Get ready to dovetail! This two day class is designed to really get you dovetailing. You’ll cut more dovetails in two days than you have probably cut in you life. All with the intent to tune up your technique and speed up the process. The goals are simple: fix your sawing and waste removal techniques; give you some powerful time and labor saving tips; get you cutting consistently good dovetails every time right out of the box.

We’ll focus on through and half blind dovetails. This will give you the edge you need when it comes to case and drawer construction. Whether you’re a pins first or tails first person, this class will help you cut better dovetails.

Some of the skills covered in this class are:

• Through dovetails
• Half blind dovetails
• Improved sawing technique
• Improved waste removal techniques

This course will take place on Saturday June 15 and Sunday June 16, 2013.

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9:00 am.  A delicious lunch, snacks and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

Each student must supply his, or her, own: safety glasses and hearing protection; combination or machinist square; bevel gauge; bench chisels; carvers mallet; dovetail saw; marking gauge; smooth plane or jack plane; block plane; and tape measure or folding rule. If you do not have the tools on the list, don’t panic. We have plenty of tools for your use in class.

This course is limited in size to a maximum of 6 students.

If this course sells out, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

Only 2 bench spaces remain!

You’ve worked your way through two dimensional carving but don’t know where to go next? This two day class will help you expand your carving skills into the realm of the third dimension.

Take the next step to bring your carving to a new level. You’ll explore the world of carved furniture elements. Cabriole legs and applied three dimensional carving will help you expand your carving skills.

Some of the skills explored in this class are:

• design and layout of cabriole legs
• three dimensional applied carvings
• three dimensional relief carving
• trifid feet

Students will need to supply their own safety glasses, hearing protection and dust mask or respirator. Students will also need to supply their own bench chisels as well as a #15 v-parting tool (6mm or smaller) and two #8 gouges (one 7mm and one 10mm). If you have more carving tools, bring them along as they will most likely be helpful.

This class will take place on June 29 & 30, 2013

The class size is limited to 6 students.

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9:00 am.  A delicious lunch, snacks and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

If this course fills, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

All materials are supplied by us for this course.

If you’ve made more straight and tapered legs than you care to recall, it’s time to introduce a new skill to your repertoire, turning.

In this two day class you’ll explore spindle turning on the wood lathe. You’ll learn how to produce turned legs and other furniture elements to help expand your woodworking.

Some of the skill learned in this class are:

• Use, care and sharpening of turning tools
• How to duplicate parts by hand
• How to get a ready for finish surface right off the lathe

Each student must supply his, or her, own: safety glasses and hearing protection; combination or machinist square; bevel gauge; bench chisels; carvers mallet; dovetail saw; marking gauge; smooth plane or jack plane; block plane; and tape measure or folding rule. If you do not have the tools on the list, don’t panic. We have plenty of tools for your use in class.

Course Dates:

• August 24 & 25, 2013

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9:00 am.  A delicious lunch, snacks and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

This course is limited in size to a maximum of 6 students.

If this course fills, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

Stop making compromises with your router. Stop getting “close enough”. Learn how to use some of the most abundant moulding planes of the past to get the exact edge you are after. Hollows and rounds do not make specific profiles. They make specific arcs. Learn to transform these few arcs into scores of various profiles. From layout to execution, this weekend class will focus on creating various mouldings with these extraordinarily versatile planes.

The class will start off with maintaining the cutting edge, then move to laying out and ultimately sticking (planing) several mouldings that will range from simple coves and ovolos through ogees, cymas and various combinations. The class will focus on hollows and rounds sized 6 and 10 along with an unfenced rabbet plane. Students will have the opportunity to bring their own performing planes or they can use newly made planes by M. S. Bickford, planemaker. Students will also have the opportunity to use a larger range of planes.

Each student will leave with a picture frame (or several) and the ability to transfer mouldings he or she sees in person or print into wood and onto their project. Students will also have the option to bring in a complex profile and stock for a piece on which they are currently working but cannot yet execute.

A third, optional day is now offered in which the class will delve further into these seemingly mysterious planes with the instruction of Master Cabinetmaker and Carver Charles Bender, learn to carve complex embellishments such as egg and dart upon the mouldings they have already created. 

