Great British Woodshop reviews

18 Feb 19'

Kelly reviewed: Basic electrical course - part 1

"I attended the Basic Electrics Course on Friday 15th February. David was a great teacher, he explained the course objectives well, asked what my intentions were for the course and explained the information in a really easy manner. I was a complete newbie to Electrics and have come away from the course with a wealth of knowledge and confidence. I will definitely be putting my training into practise myself at my home. Additionally, I now have confidence in larger jobs and explaining to the experts what I need and knowing that i have a little of their language means I feel secure in requesting work by qualified persons without fear."

16 Feb 19'

Jody Woodcock reviewed: Basic electrical course - part 1

"David was a super nice guy, very down to earth and easy to chat to. The Basic Electrical Course was excellent very easy to understand and gave me a good knowledge in the basics and to stay alive :) would highly recommend this course for anyone how would like to know more than the average person when it comes to electrics and safety. Jody"

7 Feb 19'

Kate reviewed: Basic electrical course - part 1

"Useful course. David is very thorough is explaining the basics of electrics and made sure to include all abilities with within the sesson."

21 Jun 18'

James reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"David put together a bespoke course for me to learn more about routing and wood turning to help me product designs. The first thing you will notice is David has the best workshop you've ever seen and if a tool isn't there it's not needed. He helped me with what I need to know and then a ton of other things I didn't know i needed to know. Not only can I now make the products I want, I can also make them quickly which i could never have done myself. I didn't mention this but I would happily paid much more fo his time."

23 May 18'

Alison Mcevoy reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"I just completed the basic woodwork course. David is a great tutor, who is patient and approachable, and took his time to cover not only the set programme, but any other concerns and questions I had about the project I hope to tackle. At the end of the day, I felt not only more knowledgable on how to carry out my project, but much more confident. The workshop itself is a delight! Kim"

23 May 18'

Ricardo reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"I enjoyed this course very much and I recommend it to anyone interested in taking woodwork as a hobby. The course gives you an overview of all basic woodwork techniques and gives you the opportunity to watch a woodwork master in action."

28 Mar 18'

Sara Lee reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"If you lack experience or just confidence in a workshop or around power tools then I would definitely recommend doing this course with David at the Great British Woodshop. He took time to ensure he knew what I wanted to achieve from this course from the start and noted these on a white board as our top objectives as opposed to just following a list of subjects that must be covered. We went through some basics to allow him to see where I was already competent so no time was wasted on areas I already felt confident with. David went over all the tools I was interested in and their alternatives, I was able to gain experience in using all of them in several scenarios, working with different materials; he explained everything clearly and happily engaged in two way discussions rather than just instructing, he made me feel very comfortable in the workshop and was very easy to get along with. In addition to the course, we talked over a few specific projects I had in mind with David giving me great advice advice on how best to approach them including materials and tools."

6 Mar 18'

Mark reviewed: Spray painting - furniture, doors, sculpture, metal, wood, masonry

"Excellent day learning the fundamentals of spray finishing. David, as well as being a thoroughly nice guy, was very knowledgeable on the subject and was clearly very experienced. With maximum number of 2 students, he had plenty of time to listen to our specific areas of interest. While not even David could make me an expert in a day (!) I started the morning with zero knowledge of the subject and left feeling well equipped to set up my own spray booth and take my own skills further. Highly recommended."

25 Feb 18'

Rachel reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"David was very knowledgable and approachable and i could ask all the questions i wanted. He made sure that the day covered topics that would be relevant to me and offered useful advice on items i might want to consider purchasing as basic essential tools for the tasks i plan to carry out. I feel a lot more confident to carry out basic DIY and woodwork jobs in our house. Thanks David."

16 Feb 18'

Dom Rudd reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"So glad I spent the time with David learning about how to use so many power tools, some I'd used before but obviously did not fully understand! Some I'd looked at before and thought that I'd never want to or be able to use but I now have the confidence to do so. And I learnt so many extra tips and tricks of the trade from David. It was a very comprehensive, information packed day which was also very understandable, allowing me to put the use of the tools into perspective. It was well paced allowing me to absorb the information but allowing me unhurried time to practice using the tools. David has a good teaching style and I never felt rushed or hurried. David stuck with us until our objectives had been achieved. I highly recommend this day and would be really happy to work with David again."

