Knowing the basics of veneering will significantly expand your woodworking capabilities. The correct use of veneers can allow you to design your projects around the traditional constraints of wood movement, make the most of a special piece of wood, create stunning visual patterns and effects and minimise the environmental impact of woodworking.

On this one and a half day workshop you will learn the basics of using commercial veneers, including cutting, edge-jointing, creating basic patterns, the selection and use of appropriate substrate materials, the preparation and conduct of pressing in a vacuum press and board pressing so you can do it at home.

Along the way you will make a lovely patterned serving tray with its own unique personality. And you will be show how to polish your tray and sent home with the hardwax oil to do it yourself.

​Join Sara Smith of Smith & Rae Design for a two-day stool making workshop held amongst the trees in Mapleton.

Sara is a fine furniture maker whose practice centres on traditional hand skills, thoughtful design and a deep respect for material. Her work is influenced by early 20th-century design and the quiet beauty found in well-made, functional objects.
In this immersive workshop, you’ll be guided step by step through the process of making a milking stool from raw timber to finished piece. Using hand tools only, you’ll learn carving, shaping and texturing techniques, with plenty of space to explore your own ideas and leave your mark on the work.
This workshop is about slowing down, working with your hands and creating something meaningful to take home. With no previous experience necessary it is ideal for beginners to intermediate.