Request for advice - long fine furniture making course

[Eldi76]

I would like to ask for the opinion of the forum’s members about woodworking/fine furniture making course.
I am in a position that I can take a 1-year break of the rat race, and consider coming to the UK for an intensive furniture making/design course.
Has anyone done the long course with Peter Quin at the Furniture Craft School? I would love to hear any views. Please free to PM me if you prefer to keep them confidential.
Other schools I've looked at include Williams & Cleal, Rowden Atelier, Marc Fish, Waters & Acland. These schools seem to have a very good curriculum, and in addition maintain Instagram accounts/website pages where I can find lots of information and read former students reviews. I cannot find a single review about Peter Quin’s furniture school, which is a bit odd. I may also note that intensive courses at these four schools (W&C, Rowden, Marc Fish and W&A) are much more expensive than, for example, Peter Quin’s furniture craft school, and ask myself what is the reason… how much is related to PR and is there a big difference in the quality of the tutors/programme between these schools.
I would appreciate any opinion about any of the mentioned schools and would love to get any recommendation about other schools.
Thank you!

 

[nickds1]

One thing I would say in public is that I was a national trust chippie based at Scotney about 5mtrs from Peter's workshops (an adjacent building, just across a small drive - we shared facilities). I spoke to a fair few of his students and with him often.

Whilst we made stuff for the NT, his students were making really nice items for themselves and I heard nothing but positive comments. I also liked the quality of their work.

 

[Ttrees]

There's Peter Sefton, Chris Tribe and Rykotewood also
I would personally just equip a workshop with tools and machinery, should you not be equipped already, as you would be back at the start again if you were to go on a course like that.
Even if you have money aside for that later, you likely could upgrade it all from the get go.
Plenty of stuff on youtube, videos and most importantly forums to learn from.

If you like the look of some folks work here for example, you could see whom they follow
as we all "stand on the shoulders of giants"
Have a look at some threads in the archives here, for something like your favourite woodworker / youtube channels, and you should find a wealth of information to digest.

The design part I have not explored, but have glossed over the classicals in the past.
George Walker for example, food for thought...
Can it be applied to today's homes, is a valid question.

I don't know what you might get from design courses TBH, could be a load of pretentiousness
but that's what gallery's love I suppose.

Lastly a few folks over your side of the world might be able to suggest something more local
for a visit, like Derek Cohen, Scott Horsborough, I think is on your island also.

All the best
Tom

 

[Jameshow]

Chris tribe is retiring I think....

Someone not sure who is taking over....

Cheers James

 

[Blackswanwood]

Another one worth considering is the Chippendale School at Haddington.

 

[Droogs]

There is also the Chippendale School near Edinburgh, which has a long residential coure for fine furniture making

PS
I have seen the work of several of the alumni and it is to a very high standard. The course includes having guest teachers including Scott Grove for marquetry techniques. He covers some pretty complex work including compund veneering in multiple planes of axis using single pieces. very good stuff

 

[Spectric]

Plenty of stuff on youtube, videos and most importantly forums to learn from.

Where it is a practical subject you need that one to one touch at least in the early days, youtube is ok for a sideline but it is a mine field In many cases where you could easily pick up bad, unsafe or just wrong approaches to a task and many are biased towards something for one reason or another. Hard to fully explain but in my welding days having that experienced person looking over your shoulder to see what you are doing wrong and demonstating techniques was invaluable, you could not self teach to that level.

I think @Peter Sefton is nolonger running his furniture school either.

 

[Droogs]

Another one worth considering is the Chippendale School at Haddington.

SNAP



lol

 

[thetyreman]

I don't think peter is still offering the long-term courses he made a post about it, and chris tribe has retired now.

I am quite impressed with walters and acland myself and that'd be one of the places I'd be researching, have heard good things about west dean college as well.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Thanks for the mention Ttrees

I have decided to cease running our long course, I ran it for over ten years and really enjoyed seeing the students grow but decided I was missing on seeing my own girls grow in the meantime. I don't want to sound like a politician but decided to have a bit more time with the family and concentrate on our short course programme. The tool shop has also continued to grow wanted to develop new products and our own AUK brand including having more things made in the UK.

As I understand it Peter Quin’s course is C&Gs based and I assume he gets funding as a traditional college may. I must say I have always liked the professionalism of Williams and Cleal and feel they have a good standard of teaching and quality making. If I ever lost a potential student to W&C I felt they were in safe hands and would get a solid training.

I think you should always try and have a good talk to school, find out who is actually teaching you and also do you like their style of furniture.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Ttrees]

Where it is a practical subject you need that one to one touch at least in the early days, youtube is ok for a sideline but it is a mine field In many cases where you could easily pick up bad, unsafe or just wrong approaches to a task and many are biased towards something for one reason or another. Hard to fully explain but in my welding days having that experienced person looking over your shoulder to see what you are doing wrong and demonstating techniques was invaluable, you could not self teach to that level.

I think @Peter Sefton is nolonger running his furniture school either.

That's where the forums come into play, that should be easy to do after spending some time reading up on who to watch.
A handful of names should appear time and time again, rather than the daft stuff from most youtuber woodworkers which gets shoved in your face, which is definitely a problem for the gullible.
"Link is in the description" covers most of those, or a background of orange tools.
This is due to analytics and product placement, and on a similar note one must be aware of product placement through other means, that goes for video series drip feed too.

