Are you interested in learning basic carpentry skills for putting to use in your home or garden? Have you been uncertain about using hammers, saws, drills, or power tools? Do you have little to no experience with carpentry but want to learn? We’ll cover each of these topics in an introductory carpentry workshop at the Low Technology Institute where we will be building raised beds.
Workshop Goals
You will learn the different applications of screws vs. nails, how to use basic hand and power tools safely, basic cuts and connections, how to decipher lumber dimensions, and more. You’ll be able to get hands-on experience using these tools and ideas in a safe, helpful environment.
During the first half of the workshop, we’ll be covering tools from measuring tapes, levels, and squares to hammers, hand saws, screwdrivers, power drills, and circular saws. You will get experience planning a project, identifying and listing materials, working with basic connections between boards (joints), and completing basic cuts along with useful tips. In the second half of the workshop we will be building raised beds in our garden. This is a great task because it combines many basic construction techniques, is adaptable to any yard, and something you can do on your own later.
Again, let me stress that no prior experience is necessary.
Workshop Details
The workshop will be held at the Low Technology Institute (11927 West Highway 59) from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on May 13th.
Space is somewhat limited, so contact Scott to RSVP or with questions (if we have enough interest, we may run a second class). When you RSVP, please include your name, email address, phone number, and mention if you have a particular topic or job you’re contemplating, and we can be sure to include some useful information for you.
The suggested donation is $20, but please don’t let lack of funds be a deterrent. We accept cash, check, credit, or online payments. Please bring work gloves, safety glasses, and ear protection if you have them (we will have some of each available). We’ll have water on hand, but if you’d like something fancier to drink or a snack, please feel free to bring it along (this helps us keep the cost of the workshop low).
The workshop will be led by Scott, who runs the Low Technology Institute and has been working with wood and tools his whole life. He used to run Deep Green Garden Co-op with a buddy and was in charge of building chicken coops, raised beds, and other garden infrastructure.