What are the guidelines for choosing an appropriate project for a beginners woodworking course?
Do not come to a beginner’s course expecting to do dovetails, finger joints, inlays, lathe turning, etc. Things are not always as easy as Norm Abrams on the Old Yankee Workshop makes it look! Instead: i. Consider how much time you have: – 8 sessions, 3 hours per session – On paper that is 24 hours. Now subtract the introductory night, breaks, cleanup etc. – You are looking at about 18-20 hours ii. KISS (keep it simple, silly!): – Avoid making drawers and large amounts of complex joinery iii. Keep it small: – The larger the piece is, the more stuff you have to slog around (remember, you can’t store it here) and more time you spend doing surface preparation – Also the larger it is, the more materials cost iv.
