Penlan Crafts reviews

Ian reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"A great day with Steff. Good fun, I learnt new skills, and left at the end of the day with a beautiful working automata. Highly recommended!"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Thank you Ian, I had a great day too! All the best, Stef"

Ali H reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"An enjoyable day with Stef who is organised, enthusiastic, patient, has a meticulous attention to detail and is super knowledgeable about automata. Time flies by quickly in a long day covering the basics, creating all necessary components by hand, assembling, painting, and finally departing, after a rewarding experience, with a very pleasing mechanical toy. I would happily recommend this course."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Ali, thank you for your very positive review! It was a pleasure meeting and working with you, and I really appreciated your ideas in the personalisation of your automaton. Yes, it was a long day and you worked hard, but thanks to your creative skills (and to your new woodworking ability!!), you created a beautiful toy 😊 "

Graham reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"A fun and rewarding workshop where you make an animated model that actually works and looks great! Stef is an exceptionally friendly and helpful teacher who makes the day entertaining and relaxed. I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to do something productive that is a great day out. "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Thank you Graham for your nice review. It was great meeting and working with you! Very happy you are pleased with your automaton, it is beautifully made and painted! All the best, Stef"

Victor Willdig reviewed: Kids Automata making course

"My two children did the Automata making course and absolutely loved every minute. Stef made us feel so welcome and at home and three children were really engaged with the explanation and demonstrations of how the various mechanisms work and how to build up a variety of scenes. Coming away with a beautiful automata toy was a delight for them which now have pride of place in their bedroom. They'll treasure these toys and the memory for a long time. "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Victor, thank you so much for your nice review! It was a pleasure meeting you and your children, and I'm very happy D. and N. enjoyed the course. All the very best to the entire family :) "

César reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I've made the "unlucky fishing cat" automata toy with Stef and it was a great experience. Stef is a great teacher with an interesting background. We've spent a very productive day building a beautiful toy. Time just flies when you are having fun and that was exactly the case, after a brief introduction to safety rules, machine use and automata basics it was hands on until the final product was finished. Highly recommend it! 5 Starts for the course and Stef! Thanks and all the best Stef"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Thank you very much César for your kind review, glad you enjoyed the course!"

E. Day reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I made an automata toy with Stef and it was a fabulous experience. Learning how to use the machines and create the mechanism was fascinating and Stef was very patient and helpful. I had some creative ideas which he was really open to. Highly recommend this course. "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Emily, thank you very much for your nice review. Very happy we were able to work on your creative ideas and transform them in a delightful toy... I love the final result! All the very best, Stef"

Sam reviewed: Kids Automata making course

"This was a wonderful day course. Stef is an excellent instructor and made every part of the process of making the automata fun and rewarding. It was very satisfying to make each part of the toy, make some decisions about details of the design and to put it all together and see it working. I'd recommend this course for anyone, it was just great!"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Sam, thank you and happy you enjoyed the day... and your beautiful caterpillar! All the best, Stef"

Allan Crow reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I have an interest in Automata and my family gifted me a voucher from CraftCourses. I decided to choose Penlan Crafts in Bristol. I spoke over email to Stef on several occasions and each interaction was very useful and warm. I was guided by his expertise in choosing an automata to build which would suit my ability. I met Stef on route to his workshop and received a fantastic warm welcome which put me totally at ease. Once in the workshop, which was very cozy and well equipped, he assessed my skill levels and after a briefing on my chosen automata he put me to work. I was constantly under his eye but not made to feel uncomfortable. Once he could see I was coping with the tasks he set me he would leave me to complete them. During my time in the workshop we talked about anything and everything as if we had known each other for years. As the day progressed I could see that Stef wanted me to leave the workshop with a well-crafted automata which was certainly the case. Stef is a very knowledgeable craftsman with an eye for detail and a gift of passing his knowledge to his students in a way which is easy to grasp. For an Italian he makes a nice cuppa. If you are thinking about choosing an automata course, Stef’s your man. You won’t be disappointed."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Allan, thank you! I agree, we really had a great time during the course, you are a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic student, so no surprise your automata was completed at very high standards... and I warned you about the cuppa, you risked it having your tea prepared by an Italian! Thank you again and all the very best"

Colin Wingfield reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"Fantastic fun. This was bought for me as a gift and I did not know what to expect. Stef was brilliant. Friendly fun and very informative. I had a great time and would recommend it to anyone of any ability. "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Colin, thank you very much for your nice review. Glad you had a good experience! Best regards, Stef"

Liz D reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"What a fantastic course! Enjoyed every minute. Stef was extremely helpful, from giving me directions to the meeting point that avoided the clean air zone, to showing me where to park for free, just a short walk from the studio. He clearly explained how to use all the tools, how the different cam shapes worked & was very patient as I attempted all the power tools for the fist time. So pleased with my Fishing Cat Automata Toy. Thank you Stef for a fun workshop & being such a great host."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Liz, thank you so much for your nice review. Very happy you enjoyed the course and that you are pleased with your beautiful (and personalised!) Fishing Cat."

