One To One Teaching.

I've just finished a very enjoyable two days, one to one teaching in my workshop. This is a lot easier than carting everything to West Dean College to teach and I get to sleep in my own bed. The only disadvantage is the small size of my workshop means I can't teach a group.
Here is Jim trying out my new Sauer and Steiner smoother to do some finishing planing. It worked very well with no tear out on the rippled ash and is very comfortable and friendly to use.

The two days were spent making a dovetailed box with a frame and panel lid. I had machined all the parts beforehand and made a box alongside Jim so I could demonstrate the techniques involved.
The carcass was made from quarter sawn olive ash and the solid panel was figured walnut.

I doubted whether Jim would be able to finish the box in two days but he did so with an hour to spare. They were 10 hour days with only a short break for lunch but never the less he did very well to get it done. What is all the more remarkable is that apart from making a dovetail alignment board before he arrived Jim had never cut dovetails before and indeed had never made a piece of furniture in his life!!

The dovetails were cut straight from the saw with every one fitting first time with no adjustments, which is more than I can say about the dovetails on the box I was making!

Jim did all this work himself, including perfect fitting hinges, no wonder he's smiling!