Yestermorrow's 11-week Woodworking Certificate program gives amateurs and aspiring professionals a solid grounding in woodworking and furnituremaking techniques, led by Yestermorrow's talented and nationally recognized faculty. Skills learned in the Certificate program include design and drafting, wood selection and preparation, joinery, traditional hand skills, sharpening, power tool techniques, and finishing. The curriculum has a strong focus on the integration of design in the woodworking process, part of Yestermorrow's core philosophy of design/build.
The Certificate begins with an analysis of trees and the wood they produce, an overview of felling and milling practices, and an introduction to the tactile essence of working with green wood. The program then moves into the realm of Cabinetry, in which students become oriented to the tools of the woodshop and basic principles of wood movement and layout. Additional program segments include Beginning Furnituremaking, Green Ladderback Chairs, Joinery, Boxmaking, Care & Repair of Shop Machines, Small Scale Design/Build, Intermediate Furniture Techniques, and Wood Finishes. The program culminates in a two-week studio where each student will design and build a piece of his or her own choosing.
The Certificate will be led by Program Director Ben Cheney -- woodworker, designer/builder, and veteran Yestermorrow teacher. Other instructors include Eyrich Stauffer, Skip Dewhirst, Steve Skonieczny, Mark Krawczyk, and other guests.
The program dates for the 2012 Woodworking Certificate are January 29 to April 13. Classes are generally scheduled 9am-5pm Monday through Friday, with some occassional weekend shop days and evening lectures/shop time.
Tuition for the 2012 session is $6500, plus material expenses, food and lodging. A variety of lodging and meal options are available on campus and in the nearby community. Please contact us for more information and to apply.
Students in the Woodworking Certificate are accepted through a rolling admission process on a first-come, first-served basis. All experience levels are welcome; however we recommend that absolute beginners complete Yestermorrow's Intro to the Woodshop (June 4-5), Powertools for Women (August 20-21), Woodworking for Women (October 16-21), Boxmaking (December 10-11) or an equivalent class or training program prior to enrolling.
For the complete information packet which includes an application, please click here.
Program Director:
Ben Cheney · BA, Evergreen State · Ben spent two years in Austin, Texas developing and running a youth design/build program for the Rawson Saunders School before coming to Yestermorrow as an intern in 2003. He is currently revitalizing older buildings in Montpelier,VT, working as a carpenter and furnituremaker, and building universally accessible treehouses. He has been teaching at Yestermorrow since 2005.
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