Small Woods Association

Advanced pole lathe turning

In-person course

Shropshire

£170

This course is an opportunity to work on all those things that have been bugging you about pole lathing, for example, correct use of chisels and gouges, as well as many others. You will look at: - Sharpening - Turning dry and fresh wood - Shrinkage of fresh wood and how this can affect products - Batch production and the art of being fluid. To take part in this course it is essential that you have either attended an introductory course to pole lathing or have a reasonable amount of...

Bowl Turning at The Green Wood Centre

In-person course

Shropshire

£120

Learn to turn a wooden bowl on a traditional pole lathe. From log to bowl, you’ll learn the following processes: - Understanding the properties of different Bristish timbers and choosing the right timber suitable for bowl turning. - Using a froe to split the wood and how to mark out a bowl ‘blank’ - How to use an axe safely to rough out your blank - Learning to attach a mandrel and how to mount your blanks to the lathe correctly - Using and understanding different types of hand made...

Cleft Gate Making

In-person course

Shropshire

£180

Design and build a unique and beautiful garden cleft gate using either oak, chestnut or ash you will use traditional tools and techniques to create a gate to be proud of. You will learn: - Designing your gate - Selecting suitable wood - Cleaving and shaping - Joints and building - Finishing Participants are advised to measure the vehicle they intend to transport their gate home in. As a guide a single gate approximately 3ft – 4ft square is achievable in the time allocated. Small Woods use only experienced professionals...

Coppice camp 2020

In-person course

Gloucestershire

£100

Coppice camp is an annual gathering to help restore an ancient coppice woodland. This years coppice camp will be held at May Hill in the Forest of Dean. You are invited to lend a hand and help restore a precious woodland eco-system. This will be a fun and sociable weekend, in the beautiful woodlands of the Huntley Estate. Meet new people, join the campaign to save coppice woodlands and learn the craft of coppice management using traditional tools and techniques, as well as getting a taster into some coppice crafts...

Coppice Restoration

In-person course

Shropshire

£160

This course will cover all aspects for restoring a neglected and over stood coppice woodland. You will learn: - Assessing the age and health of a coppice stool - Developing a coppice rotation - Felling and processing - Extraction - Understanding stool density - Layering and planting - Pest control - Monitoring - Coppicing for economic and wildlife benefit

Coracle Making

In-person course

Shropshire

£350

Build an Ironbridge style coracle using simple tools and techniques to suit all levels of experience and ability. The coracle has been around for thousands of years, evolving as a cheap, simple boat that anybody could make and use for all sorts of short river work, particularly fishing. You will learn to select suitable ash laths, techniques for bending laths to shape, nailing, clenching nails and fixing and tailoring the calico cover ready for painting. You will leave with a finished coracle and paddle ready for the Coracle Regatta on...

Framed Hurdles

In-person course

Shropshire

£85

Learn how to make a simple framed hurdle using ash or chestnut frame and hazel weavers. Framed hurdles make attractive screens for wheelie bins and compost areas. These hurdles can use lower grade but more easily available materials. You will learn: - Selecting suitable wood - Split and cleave wood suitable for a frame - Mortise and Tenon joint - Weaving with hazel using round and split wood

Framed Round Basket

In-person course

Shropshire

£140

Learn how how to make a traditional framed basket with professional basket maker Rachel Evans. Framed baskets are strong and versatile, useful in the garden or for shopping and make great presents. You will learn: - To source and select suitable material - Create a frame using hazel rods - Work with a selection of willow and different weaving techniques The course will take place at the Green Wood Centre in the woodland hall based within the amazing World Heritage Ironbridge Gorge. Your tutor will be Rachel Evans.

Introduction to Chainsaw Use

In-person course

Shropshire

£140

This is a practical hands-on 1 day course designed for woodland owners and home owners who use a chainsaw on their own land. The course will provide tips, advice and techniques to help keep you safe. The course will cover:- - Safe starting and stopping of a chain saw - Choosing an appropriate chain saw model - Cross cutting techniques - Simple felling techniques - Chain saw sharpening and maintenance - The things that can go wrong The course tutor is an experienced forestry practitioner and former Forestry Commission Instructor....

Introduction to Pole Lathe Turning

In-person course

Shropshire

£85

Great opportunity to spend a day with a master pole lathe turner to learn the basic principles and techniques to get you started You will learn: - Tool selection - Wood selection - Forming a billet and using a shave horse - Setting up a pole lathe - Turning techniques to create a number of different products

Knife Making

In-person course

Shropshire

£140

Learn the skills of the blacksmith and blade smith and make your own knife. You will learn to: - use the forge anvil and hammer - be able to identify the temperature of steel by looking at the colours Learn the art of hardening and tempering, forging and drawing with the hammer. Blacksmith made knives differ from commercial made knives in that they are not ground with a grinder but shaped with the hammer. The tutor Richard Eaton is a professional blacksmith making artistic and traditional ironwork as well as...

Managing Woodlands for Wildlife

In-person course

Shropshire

£160

This course is designed to provide an understanding of woodland ecology to support woodland management decisions. The course will include: - Principles of ecology - Identifying woodland vegetation types and associated key woodland species - Species inter-dependency, population dynamics - Biotic and abiotic threats - Woodland monitoring to benefit woodland management The course tutor will be Martin Hales.

