View Full Version : I'm taking a carpentry course!
rosarugosa
4-17-18, 6:22pm
Carpentry is the number 1 skill set I regret not having, and I've always been a little bit bitter about getting placed in Home Ec rather than Shop based on my gender back in Junior High. So opportunity knocked, and I've signed up for an adult ed carpentry class that begins next week. DH is going to go with me, and maybe my sister if she can rearrange her work schedule. We will be making folding BBQ tables as our class project (not exactly sure what that is, but hopefully we can put 3 of them to good use). Anyway, I am pretty excited and will keep you guys posted!
Ultralight
4-17-18, 6:33pm
Carpentry is the number 1 skill set I regret not having, and I've always been a little bit bitter about getting placed in Home Ec rather than Shop based on my gender back in Junior High. So opportunity knocked, and I've signed up for an adult ed carpentry class that begins next week. DH is going to go with me, and maybe my sister if she can rearrange her work schedule. We will be making folding BBQ tables as our class project (not exactly sure what that is, but hopefully we can put 3 of them to good use). Anyway, I am pretty excited and will keep you guys posted!
This is really cool! Awesome! :)
Please update this and post pictures too, if you don't mind. I am very interested.
Nice! I did get to take shop in junior high and enjoyed most of it. Not that I've made anything with wood beyond a shim for something else...
I'd love to take a class in furniture refinishing. We have several pieces ready for it. I know I could watch YouTube videos and the like, but there's something about actually working with someone on a particular issue that videos do not address efficiently. I haven't found an adult ed course for that, however.
rosa, you'll have to take pictures of the finished tables and post them here!
rosarugosa
4-17-18, 7:20pm
Yes, I'll be glad to share photos for better or for worse!
Good for you. It sounds like you are relishing your retirement.
Can't wait to hear how it goes. And, yes, this thread is useless without pics! :D
That's great Rosa. I fought taking home ec and was "allowed" to substitute art...no wood shop, metal shop or print shop for the girls in 1962.
Steve, I was lucky to have a mother who refinished furniture beautifully, I remember being told to come "feel the wood" when she finished sanding. I did several pieces when I was younger. Last time I used the citrus based stuff. Less toxic, but less aggressive.
Have fun. I keep wanting to take a welding class.
Sounds great! I took home ec and shop, actually most everyone had the option to take both. I really loved it, my mom had some candle holders for years.
A folding table sounds like an awesome project, when you are done and if you want to do more there are maker spaces you can join that have lots of tools available to use. I am supposed to check one out, then I get busy. So many cool things to make
Baldilocks
4-18-18, 6:08am
Good for you. I find fabrication one of the most awesome things that can be done. To take something out of raw material and create something of value is awesome. Also we live in a broken world.(2nd law of thermodynamics) so go out there and fix it. Be careful with the tools and have fun.
frugal-one
4-18-18, 10:39am
Nice! I did get to take shop in junior high and enjoyed most of it. Not that I've made anything with wood beyond a shim for something else...
I'd love to take a class in furniture refinishing. We have several pieces ready for it. I know I could watch YouTube videos and the like, but there's something about actually working with someone on a particular issue that videos do not address efficiently. I haven't found an adult ed course for that, however.
rosa, you'll have to take pictures of the finished tables and post them here!
Here is a class you may be interested in Minneapolis. Costly though?
http://www.blueskygalleries.com/class.htm
catherine
4-18-18, 11:06am
That sounds like so much fun!!! And so practical! Please report back. It's a wonderful skill to have
I'd love to take a carpentry class, or maybe auto repair--something useful that I'm not good at. I've searched in vain for such classes in my area.
Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but it seems to me that such classes used to be much more available than they are nowadays. In my area there are a number of community colleges, but they only seem to offer standard college prep and vocational (e.g., medical technician) types of things. There are also night classes offered by the towns, but so far as I can tell it's mostly hobby stuff like photography or painting.
Here is a class you may be interested in Minneapolis. Costly though?
http://www.blueskygalleries.com/class.htm
Wow, frugal-one! I'll be checking that one out! I hadn't heard of that gallery. $150 ain't walkin' around money but it's not much at all compared to what I'd have to pay someone to do it for us. Thanks!
