| meet the instructor
“Here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we are nestled into an amazing wealth of beautiful and diverse forests which have inspired woodworkers and carpenters for centuries. There is something deeply and inherently satisfying about working wood by hand. It’s warm, malleable, forgiving, and rewards our diligent work with beauty and function that lasts for generations.”
-Ben Masterson
| course overview
In this program students will learn the centuries-old techniques of traditional joinery as they build their own hand-crafted projects from local woods such as walnut, maple, oak, pine, and poplar. In this program we will work through a broad scope of skills from hand hewing and riving green wood to cutting intricate dovetail and mortise and tenon joinery.
Students will become proficient at maintaining and working with traditional tools such as iron and wooden hand planes, rip, crosscut, frame and dovetail saws, chisels and gouges, froes, draw-knives, hewing axes, augers, brace and bits, and turning tools. We will be working mostly at traditional joinery benches, but will also have the opportunity to use shaving horses and spring pole lathes.
Projects include hand tools (oak mallet, square, marking gauge, bow saw, and tool trug), dovetail candle boxes with sliding lids, and a six board chest/hall bench with decorative feet and forged nails.
| testimonial
“I had the pleasure of working with Ben Masterson for several years at Old Salem Museums & Gardens where he taught people of all ages and skill levels the art of early American joinery. From fourth graders to experienced woodworkers, Ben encouraged his students by simplifying complicated concepts to make them achievable. I attended several of Ben’s workshops at Old Salem. Although I had a passion for historic trades, I had no experience using tools. By the end of my first afternoon class, I had made my own box using dovetail joints. Ben is an excellent teacher who inspires students with his charismatic enthusiasm for quality woods, craftsmanship, and historic tools.”
-Samantha Stewart | Gate City Preservation
| student information & policies
Registration will open for the next semester on Saturday, May 3
The next (16-week) semester of Traditional Woodworking will be held Monday afternoons (12-4 pm) or Monday evenings (5-9 pm) October 13 through December 1. No class on Labor Day.
Instructor Ben Masterson
Foothills Arts Center 321 E. Main St. Elkin, NC 28621 (Lower Level)
Each class limited to 6 students
Registration Fee: $50
The registration fee is taken out of the overall tuition cost. If registration is open, placement is likely but not guaranteed. Any student not placed will be added to the programs wait list in the order of the earliest registration. Given this, registration may not open to the general public every semester. Placement is generally confirmed within three (3) business days of registration.
Material fees: $215 will be invoiced the month prior to the start of class.
Tuition: Billed in one (1) payment of $940 (10% deduction) or in four (4) monthly payment installments of $258.
By enrolling students agree to 1) Follow all classroom safety protocols. 2) Accept all responsibility for personal injury or loss/damage to personal property. 3) Accept our billing and late payment policies that can be read HERE.