Paddle Making with Small Woods

In-person course

Shropshire

£180

Work along side boat builder and artist Clinton Chaloner to make your own personalised paddle. A course suitable for water enthusiast, canoeists and coraclers you will use a single piece of cleft ash to craft a paddle suited to your needs. You will learn: - How to select suitable wood - Split and cleave an ash blank - Cut and shape - Fine finish using traditional hand tools. The paddles created will be unique and of the highest quality

Practical Woodland Management

In-person course

Shropshire

£160

This course will provide an introduction to the woodland tasks needed to manage a woodland. The course will provide the latest good practice guidelines along with top tips and techniques established over many years. You will learn: - Tree selection and thinning – which tree to keep and the reasons why - High pruning to improve timber quality - Tree planting - Safe moving of timber and extraction - Dealing with brash - Ride management

Rake Making (make a traditional hay rake)

In-person course

Shropshire

£80

This course will give you the full step-by-step process of making a classic hay rake. Rakes have been used extensively for a variety of tasks, prior to mechanisation of working on the land, such as gathering hay and straw, raking soils or gathering leaves. During this course you will also discuss other possible designs of rake. You will learn: - How to select suitable timber - To understand grain and orientation of grain for strength - To use a variety of hand tools - To make a rake head and...

Rustic Chairs

In-person course

Shropshire

£240

Learn how to make a unique Rustic Chair out of hazel rods, with a woven Elm bark seat. You will create your own design and learn some green woodworking techniques to create a beautiful Chair that you can take home at the end of the weekend.

Shrink Pot Making

In-person course

Shropshire

£80

This is a great introduction to greenwood carving and whittling. Using simple techniques and tools you will learn how to carve a drinking cup or pot using one piece of a greenwood branch. The base will be carefully crafted from seasoned wood and fitted to allow the pot to shrink and seal. You will learn: - How to select suitable wood - Tool selection and sharpening - Carving and whittling techniques - Seasoning and finishing

Spoon Carving Weekend with Small Woods

In-person course

Shropshire

£170

This two day course will provide an in depth learning of the full process involved from tree to spoon. Over the weekend, Harry will teach you the basics of carving green wood and then move on to some more advanced techniques. Day 1: You will learn; - How to carve a spoon from a spoon blank using only a straight knife and a hook knife - The safe and efficient way of using these tools and before lunch you will have carved a spoon! After lunch, we will go into...

Sustainable Woodland Management OCN L3

In-person course

Shropshire

£240

A course designed for woodland owners and managers who want to manage their woodlands to balance wildlife, economic and social benefits. You will learn: - Understanding the true meaning of sustainability - Woodland types and structure - Practical woodland management - Woodland crafts and products - Woodland Biodiversity - Social Forestry This course covers both practical and theoretical aspects of managing a small wood and will lead to accreditation at Level 3 with the Open College Network. The course begins with an overview of the importance of sustainability in woodland...

Tool sharpening - billhooks & axes

In-person course

Shropshire

£80

Billhooks and axes are used because they are still the most effective tool for felling and timber reduction and conversion for some woodland activities such as coppice management. It is surprising how many blunt billhooks and axes are been used and the lack of awareness of how a sharp tool should look like and how much easier and safer work is when using a sharp tool. The course is suitable for all who use billhooks and axes routinely and a must do course for volunteer and project leaders taking groups...

Viking Chairs

In-person course

Shropshire

£85

Choose from a selection of British hardwoods to make your own unique viking chair with a sculptured finish. Design to suit your own size and specification. You will learn: - To select suitable material, and properties of different timbers - How to shape your timber - How to put your chair together - Hand carving techniques to complete your chair This is a simple and effective design which will make a great edition to any woodland camp or garden. This course will be taught by Matt Hatter

Willow Hurdles

In-person course

Shropshire

£85

Using a traditional Somerset pattern you will how to make a woven willow panel to take home. The woven panels make attractive garden screens and the skills learnt will allow you to continue with future garden projects. You will learn: - Siting a hurdle clamp - Selecting suitable hazel zales (uprights) and setting within the clamp - Selecting and grading willow withies - Building the bottom, infill and finishing weave - Installation and maintenance techniques - When constructed and maintained correctly willow hurdles are durable and long lasting and can...

Wonderful World of Trees

In-person course

Shropshire

£140

This course investigates the structure and mechanisms of trees and how they interact within the woodland environment. The course and information is delivered in a format that is accessible to a wide audience with plenty of visual and practical examples to support the theory. You will Learn: Day 1: Tree Seeds – structure and germination Stems, Leaves and Roots Woody Tissue and Bark Old Age – tree maturity, crown recession and death. Day 2: Responding to the Environment – Drought and Wind How Trees Communicate – their close associations and...

Woodland Soils

In-person course

Shropshire

£85

This course will look at why soil is of such incredible value to our existence, the importance of looking after soil and how to do it and why healthy woodlands start with healthy soil. Through looking at the connection between soil types and plant species; which trees, shrubs and flowers grow on different soils, the course will uncover the relationship between plants and soil and the amazing eco-system beneath our feet. You will learn: - How to identify which soil you have - Examples of plant assemblages based on soil...

About Small Woods Association

Small Woods Association's Courses