Plenty of folks to watch who don't want money, I'd bet on David W's channel being one of the best,
and sneered upon by a few, although not meant to be a starter course, just for demonstration.

There are video courses which may be of use, like Charlesworth's for instance, I think Peter has some too, which would likely be as fine work if one seeks that.

Above all a good bench is the most important tool for very fine work, what's likely to be focused on in most of the furniture courses, as it's probably to focus on what Klausz said, do it well first, then do it faster.
The workbench and the rest of the workshop should give an idea of what one might want to seek out for fine work, take Custard's posts here for example, compared to some who do other work, it should be evident on the type of work they do from a bit of study, mainly the bench is most informative I think.

Edit; this thread might be of help
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/thread...-who-use-only-hand-tools.129390/#post-1452704Tom

 

[Jameshow]

Another thought.

How about getting an apprenticeship with a top quality cabinet maker. One near me says he cannot find those with the passion to get into making fine furniture, kitchens bedrooms etc.

Cheers James

 

[Eldi76]

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Indeed, Peter Sefton and Chris tribe do not offer long courses anymore.

The reason I prefer to find a school in the UK (or elsewhere) is to have a different experience and at the same time get out of my comfort zone, I believe this is something I do need at this stage.

I will check Chippendale School, although I prefer a smaller school with much more personal approach.

Jamesshow – getting an apprenticeship with a top quality cabinet maker is a good idea that went through my mind…I just asked myself why one should take me (without experience) and invest so much time and efforts…If you know about someone please let me know.

I should also note that, upon completion of the course/ apprenticeship, my vision is to design and make fine furniture and at the same time contribute back to society by delivering woodworking classes to young teenagers with Intellectual disabilities. Giving these young people a sense of worth and self-esteem by creating something from scratch, has the potential to change one's life trajectory. It is something that close to my heart.
Thanks again!

 

[Geir]

A long course is a very good idea. Having an experienced craftsman explaining, looking over your shoulder and correcting is a thousand times more valuable than all the Youtube videos in the world. It can not even be compared.
I have been looking at the same places myself. I have also done short courses several places. This is extremely useful, but maybe not practical when you are "down under". I did two weeks at Rowden while mr. Savage was still around and it is excellent in almost every way. It is hard to explain but I would not spend a year there.
Have you considered North America? I did two weeks at Inside passage near Vancouver, Canada. I would not hesitate to sign up for a year there, but they have a long waiting list. There is also a place called Center for Furniture Craftmanship in Maine which looks very good.

 

[David Young]

Hello. I am a cabinetmaker in Scotland. My business is also a registered training centre for the furniture and woodworking industry.
Over the past few years I have built a workshop within the grounds of Fingask Castle where I am looking to then run short courses along with having a few students on a 1 or 2 year training programme, if this is something you feel you would be interested in please contact me directly. www.davidyoungtraining.co.uk
[email protected]

Regards David

 

[JAW911]

Interesting thread for me too……also interesting that no-one has first-hand experience of any of these courses (thread only started yesterday though).

 

[Blaidd-Drwg]

There is also the Chippendale School near Edinburgh, which has a long residential coure for fine furniture making

PS
I have seen the work of several of the alumni and it is to a very high standard. The course includes having guest teachers including Scott Grove for marquetry techniques. He covers some pretty complex work including compund veneering in multiple planes of axis using single pieces. very good stuff

I also recommend Chippendale. I took the professional course a few years ago and not only do they teach furniture making and design, but also the business and marketing aspects of woodworking.

 

[Austin Branson]

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

Indeed, Peter Sefton and Chris tribe do not offer long courses anymore.

The reason I prefer to find a school in the UK (or elsewhere) is to have a different experience and at the same time get out of my comfort zone, I believe this is something I do need at this stage.

I will check Chippendale School, although I prefer a smaller school with much more personal approach.

Jamesshow – getting an apprenticeship with a top quality cabinet maker is a good idea that went through my mind…I just asked myself why one should take me (without experience) and invest so much time and efforts…If you know about someone please let me know.

I should also note that, upon completion of the course/ apprenticeship, my vision is to design and make fine furniture and at the same time contribute back to society by delivering woodworking classes to young teenagers with Intellectual disabilities. Giving these young people a sense of worth and self-esteem by creating something from scratch, has the potential to change one's life trajectory. It is something that close to my heart.
Thanks again!

Hi Eldi, I am intrigued by your desire to teach folk with intellectual disabilities. I was, in my past life, the woodwork teacher at Queen Alexandra College, in Birmingham. Ostensibly, a college for the visually impaired, there were several students with learning disabilities, and others with multiple disabilities. I applaud your motives. I found the work immensely rewarding, if more than a little frustrating at times. Best wishes for your future. Austin

 

[Spectric]

Above all a good bench is the most important tool for very fine work,

Yes saw a silly youtube video where the bench was rocking back and forth as the guy was doing some routing, just unwatchable as they were clearly demonstrating incompetance.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Hello. I am a cabinetmaker in Scotland. My business is also a registered training centre for the furniture and woodworking industry.
Over the past few years I have built a workshop within the grounds of Fingask Castle where I am looking to then run short courses along with having a few students on a 1 or 2 year training programme, if this is something you feel you would be interested in please contact me directly. www.davidyoungtraining.co.uk
[email protected]

Regards David

Hi David - what are you planning on covering in your short courses?

Cheers