Japanese Tools & Joinery

This is very much a hands-on experience that will provide each student with priceless knowledge that can then be applied to whatever type of woodworking project one chooses to pursue. Traditional Japanese joinery and construction methods will be used with the emphasis on setting up and understanding Japanese hand tools; Chisels, Saws and Hand-planes. We’ll begin with basic sharpening techniques on chisels, then move into sharpening and conditioning of a Japanese hand-plane. All aspects of the plane will be covered including ura-dashi (hammering out the blade back for flattening), proper configuration of the ura-za (chip breaker) to enable reverse grain planing and fine tuning of the block to ensure uniform shavings. Each student is encouraged to bring at least 1 new plane and we guarantee you will be creating shavings like a pro by the end of the class. With tools ready to go, we demonstrate basic Japanese style layout and then cutout of all the jointery with the hand tools. Finish all the surfaces with our hand-planes. Then assemble the pieces like a huge puzzle, locking the frame together with wedges and pins. Bring your Mallet!!

Upon registration, you will receive a comprehensive list of tools you will be required to bring to the workshop.

The cost of the Japanese Tools & Joinery workshop is $895.