FIW 100 Fundamentals of Woodworking

Introduces the manipulation of materials, drawings, hand and power tools, sharpening, joinery, assembly, and preparation for and finishing to accomplish woodworking.

FIW 101 Introduction to Woodworking

This course is an introduction to woodworking based on an old-world approach to the instruction of basic woodworking skills.  This is a thorough and intense class and is intended for the serious student only.  An example of the intensity of this class is best illustrated by the first project, a Krenov style wood plane.  The final project consists of a student’ designed tool box, designed by them.  The course includes in-depth instruction of all hand, power, and stationary tools and thorough instruction on the elements of design, shop drawings, and wood science.  The business side of woodworking is also discussed including the creation of a portfolio, customer relations, and wood shop set-up.

FIW 102 Classical Guitar Construction
5 Credits
No Prerequisites

Course takes the student through the actual process of creating a classical guitar from scratch.  Beginning with raw materials, the student is expected to build a classical based guitar.

FIW 103 Steel String Guitar Construction
5 Credits
No Prerequisites

Course takes the student through the actual process of creating a steel string guitar from scratch.  Beginning with raw materials, the student is expected to build a steel string guitar, either OM or dreadnaught style.

FIW 104 Elements of Design
2 Credits
No Prerequisites
FIW 104 is designed to assist the student in developing an approach to furniture design that will assist them with either a current project or projects in the future. The class covers sketches, shop drawings, and model making.

FIW 106 Plane Making
4 Credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100 or permission of instructor
Explores the tradition of craftsmen making their own tools and offers an explanation of the ideal within the creation of hand planes. Enables you to determine the type of construction techniques to use in building this project through researching old methods and examining current practices. The final outcome is demonstrated by using the new plane.

FIW 108 Toolmaking and Jigs
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
Expands the capabilities, speed and accuracy of the woodworker through the use of jigs and specialty tools. Focuses on constructing several projects (box joint jig, a router table, a mock dovetail jig or spring pole lathe) of progressing difficulty.

FIW 109 Introduction to Cabinetmaking

This course will introduce the student to the various components of cabinetmaking.  The course will teach the student basic shop drawing, material properties, joinery, and power and stationary tools as relating to basic cabinet construction.  Safe and efficient use of machinery and materials are the essential goals of this course.

FIW 115 Strip Canoe Building
4 credits
Focuses on constructing a strip canoe utilizing forms, thin wood strips, and epoxy/fiberglass techniques resulting in a beautiful and strong yet lightweight craft. Explores construction of seats, thwarts, and paddles. Will be offered only once per year.

FIW 116 Cabroile Leg and Queen Anne Furniture
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100 and 201
Focuses on the Queen Anne style to guide the furniture maker to depart from rectilinear form and create curves and bends in wood. Examines patternmaking and building from drawings to create a chair, table, cabinet or similar piece.

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FIW 118 Lathe Turning

This course explores the capacities of a lathe through spindle and faceplate turnings. The use of bead, cove, taper, cylindrical, v-cut, proportions and curved line relationships are examined. Lathe components, tools and sharpening are explored.

FIW 119 Intermediate Turning I

Lathe turning expanded into natural edge bowls, end grain hollowing, boxmaking, platters and open forms, and closed forms/internal hollowing techniques

FIW 121 Intermediate Turning II
4 credits
Expand lathe turning to explore finishing applications, burning, inlays, and texturing

FIW 122 Wood Carving
4 credits
This course allows students to experiment with knife and gouge to discover the many possibilities of wood decoration through carving and the qualities of numerous materials. Ultimately students are expected to produce samples of chip and relief carvings to demonstrate what’s been learned.

FIW 125 Finishing Wood

This course allows you to research the wide variety of finishes available from the oldest formulations to the bewildering array of modern films and stains. Students experiment with a representative sampling of colorations and surface finishes on a variety of woods using a selection of application techniques.

FIW 128 Doormaking
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100 or 108, and 201
This course involves the planning, design, selection and purchase of materials, construction, finishing and hanging of a door students have made. Assorted styles of door construction, joinery, glues and fabrication techniques are examined.

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FIW 200 Veneering and Marquetry
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course covers the surface decoration of wood, both edge and face treatments through the use of thin, often expensive, exotic or figrued woods. Manmade and solid substrates for veneering are examined as well as available patterns, styles, marquetry techniques and creating multiple layer banding for a project.

