An Introductory Course to Hand-Tool Woodworking: The Three Joints

The focus of this Course will be the Three Essential Woodworking Joints, which are the building blocks to create almost any type of structure out of wood. These joints are the housing dado, the dovetail and the mortice and tenon. Each student will make at least one of each joint, and the variations of these will be discussed in light of their application.

Making these joints requires a small number of tools, each with its own specific function and characteristics. An overview of these essential tools will be covered through around-the-bench discussion and demonstrations, not least the importance of sharpness, the basic sharpening techniques and equipment you will need to set you on a good trajectory as you delve deeper into the craft.

John Winter

John Winter was born in Patagonia, Argentina, but spent most of his childhood and teenage years in the UK, mainly in Bangor, North Wales. After finishing school, John was given the unique opportunity of becoming an apprentice of Paul Sellers. His training lasted two full years, in which he developed a real passion for hand tool woodworking. During that time, John also helped out with the classes Paul regularly taught his workshop – something which sparked in John an initial interest in education.

Since then, John has never stopped working with wood, although he did a few other things, including going on to study a physics teaching degree in his home town, Esquel.

John is now back in the UK over a decade after his apprenticeship began, working part time as editor for Paul, and is dedicated to pursuing his craft full time, with a strong inclination towards education. 

You can read his blog by clicking here . Paul wrote a blog post about John. You can read it here