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Greenwood Courses at Clissett Wood

Cleaving, using the froe

Green Woodwork Introduction

An ideal taster for beginners to become familiar with the basic tools and techniques of green woodwork. Starting from the freshly felled tree you will learn to cleave the wood with axes and wedges, and shape it further with drawknives before turning it on the pole-lathe. You will also learn what to look for when buying tools, how to sharpen them, what woods are best to use, and more. Expect to leave with a stool or several turned items such as candlesticks, spoons, tool-handles, baby-rattles or a project of your choice.Courses are 2 1/2 days.

 

Make & Use Green Woodwork Equipment

An opportunity to make your own shavehorse or other equipment. Shave horse making teaches all the green wood skills involved in stool and chair making: cleaving, the use of axe, adze and draw knife, as well as assembly of components.

Alternatively a shave horse and/or pole lathe can be made as part of any of the courses listed on the calendar.

There is a materials charge for a pole lathe in ash, oak and elm, and for a shavehorse in ash with ash or poplar seat.

Bowl Lathe Making and Bowl Turning (5 days)

Tutor; Ben Orford

This five day course provides a rare opportunity to learn bowl turning skills in some depth. Tutor Ben Orford will share his specialist knowledge of bowl turning and tool making, starting with the construction of a Viking style lathe. You have the opportunity to build your own bowl lathe using sawn and cleft timber and Ben's hand forged hard ware. For the remaining three days you will learn the range of skills involved in bowl and platter turning under Ben's expert tuition. One of these days can be spent learning the basic tool forging skills. There is a materials charge for the pole lathe and for the specialist metal work.

Ben Orford completed a three year coppicing, green woodwork and chair making apprenticeship with us in Clissett Wood in 1999. He soon added bowl turning and tool making to his impressive portfolio and has since built an enviable reputation as a highly accomplished bowl turner, tool maker and teacher.

 


Using the side axe

Using the drawknife on the shave-horse

Development Weeks at Clissett Wood

During the annual Development Weeks, now in this seventeenth year, we will wake the workshop up from its winter sleep during Development Week I. This year we will build new equipment and storage facilities for the new workshop and improve terracing and landscaping around it. The main project will be a covered walk way between the workshop and the kitchen as well as new timbered roofs for two greenwood huts. These will involve some hard work, possibly in the cold and wet, but should prove a fascinating experience and there will be plenty of fun and good company.

Co tutored by Doug Joiner.

During Development Week II experienced makers are invited to use their greenwood skills and learn to make a shave horse and other equipment for the workshop.

The fee covers the cost of all food with superb lunches, and camping is free.

 

Volunteer Work Placements

There may be opportunities for selected skilled volunteers to assist on courses or contribute their cooking skills throughout the season.

There are no payments but food and camping is free. Volunteers often stay for the whole season because it is such a superb opportunity to develop their green wood and teaching skills to a high standard

To apply please send a letter of application with a brief CV to Gudrun at the contacts below.

Possible volunteers will be asked to attend the Development Week in March as part of the selection process.

Turning on a pole-lathe

to contact Gudrun:

by email: gudrun@greenwoodwork.co.uk
by phone: 01531 640 125
or by post: Gudrun Leitz, Hill Farm, Stanley Hill, Bosbury, LEDBURY, Herefordshire, HR8 1HE