FIW 201 Joinery

This course explores different types of wood connections, using both hand and power tool techniques in frame and carcass joinery. Students are expected to cut, fit and assemble projects to demonstrate their knowledge.

FIW 205 Tablemaking
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course involves the study and construction of flat surface using some of the wide variety of potential styles, sizes, materials and techniques available. Solid and sheet goods are examined as well as alternative construction methods and their various qualities. Fastenings, edging and movement concerns are explored.

FIW 206 Chairmaking

This course utilizes chair construction to examine some of the alternatives of machine and hand-tool construction as illustrated by seat shaping through router surfacing vs. inshave use, for examples. Spindle turnings, spokeshave use and compound angles may be encountered in constructing a chair. Chair style often dictates resolving construction dilemmas such as jointing compound curves and jig making for tapered legs with fluting or reeding.

FIW 208 Furniture Repair
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course recognizes the need to repair and restore furniture and allows the student to explore jigs, veneer repair, replacing broken pieces and reassembling reconditioned furniture. Students are expected to provide furniture of sufficient complexity to challenge their abilities. Joinery, carving, stripping, and refinishing are topics covered in this course.

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FIW 209 Cabinetmaking
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course covers cabinet types, kitchen and cabinet design, layout, construction, hardware installation, materials, power tool use, accessories and estimation.

FIW 210 Bending and Laminations
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course involves the process of curving natural and manmade panels through a variety of methods including spaced kerfs, cold lamination and steambending. Form construction, various qualities of different wood species and adhesive selection are studied.

FIW 211 Shop Carpentry
4 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
This course is for the non-site, shop carpenter and includes jig and patternmaking; stationary power tool maintenance and adjustment; machining of woods; and techniques unique to shops, cabinetmaters and mill workers.

FIW 213 Furniture Making
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100 and 201
This course teaches furniture design, construction techniques, material selection,

FIW 215 Advanced Joinery
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100, 108 or 209, and 201
This course examines all types of joinery from decorative to the most complex of hand and machine cutting techniques and learn their respective qualities in regards to strength, material and adhesive selection, wood movement and the properties of different joints. A project incorporating many of these joints will be expected.

FIW 217 Advanced Cabinetmaking
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100
This course expands skills taught in FIW 209. The course includes a review of the types of joints, gluing and hardware used in cabinets. The course also familarizes students with various types/designs of cabinets used in residential/commercial construction. Construction of shop-built cabinets including a variety of door styles and the proper use of power tools for creating various designs. The uses and application of plastic laminates are explored and students learn the proper installation of shop-built cabinets.

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FIW 219 Woodworking Lab
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100 and FIW 201
This course provides the opportunity for the experienced woodworker to create a piece to expand their woodworking skills through the design and construction of a carefully selected woodworking project. In collaboration with the instructor the student will create drawings, choose materials, resolve joinery techniques, estimate and construct the proposal. Emulation of a profitable woodworking business is part of this class experience and the ability to anticipate, plan, complete, and work individually will be expected.

FIW 220 Advanced Furniture and Cabinet Construction
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100, 108 or 209, and 201
After completion of this course students should have produced a finished piece of salable quality with a demonstrated understanding of the materials available, their sources, shop drawings, various construction and finishing methods and reasonable design and technical skills.

FIW 250 Period Furniture Reproduction
4 credits
Prerequisite: FIW 100, 108, 122 or 209, and 201
This course involves researching and selecting a period and style of furnituremaking from the biblical era to contemporary times and building a reproduction piece. Students examine then-and-now techniques and materials while selecting the construction process for their individual piece..

FIW 275 Special Topics
1-6 credits
This course provides students with a vehicle to pursue in-depth exploration of special topics of interest

FIW 280 Technical Project
4-12 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
This course enables students to participate in individual studies on a special project which is related to the fine woodoworking program. This technical project consists of : a written and approved proposal and scheduled progress reports.

FIW 282 Internship
0.5-12 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
Students with prior course work in a specific area are eligible for internship. The internship will give you an opportunity to apply your course studies.

FIW 285 Independent Study
0.5-8 credits
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Students will work with the instructor on a specific area with specific objectives and a predetermined project completion date.