Traditional Greenwood Bench Making

Over four days, students will create their own hand-carved bench using traditional woodworking techniques and hand tools such as wedges, sledge hammers, froes, and axes.

Starting with fresh oak logs, participants will learn to split green wood into elegantly faceted legs, stretchers, and spindles using shaving horses and drawknives. The teachers will share marking and measuring tricks to move this process along efficiently. While these smaller bench components are drying, students will move on to the layout, mortising, and shaping of their 15" x 40" inch poplar bench seat. By Thursday morning, students will be ready for glue-up, assembling all their parts into a comfortable bench seat, complete with a hand-carved back rest (also known as a crest rail). As time allows, the teachers will demonstrate carving and painting techniques to add ornamentation to your heirloom bench.

Over the course of this intensive, students will learn:

• Traditional log splitting techniques and material preparation
• Skillful use of hand tools including the shaving horse, drawknife, spokeshave, hand plane, bit and brace, reamer, tenon cutter, hand saw, bevel gauge, and carving knife
• Time-tested techniques for ensuring proper geometry and ergonomics
• Decorative carving techniques to add contemporary or traditional designs
• How to apply a milk paint finish, an ancient method for adhering pigment to any surface
• Layout and marking techniques for precise joint alignment
• Proper sizing and proportions for strong, lasting joints
• Traditional methods for drilling and tapering mortises and tenons
• Using sighting lines and bevel gauges to tune the perfect angle for the chair legs raking and splaying from the seat to the ground
• Understanding wood movement and its impact on joint design
• How to measure and test green versus dry wood, and how to use different wood at different moisture levels to build the strongest joint
• Traditional wedging techniques for permanent assembly

Important Notes:

• This is an ambitious and physically demanding workshop
• Participants should be prepared for hands-on work throughout all four days
• No prior woodworking experience required, but enthusiasm and stamina are essential
• All tools and materials provided
• While it is possible to “dry fit” your bench at camp so you can flat pack the components to take home, it is a good idea to plan the bench’s transport home. Glued up and finished, the bench will be approximately 40 inches long, 16 inches wide, and up to 35 inches tall.