Dovetail Woodworking reviews

Richard Evans reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"The course was both practical and informative, and held in an informal and relaxed manner. As a complete beginner, it has given me the confidence to make use of the knowledge, tips and skills I picked up over the two days; the bonus being the satisfaction of creating something semi respectable at the end of of it!! Highly recommended.."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Richard, Thanks for your review, I'm glad you found the course both helpful and enjoyable and it's encouraged you to do more woodworking. Steve"

Jim Barrett reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"A fantastic course run on a one to one basis. I spent a long time looking to buy a woodworking bench and found this course where you get to make a bespoke bench. Steve is a great tutor and explains things thoroughly and answers any questions you have. Can’t recommend this enough. If you want a work bench, don’t buy one, go on this course."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Jim, So good to hear you enjoyed making your own bench and will soon be putting it to good use. Steve"

Aidan reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"What a great course this was. We got clear instructions on how to build our piece step by step, and Steve answered any little questions we had. We learned not only how to correctly use each of the tools but also the theory behind them and how to check / correct our work. A perfect course for a beginner like myself, Thanks Steve!"

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Aidan, I'm glad you enjoyed the two days you spent at the workshop and hope you took away some new skills as well as the book stand. Steve"

Gill reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Intermediate - four days

"Another great woodworking experience at Dovetail and a lovely finished table to show for my efforts. Steve's skill as a teacher and his endless patience and ability to encourage make the time fly and the whole process a real pleasure for those who love wood and enjoy getting hands on with a project. I am delighted with my table and my new knowledge of creating mortice and tenon joints. I have attended several of Steve's courses and they are always enjoyable and informative and you always get to take away your finished piece to impress friends and family. I highly recommend this course for anyone who wants to learn woodworking and enjoys working with wood."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Gill, good to see you again over the last couple of weeks on the table making course. Glad you enjoyed it and feel that you've taken away a little more knowledge and another project made with your own fair hand. I hope you get lots of enjoyment out of the table. Steve"

Alex reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Intermediate - four days

"Absolutely fantastic course, highly recommended. The course is well designed, and paced perfectly over the 4 days to cover everything in detail. Steve is a great teacher - he enthusiastically answered all my questions, offered useful advice on tools to buy, how much to spend, where to buy wood, and even sharpened and set up my new hand plane! He also took pictures throughout the course which left me with some excellent action shots"

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Alex, Thanks very much for your comments. So glad you enjoyed the course, your finished table looked great. Good luck with your future woodworking. Steve"

Tristan Mobbs reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Wall Clock

"A very enjoyable experience guided by an excellent tutor in Steve. The course was well paced with plenty of time to develop woodworking skills, with a mix of hand tools and machinery, alongside being able to ask Steve a wide range of questions that he was more than happy to answer. I now have a lovely clock on top of my mantelpiece and new skills to go with it."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Tristan, thanks very much for your feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the day and found it informative. Steve"

Alison reviewed: Woodworking - Intermediate - two days

"I can’t recommend this course highly enough. The workshop environment is peaceful and the building is historically interesting. Steve is a patient, good humoured and knowledgeable tutor while the course he has designed is well structured, builds logically from one stage to the next, and is timed perfectly to ensure that every student has the necessary time to work on each task and to go home with a finished product at the end of the course – all without any pressure. I’ll definitely be back for more in the future!"

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Alison, so glad you enjoyed the Dovetail Box making course and the traditional workshop environment. Steve"

Tim Wills reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Wall Clock

"My wife bought this course for me as a gift, to make a clock for our narrowboat. It was a brilliant course and I had a great day! The course numbers were reduced to meet the social distance guidelines and it worked well. The skills needed to make the clock were well taught and I had a thoroughly enjoyable day and happily left at the end of true day with my lovely clock! I would recommend Steve’s courses to anyone, he is a great teacher."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Tim, thanks for your feedback and glad to hear you enjoyed your day at Dovetail Woodworking. Steve."

Jim reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Coat Rack

"A fantastic day was had making the coat rack. Tuition was spot on and the end product was great. Steve is a very knowledgeable tutor and spent the time passing this on. I can’t recommend the course and the company enough."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Jim, thanks very much for your rsponse, it's good to know you enjoyed the Workshop. Steve."

