Come & Try Woodwork
Dip your toes into the world of woodworking with our flagship Come & Try Woodwork short course
About this class
Discover the joy of woodworking with Adelaide School of Woodwork's "Come and Try Woodwork" class! This beginner-friendly short course has been pieced together to allow total beginners the opportunity to have a crack at making something with timber that is useful and looks amazing at the same time.
What are we making?
In this class, you'll be designing and shaping a serving paddle from a pre-assembled blank which will have been prepared by us prior to your class. We rigorously select furniture grade timbers, machine them into the correct sizes, glue them in an arranged pattern so they look amazing, and then re-surface them flat and smooth ready for your part! Techniques used in this process can be learnt during our timber milling workshop.
Unleash your creativity
After your induction into our space, You'll start by coming up with the design of your board. It's great to get some ideas in your mind prior to your class so you have some idea on the overall shape you want to make your board. If you're stuck for ideas we have a range of templates which you can simply trace or use to model your own design from.
Establishing the shape of the board
Once you have outlined where you need to cut, you'll be inducted and guided on the use of the jigsaw, which is the tool we'll be using to initially shape your board. A jigsaw is a great beginners tool to have on hand at home to cut curves in timber, and we'll show you how to get the most of this tool and achieve the best results possible. Our instructors will guide you on how to leave the line while cutting, ensuring precision and accuracy in your work.
Refining the shape of your board
After you have completed cutting the overall shape of your board, You'll then be guided on the process of refining the edges of the shape using rasps and other equipment. Once you're happy with the final shape, you'll then sand the edges smooth before getting hands on with the router, a tool we use to add a lovely edge detail to take your board up a notch.
The perfect finish
The final step in your masterpiece is the overall look, feel and finish of your board. By now you would have invested over two hours to get to the current stage so spending the remaining time preparing for the final oiling is well worth the effort. A poorly prepared and finished board is obvious and we can do better than that!
Do you have a question about this class or would like to know more?
Reach out to our friendly team for the best advice, We're here for you if you need us!
No previous experience is required to attend this workshop, it is suitable for both beginners and those looking to enhance or improve their skills. If you are unsure if this workshop is for you, please feel free to contact us.
Please note that this class is exclusively open to individuals aged 18 and above,ensuring a safe, focused and enriching environment for all participants.
Your own cup or travel mug to make use of our complimentary coffee or tea facilities.
A water bottle will keep you hydrated and you can refill it with our Puratap.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as earmuffs or earplugs and Safety Glasses or Safety Goggles. If you own PPE already you can bring that and wear it if it is in a good working condition, we also have PPE available for sale in our store should you wish to purchase some prior to your class, or you can hire some for the duration of your class for a small $5.00 Fee.
Enclosed Shoes are mandatory to enter our workshop, you will flat out be denied entry should you arrive for your class and not have correct footwear with you.
Appropriate Clothing must be worn, suitable for the workshop environment. If you have an event to attend after a class with us we'd recommend wearing some overalls.
Jewelry must be removed prior to using power tools and stationary machinery as per our Safe Operating Procedures.
Long hair must be tied back prior to entering our workshop. Long hair is an entanglement risk.
Please consider our booking terms prior to booking. Due to our small class sizes and the nature of what we do and the demand for places in our classes, we are unable to offer refunds for bookings if you change your mind or simply can no longer attend. If you are unable to attend your booked workshop with us, we'd recommend that you gift your booking to someone else who is able to attend.
Should an event cancellation occur, you will be offered a credit, refund or re-booking.
Once you've booked with us online, instore or over the phone, you'll receive a booking confirmation email. This can take up to 12 hours to be processed so please be patient. You will always receive an email confirmation with the invoice for your order, which you should receive immediately. If you have not received this invoice your booking may have been unsuccessful and you should contact us.
Once you have received the confirmation from us, please add the date or dates of your class to your calendar to avoid missing your class.
You may be asked to complete an induction online prior to coming in for your class. If this is the case you will receive an email request for this to be completed and it is a simple process which can be completed via our website learning portal.
Please arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to the start time for your class. If you know you are running late, please contact us as a courtesy to advise your instructor so the class isn't held up waiting. We can generally begin the class and catch you up once you arrive.
We have parking onsite, please park in the designated area for our building, with the parks marked "10". If you're attending an evening class you have more flexibility where to park.
When entering our building, you will be asked to sign in, please scan the QR code using your mobile and follow the prompts. You will already be loaded into our visitor system so just follow the prompts. In the event of an evacuation, we will then know who is on the premises. Make sure you checkout when you leave your class.
Protecting your investment!
A perfectly sanded project without a curated finish is pointless. For our food grade boards, we choose to use an Australian Made finish by Gilly's Australia. Gilly's Lemon Scented Board oil is a prenatritive product protecting your board from the inside out. We have rigorously tested our finishes and we have had phenomenal results with this product and its performance speaks for itself. The Gilly's board oil is petro-chemical free too, how good is that.
While the finish we apply in the class is a great start, ongoing maintenance is key to keeping your board looking a spanky as it did from day dot. We'd recommend that you purchase a 100ml bottle of board oil so you can maintain your masterpiece at home.