Greetings, all –
I’m looking into some schools and I’m curious to hear what people think out there. In your perception, what are the best US programs for woodworking? I’d love to hear the basis for your opinions too.
Thanks,
Kevin
Edited 9/30/2006 9:22 am by kevink
Edited 9/30/2006 9:49 am by kevink
Replies
Kevin,
Just a suggestion but your are more likely to get meaningful responses if you define your needs a little more. Are you looking for apprenticeship or dollege programs, what type of skills are you interested in obtaining, what do you want to do with the training, are you interested in particular styles of furniture, how long of a program do you have in mind, geographic restrictions or desires, and costs are some of the factors that go into giving you recommendations. Good luck.
Doug
Edited 9/30/2006 9:45 am by DougF
Hi Doug,
You're right; I could have been more specific. There is no doubt that what makes a school great for one person is based upon that individual's needs/wants, and may be entirely different from another person's. I phrased the question in a stripped down, and perhaps shallow, way because I want to hear what people's immediate gut-level responses are. I want to know how people perceive the quality of the different schools.Thx,
Kevin
Edited 9/30/2006 10:02 am by kevink
kevink,
The North Bennet Street School....http://www.nbss.org
doug i have attended marc adams school in franklin indiana and
have been very empressed. i have attended three classes the most resent on cabinet making and realy enjoyed my self an learned a lot. i also took a class on hand tools were we made a tapered leg table out of cherry toalty from hand planes and hand tools, very nice. you may want to check his school out, it is hard to get in to because of high demand of some classes.there are a lot of great schools out there this is just one of them. good luck.
I was wondering what class you felt was the most helpful, of the three you mentioned taking. I live about 45 minutes away from the M.A. school, and I plan to take a class
this coming summer if possible. I am self taught so far, and my focus is furniture of my own design.
Any further comments on your school experiences would be greatly
appreciated. What kind of skill level the students have, how personable
the instructors are, etc. I really want to get the the point where I can start a business and make
very high quality work- I'm hoping this school can help. Also, if you know of any other great woodworking resources here in south-central
Indiana, I would love to hear about them.
I live in Bloomington, and sometimes commute up towards indianapolis.
This guy is in your back yard. http://www.randallodonnell.com/J.P.
i'm from plymouth michigan and drive to franklin and stay at a hamton inn (where they give a special rate for the school)for four nights.
you can take classes from beginner to professional,the instructors are top notch very helpful, i have watched them help people that propaply should not have been there but gave them the cofeindence to keep going,in my book that says a lot.
the class i took with Garrett Hack on using hand planes and ended up making a table was VERY informative but the cabinet class i took with Zane Powell was also top notch. to say one being better than the other is hard to say you will have to tailor you classess to yor needs. if you call an talk to marc (and he will talk to you) he will guide you in the right direction.i also took a class on Jigs and Fixtures were we built a router table,cross cut sled and a cope and style fixture for the router table plus shop saftey is number 1. it's worth looking into. if you are 45 min away you might want to make a drive down there and check it out.
if you have not already go to http://www.marcadams.com
Check out the Fine and Creative Woodworking program at Rockingham Community College in North Carolina. It is an intense five semester study ranging from: hand tool use, design, drafting/CAD, finishing, machine maintenance, shop start-up, and more. At the end of it you will have an AAS in Fine and Creative Woodworking. I graduated last May. It is one h*ll of a good school.
-gw
Take a look at college of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg Ca. It is a community college that has had some rather well known instructors in the past. I believe one of their retired instructors had a home made plane sell for quite a bit on e-bay recently ;). Plus the scenery is great and that is where Ron Hock makes his plane blades.
Troy
It really depends on what it is you want to learn and how long you are willing or able to commit to school. I researched all the school in the US and around the world. I choose to come to The Australian School of Fine Furniture. Because they not only focus on traditional techniques, but they also focus on contemporary furniture. WHich interests me more than antique reproduction. Which is what I felt The North Bennet Street School main focus is on. But out of the school in the States (which is where I am from Washington D.C.) I really likd the Center for Furniture Craftsmenship in Maine. They have a good number of guest lectures that come through the school. Next was The College of the Redwoods.
Just my 2 cents
Kaleo
http://www.kalafinefurniture.blogspot.com
http://www.furnituremakingclasses.com/
Phil Lowe (See this months Fine Woodworking) has a two year program in Beverly MA.
I second ripcut on the Marc Adams school.
I've been to 8, 5-day classes and can't wait to take more. Last time I checked his catalog there were 60+ different instructors offering about any specialty you could want. The instructors are tops in teir field: Michael Fortune and David Calvo, bot recently in Popular Woodworking, award winning finishers, turners, cabinet makers - you name it.
It is a family operation with Marc's wife and mother doing the noon meals.
Frosty
http://www.palomar.edu/woodworking
Excellent school just north of San Diego, CA. offering 56 different woodworking classes in an atmosphere of camaraderie and mutual respect (and the weather's not bad).
Let me know if you have any questions,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Kevink,
I asked the same question earlier this year and got back a wealth of responses. The number of my post is: 31135.1
So do a search on that or the topic "woodworking camp". I believe almost all of the great schools were brought up.
Enjoy.
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
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