Woodworking Class: Introduction to Hand Tool Woodworking with Joshua Farnsworth (3 Days)

Classes start promptly at 9:00 am, so students should plan on driving up early or arriving at their hotel the night before (book your hotels early). But please don’t arrive on the property earlier than 8:30 am.

Classes generally end around 5:00 pm. Some instructors may go a little later. And on the last day, some instructors may end earlier than 5:00 pm, depending on the progress of the students.

Students are encouraged to join each other for dinner & socializing at one of many nearby restaurants. The historic downtown Charlottesville area is known for it’s amazing local restaurants (20 minutes away). Most students are typically working earnestly to finish their projects on the last day, but we’ll always make time for a class photo!

Classes start at 9:00 am with getting to know each other, followed by safety instruction and a gathering of the project material fees (if applicable). 

Then your instructor(s) will dive into the subject matter until lunch time (around noon). Students usually eat lunch on picnic tables in "the grove" and visit our "tool shed" store.

After lunch, class resumes and usually runs until 5:00 pm. On the last day of class, the instructor may end a bit early for clean-up, if students are finishing faster than anticipated. But you can certainly leave at any time if you need to get on the road. Please just let your instructor know so everyone can say goodbye.

Due to a limited number of workbenches, the maximum number of students in each class is 10 (with the exception of our outdoor Timber Framing class, which usually has a maximum of 12 students). Each student will have their own workbench and set of tools to use.

Each student will have a traditional woodworking workbench to work on, with a stool and a set of hand tools.

We ask that students do not park in the driveway, but park on the grass, in front of the school, facing the black fence. We need to keep the driveway & turnaround spot clear so cars and trucks can turn around rather than backing into the street.

No grades are given out at our school, so don't fret. Everyone moves at a different pace, so if you find that you're a bit behind by the end of class, no problem. Not every detail of every project gets completed by every person, but students should be able to leave the class feeling confident in their newly learned ability to complete the project on their own when they get home.

Our woodworking school isn't equipped with indoor plumbing, but that's okay, because this is a historical hand tool woodworking school. So we've got an outdoor outhouse just steps away from the school. If you've never used an outhouse before, then you'll love this experience! Ours is clean and airy. You can see a photo further down this page.

Yes! We have a mini fridge where you can keep your lunch or drinks cold. We also stock it with free sodas!

We also have a water tower where you can get plenty of cold water or hot water throughout the day.

Sure! Feel free to bring snacks to keep up your energy. You can also eat lunch in the school, if you don't like the weather outside.

Additionally, we try to keep our chocolate bowl stocked so you can get a little extra energy throughout the day!

We do ask that students put their drinks in the cup holders that are attached to the workbench, rather than on the workbench.

Each class has different tool requirements. Most classes provide all the necessary woodworking hand tools. However, in these classes, students are welcome to bring their own hand tools (properly sharpened, of course).

A few classes require students to bring their some of their own tools. These requirements will be specified in the class page where you enroll.

A one hour lunch break will be taken around noon. To allow students to make more progress on their projects, students are encouraged to bring their lunches to eat at the school (we have a fridge). However, there are some convenience stores and restaurants a few minutes away. There are also chain restaurants about an 8 minute drive from the school. Please don’t be late getting back from lunch or you might get behind!

We have a small, air-conditioned store on our property called "The Tool Shed" where we sell vintage & new woodworking hand tools, school T-shirts & hats, woodworking DVDs, our beeswax wood finish, and much more. We accept cash, card, or check. We love cash!

Absolutely. Students of our woodworking school are entitled to discounts from woodworking hand tool companies like Lee Valley / Veritas and Taylor Toolworks. You can use the discount between the day you signed up and the last day of class. After registering for your class, reach out to us and we'll email you a student discount form.

Of course! But we do ask that you don't overdo it, because it could be distracting to your instructor and classmates. But please feel free to share pictures of your class with your family and friends! And make sure to tag us @woodandshop. Just no embarrassing photos, please 😊

There is a nearby United States Post Office a UPS store, and some other shipping companies where you can ship your project home. Unfortunately we are unable to handle shipping for you.