16 Feb 18'

Tania reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"As an enthusiastic DIY-er, who also completed an introductory woodworking course (elsewhere), I've been looking at upgrading my collection of power tools in order to complete woodworking projects faster and to a higher standard. While I've had some idea what tools to look for, I wasn't necessarily confident in choosing or using them. In addition, due to a very limited working space, getting the right mix of multitasking and more specialist tools was of the essence for me. Yes, there're numerous guides and tutorials online nowadays but for me nothing beats 'try before you buy' approach coupled with a competent advice from a real person and this is why I opted for this course (and I wasn't disappointed!). David has a fantastic workshop equipped with every imaginable power tool you would need for a woodwork project. At the start of the day, he checked what each of us needed to get out of the course and made sure the agenda was tweaked accordingly. The class that followed was structured but flexible at the same time. David has provided a comprehensive overview of features, set-up and safe operation of each tool we covered, peppered with invaluable tips, all in a very friendly and professional manner. We've had plenty of opportunities to try each tool and ask any related questions. I would highly recommend this course."

12 Jan 18'

Roger Pinnock reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"I was given this as a Christmas present, and what a brilliant gift it proved to be. David is a personable and highly knowledgeable teacher, with a vast array of power tools available. He carefully checked what I wanted to get out of the day before we started, and made sure we achieved it all. As a late starter, I was chuffed to get the advice and confidence I need in selecting the tools I am yet to buy, and in setting up and using those I already have. Thoroughly recommended."

20 Oct 17'

Adrian Ede reviewed: Spray painting - furniture, doors, sculpture, metal, wood, masonry

"A good hands on course run in a well equipped workshop. David was very knowledgeable and able to describe plenty of practical examples of the different spraying techniques being addressed. He was happy to adapt the course content to meet my particular interests (HVLP) and was keen to understand exactly what I was looking to achieve from the course. I came away with a far better understanding of the subject and many tips on how to improve the quality of finishing on my home projects. I would thoroughly recommend the course to anyone interested in spray finishing be they a beginner or someone who just wants to improve."

19 Oct 17'

Craige reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"A self-taught do-it-yourselfer, I needed a course that made a step-change in my ability to use power tools accurately, safely and productively. The Great British Woodshop's Power Tools course did exactly this. David Free combines years of furniture building professional knowledge and skills with an ability to provide constructive feedback; he strikes an ideal balance between explanation and providing opportunity for hands-on experience with a range of power tools. Attending the course is akin to working with an old friend who offers advice on projects and with whom you chat about varying topics that range from tennis to skiing over a sandwich at lunch."

21 Sep 17'

Gabriela reviewed: Skills - Ultimate power tools

"I was amazed with the variety of tools David has in his workshop and how quickly I managed to pick up some of the techniques he was showing. David explained everything very thoroughly and ensured safe handling of all the tools and equipment throughout the day. I would highly recommend his courses."

21 Sep 17'

Gabriela reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in getting started with some woodwork and DIY projects. The way the course is structured allows you to gain an understanding in how to work with wood and learn more about the tools and range of techniques available, while also putting it all in practice on the day. David is very knowledgeable and has a very personal approach so he tailors the content to your experience and what you're trying to get out of the day."

21 Sep 17'

Victoria M reviewed: Basic woodworking and DIY course

"I highly recommend this course. David is a natural teacher, very generous with his time, good company and was keen to make sure the course covered the specific learning aspects relevant to me. I was looking for a course which covered the broad aspects (both manual and with power tools) of wood preparation, (cutting, planing, sanding), drilling into various materials, use of various screws, nails, plugs, hinge types, joints and basic box-style construction. He has a fabulous, incredibly well-equipped workshop, which should include every tool anyone may want to use. It's given me the confidence to start on basic woodwork & DIY projects, which is what I was looking for."