John Beltman
Suomi, MN
John has been making a living doing traditional woodworking since the early 1980's. Working primarily with traditional hand tools and building techniques, John integrates history into his work and his classes. Although he has a diverse background, including boat building, spring pole lathe turning, and building Windsor chairs and stools, John is currently focused on teaching, presenting, and demonstrating on traditional craft and history. John's training includes the Rockport Apprenticeshop in Maine, Strong's Canoe Yard in Vermont, and the Windsor Institute in New Hampshire.
Current Courses Offered by John Beltman
7 Days
Framing and Planking a Traditional Herring Skiff: Boatbuilding Fundamentals
Learn the basics of wooden boat building while helping to preserve the North Shore’s boating culture. The herring skiff is the traditional workboat of Lake Superior’s North Shore, but its rugged and practical design make it a great choice for a wooden fishing or pleasure boat today. This stout vessel…
Mon, Jan 6th, 2020 – Sun, Jan 12th, 2020
9am-5pm
9am-5pm
12 Days
Pram Boat Building: Build Your Own Norwegian Pram, Group Build
Instructors:
John Beltman
Take this one-of-a-kind opportunity to build a custom-sized, traditionally built wooden lapstrake boat, originating in design and construction from the fjords and fishing villages of Norway and Sweden. Students will complete the Norse Pram, an inshore craft that makes an excellent tender or rowboat at the lake, and is often…
Fri, Jan 24th, 2020 – Tue, Feb 4th, 2020
9am-5pm
9am-5pm
Instructor:
John Beltman
3 Days, plus an optional 5pm-8pm session
Snowshoe Construction: Build Your Own
Instructors:
John Beltman
Carve, bend and lace your own pair of wooden snowshoes in the traditional Ojibwe style. Pointed at both ends, this snowshoe design is efficient for travel through both wooded areas or across frozen lakes and open expanses. During the evening session, students will steam bend and shape ash frames. For…
Fri, Nov 22nd, 2019 – Sun, Nov 24th, 2019
9am-5pm, plus an optional 5pm-8pm bending session offered 11/20/2019
9am-5pm, plus an optional 5pm-8pm bending session offered 11/20/2019
Instructor:
John Beltman
3 Days
Timbered Workbench: Early American Style
Instructors:
John Beltman
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 and…
Fri, Mar 27th, 2020 – Sun, Mar 29th, 2020
9am-5pm
9am-5pm
Instructor:
John Beltman
Past Courses Offered by John Beltman
Beginning Windsor-Style Turning
Building The Classic Wooden Rowboat: Build Your Own Susan Skiff
Fundamentals of Traditional Wooden Boat Building
Gluten Free Holiday Baking
Oar Construction: Make Your Own Set
Pram Boat Building: Build Your Own Traditional Norse Pram
Service Learning Project: Timbered Top Workbenches
Snowshoe Construction: Up the Trail
Spindle Turning on the Spring Pole Lathe
Spring-Pole Lathe: Build Your Own
Techniques of Pram Boat Building: Old World Boatbuilding Traditions
Three-Legged Milking Stool
Traditional Furniture Building with Hand-tools, Spring Pole & Electric Lathes
