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 Aldo Leopold Benches.
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 Aldo Leopold benches for you to take home. This is a great task because it combines many basic construction techniques. You can find the plans here.
Again, 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 June 23. The cost of the workshop is $50 (members get a $5 discount, find out more about joining the institute here). You can reserve your spot by paying the workshop fee at our online store. If the course is sold out, please check out with the $0 “Waitlist” option to be added to the queue.
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 friend and was in charge of building chicken coops, raised beds, and other garden infrastructure.