I'd love to take a carpentry class, or maybe auto repair--something useful that I'm not good at. I've searched in vain for such classes in my area.
Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but it seems to me that such classes used to be much more available than they are nowadays.
I guess we're pretty lucky that the Saint Paul school district still offers a wide variety of classes in basic home repair, cooking, financial planning,... I even took a class in small-engine repair that saved me far more than the class cost. Here's the catalog (PDF (https://www.spps.org/cms/lib/MN01910242/Centricity/Domain/45/SPPS_WS18_4F.pdf)), if you want to look at it.
Not to diverge off-topic, but so many items these days are not designed to be repaired or repair is not economically feasible, so there's little demand for courses in how to fix stuff that can't be fixed. I also suspect many people -- teachers and students -- find it difficult to commit to even 3-4 weeks of classes.
I would like to do that, too! Anytime I've done simple projects like a raised garden or baseboard molding it never looks quite professional. Sometimes it's lack of skill and sometimes just not having good tools. I took a welding class several years ago and it was interesting and fun, but since I won't own a welder it ended there.
I have refinished furniture but those days are over. My last project was an an antique swiveling desk chair that I picked up for a song, but the nasty chemicals kind of convinced me it isn't a healthy thing. I think there are a lot of newer products that are less toxic, plus respirators, and gloves.
AWESOME!!!!:cool: Can't wait to see your pics!
I was also not allowed Shop class in 1975. I got out of HomeEc....I was already tailoring my own clothes and cooking big meals. The 2 semester class goal was to sew a skirt and bake a cake. Really? 32 40 hour weeks for that???????????
We've done our entire cabin remodel ourselves and it's such a great feeling to mill every single board for cabinetry/mouldings/window/door frames. (not to mention the $ saved). You're going to LOVE it!
Maybe once you finish the class you'll have the skills to help catherine cut her table in half! :~)
rosarugosa
4-21-18, 6:22pm
Like this? :)2153
ToomuchStuff
4-22-18, 1:04am
Maybe once you finish the class you'll have the skills to help catherine cut her table in half! :~)
That is less skills, then tools. Most people are not going to buy/use a 10" circular saw (not table saw) and two simple passes. Carpentry is easy, compared to what qualifies as fine woodworking. In a lot of respects, IMHE, it is also more useful/functional, and fun.
rosarugosa
4-25-18, 6:15am
We took our first class last night. Things were a little crazy and chaotic at the school as far as where to go, how to register, how to pay, etc. We spent most of the first class deciding on a project and discussing logistics such as procuring materials, where to store work in progress, etc. It turns out we will be building garden benches and not folding BBQ tables. The instructor seems very nice, patient and knowledgeable and there was good vibe with the students. There are about a dozen of us with a good mix of ages, gender and experience. It seems like it will be a fun group and an overall enjoyable experience. I will keep you posted!
Ultralight
4-25-18, 7:04am
We took our first class last night. Things were a little crazy and chaotic at the school as far as where to go, how to register, how to pay, etc. We spent most of the first class deciding on a project and discussing logistics such as procuring materials, where to store work in progress, etc. It turns out we will be building garden benches and not folding BBQ tables. The instructor seems very nice, patient and knowledgeable and there was good vibe with the students. There are about a dozen of us with a good mix of ages, gender and experience. It seems like it will be a fun group and an overall enjoyable experience. I will keep you posted!
This is such a cool endeavor!
rosarugosa
4-25-18, 9:17am
Thanks, Ultralight! BTW, I am the only lefty in the class. I guess that presents some special challenges when using the table saw.
Here is the bench we will be building: https://www.construct101.com/2x4-bench-plans-step-by-step-material-list/
That is so cool! And such a practical project! Everyone could use a backyard bench! I can see also how it requires learning of special skills like cutting angles and stuff.
ToomuchStuff
4-26-18, 10:13am
Cutting angles, is not a special skill. Between the tools today and sites such as : http://www.ana-white.com/
home carpentry is so much easier then it was in my grandparents/great grandparents day, where it was all hand tools (learn sharpening) and no electricity.
