June 19 – 20 | $850

Dovetail Step Stool

with Megan Fitzpatrick

Experience Level: All

Class Details

Make a sturdy Shaker-inspired step stool in this introduction to hand-cut dovetails. In this two-day class, you’ll learn:

  • Dovetail layout using dividers
  • How to use a backsaw to saw to a line
  • How to wield a coping or fret saw
  • How to pare and chop to a line with a chisel
  • Strategies for transferring the tails to the pinboard
  • Techniques for fitting the joint
  • How to lay out then cut and fair the arches (or other cut-out shapes) 
  • How to smooth-plane your surfaces
  • And of course, how to put it all together (and why I like liquid hide glue).


The price includes all materials (wood, glue, etc) and prepared stock. Each class also includes a light breakfast and lunch every day.  


For information on Covington, including where to stay and where to eat, click here. 

Tool List

Class Tool List

An important note on tools: When you arrive, your tools should be sharp and ready to go.  There won’t be time to restore vintage tools or set up new tools in this class.

Required For the Class

  • Cutting/Marking Gauge (FWIW, I prefer a wheel marking gauge, such as the Tite-Mark)
  • Dividers (two pair if you have ‘em)
  •  Marking knife (ideally a spear-point knife, but any will do)
  •  Dovetail template/marking gauge or bevel gauge
  •  Dovetail saw
  •  Coping saw or fretsaw
  •  Bevel-edge chisels (ideally 1/4” or 3/8”, and 1/2” – but bring whatever you have)
  •  Chisel Mallet
  •  Rasp (11 or 13-grain)
  •  Files and/or sandpaper (#80 through #180-grit)
  •  Block plane 
  •  Smooth plane
  •  Double square (a.k.a. diemaker’s square or machinist’s square) 
  •  6” square
  •  .5mm mechanical pencil (yes, really – .5!)

Register for the Class

Registration happens via email on a first come, first served basis. Click the Register button for instructions on how to sign up for this class.

Register

Cancellations will be accepted until eight weeks before the class for a full refund.  If a cancellation occurs within eight weeks prior to the class date, a refund will be issued only if the spot can be filled.