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WHY
DO I NEED TO ATTEND A TOOL TUNING COURSE?
1. MY TOOLS DON'T NEED TUNING - most people
start using a plane straight from the
box and do not realise that even a fine and
expensive
plane or chisel can be radically improved
by tool tuning. Sharpening, fettling
and cambering a blade can result in much
better
results. An old plane would show an even
greater improvement.
2. IT'S ONLY A SHARPENING COURSE - actually
it is not just sharpening. Students also
learn:
Proper
hand plane holding
How
to prepare stock by achieving flatness and
squareness
The
importance of reference faces
Accurate
marking of stock using marking knife and
gauges
Use
of the shooting board
Basic
controlled chisel technique
The
opportunity to discuss woodworking problems
3.
IT'S NOT FOR BEGINNERS/IT'S NOT FOR EXPERTS
- all skill levels are catered for on David's
courses. Many people think that they are
too inexperienced to come on the course...
we have
had absolute beginners alongside commercial
makers and all have been very happy with
the level of teaching. Small groups of 4
or 5 students
mean that everyone gets careful attention
and an excellent result.
4. I CAN'T AFFORD IT - in the present economic
situation this may be a real problem,
but students get intensive tuition
by a well-known teacher
of high reputation in an established
workshop, in a beautiful area of
North Devon. Many past
students have said that their woodworking
has been revolutionised by the knowledge
that they
gained on the course and this knowledge
is reflected in their making and
lasts a lifetime.
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"As
a retired Nuclear Engineer I have been used to fine tolerances
in machined metal components produced by very skilled
craftsmen. However I had my eyes opened on the Tool Tuning
Course. Not only did I witness the production of 0.001
thousandths of a inch shaving of wood with a hand plane
but it was me doing it, with my own plane and on END
GRAIN. Of all of the training courses I have attended
in my life this was the most enjoyable and informative
of all. A must for anyone contemplating fine woodwork.
Colin McColm
Nuclear Engineer
(retired)
Tool Tuning course May 2009
"The first thing to say is that I got everything out of the course I hoped and
expected to. I had already watched all the DVDs
and enjoyed them so I was pretty sure what the course
would involve. This certainly was what I experienced
and so, in this limited sense, it was a fulfilment
of my expectation. But there was a lot more besides.
I was quite apprehensive beforehand since I had not
attempted any work as exact as this before, and to
work under the close supervision of a "legend in exactitude"
was a bit daunting. I was not sure whether I would
be able to achieve the fabled 'one thou full width
and length shaving'. While I am sure one could follow
the DVD instructions and achieve good results, the
gentle personal guidance on the spot was invaluable.
This gave me confidence and I came away with my pot
of shavings as predicted. One has to be rather selective
in whom one tells that one has spent a week in the
depths of North Devon in order to come away with some
wood shavings. I am glad John was there too since I
can counter the odd looks by saying that there was
someone willing to come from the other side of the
world to do so. The production of such shavings is
indeed quietly rather blissful.
There was more on general technique than I expected
- shooting
and chisel work - which
was all to the good. I need to review and type
up my notes - supplemented
by reference to your books - to consolidate what
I have learned. The logic and especially the counter-intuitive
stuff (using a curved blade for accurate work etc)
was compelling.
The whole package of the course, B&B
with Merlyn next door and the feeling of being
- albeit temporarily - part of the community was really
good.
Thank you again for a really memorable, productive
and enjoyable week. I am coming back if I may.
Steven
Cruikshank
Consultant Anaesthetist
Tool tuning course May 2009
"If
you want to learn a very good technique for sharpening
and how to fettle a bog standard plane to
take a shaving so thin it floats Mr C is the man. Go
on his tool preparation course.
I
learnt how to sharpen a chisel and plane blade, how
to make an old (Stanley)
plane take a 1 thou shaving, and most importantly (IMHO)
how to use these super sharp tools. Using a chisel
for
paring, more importantly: using a plane, techniques
for flattening a board, squaring an edge, removing
wind;
everything I struggled with to get started in the world
of wood got easy overnight.
Getting
direct teaching from someone who knows what to do and
why it
works is the best thing I even spent money on! It might
sound a bit silly, but I didn't just learn how to do
things - I learnt how to think about what I was doing."
Sean Griffiths
Not
affiliated to Mr C, just a very very happy customer.
Some
students appreciate the opportunity to
experience the workshop and its surroundings before
committing to the longer course. For long course
information click here
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