10 Week Evening Classes start 19th August for Beginners & 20th August for Improvers

Learn - Make - Restore

Learn - Make - RestoreLearn - Make - RestoreLearn - Make - Restore
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Courses Overview
    • Ethos
    • General Overview
    • Box Making
    • Tool Chest Course
    • Chair Making Course
    • Restoration Courses
  • Course Dates & Prices
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Brand Links & Media
  • More
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Courses Overview
      • Ethos
      • General Overview
      • Box Making
      • Tool Chest Course
      • Chair Making Course
      • Restoration Courses
    • Course Dates & Prices
    • Shop
    • Contact Us
    • Brand Links & Media

Learn - Make - Restore

Learn - Make - RestoreLearn - Make - RestoreLearn - Make - Restore
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Courses Overview
    • Ethos
    • General Overview
    • Box Making
    • Tool Chest Course
    • Chair Making Course
    • Restoration Courses
  • Course Dates & Prices
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
  • Brand Links & Media

Historic Houses & Churches

Collection Care

Arranging regular on-site visits can ensure small damages and losses are reinstated or consolidated quickly. This ensures those pieces do not get lost or damaged further in a 'bit box' and also allows the conservator to identify the cause of the deterioration and to then prevent further losses.

We can be a flexible and professional addition to your collection care strategy and team.

In addition to his furniture related qualifications/experience, Bill has a Master Degree in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage and we are also able to manage or collaborate on larger conservation projects.

Value for Money

There are many benefits of this method:

  • Reduced transportation costs by minimising the need to move some objects to and from a  workshop.
  • Conservation work is completed more regularly preventing further loss, for example, when a piece of veneer becomes detached the chances are more will follow if not dealt with promptly and new losses may not be found.
  • Having a regular booking also allows us to plan ahead and offer a competitive price for regular clients and build a valued partnership.
  • We get to know your collection and can support with preventative conservation and condition reporting and monitoring.
  • Easier consultation on-site during projects to reduce administration and increase efficiency. Decision making is much easier when stakeholders are together in front of the object.
  • Houses that have on-site accommodation available can utilise this to further reduce the costs of daily transport and accommodation allowing more budget to be directed to your collection.

Budget Planning

Arranging a regular schedule of, for example, one conservator for 1 day per month or a team each quarter allows easier budget planning. We can set up a schedule to suit your requirements and review it regularly.

Mitigation of Risk

Risk to the collection can be reduced in a number of ways:

  • Working on-site reduces the risk of damage by changes to environmental conditions or during transportation.
  • Earlier intervention with a regular planned visits.
  • By planning into the annual budget there is not a situation where work is needed but no work budgeted for.
  • Support with condition reporting and preventative measures.
  • This also means you know when we are coming and this can be scheduled when it suits you to ensure it does not clash with other events and projects.

Peace of Mind

  • You have regularly planned conservation work completed by experienced and qualified conservators who will risk assess beforehand and work safely to protect your collection.
  • There are occasions when you need to book a conservator and cannot find one that is available and waste your valuable time searching. However if you have regular bookings you have the confidence that a visit is already booked in.

Public Engagement Opportunities

  • There are opportunities to complete appropriate conservation work in front of the public, subject to risk assessment. This can really engage the public with your collection.
  • The public also then see the work you are putting into your collection either via conservation in action or interpretation signage before and after work completed.

Course Price List & Details

Introductory Courses

These courses are covering the basics to give the foundation skills and let you try the craft

Introduction to Woodworking

£149 group rate

1 day course covering basic tool kit & techniques and you will cut a joint. Private tuition available, please contact us.

Introduction to Furniture Restoration

£149 group rate

1 day course covering the approach to restoration, materials and techniques. Private tuition available, please contact us.

Two Day - Project Based Restoration courses

£325

After completing the Introductory course you can arrange to do a follow up days, or regularly so that you can focus on particular items of furniture and skills. We have a number of people who attend regularly throughout the year. These are group courses and normally a 2 day course to allow an overnight for clamping/gluing up or other processes to dry/cure.


Woodworking Project Courses

Chair Making Course

£695

5 day course where you will use many techniques to make a Welsh Stick type chair from oak and ash. 

Please see the Chair Making Course page for further details.

Traditional Tool Chest

£795

5 day course where you will learn to make a traditional tool chest, you will get the main carcass and lid completed and this will set you on your way to completing the project at home. 

Please see the Tool Chest course page for further details.

Two day - Stool Making

£295

Spend two days making a three legged stool. Learn new skills and use new tools. You will learn many new skills and take away a handmade stool. Techniques covered will be sawing, planing, basic wood turning, tapered tenons to name a few.

2 1/2 days - Make a pair of saw benches

£345

Make a pair of saw benches for your workshop. Mine are used regularly, see my Instagram posts. They look great and are perfect for sawing on or sitting for a coffee. An ideal addition to your workshop space. The skills used also transfer to stool and chair making, so the learning is great.

Techniques include, sawing, planing, basic wood turning, tapered wedged tenons, to name but a few.

2 1/2 days - Box Making

£375

Have you attended the Introductory course or are you an intermediate woodworker who wants to improve your hand-tool skills and joints?

