The MN Woodworkers’ Guild is handling the registration for our classes. So far, only the Intro to Woodworking 1 class is open for registration at https://mnwwg.org/zz-classes-page-david/#introduction-to-woodworking-1. The other classes will be posted soon. Note, there is still room in the class this coming Saturday. Please email Steve if you have questions or problems registering (s.c.mcloon@gmail.com).

Instructors: Yana Frank and Steven McLoon are award winning woodworkers. Each has over 15 years of experience in the trade. They make and sell furniture, art and crafts in natural wood.

Location: Classes are held in studio 221 in the historic Casket Arts Building in NE Minneapolis. The studio is well equipped with modern woodworking equipment.

Introduction to Woodworking 1

Taught by Yana Frank

Sept 12, Oct 10 or Nov 1 (Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm)

Cost: $160, which includes wood and supplies ($150 for MWG members)

Enrollment: five students

In this class, you will learn effective and safe ways to use most of the core woodworking machinery including the table saw, planer, bandsaw and router. You will learn how to mill wood, resaw, route grooves, and cut tight miter joints. The goal is for each student to feel comfortable and be safe using the equipment. Each student will make a small wooden box with a sliding lid to take home. And this class is very fun!

Introduction to Woodworking 2

Taught by Steven McLoon

Nov 21 & 22 (2 days, Saturday, 9am-5pm & Sunday 1-5pm)

Cost: $210, which includes wood and supplies ($200 for MWG members)

Enrollment: five students

This class is an excellent follow up to the Woodworking 1 class. It covers everything done in the first class plus some additions. It is a great class for people already comfortable with ripping and crosscutting on the table saw. The additional skills include making bevel cuts with the table saw, routing rabbets with the router table, drilling holes with the drill press and cutting grooves for splines with the table saw. You will understand how to get a continuous grain around the outside of a box. Each student will make a wooden box with a lift lid and splines to take home.

Mortise-and-Tenon Joints: A Fundamental Skills Course

Taught by Steven McLoon

Oct 24 (Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm)

Cost: $160, which includes wood and supplies ($150 for MWG members)

Enrollment: five students

Mortise-and-tenon joints are the most important type of joint used for making wooden furniture. Understanding this joint is an essential skill for any woodworker. In this class, you will first make mortise-and-tenon joints with hand tools. You then will make these joints using common woodworking machinery including a table saw, bandsaw, drill press and router. Finally you will make these joints using specialized machinery including a multi-router, hollow chisel mortiser, Leigh FMT and Festool domino. No matter how your shop is set up, it is useful to know multiple ways to make this joint.

Learn to Turn: Turn a Woodworker’s Dead Blow Mallet

Taught by Steven McLoon

Schedule with Steve (typically about 4 hours)

Cost: $160 which includes wood and supplies

Enrollment: private one-on-one class

This class is designed for someone new to turning wood on a lathe. You will learn many of the methods fundamental to wood turning and experience most of the important turning tools. You will begin class by practicing turning a spindle. You will rough it into a cylinder and then turn coves, beads and a tenon. Then you will turn a beautiful dead blow mallet (a $60 value) using the techniques you practiced. Spindle turning offers you the largest range of projects you can undertake.

As an alternative, you can make an upside-down salt shaker rather than a mallet. You will still experience the same skill set.

For questions, email s.c.mcloon@gmail.com