Ian Mellor reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Wall Clock

"A really enjoyable day with Steve at Dovetail Woodworking The course was very informative, relaxed and it was good to learn various woodworking skills to make an excellent clock. I’d recommend this course to anyone looking for great gift experience."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Ian, Thanks very much for the review and recommendation, it's much appreciated. Steve"

Ed Caine reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Wall Clock

"Half day woodwork Course An excellent experience. Steve was very friendly and helped us produce a very nice piece of work, in this case, a small wall clock. I feel I learnt a great many things, which will be very useful on future woodwork projects."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Ed, so pleased to hear you found the 'workshop' both helpful and enjoyable. Steve"

James Sturgess reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Coat Rack

"A thoroughly enjoyable day. The 'taster' course is just that - a taster for working with wood with a finished product to take home. There is no technical data or knowledge of tools to be understood (unless you ask) - it is a day making a useful item out of wood. Steve takes you through the steps to produce the finished article in a clear and simple manner. I would recommend the day to anyone who wishes to find out if they could have an interest in working with wood as I am sure the answer would be 'yes' at the end of the course."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Jim, thanks for the review, so glad you had an enjoyable day. Steve"

Carl reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"I spent two very busy and happy days this week at Dovetail Woodworking with Steve. I chose to do the workbench course and had a fabulous time crafting and constructing it from scratch under Steve’s expert tutelage. The workbench was made to my specific dimensions but to Steve’s overall design, which I must say was brilliant. I was particularly taken by some of the more technical elements Steve had designed in to keep the build interesting and challenging. The Dovetail Woodworking workshop is in a marvellous setting, which adds to the overall experience. It shares space with a canal boat workshop at Norbury Junction. The history of the site gives something extra, I think. As a relative novice as a woodworker, I was not sure what to expect but Steve balanced his tutoring with considerable freedom for me to do most of the work. It is always a pleasure to learn from a master craftsman and Steve took time to impart some really useful and valuable woodworking practices. This was true of the technical woodworking and crafting elements as well as simple things like how to handle and use woodworking and other tools properly, including power tools, all of which I found massively helpful. It all certainly helped with my confidence for doing more in the future. The course was one-to-one, which meant I was able to gain the most from the two days instruction. It was also excellent value for money when the cost of materials and Steve’s time and expertise was combined - especially as it was all focussed on me and the production of a top-notch workbench. I used a British Army Standard Learning Credit to part-fund this course as part of my Resettlement from military to civilian life. I would highly recommend this course to other service leavers who may be looking for something different to learn - and gain a very useful item in the process. All in all, Steve has created a great learning experience with bags of practical appeal. If you are reading this recommendation, I suggest you sign up for a course as soon as you can!"

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Carl, Thank you very much for your generous words. I'm so glad that you enjoyed the course and will be able to appreciate your labours in the years ahead. Steve"

bill barton reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"Great fun as well as being informative. In a way the informal part of the course was as important as the fact that we ended up with a lovely,functional object Steve was clear with his instructions and did not overwhelm with unnecessary details. Thank you very much."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Bill, thanks for your comments; so pleased you enjoyed the course. Steve"

Janet Brown reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Coat Rack

"I really enjoyed the taster day at Dovetail Woodworking, as it had a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Having not done any woodworking since school, I had no idea what to expect but Steve is a very good teacher and made the experience very enjoyable. Would definitely consider doing another course there."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"I'm glad you enjoyed the experience and picking up some woodworking tools again. Steve"

Hilary Richards reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Coat Rack

"I can thoroughly recommend the one day coat rack course. I have very little woodworking experience, but Steve is an excellent teacher and with his guidance and encouragement, I produced a very attractive coat rack. He explains and demonstrates each step of the process, but always lets you do the work on your piece. There is a maximum of 4 participants, so Steve is always at hand, and each participant has their own workbench which is very well equipped with tools, all in excellent condition. Add to that the plentiful tea and biscuit breaks, and you have a very enjoyable and productive day. I am sure I will be back to do a 2 day course in the near future."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"I'm really pleased you enjoyed the day and you are welcome to come back again anytime. Steve"

Graeme Jenkins reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"The 2 days were great learned a lot, now got to practice and learn more. I had never had eTching in wood work of any type and I found this course really helpful and instructive with lots of practical lessons as well as safety and back ground to wood. Looking forward to going on another course in the near future."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Great that you found the course helpful to move forward."