Kevan reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I had a wonderful one-to-one day with Stef, a true enthusiast and craftsman. He taught me everything from the basics of creating the components right through to assembling and painting all in one (pleasingly long) day. Very pleased with the outcome and the whole experience. Stef is also an interesting guy to spend the day with. Strongly recommended"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Kevan, thank you so much for your nice review! I truly enjoyed the (pleasingly long :) day with you as well... And maybe the next time we could make something even more complex :) Best regards, Stef"

Gareth reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"A really enjoyable day. I was surprised by what was achieved in a very short time. Stef is a great teacher, good selection of tools, good location in central Bristol. I was very happy to produce a working, finished toy by the end of the day. A surprising Christmas present which I would never have picked for myself, but after spending the day I found it really worthwhile and I would recommend it to a person interested in wood work or other crafts. "

Lou reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"What an amazing day! A great experience learning about automata and using different tools to produce a lovely piece of automata to take home. Stef was very organised, patient and enthusiastic and great company in his well equipped studio. I would do it all over again! It has inspired me to make my own. "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"So happy you enjoyed your present Lou! It was a great day and I enjoyed working with you... and if you want to share ideas or to ask about mechanisms for your new toy, you know where to find me! Thank you for your nice review!"

Chris Gowler reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING DAY. This was a really great day, I made Colin the Caterpillar. Stef gave clear one to one guidance in all aspects of making Colin, I could not have asked for better. I would gladly recommend this course and Stef to anyone. Brilliant"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Chris, thank you for your kind review. Very glad you enjoyed the day! You have been a very talended student and the fantastic version of Colin you made is proof of it! Thank you again! Stef"

Davidkinshuck reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I attended yesterday, this was the most wonderful course. Personal tuition, I learnt how to use all the tools and make the model, Stef is enthusiastic and a very clear and helpful teacher. I really enjoyed the course,and will start to make my own models."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear David, thank you for your kind review and glad you enjoyed the course!"

Philipp reviewed: Basic automata and mechanical toy making

"Building a wooden automata (I chose Colin the caterpillar) was one of the best and most fun things I can imagine! I had such a fantastic day with Stef and it was incredibly rewarding to be able to create the toy from scratch with no prior experience. From cutting, drilling and sanding the wood, glueing the pieces together and painting the toy - we did everything. Stef explained the mechanics behind the automata and demonstrated all the tools. He was incredibly patient and was always there to help, show a technique again or suggest a different technique, but it always felt like I was building the toy myself. It was a truly enjoyable day. Stef is really easy to get along with and I enjoyed our conversations very much. I cannot recommend this course any higher. Thank you so much again!"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Philipp, thank you very much for your fantastic review. It was a pleasure meeting you (and working hard!) and I'm glad you had a lovely experience. All the best, Stef"

Ollii Park reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"Stef and I had an incredible day together working on a mechanical toy. His insight into the mechanics and his generosity left me beyond satisfied with what I had paid for. At the start of the day, I threw a curveball in his direction, discussing an entirely new mechanism for a concept I had, and without a beat, he jumped onboard, and we spent the rest of the day prototyping and creating a working concept for me to take home. I cannot thank Stef enough for his open thinking and expertise, an incredibly rewarding, enjoyable day and I will definitely be contacting him again! "

Penlan Crafts responded:

"I am the one that should thank you Ollii! I had a lot of fun designing and building something new with you. You are very creative, and a very skilfull craftsman, and it was a pleasure (and a challenge, sometimes!) putting my (limited) knowledge at your disposal for your new project. I’d be happy to continue exchanging ideas and to further discuss the concept… "

Mark reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"What a superb day, Nothing was too much hassle for Stef. Unbelievable patient and hugely knowledgable , I can’t recommend the course enough. Thank you"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Thank you for your kind review Mark! Best regards, Stef"

Paul reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"What a fantastic day and what a fantastic talented guy. Stef was very welcoming and could not do enough for me. I would recommend this day to anyone. My granddaughter loves Collin the caterpillar and will for years to come. Thank you so much Stef."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Hi Paul, thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed the day, it was a pleasure meeting you! All the best"