The third day is strictly optional for those who wish to expand on the learning of the first two days of the class. The third day may only be purchased in addition to the two day class. All other registrations for the third day will be cancelled. Matt Bickford may be present for this 3rd day of class dependent upon scheduling.

Sign up today – this is a great opportunity to learn the use of these extremely versatile planes- and learn a little about how they are made. At the end of the weekend Matt will make available for sale some of the actual planes you will be using.

Course dates:

·       October 12 & 13, 2013 with an optional third day on October 14, 2013

The class size is limited to 6 students.

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9 am. A coldcut lunch and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

All materials are supplied by us for this course.

If this course fills, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

Use the first drop down list to choose desired class session. If you’d like to stay for the third day, please use the additional drop down list to choose the appropriate third day.

This two day class covers the basics of veneering and inlay. Highly figured veneer and contrasting inlay can add dimension, depth and decoration for your pieces. Most woodworkers don’t know where to begin with veneer and inlay but this class will help get you started.

The techniques are simple to grasp and the results can be dramatic. If you are looking to step up your woodworking skills to the next level, this is the class for you.

Some of the skills you will learn in this class are:

• Hammer veneering
• Bookmatching and slip matching veneers for dramatic effects
• How to make edge banding
• Sand shading

You’ll also make a veneer hammer and inlay tool to take home.

Each student must supply his, or her, own: safety glasses and hearing protection; combination or machinist square; bevel gauge; bench chisels; carvers mallet; dovetail saw; marking gauge; smooth plane or jack plane; block plane; and tape measure or folding rule. If you do not have the tools on the list, don’t panic. We have plenty of tools for your use in class.

Course Dates:

• October 26 & 27, 2013

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9:00 am.  A delicious lunch, snacks and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

This course is limited in size to a maximum of 6 students.

If this course fills, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

Sold out!

Exclusively at Acanthus Workshop!

The Acanthus Workshop is the only place in the country offering this week long class with Matt Bickford. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity.

Stop making compromises with your router. Stop getting “close enough”. Learn how to make and use traditional molding planes. Hollows and rounds do not make specific profiles. They make specific arcs. Learn to transform these few arcs into scores of various profiles. From layout to execution, this week long class will focus on making a pair of hollows and rounds then creating various mouldings with these extraordinarily versatile planes.

The class will start off with stock selection, preparing the plane body blank, shaping the body and mortising the escapement, shaping the iron, maintaining the cutting edge, then move to laying out and ultimately sticking (planing) several mouldings that will range from simple coves and ovolos through ogees, cymas and various combinations.  When the planes are put to use, the class will focus on hollows and rounds sized 6 and 10 along with an unfenced rabbet plane.  Students will also have the opportunity to use a larger range of planes.

Each student will leave with a picture frame (or several) and the ability to transfer mouldings he or she sees in person or print into wood and onto their project. Students will also have the option to bring in a complex profile and stock for a piece on which they are currently working but cannot yet execute.

Each student must supply his, or her, own: safety glasses and hearing protection; combination or machinist square; bevel gauge; bench chisels; carvers mallet; crosscut dovetail saw; marking gauge; smooth plane; block plane; and tape measure or folding rule. If you do not have the tools on the list, don’t panic. We have plenty of tools for your use in class.

The information covered in this class is proprietary and copyrighted. Each student will be required to sign an agreement of acknowledgment of copyright.

Sign up today – this is a great opportunity to learn to make and use  these extremely versatile planes.

Course dates: 

·       November 18 through 22, 2013

The class size is strictly limited to 6 students.

The shop opens at 8:30 am. Class begins at 9 am. A coldcut lunch and soft drinks are provided. Class ends at 4:30 pm. The shop remains open until 5:30 pm.

All materials, including plane irons, are supplied by us for this course.

If this course fills, please call or email to be placed on the waiting list.

To register for the class paying in full, use the button below. 

To register for this class by paying a deposit (you will be billed the balance 60 days prior to the class,  net due 30 days) use this button.