Alex McKenzie reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"I recently completed the two-day Work Bench Making Course, with Steve at Dovetail Woodworking in rural Staffordshire. The whole experience was a pleasure from start to finish. The location right next to a bustling Canal Marina just fitted the bill. There is a definite sense of our industrial heritage about the whole area, reflected in the surrounding small workshops and architecture. Dovetail Woodworking have got it just right in terms of size, with a well-equipped traditional workshop that has been thought out in detail to provide the beginner or intermediate craftsperson ,with a comfortable, but not dauntingly overwhelming, space to learn in. Steve is a fantastic teacher with a very relaxed easy-going style, his attention to detail is fantastic and he goes to great lengths not just to tell, “how” to do it, but also “why”. One of the main things I enjoyed, particularly regarding any required machining operations, was that Steve was more than happy to stand back and let me have a go. It’s a long time since I have used a Mortice Machine for instance, but after a few minutes of careful explanation from Steve, I was” plunging away like a pro”!! Every bench is equipped with a full set of quality hand tools, the planes and chisels are “razor” sharp, and a delight to use. We also went into quite a lot of detail regarding setting out and marking out the workpieces. I learned from Steve the importance of face marking the timber and laying it out correctly in order to make the whole construction process easier in the long run. Although we worked to a tight timetable and covered a lot of work over the two days, Steve always found time to “brew up” and look out the biscuit barrel ! Having come from a construction background myself, it was great to swap stories about old jobs and characters with Steve during these breaks. To anyone thinking of doing a short course in Woodworking Skills, or specifically like myself, wanting to build a traditional Joiners Work Bench, I am happy to say ,look no further than Steve and Dovetail Woodworking."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Thanks for the very generous review and I hope you have many enjoyable hours at your new bench. Steve"

Joe Basketts reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"Having previously attended Steve's beginner course, I enjoyed his relaxed style and patient tutoring so much that I enrolled on the workbench making course straight away. This course was just as good as I had hoped it would be, and I learnt a huge amount over the two days. The added bonus is that I now have a superb workbench in my workshop which will serve me for a very long time. I am in the process of enrolling on my third course with Steve which should tell you something! If you are in the market for a workbench, then I can't think of a single reason not to do it this way. You won't buy one that is this high quality for the money and you'll learn heaps about woodworking along the way in a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere. I can't recommend this course, and Steve, highly enough. A brilliant experience, thank you Steve."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Joe, Thanks for the review. Good to know you managed to re-assemble the bench without too much difficulty - the top is quite heavy and awkward on your own. All the best, Steve."

Will Knight reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"Just spent a fantastic few days with Steve making a workbench. The course content was good for a beginner woodworker and the bench is well designed and really solid. Steve is a really approachable and encouraging teacher. His skill and patience not only allowed me to make a great bench but also helped my confidence to start some small projects of my own. A big thank you to Steve."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Good to hear that you found the bench making course enjoyable and it has spurred you on to further woodworking."

Peter Bush reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"Superb 2 day Workbench course. Great location\facilities and Steve is an excellent tutor. He explains every detail all along the way with patience and answers any questions you may have. He is a expert craftsman and I learnt so much. Highly recommended, and really pleased with my end result. Thank you Steve. 10/10. ?"

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Thanks very much. So glad you enjoyed making your own bench."

Paul Belfield reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"Everything about this course is excellent, the workshop has a perfect ambience of a bygone era and Steve has provided tools that keep with this theme. By that I mean they are from an era where tools were made to last a lifetime rather than be used for one job and disposed of. The benches are excellent and are height adjustable which I found to be a real benefit. The course pace is perfect for a beginner life me and blends theory with practical exercises resulting in a beautiful cook book stand that takes pride of place in our kitchen. I highly recommend both Steve and this course."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Paul, I try to get a balance of both technical and practical into all the courses. I'm glad you are please with the end result. Steve"

Joe Basketts reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Basics - two days

"This was an excellent course. Steve managed a perfect blend of theory and practice, and made us feel that no question was stupid, answering everything clearly and patiently. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have already booked onto the workbench course. If you’re even considering this, just do it. You won’t regret it."

Adam Clementson reviewed: Woodworking - Beginner/Intermediate - four days

"Steve is an excellent instructor, he knows so much and passes that knowledge on very well. Years in the carpentry trade have made him a perfectionist and he also passes on that level of perfection, and if there are two things I take away from this course it's patience and accuracy. I never thought I would make such a beautiful item as the oak table, but it came together and I have an item I can rightly be proud of. Thanks Steve."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Adam, thanks very much for your review, it is much appreciated and I'm glad you enjoyed your time at Dovetail. Steve"