Description
Learn to Turn – Intro to Stool Making
Students will create their own stool and learn to make wedged, mortise and tenon joints, for attaching the legs, creating a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture.
Students will start by making personalized mallets to fit their grip learning the variations between beads, coves and flats giving them the basics which they can use in combinations to create their individual style in their work. Next students will learn face grain turning to personalize their seat bottoms.
Students will also have the opportunity to discuss and make their own small projects. Painting, stenciling, mask and layering, and distressed sanding will be covered.
Syllabus:
Monday –Evening – Class introductions, get to know each other and I will present the main project and the variations of things we will be doing with a hands on shoe-and-tell of material examples followed up by a walk thru safety orientation of the wood shop with a brief overlook of each tool we will be using. Accepting questions and answers throughout.
Tuesday –We will start with an in-depth overview of the mechanics of the lathe to insure proper usage for best results and safety. Quickly moving into demonstrations of spindle turning and going through the main techniques we will be using throughout our projects. We will turn some green lumber for lighthearted practice with no stress on precious material. This will move us into turning our mallets. Students will have the ntire day to create mallets and any other small items they are inspired to and simply get comfortable with the process. We will wrap up the day with looking at different painting styles and sketching out ideas for our stool legs.
Wednesday –The morning will start on a brief overlook of the previous day’s activities with Q&A. Moving into a demonstration on turning precise round tenons for our wedged mortise and tenon. Students will then practice turning their tenon on the lathe and move into shaping their legs as they feel ready. They will have the opportunity to experiment with this for a while before they start to create their finished pieces. They will work at their own pace at this until the evening when we will end with a demonstration on how to cut the slip in our mortis to receive our wedge on the table saw using a precise and safe jig followed up with another Q&A and discussion on the day.
Thursday –Start with an overview of the previous day, Q&A, sharing our experience and thoughts on the project in process. Students will then have the bulk of the day to work at their own pace and receive individual instruction. They may choose for their project to go in different directions based on their ideas while stating within the curriculum of the class. The day will end out with a demonstration on face grain turning to create our stool seats. Students will proceed into that process if ready.
Friday –In the morning we will have a quick overview with Q&A then a demonstration on wood burning and layering paint. The rest of the day will be work at your own pace with a demonstration of assemblage wedged mortis and tenon until after lunch when we will start to assemble our pieces and applying finish.
Saturday –We will start with a group studio cleanup. Then have Q&A time, finish gluing up the projects, applying finish, and having a class discussion on our individual experiences with the process and our finished pieces.
Wyatt Daglá Severs is an accomplished woodworker, furniture maker, and educator whose studio practice blends fine craftsmanship with a deep commitment to craft education. For over two decades, Severs has dedicated himself to the mastery of wood design, pursuing extensive professional development at renowned institutions including the Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Penland School of Craft, and Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
As an educator, Severs has designed and implemented diverse woodworking and carpentry curricula across the region. His experience spans roles as an Instructional Specialist at the Paducah School of Art and Design, a Carpentry Instructor at the Paducah Innovation Hub, and a lead instructor and coordinator at legacy craft schools nationwide, including Peters Valley School of Craft and the John C. Campbell Folk School.
Severs’ award-winning furniture and sculptural turnings have been exhibited both nationally and internationally, with recent showings at the Wharton Esherick Museum, the Customs House Museum, and the Furniture Society. A recipient of the prestigious Kentucky Arts Council Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship and an Emerging Artist Award, his work is featured in numerous publications, including Lark Books’ 500 Cabinets and Schiffer Publishing’s Wicked Wood. He currently maintains a studio practice focusing on fine furniture, commercial and residential carpentry, and community education.
