Cabinetmaking Fundamentals
About the course
This course is aimed at the complete beginner or the woodworker who has some experience but wishes to get back to the basics of cabinet-making in order to produce woodwork of a high standard.
If you have never used a well tuned and set up plane, or a razor sharp chisel, this course will be a revelation, and when you understand the basics of cabinet-making you will realise that ‘engineering in wood’ to minute tolerances is not only achievable, it is also joyful!
The main purpose of this course is to develop essential hand skills and give a good understanding of the main cabinet-making principles.
Planing, Sawing and Chiselling are the three critical elements needed for shaping and jointing bits of wood together so you will be given some good solid technique and exercises to help you practice and conquer these vital skills. Setting up a plane to take gossamer-thin shavings, planing strategies to deal with misshapen pieces of timber, chopping and paring to a knife line with a chisel and bringing a bit of Zen into sawing to make it a focussed, precise process.
To see how things are progressing you will prepare and join several pieces of wood together to make a cheese-board, this will give you a chance to get some calm, composed gluing under your belt, adding some tapered chamfers with a wonderful ‘finesse tool’, the spoke-shave, will complete this little project.
Jointing pieces of wood together is what woodwork is all about so we’ll also look at how to accurately prepare components, planing, gauging, scribing and squaring ends using a Shooting Board. Having planed up some crisp, precise components you will have the chance to put your new Sawing and Chiselling skills into practice by setting out and cutting a Through Dovetail.
What You Will Learn
PREPARING A PLANE – setting up for gossamer-thin shavings
PLANING STRATEGIES – producing super flat wood with a mirror surface
MARKING OUT – using gauges, squares and knives to accurately mark out components
SHOOTING BOARD – Using this simple jig to square narrow edges and ends
CHISELLING – techniques for safe, accurate chopping and paring
SAWING – Japanese and Western saws need different techniques to get the best out of them and Sawing is the key skill for cutting accurate joints
Skill Level : Beginner
Cost : £350 (2026: £380)
Duration : 2 Days
Test piece: Make a Cheese Board
Other : All materials and tools will be provided
Dates :
19-20 July 2025
13-14 December 2025
14-15 February 2026
18-19 July 2026
19-20 December 2026
Read what our recent students say about this course
“Balanced, well-timed and detailed, this is an excellent weekend course. John’s teaching is clear and pleasant and I learned a great deal.”
“Very informative and highly detailed. John takes great care to teach the right way and is very patient.”
“Good introduction to precision planing including setting up bench planes and chiselling required to produce accurate joints and flat surfaces.”
“The course was a pleasure from start to finish. The location was beautiful, the atmosphere relaxed and as a relative novice the content and pacing of the course was ideal. John brings clarity to even the more abstract methods we learned and together with his good humoured delivery I left having enjoyed myself. I’m keen to continue learning and will certainly be back for courses in the future.”
“A superb course taught by John who is a excellent teacher and obviously extremely experienced. He made learning the basics of woodworking really fun and enjoyable. I learnt loads and feel so much more confident with the plane, saw and chisel. The supply of delicious cakes and biscuits also helped to keep energy levels up for the entire two days. “
“Even at this early stage in my woodworking journey the level of accuracy seemed impossible but with only a day of John’s guidance on the tools fractions of millimeter workmanship was being repeatable achieved.”
“Very informative. I learned a great deal about the basics of woodworking, discovered the soothing process of planing wood and successfully made a chopping board.”
“Organised, excellent equipment, good knowledge of instructor, relaxed and friendly.”
“The pace of the course, the environment, the expertise and manner of John.”
“The course was exactly what I hoped for. Very good step by step training, and a relaxed atmosphere.”
“Open and friendly instruction, well structured and extremely well organised.”
“Friendly, professional, challenging and interesting.”
“John is able to share a significant amount of knowledge in a way that never feels rushed. Over the weekend I was able to work with tools and practice a number of techniques that will form part of a strong foundation in furniture making.”
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