Honestly the project she posted is more of a circular saw project (which is also safer), then a table saw project.
rosarugosa
5-16-18, 6:06am
So here is my garden bench so far - a big pile of potential. We have cut, ripped and routered. Next week we will start drilling and screwing!
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Ultralight
5-16-18, 7:01am
Next week we will start drilling and screwing!
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Interesting choice of words... :devil:
Seriously: Very cool! Thanks for the update. Keep them coming!
rosarugosa
5-24-18, 5:21am
OK, it still doesn't look too much like a bench yet, but by next week it will be completed! This week we cut a beveled edge on the top back piece with the table saw, rounded the ends of the arms with the band saw and belt sander, and used a nail gun, drill and drill set up as a screw gun to begin assembly. So all preparation is in place to just drill and screw the pieces together next week.
The instructor was talking about what people might like to make in the next class, and I would definitely like to enroll. This is some very fun stuff!
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Ultralight
5-24-18, 6:42am
OK, it still doesn't look too much like a bench yet, but by next week it will be completed! This week we cut a beveled edge on the top back piece with the table saw, rounded the ends of the arms with the band saw and belt sander, and used a nail gun, drill and drill set up as a screw gun to begin assembly. So all preparation is in place to just drill and screw the pieces together next week.
The instructor was talking about what people might like to make in the next class, and I would definitely like to enroll. This is some very fun stuff!
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Makin' progress! :)
RosaR, That's such a cool thing to do!
Keep us updated! It's fun to see the work-in-progress!
Here is the finished product, although it still needs to be stained or painted. I had a lot of fun and hope to enroll in future carpentry classes. A few folks that were in the class keep enrolling to build their skills and work on different projects. These benches are beefy and would easily hold King Kong and a friend!
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Well done, rosa! I would be proud to have that bench in my yard. Gonna build another?
Thanks, Steve. We have two since DH also built one, so next project will be something that isn't a bench.
iris lilies
6-2-18, 11:39am
Good lookng bench!
several years ago DH built a custom designed bench in a gothic motif, the theme of one of my garden areas. We had many arguements over it, but it turned out to be just what I wanted. although looking back, I probably should have just purchased a $500 gothic bench from England, there was that much acrimony in its construvtion. Haha.
Hope yours is a conflict -free bench!
Gorgeous! Hey, we inherited an Adirondack chair with the house in VT, but it has a couple of broken slats. Could you drive up and replace them for us? :)
Really, nice job.
It looks great and how wonderful to have two! Next class maybe the foot stools/tables. You should be very proud.
rosarugosa
3-31-19, 5:15pm
I haven't kept this thread current, but we've attended 2 more sessions. We made chairs just like the benches, only not as wide, and we just finished bookcases. I am enjoying these classes so much!
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So what are they made of, where are you using them and are they comfy? Sounds like a fun course to take.
rosarugosa
3-31-19, 7:05pm
Razz: They are made of pine, and are fairly comfy. The benches are in the backyard and the chairs will join them there once I get them stained. I think the bookcases will go in the kitchen, but I'm not 100% sure yet.
You cannot tell from my picture, but the bookcases have dadoes, although no potatoes . :)
The course is really fun. The instructor is a retired shop teacher/carpenter/school principal, with tons of skill and patience. He always says the sign of a good carpenter is being able to fix a problem, so we give him plenty of fodder to keep his skills sharp. All the people in the class have been really nice too, not even always the same people, but always friendly, collaborative and helpful.
Your projects look great!
Teacher Terry
3-31-19, 9:22pm
They look very nice!
dado potato
3-31-19, 10:59pm
Hong Kong and your friend are truly fortunate, now that they have somewhere to sit!
I bet you could make a pergola in time for Arbor Day 4/26/19. <wink>
Aren't you so satisfied? Creating two useful projects, learning new skills and working with a pleasant group. Congratulations!
Where are you taking the classes? I am very impressed with your finished projects.
I am taking them at a local vocational high school. It is a night program for adults, a "Community Enrichment Program." I'm enrolled in both yoga and carpentry for 6 weeks starting at the end of April. Finally dipping my toes into yoga.
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