Woodworking Classes at Hudson River Maritime Museum

​Woodworking Classes at Hudson River Maritime Museum

New sessions include fishing rod building basics and Shaker tape stool construction

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Wooden Boat School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum has expanded courses offered as part of the school’s introductory woodworking series. In addition to popular classes on the construction of Adirondack chairs and live edge tables, new classes include fishing rod building basics and Shaker tape stools. Participants in these weekend and evening classes will work on-site at the Wooden Boat School to create a variety of take-home projects. 

A number of new courses are available. Beginning in May, students can register for Rod Building Basics, a 2-day evening course during which students learn the skills needed to build a custom fishing rod. A Shaker Tape Stool class in July will have participants learning to build traditional wooden furniture and weaving a seat with cotton Shaker tape. These introductory classes are ideal for beginners and offer expert instruction for people who are new to woodworking techniques and tools.     

A list of classes is available on the school’s website and new courses are added regularly. 

April 
Pen Turning – April 17
Half Hull Carving – April 24

May
Adirondack Chair – May 15 and 16
Rod Building Basics – May 19 and 20
Wooden Tissue Box – May 22
Live Edge Table – May 23

June
Hand Built Wooden Plane – June 5
Joiner’s Mallet – June 12
Wooden Spoon Carving – June 19
Pen Turning – June 26

July
Shaker Tape Stool – July 2 and 9
Adirondack Chair – July 10 and 11
Live Edge Table – July 31

August
Shaker Oval Boxes – August 14 and 21
Adirondack Chair – August 28 and 29
Remote Control Pond Yacht – August 30 and September 1

September
Dado Build Tool Box – September 12
Greenland Kayak Paddle Carving – September 18 and 19
Pen Turning – September 25
Wooden Bookcase – September 26

October
Half Hull Carving – October 2 and 3
Build Your Own Dovetail Tool Tote – October 16 and 17
Intro to Square Rule Timber Framing – October 22 and 23
Wooden Guitar – Eight Sundays beginning October 31

Registration is also open for the school’s Foundations of Woodworking classes. This series of five classes is an extensive introduction into working with wood as a material, the tools used, their maintenance, and shop safety. Students will also learn about joinery. The series is designed to be taken as a whole, however classes can be enrolled in individually based on experience, and at the instructor’s discretion. The series is taught by Wayne Ford, a master woodworker and shipwright, and Bill Sterling, a luthier, woodworker and retired art teacher. The Wooden Boat School also offers boatbuilding classes as well as vessel repair and restoration services. 

Staff and instructors are committed to keeping students safe from COVID-19. Precautions include limited class sizes, social distancing, face coverings, and practicing hand washing and sanitizing.

For details about classes and to register, visit the Wooden Boat School online at www.hrmm.org/woodworking or call 845-338-0071. People who have questions can contact John Phelan, Wooden Boat School Manager, at [email protected].