Weeks 1–2 · The plan
What you want to build, and what that actually requires.
The programs, in detail
Four programs of 6 to 16 weeks, scaled to a small shop and built around real furniture.
Program 01 · Small space, real work
Setting up a shop
Most beginners buy in the wrong order and end up with gadgets and no workbench. We plan your shop around the projects you want to build: the handful of tools that matter, a bench that suits your height and space, and a layout that lets you handle 8-foot stock in a small garage.
Weeks 3–4 · The bench
A flat, heavy surface that holds work — the real first tool.
Weeks 5–6 · Tools in order
Buying sequence, new versus used, what to avoid.
Weeks 7–8 · Layout and dust
Workflow, storage and keeping the air breathable.
Weeks 1–3 · Sharpening
A repeatable routine, tested by cutting end grain cleanly.
Weeks 4–6 · Planes
Setup, flattening a board, dealing with tearout.
Weeks 7–8 · Sawing
Cutting to a line, square, both directions.
Weeks 9–10 · Paring
Chisel control for tight joinery.
Program 02 · Sharp changes everything
Hand tools & sharpening
Nearly every beginner struggle traces back to dull edges. We start with a sharpening routine you can repeat in five minutes, then work on plane setup, sawing to a line, and paring to a knife wall — skills that make machine work better too.
Program 03 · Joints that hold
Joinery & projects
Joinery makes sense once it's holding something up. We work through a sequence of projects — a small table, a cabinet, a chair if you're keen — and learn each joint where it's needed. Glue-ups get rehearsed dry, because that's where projects usually go wrong.
Weeks 1–4 · Milling
Getting stock flat, square and to dimension, by hand or machine.
Weeks 5–8 · Mortise and tenon
The workhorse joint, cut to fit rather than to hope.
Weeks 9–12 · Casework
Cabinets, drawers and dovetails that go together.
Weeks 13–16 · The project
A full piece of furniture, start to finish.
Weeks 1–2 · Surface prep
Sanding and planing to a surface that takes finish evenly.
Weeks 3–4 · Choosing
Oil, shellac or film, matched to use and to your space.
Weeks 5–6 · Application
Sample boards first, then the real piece.
Program 04 · Don't ruin it at the end
Finishing
More projects are spoiled in the last two hours than in all the cutting. We cover surface preparation, why blotching happens, and the three finishes that cover almost everything. We also talk ventilation and rag disposal, because oily rags genuinely start fires.
What do you want to build?
Twenty minutes on your shop and your first project. Free, and nobody sells you a table saw.