Thousands of creative workshops across the UK
Duration: Two days
Price: £160
Contact: Bob Gunby at Turning Hare Woodcraft
Course Start Dates
About the Course
This relaxing, enjoyable and satisfying 2 day course provides a great introduction to traditional ‘green wood working’ skills and includes all materials and lovely home made food. You’ll learn all about ancient woodcraft techniques (no power tools here!) and out of a recently felled ‘green’ log you’ll create your own unique furniture to take home.
The course is suitable for absolutely anyone who’d enjoy learning a traditional skill in a beautiful rural Cornish environment, with the added bonus of the satisfaction of creating their own piece of furniture from scratch. We keep course sizes to fewer than eight people, so you are never rushed and help is always on hand. You might be someone who enjoys woodwork or crafts and is looking for a new challenge, or you could be a complete novice. No previous woodworking experience is necessary.
Day 1
Welcome and coffee tea and biscuits
What is green wood working?
Introducing and demonstrating the tools: the froe and the wedge; the side axe; the shave horse; the drawknife; the spoke shave; the travisher.
From log to leg – cleaving a newly felled green log into ‘billets’ for your legs
Carving your legs with the side axe and drawknife
Refining legs with the spokeshave
Designing and preparing your stool or table top
Day 2
Introducing more tools: the brace and bit; the tenon cutter; the pull knife
Finishing your top with a travisher and spoke shave
Cutting tenon and mortice joints
Assembling your stool / table
Adding the finishing touches
A note about who this course is for... you need absolutely no woodwork experience to create a wonderful stool or small table. You don't need to be strong to use the tools, and it really doesn't matter if you have never done any DIY or lifted a hammer. We'll give you all the friendly, patient, expert help you need. You do need to spend time seated at a shave horse but that's about the most physically taxing thing you have to do. If you have any queries just ping us an email via the contact form and we'll guide you.
If booking with a CraftCourses voucher for part or all of the course fee, please fill in the contact form above. Your voucher code must be provided at the point of booking.
What's included in the price?
All materials (including the hardwood top for your stool or table)
Use of all the tools
Food and refreshments: Coffee, tea and biscuits and a delicious rustic lunch (dietary requirements catered for – just let us know in advance) included on both days.
Post course notes and photos as a souvenir and inspiration!
Course sizes are kept small to ensure lots of interaction and tuition.
We're in North Cornwall, so it can feel like a holiday! If you need accommodation there are loads of nearby options, either in the nearby villages or out in the coastal resorts of Boscastle, Bude and Widemouth, all only a 15 min drive away….. If you aren't on one of our green woodworking courses, but you're with someone who is and you're looking for things to do, there is always plenty going on in North Cornwall.
My brother and I thoroughly enjoyed our weekend with Bob and Steve. Lovely setting, delicious food and helpful and friendly instructors. We learnt a lot about the properties of wood and the tools needed to work it. As an introduction to green woodwork it's excellent, but there is always something new to learn even if you have some previous experience. Me and my brother will be making a shavehorse and building more stools soon!
Nathan - - #25124
I really enjoyed the stool making course with Turning Hare Woodcraft. Steve and Bob were both excellant and patient tutors too. Highly recommended.
Rory - - #22741
What a weekend! A superb two days learning, crafting and finishing a unique piece of furniture (which you can actually sit on!).
Bob and Steve were note only personable and approachable, but had a sense of humour and an obvious enthusiasm for what the weekend held. A superb spread was put on for lunch both days, as well as having a biccie tin to hand should anyone need a little something!
Hugely recommended, great chaps, great company was had with likeminded people, I am confident that any Turning Hare woodcraft course would be a present like no other - so treat a loved one, or yourself! You won't regret it.
Matt - - #22678
A great weekend and experience with lovely people and came away with my own stool that I had made with the guidance and help from enthusiastic and knowledgeable people - would recommend to anyone locally, down on holiday or as a fantastic gift idea
Rob Edlin - - #22603
I came down to Cornwall keen to learn a lot and build some skills that I could use in my own time and I was not disappointed!! Steve and Bob have a wealth of experience between them plus plenty of resource at their (and my) disposal.
The course started with a very interesting insight into the biology of wood followed by learning and practising a series of techniques that enable you to build a stool, all of which would be transferable to other projects. We used a variety of tools and we're told all about their general uses as well as alternatives for the same objective.
The physical take away from the weekend was the stool itself but for me, the real value of this course is the knowledge and practical experience that will stay with you indefinitely.
They've created a great environment to work in and there is a lot to see in the surrounding area if you're planning on making a holiday out of it (I was staying on the coast, under half an hour away).
Great company and even better food!!
James Buffery - - #15535
I think Frank, my husband thought I'd gone mad when I gave him a two day course to make a stool as a Christmas present! After two days spent with Steve and Bob, not forgetting Claire's delicious lunches, we are very proud of our rustic stools. Go and challenge yourselves, you'll have a great time!
Jan Hulme - - #15040
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Lovely people, great food, idyllic setting and great fun. Very satisfying going from a chunk of recently felled tree to a piece of furniture. Very therapeutic too - hardly thought about the outside world for the entirety of the weekend :-)
Mike Reed - - #14815
This was a really good day and such an excellent setting in the woods. The tutors were very good and able to impart plenty of knowledge and help. It was great fun making something by hand and using different tools. I would recommend this course to anyone and you are all capable of making something. My lovely stool will be very useful in my shepherds hut and just the thing. A great couple of days.
Charlton Rob - - #14751
A mini holiday in Cornwall and learning a new craft what could be better. I hadn’t even used a saw before so I was slightly concerned that two days transforming a log into a stool was beyond my abilities. Steve and Bob taught you everything you needed to know, supported and reassured and I was truly proud of my stool especially when I sat on it and it a) didn’t wobble and b) didn’t break. Nothing quite like it. Book yourself on now and you will have a fun weekend and achieve more than you would think possible. Great food too and if you’re lucky you’ll try their homemade apple juice and cider. Both are great. Having a stool that you’ve made to take home, priceless.
Helen - - #14363
I wasn't sure about doing this as I hadn't had any previous wood working experience, but I loved my two days. It was so peaceful and I love my new stool. I was really proud of making it . Steve and Bob were really good teachers. Hilary V. Cornwall
Hilary - - #13656
I loved this course!
I'd only done woodwork with power tools before and I can't believe how much I enjoyed letting my tape measure and my inner control freak go! Rob R - Bristol
Rob R - - #13655
Cannot recommend it highly enough!
Bob and Steve are both so knowledgeable and such great teachers, that after a weekend that was thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable, I'd both learnt a lot and made a stool that I am genuinely proud of. They really went the extra mile to make sure everyone on the course came out with a unique piece of furniture that they loved.
PS. If you want to make even more of a holiday of it, there’s a gorgeous Shepherd's Hut on site that you can book to stay in. Also highly recommended!
Emily, Exeter
Emily, Exeter - - #13654
Great fun, great group of people, expert advice and great range of tools we learnt to use. Love my stool, can't believe I managed to make it in two days and with no blisters. Have been recommending this course to all my friends as a great break from everyday life in a lovely setting.
Constance - - #10869
Didn't know I'd be able to do it but it was great! Fresh air, great food and came home with my rustic stool which has pride of place in my kitchen. Highly recommend if you want to get away from the rat race for a couple of days.
Emma - - #9916
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