Woodworking is a skill that requires a lot of patience and finesse. But the only way to achieve these two qualities is to practice relentlessly and constantly hone one’s skill. While practicing by yourself at home can be a great way to tinker and experiment, sometimes you do require the guidance of an instructor who can take you through the right techniques.
In this article, we go over woodworking, and woodturning, classes for beginners.
A woodworking class for beginners can be a great way to improve your skills with the tools and also create some great pieces to take back home. The following are some of the places you can look at for woodworking classes for beginners:
Online Woodworking Classes
In the current scenario we find ourselves in, online classes are ruling the roost. Traditional classes that used to be offline only have shifted to the online space and have been received emphatically. It isn’t much different for woodworking classes.
The following are some woodworking classes you can consider taking online if you do not have the time to physically attend a class or cannot find a good class in your vicinity.
Woodworking for Mere Mortals
This is a website that offers several great tips and tricks for those interested in woodworking. But there is one course in particular that may be useful for beginners.
The Weekend Woodworker is a great class that you can take even while holding onto a full-time job. It is not a particularly time-consuming course as you can take it up on the weekends. What makes this course especially interesting is that it takes you through a host of projects so you can get a lot of practice.
This course expects you to work on six specific projects. Between all six projects, you should be able to work on different aspects of woodworking and hone various skills.
Even though the course is online, it is interactive and allows you to print plans, diagrams and also go through video tutorials, in addition to well-made tool guides and a comprehensive list of materials. Sure, it is slightly on the steeper side when it comes to the fee, but the learning curve is immense and you will find that the expense is worth it.
Udemy
There is not one specific course that can be recommended on Udemy, simply because it is such a vast resource for various types of courses. You can browse through the particular category you are looking for and find the course that best suits your skill level and requirements.
The platform is also user-friendly, so you can also see how popular a course is and how others have reviewed it before purchasing it. Within woodworking alone, there are 100s of courses one can look at that are of different difficulty levels. The good thing about Udemy is also that you can get some incredible sales prices.
Some of the popular woodworking classes on Udemy include Creating Wood Art – An Intro to Handcrafted Wood Sculpture, Woodworking: All About Wood, SketchUp for Woodworkers, etc.
Woodworkers Guild of America
The Woodworkers Guild of America Academy is one of the best places to take online woodworking classes. There are several classes the guild has to offer that cover some of the basics and essentials of woodworking, such as router techniques, table saw essentials, cabinet making, and more. Depending on the class you are taking, you can also get some incredible deals.
At times, you do not want to take an expensive class that takes you through all the basics when you only want to learn about a specific aspect of woodworking. For this, you can find various specific classes on the website, such as Fundamentals of Epoxy Woodworking, Must-Have Sharpening Techniques, Finishing Essentials, etc.
Woodworking Class by Instructables
Instructables has several great workshops that make learning fun and easy for beginners. One of the great courses on the site is also a basic woodworking class that encourages you to try your hands on simple projects that allow you to practice and improve your woodworking skills. The more practice you get, the more confident you will become with your tools.
Each lesson in the course is focused on a specific aspect of woodworking that improves your basics. The course also does not expect you to possess any fancy power tools and you can use simple lathes, table saws, planers, etc.
Taunton Workshops
Taunton Workshops has been around since 1975 and is the perfect place to learn hands-on skills in an online setting. The website has a variety of courses not only on woodworking but also on home building, sewing, and quilting.
If you are looking to use your woodworking skills for furniture building, then this is an excellent resource to explore. The program you choose will be divided into several sections where you will learn through high-quality video tutorials.
Each section will need to be purchased separately, but you can watch a preview of the video before you commit to buying it. The website has been around for nearly five decades and has seen sustained patronage. It is safe to assume this is one of the best places to pick up some hands-on skills.
Physical Woodworking Classes for Beginners
One might feel that physical classes are a better mode of learning, especially for a practical activity like woodworking. It is likely that you will be able to find such a class in your city or town, if not in the immediate neighborhood. The following are some good places you can look for woodworking classes.
Continuing Education Woodworking Classes
Many people graduate high school and enter the workforce immediately. Attending college or university is not something everyone gets to experience, which is why continuing education classes are a great way to go back into a discipline without committing to college full time.
Continuing education is especially useful for vocational courses such as woodworking where you can learn several practical aspects of the craft in a hands-on way.
Find out at your local high school or community college about classes like these. Even if the school in your district doesn’t have these classes, you may be able to get more information through the network of schools. Start by checking the school website or newsletter.
Beginner Woodworking Classes at Home Depot
No matter where you are in the United States, you are likely to find a Home Depot somewhere around the corner. Home Depot stores are the pilgrimage site for those who like to tinker and are constantly making improvements in their home.
You do not have to be a skilled carpenter or craftsperson to be able to enjoy what Home Depot has to offer. There are products for all kinds of home-related projects, including workshops that help you hone your skills.
Several Home Depots offer DIY workshops on different skills. You will be able to find the workshop details on the Home Depot website or even on the notice board that is usually displayed at the entrance of a Home Depot. Once you find the right workshop for yourself, you will be happy to discover that they are free!
Beginner Woodworking Classes at Art Centers
If you live in a large town or city, you will likely have a local arts center in the area. The arts center is a great place to find workshops and classes, not only for practices like woodworking but also for other exciting vocations such as jewelry making, crocheting, glass painting, etc.
You are likely to find a furniture building or a woodworking class at your local arts center. Again, even if the center is not holding such workshops at the moment, perhaps a community member’s interest in the practice may encourage them to invite someone to teach such classes. So, look around, ask and certainly make your interest known to your local arts center.
The Carpenter’s Boatshop
If you happen to be a woman living in Bristol, Maine, there is the perfect opportunity to learn woodworking in a beautiful setting. The Carpenter’s Boatshop is a quaint organization that has a campus stretching over 25 acres of land.
You can consider the Women’s Wood Working class, which is a five-day course taught by a fiery female carpenter, Gillian Davis. Davis has experience of over 15 years and will handhold you through the basics of woodworking techniques, including working with power tools while ensuring safety. At the end of the class, you will have created a project that you can take home with you.
Final Thoughts
Whether online or through in-person sessions, woodworking classes can be great for someone who wants to improve their technique. Woodworking is a very rewarding skill to have. Not only can you create beautiful pieces for yourself, friends, and family, but it is also a great way to increase sharpness and focus.
For most of the classes and options listed above, it would be preferable if you have some basic idea of how to do woodwork. You will also need to have the tools already so you can get started. But a good class can take you from amateur status to a skilled craftsperson.
