture in the home workshop.  In this class students will build a sturdy timbered workbench based on early American designs using simple and classic joinery that echoes timber framing techniques.  Mortise…