Project for beginner woodworking class

[mr_skittle]

I've been working on some classes for my local community woodshop and I'm looking for some ideas on a project to do for a beginners class. There are just so many ways I could go with this, so I'm hoping some folks can give some input from their experiences. The idea that I've been kicking around is something like a flexible table idea. Something that could be adapted to make an end table, coffee table, or hall table. It will mostly be a power tool project with the possibly of some hand work sprinkled in.

Some of my initial questions/concerns are:

What kind of joinery to use?
Mortise and tenon (there is a mortising machine available), pocket screws, biscuits. They all have their advantages and drawbacks, mostly related to time, but also to process and skill building involved in mortise and tenon.

Do I provide prepared stock?
Again this has the same pros and cons as joinery. Having all the students mill the lumber in a class will be very time consuming but is a very important skill. The milling process will be covered separately in a tool intro/safety class. Although it will be more of a demonstration than hands-on in the interest of time.

Is it crazy to offer variations on the project?
It seems like this should work if we keep the dimensions within particular parameters. Something where all the pieces (legs, aprons, rails, etc) are the same dimensions other than length.

How many students is reasonable?
There is only one of every big machine so I need to make sure everyone is keeping busy. I'm kind of thinking 4 might me a good number, but I'd like to be convinced that 6 could work.

I'm sure there are many unknown unknowns as well. Feel free to enlighten me.

[Rob Young]

mr_skittle said:

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I've been working on some classes for my local community woodshop and I'm looking for some ideas on a project to do for a beginners class. There are just so many ways I could go with this, so I'm hoping some folks can give some input from their experiences. The idea that I've been kicking around is something like a flexible table idea. Something that could be adapted to make an end table, coffee table, or hall table. It will mostly be a power tool project with the possibly of some hand work sprinkled in.

Some of my initial questions/concerns are:

What kind of joinery to use?
Mortise and tenon (there is a mortising machine available), pocket screws, biscuits. They all have their advantages and drawbacks, mostly related to time, but also to process and skill building involved in mortise and tenon.

Do I provide prepared stock?
Again this has the same pros and cons as joinery. Having all the students mill the lumber in a class will be very time consuming but is a very important skill. The milling process will be covered separately in a tool intro/safety class. Although it will be more of a demonstration than hands-on in the interest of time.

Is it crazy to offer variations on the project?
It seems like this should work if we keep the dimensions within particular parameters. Something where all the pieces (legs, aprons, rails, etc) are the same dimensions other than length.

How many students is reasonable?
There is only one of every big machine so I need to make sure everyone is keeping busy. I'm kind of thinking 4 might me a good number, but I'd like to be convinced that 6 could work.

I'm sure there are many unknown unknowns as well. Feel free to enlighten me.

---

Last time I taught a 10-week Hand Tool School class at the Kansas City Woodworkers' Guild, we had four projects. Projects 1, 2 and 3 are a bench hook, a spatula/spoon (curves and shaping work) and a dovetailed box. The fourth was to be selected by the students (6 in the class) however all 6 must build the same projects. Not necessarily identical projects. They selected a side table as the project, and all were generally "Shaker" in design. So after each drawing their plans we had two with a lower shelf and no drawer, one with no drawer but wanted to use curly maple and three with a drawer. Material selection was up to the students, each having a $50 credit at our local hardwood supplier as part of their tuition.

One Saturday we all met at the lumber yard and picked out material. Anything they calculated as needed beyond the $50 they had to pay the difference. Pretty much all of them selected rough sawn material and two of them picked 8/4 stock large enough to get the entire table from a single board. All steps were to be attempted (not necessarily completed) using only hand tools.

When the KCWG runs their "Introduction to Woodworking" class, which is essentially Junior High woodshop for those that missed out, they take a larger number of people. However to do so all projects are pre-defined, everybody works from the same plans, in the same species and the larger projects are built using pre-milled stock. They build two boxes, a small plant-stand (Stickly style so lots of mortise and tenon work) and cutting board and something I'm forgetting. Using pre-milled stock, they can have as many as 16 in this class.

[meackerman]

for 4H woodworking I had them make a birdhouse, a boomerang (it worked, but was way too much work) and a tooltote. Tried to keep it to projects we could complete in two afternoons.

[Cooler]

I think every house can use an additional step stool. And the quantity of material is small, so this becomes a manageable project.

As for joinery, it depends if you are trying to familiarize people with classic joinery methods or if you are trying to give them a skill set for simple projects.

Through dowels works. Or pocket screws.

I like through dowels. I first drill and screw and glue the pieces together. Then I wait for the glue to dry and remove the screws. I then drill for the dowels using the screw holes as pilot holes. It is not too fast, but the contrasting dowels look pretty good and it requires no special equipment.