Stephanie reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"I can't recommend this course enough, it was just brilliant. The course was a birthday gift for my brother-in-law and he absolutely loved it. Stef was fantastic at communicating with me and organising the gift and Paul my BIL was so thrilled with the day and couldn't wait to show us all what he had made. Thank you Stef, we'll be back."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Stephanie and Paul, thank you very much for your kind review. It was a pleasure meeting and working with Paul, he is a very talended and commited student :) I am very happy that his baby grandaughter loves "Colin the Caterpillar" and I hope she will enjoy it also growing up! All the very best, Stef"

Andrew Whewell reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"What a truly brilliant course. Really enjoyed every minute of it and it helps that Stef is such an interesting guy to talk to whilst learning about his techniques and creations. Was very pleased with the end product and it will take pride of place in our daughter's room. I feel I learned enough on the day to be able to make creations of my own in future which is all I could have hoped for. Great stuff Stef. Keep going and look forward to seeing what you create in the future."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Andrew, Thank you very much for your nice review! It was a pleasure working (and chatting!) with you, I really hope your baby girl likes the toy daddy made for her! All the best, Stef"

Sorin reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"It was a really interesting experience. I had to measure, cut, sand and glue everything myself which was what I was looking for. Stefano is a fantastic person, lovely to have around a have a chat. It felt like I've sent the day with a friend doing something that I love."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Sorin, thank you very much for your kind review. I had a great time too and I am happy you were able to bring back home a nicely built and painted mechanical toy."

Christa Kontozoglou reviewed: Basic automata and mechanical toy making

"We had a wonderful time in this automata toy-making course. We enjoyed using the woodworking power tools to create the pieces of the mechanical toy and Stef was a brilliant teacher guiding us all the way through. He created a relaxed atmosphere with his friendly manner and his attention to detail meant that in the end, we came away with a very professional looking toy even though some of the tools we had never used before. It was definitely one of our favourite craft courses!"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Christa, thank you for your kind review. It was a pleasure to meet you and Ed and I’m sure your lovely daughter will love the beautiful mechanical toy you built for her! Warm regards, Stef"

paul robbins reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"Well, that was an interesting day. Looking at the picture of what I was to make, my initial thought was that's a tad simplistic. This is based on the fact that I make theatre scenery and props, along with assorted boxes, toys and other wooden items as a hobby. Whilst I admit each part of the process for me was relatively easy the theory and application of each process were what made the day interesting, and educational. Steph is a very methodical tutor ensuring each step is carried out in the relevant order, and able to provide hints and tips on the best way to achieve this. At no point did I feel this course was beneath my ability, despite as I say extensive experience, albeit self-taught. The course was pitched exactly right and given time allowed a single shaft automaton is probably as complicated as a single day will allow, especially when you take into account painting and glue uptime. Equally, if you are a beginner as I am when it comes to painting projects, Steph has the knack to get the information across in a manner that would make you feel proficient enough to undertake this project. So is this suitable for all levels I would say yes? Is this a fun and entertaining insight into the myriad world of automata definitely, would I like to learn more about these and make more complex items definitely. If you are thinking about doing this, just do it I very much doubt you will be disappointed."

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Paul, thank you very much for your enthusiastic review! I’m very happy you enjoyed your birthday present … even more considering that you are an expert woodworking aficionado. It was a pleasure working with you (and thank you for your tips regarding the scroll saw!) and I am glad that I was able to show you the “magic” of automata. Happy Christmas! Stef"

Jeremy Arden reviewed: Wooden mechanical toy (automata) making

"You just have to do this course if you like making things out of wood. Quite simple techniques using pillar drill, band saw, belt sander and hand tools. But the resulting automated hand cranked toy is an immensely rewarding achievement. Stef is patient and encouraging. He can put right any mistakes which the unpractised student might make. I was so pleased with my effort that I have taken home the materials and instructions to be able to make the dancing sheep toy (with two shafts!!) in my own time. Stef says to bring it back to his workshop if I want to, in order to make sure it is accurately glued together once I have done the initial work so that I don't mess it up. What more could one ask for?"

Penlan Crafts responded:

"Dear Jeremy, what can I say…. Thank you very very much for your kind comments. I am happy you had a great time. I enjoyed working with you too. And I am glad I was able to convince you to paint your toy, you underestimated your artistic skills! I look forward to getting in touch with you again to assemble “The Dancing Sheep”… I’m sure it will be another beautiful creation!"