Tim (45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Tim (early 50's) was originally a professional photographer. His aim was always to set up on his own and develop a range of bespoke furniture well beyond official retirement age! He is currently converting an old-peoples home in Salisbury back into a family house, and intends to use the open-plan attic as a small workshop. My recollection of Tim is of him patiently making, not phased by the challenges of furnituremaking but just quietly getting on with. See Tim’s testimonial and what he achieved on his training course.

Graham (Advanced Training Course)

Graham (mid-40’s), was once a precision engineering apprentice, then a facilities manager in the NHS and more recently a carpenter-joiner. He came to me for a short intensive course in fine cabinetmaking in order to significantly ‘raise his game’ and give him the confidence to take on the more advanced type of commission his clients were requesting. As an advanced student, Graham was quick to assimilate new skills and techniques through the making of an oak drinks cabinet. See Graham’s testimonial of his experience of my course.

Mary (45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Mary (early 40´s) first discovered an interest in woodwork by helping her father convert a loft, and eventually left her career in accountancy to train as a furnituremaker - an entirely justifiable decision as her standard of work was consistently high. She remained in my workshop for a further year to work on a number of complex commissions under my supervision, before moving to share workshop space with another ex-student. See Mary’s testimonial of my furniture course. Also, visit her website.

Gavin (45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Before retraining as a furniture-maker Gavin (early 30´s) had been both a physics teacher and a research scientist - a background which gave rise to some pretty ‘adventurous’ design concepts! Although I managed to talk him out of some overly-complex ideas for his cabinet (so it could actually be made within the course timescale!), his chair design involved very successful curved laminating. Gavin is now running his own small workshop, which he shares with another ex-student, and is no doubt pushing the boundaries of what is designable!

Rob (45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Rob (early 40´s) had worked in the food industry before deciding on a career-change. During his training course he designed and made a cabinet commission for his own client, and on leaving he set up a small - and very tidy - workshop equiping it with used machinery. Alongside his own work, Rob has also made high-quality pieces for me on a subcontract basis, including tables, chairs and cabinets, and has recently begun to restore clock cabinets for the antiques trade.

Sandra (45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Aside from having brought up a family alongside a full career as a midwife, Sandy had no prior woodworking experience before deciding to kick-start her ‘retirement’ by re-training to become a furniture and cabinetmaker. Although new skills take a little longer to learn the older a student is, there was no difference whatever in the quality of her finished work compared to any of my other trainees. She constantly surprised herself – let alone her husband and grown-up sons! – with her achievements.

Andy 45 Week Furniture & Cabinetmaking Course)

Andy (late 20´s) came from a general building and carpentry background. He significantly upgraded the accuracy of his making and acquired a wide range of new skills on the course. The traditional craftsmanship he learnt on my course enabled him to work on high-quality projects incorporating fitted cabinetwork and hand-made kitchens – as well as being able to make fine freestanding furniture.

Tanya (Advanced Furnituremaking Course)

Tanya (mid 20’s) had served a proper woodworking apprenticeship in Germany before moving to the UK to work for a commercial furniture production company. Although already highly-skilled and fast with precision woodworking machinery, she needed particular tuition in the accurate use of hand-tools and in understanding how to work solid hardwoods (rather than industry-specified panel-products). After her training course with me she went back to her original employers and was subsequently promoted to their design office.