This 2 1/2 day course offers you the chance to hone your skills by making a dovetailed box.

Various woodworking courses from 1 day through to 5 day, bespoke tuition.

Email for information

These can be box making, make a stool,  tool sharpening, focusing on dovetailing, make a workbench, make a pair of saw horses and most aspects off the craft. If you have an idea or a project, then contact Bill.

Make a pair of saw benches

2 1/2 days

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£345

Event Details

Make a pair of saw benches

2 1/2 days

Make a pair of saw benches for your workshop. Mine are used regularly, see my Instagram posts. They look great and are perfect for sawing on...

Event Details

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£345

Project-based Furniture Restoration

2 days

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£325

Event Details

Project-based Furniture Restoration

2 days

After completing the Introductory course you can arrange to do a follow up day, or attend more regularly so that you can focus on particular...

Event Details

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£325

Woodwork - Jointing Skills, making a joint frame

2 days

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£325

Event Details

Woodwork - Jointing Skills, making a joint frame

2 days

30th - 31st March - further dates will be added

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£325

Woodwork - Box Making

2 1/2 days

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£375

Event Details

Woodwork - Box Making

2 1/2 days

Have you attended the Introductory course or are you an intermediate woodworker who wants to improve your hand-tool skills and joints?

This 2...

Event Details

9.30am

-

4.30pm

£375

Private tuition or Bespoke Courses

Please email Bill and explain your aims and plans

9.30am

-

4.30pm

email for price

Event Details

Private tuition or Bespoke Courses

Please email Bill and explain your aims and plans

A one-off day or regular days to make a project and/or develop specific skills & knowledge 

9.30am

-

4.30pm

email for price

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Workshop and Course photos

Cutting a halving joint on an Introduction to woodwork day

    FAQ's

    If the answer to your question is not below, please email.

    Can I attend a course if I am a total beginner?

    The easy answer to that is yes, we all have to start somewhere and we will teach you the basics and make sure you are with others of a similar level. We operate in a positive, supportive and informal atmosphere. Our beginner courses are designed to give you a good foundation to build on and we look forward to welcoming you to the workshop.


    Is the tutor qualified?

    Yes, the majority of courses are run by Bill who is fully qualified from City & Guilds (Cabinetmaking, Upholstery and Surface Finishing), then a BA Degree in Furniture Restoration through to a Masters Degree in the Conservation of Historic Objects. Occasionally if a student requests a tuition on a particular subject, Bill may bring in a specialist to ensure you get the best tuition, so please contact us with any requests. 


    Can I bring my own tools?

    Firstly you do not need to bring tools as the workshop is well equipped however by prior arrangement this can be done. This can often be an ideal time to teach tool sharpening using your own tools so you can get the most from them in the future.


    Can I bring in a project to work on?

    Again we want you to get what you want from your tuition so yes. We would want to see photos and agree the project in advance though to ensure it fits in with timescales, physical space and to assess material requirements. We have to assess if the object requires work that is suitable for the level of experience but we always try to be flexible.


    Can you design a course to cover a specific skill area I want to learn?

    Yes absolutely, this is what we love to do. We will consult with you beforehand, design a schedule and agree it with you. Please contact us.


    Do you teach up-cycling?

    As a conservator/restorer there is always an interesting conversation to be had about the subject of up-cycling, over a cup of tea, of course. We conserve and restore furniture and there is a set of ethical standards we work to regarding the history and integrity of an object. 

    We do not teach 'up-cycling' however many of the skills are transferable and If we can help someone to improve their skills and knowledge to help them in their own craft, we are happy to do so. Woodworking, surface finishing and upholstery are all important skills. 


    The course is a gift for someone, do you do gift vouchers?

    Of course, we will invoice you for the course and you will have a record that the course has been paid for. Should you require it, we can also email you a personalized gift voucher to give to the recipient. 

    We will keep adding to the FAQs as and when required.


    How do I book a course?

    Please email Bill and let him know which course and date you are interested in, also add any questions you may have. He will reply quickly, check availability and arrange our booking. You will be emailed an invoice with payment details, once payment is received, the booking will be confirmed. We are aiming to add a booking system and payment system to the website in late 2024.

    Evening Classes New for 2025

    have set up evening classes for Spring/Summer 2025

    6.30pm

    -

    9.30pm

    Price TBC

    Event Details

    Evening Classes New for 2025

    have set up evening classes for Spring/Summer 2025

    These Introduction courses in Woodworking and Restoration will run one evening a week for 10 weeks. Late run the year I will be adding 1 wee...

    Event Details

    6.30pm

    -

    9.30pm

    Price TBC

    Evening Classes - 10 week Introduction to Furniture Restoration

    Join our new Introduction to Furniture Restoration evening classes

    6.30pm

    -

    9.30pm

    £595

    Event Details

    Evening Classes - 10 week Introduction to Furniture Restoration

    Join our new Introduction to Furniture Restoration evening classes

    Introduction to Furniture Restoration evening classes. These will be run on Thursday evenings from 6.30-9.30pm. The first series of 10 eveni...

    Event Details

    6.30pm

    -

    9.30pm

    £595

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