Good luck.

I taught portrait photography in adult education for three years. Out of each class of about 20 students I would end up with two or three competent photographers and one exceptional one. The rest failed to grasp what I was teaching. And the good students told me that my instructions were perfectly clear.

So no matter how good a teacher you are, be prepared for several students that "just don't get it".

[atgcpaul]

When I took woodworking classes at Palomar College, everyone in the intro class regardless of skill level had to make a clock. It could be a mantle clock or a hanging Shaker clock. This was over 10 years ago and I think they still do this.

http://www2.palomar.edu/woodworking/clas...odworking/

The project is small enough that you really only need a few board feet so doing all the jointing and planing doesn't take that long.

Both styles of clocks had us using the router table to make stopped dados in the top and bottom to glue the 2 sides into. We also learned how to resaw and glue up for the bookmatched back. Drill presses were used to drill the finger hole in the back as well as insetting the magnet catch. Rabbets were made on the back to accept the resawed back.

Both clocks used stub tennon joinery for the doors and some of us building the mantle clock made an arched door and routed a profile on the router table. We made rabbets in the back with the router table for the glass. Some of us mantle clock people also made the built up molding for the top. We also cut hinge mortises with a chisel.

We used an oil finish which we sanded in with wet dry and then buffed it out with 0000 steel wool and wax.

My clock stills sit on my mantle and my parents wall clock still ticks away at their house.

In retrospect, a lot of us wanted to build something more "ambitious" but looking back, I think a clock was a perfect first project. Didn't cost a lot to make. Learned a bunch of different woodworking techniques and because we were working relatively small, we couldn't easily hide our mistakes like you can with a larger project so it taught us to be careful and precise. It was also easy to transport to and from home and because our class was about 20 people with about 4 people to a workbench, we didn't feel cramped when we left the shop and brought it back to our "desks".

Paul

[elinourrumming]

I've taught a couple beginner classes – the most successful (for me) have been project-based (I find new woodworkers get hooked by having made something nice – the realization that they're also learning valuable skills seems to be secondary until they really get into it). A big no on the variations – that's a headache well-worth avoiding (and choice can be a killer)! Yes on prepping stock ahead of time for a two-day class – if longer, that's usually lesson No. 1 (unless we're doing hand tools...then it's sharpening). I'd say the two most successful beginner projects I've taught have been a 6-board chest (rabbeted and nailed, ends shaped with a band saw/coping saw; trimming and smoothing w/planes; battens on lid and hinges) and a simple Shaker side table sans drawer (tapered legs w/band saw then planes, or a table saw jig, or jointer tapering; machined M&T if 2-days, by hand if not), tabletop glue-up and attachment options; leveling feet). IF you have a helper, 10 is doable; if not, no more than 6!

[Arlin Eastman]

You can build bird houses and bird feeders with different kinds of joinery.

[daddo]

I think seeing how something is built is very important before actually doing it. I'd have various pieces of projects such as table(s), stools, cabinets and so on that are simply screwed together and they can disassemble them, seeing the joinery and techniques first hand gives them a visualization or mental picture ahead of time.

You can explain it to me all day long and I won't really get it until I see it.

[clockman]

I made a convertible table once for my sister. It had dowel legs that was joined in a "X" pattern that folded in the middle to make a standing table you put the ends of the legs into the blocks underneath the table top. To make a coffee table you put the legs the other way.

Not expensive just flat stock, and some 1" dowels.

[Dave Diaman]

I've taught several beginner woodworking classes. The most successful classes have been a basic tapered leg table. I bring along one with a drawer but it is better to stick to the basics for beginners.

For choices I usually give the choice between a few different woods before the class but that is it. Choices will paralyze many new woodworkers. I call it analysis to paralisys. Many new woodworkers overthink every step so keep it as black and white as possible.

For material and prep I have found it is best to provide material. It is some additional trouble but it will save headache in the class. You would be amazed at what people show up with and call wood if you don't. For milling I ALWAWS make them prep and mill at least some of their own material for several reasons. First, most new woodworkers don't know how to properly mill and square material. Second most new woodworkers have no clue how important it is or what a mistake buying S4S material is especially when that is what you hand them. You need to make them understand that the basis for every piece is straight flat square lumber. If you don't start with that the rest of the project will fight you.

For the number of students some will depend in the size of the space. That being said the most I feel I can handle by myself is around 6. You will always have at least one problem child in that size group. Without a helper anything larger and it just seems like I am not able to give individual attention wher it is needed.

I hope this helps and feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions.