| Spend
five days with the expert, someone who knows what
to do, how to do it and more important why to
do it. These techniques will revolutionise your
work, whether at amateur or professional level. |
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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
"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
"When I first started out, a few years back, with hand tools I found your DVDs very helpful. Over the course of time, I have taken some classes and read more books and articles. I'm not sure how or why, but I slowly moved away from your techniques. I have been struggling quite a bit lately, not getting the results I want. I was thinking to myself, I wasn't having these issues when I was starting out. A lot of my issues revolve around sharpening. I then remembered that I always got the best results using your approach. Over the past couple days, I have gone back and watched the first few of your DVDs. I was amazed at how much information I had allowed to slip away or be replaced. I think I only spent 15 minutes in the shop, and my plane blade sharpening has improved dramatically! How could I have strayed off course! I know you might have your critics, but your approach always gives me consistent results. Spending an extra couple of minutes, over other approaches, is worth my time now. I'm now going to go back and review my chisel technique.
Do you have any plans to release any new DVDs or travel to the US to teach any classes?
Thank you again,"
Mike lingenfelter
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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