Hanging out with Roy Underhill tomorrow

[Alex Franke]

...well, maybe less "hanging out" and more "learning 18th century North Carolina joinery techniques" at his new Woodwright's School. It's an all-day class, and it should be fun!

Anyone else happen to be going?

I got a few chuckles out of his confirmation email, including from this section:

TOOLS: You’ll be doing early Anglo-American style joinery with English-style tools. That’s what this class is about - early music played on the original instruments. Many people like to work with Japanese tools these days, but we will not be using them in this class. As one respected teacher put it, “That would be like stir-frying grits.”

I will have all the tools you’ll need for the workshop waiting on your bench. You may certainly bring your own tools if you wish. Please note that tape measures are not permitted in the building, Normite propaganda will be denounced, and any tools with plastic handles must be hidden when I walk by.

[Ed62]

Stir-fried grits? Maybe you've hit upon your niche in life, Alex. Enjoy yourself.

Ed

[crokett]

Have fun Alex! I wish I could go but I will be (hopefully) moving the rest of my shop.

[Uncle Cracker]

Does this mean I gotta stop eating my pig's feet tempura???

[Richard in Smithville]

Sounds like a load of fun Alex. Enjoy-and then report back

[Knottscott]

Sounds fun. Kind of ironic that the communications are via email though!

[pierhogunn]

ROY TEACHES CLASSES!?!

I know what I am asking LOML for for my BDay.

you gotta link or do I have to google search it?

[Russianwolf]

http://finewoodworking.taunton.com/i...working-school

And there cheap too. Compared to Woodcraft's classes. Only $95 a day. I'll be looking into this.

[Black wallnut]

where's the report Alex? Perhaps you're still there making a real 16th century day of it.

[leehljp]

Stir Fried Grits - You oughta try 'em! Just like fried grits, only with soy sauce!
Hey, I kidding, I am kidding!

[chopnhack]

he's probably still picking out the splinters from his palms

where's the report Alex? Perhaps you're still there making a real 16th century day of it.

[Alex Franke]

Well, guys that was a great class. We basically did through dovetails, half-blind dovetails, and mortise/tenon joints, but there were a lot of extra goodies thrown in, too. Apart from the eerily anachronistic Mac laptop he pulled out just after lunch, it was exactly the type of shop I know my grandfather -- or even my great grandfather -- would fit right in. The radio in the corner only played 30's music, and even the sodas he passed out as refreshments were probably being bottled around that time as well.

He's a great teacher. He certainly knows what he's doing. You see him quickly and seemingly sloppily banging stuff around for a while with antique tools flying everywhere , and -- gee look -- it fits perfectly! He adds a great sense of humor to the class as well, with several stories from old pros, or from the show, or just from everyday life. His enthusiasm is certainly contagious. He was very attentive, disarming, and very helpful along the way, too. He wasn't the least bit condescending or lofty. He's just a real, every-day sort of guy -- it kind of feels like you're learning from a long-time friend.

The class was broken up into a variety of different things. Shortly after it began, we were examining (and perusing) a big, old tool chest. "What do you notice about this?" he asked. "When do you think it was built?" That part felt a bit like Antique's Roadshow, except that you could ask questions. His point with that exercise (aside from teaching a lot about the box, what it's made of, and the items in it) was to point out something to the effect of, "This has held up pretty well over the past 150 years or so, but if you go by what they say in the latest glossy magazines and blogs, it looks like they did everything wrong..." It was interesting to hear all the why's and how's.

It roughly followed this pattern: First a bit of gather-around-and-watch instruction, followed by a good deal of practice time (and one-on-one help if needed), followed by something interesting (like the tool chests, or timber framing, or the treadle saw, etc), then repeat.

At lunch time we all went next door to a soda shop -- an honest-to-goodness soda shop. (I think my lunch was $6.) Roy wasn't there, so we thought it would be fun to play a little joke and the waitress worked up a bill for $250 that we just handed to him when we got back to the school, saying "thanks for lunch."

He has a number of ideas for the school -- including a multi-day course on building a tool chest / blanket chest / toy box that will be in an upcoming issue of some popular woodworking magazine (don't remember which one). We suggested a one-day session on things like sharpening (even saws), finishing, and some tool use techniques.

I started to recognize several items from around the classroom as things he's done on his shows. And at the end of the class, he brought out a box of goodies, including some great carvings and some very tricky joinery examples and games. There was even a little bit of "What do you think this could be?" thrown in there from time to time. Very cool.

I highly recommend it, even if you have (as I had) done this type of joinery in the past. I learned a lot of new things, and I'm definitely going to sign up for more.

[Alex Franke]

he's probably still picking out the splinters from his palms

:lol: No, I survived unscathed. He did pass out band-aids at the start of class, though. I noticed a couple people wearing them at the end

[Ed62]

Glad you had a good time, Alex. It sounds like a real treat.

Ed

[Black wallnut]

A few years ago I traded a few emails with Roy. What a great down to earth guy. I've made a few of the projects that he has done on his show. I've made two of his dovetail puzzle mallets although neither is anywhere as good as what he showed. I use one almost every time I'm in the shop. I sure wish I lived closer to his classes. Alex if I was you I'd take as many classes as you can afford. It's not every day one can work side by side with a master!