Portland Woodworking Classes for Kids & Teens

Working With Our Hands

In today's world kids and teens rarely get the opportunity to work with their hands. To build a relationships with tools, with wood and their own creativity. To feel pride in a job well done.

Our woodworking courses exist to provide these opportunities. Students choose from a range of age and experience appropriate woodworking projects. With the guidance of Trackers Artisan Guild instructors they learn to safely use tools to build and create what they envision.

The Program

Beginning students start with a simple learning project in the first 1-2 days. Then they move onto more complex work. Their artistic inspiration and goals are key. Instructors personally work with students to express themselves through woodcraft.

Woodworking Dates Registration is for 4-weeks at a time. Register at any time. Woodworking Mondays currently occur on the following dates with holiday breaks...

December 6, 2010-May 23, 2011

Returning Artisan? Please contact Molly about our special discount for returning families from the Artisan's Guild: Woodworking School

Register for Woodworking Classes for Kids

Ages 6-8 $75 per 4 weeks
Mondays TBA with holiday breaks 4pm-6pm
5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Ages 9-14 $75 per 4 weeks
Mondays TBA 4pm-6pm
5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon

What We Learn Ages 6-8

The first project, chosen by the student from several options, is designed to teach these new skills, afterwards students fashion their own projects from a multitude of basic patterns fitted for their skill level.

In this class children learn how to safely manipulate hand tools as they design and build their projects. We begin with measurement and measurement devices. Students also learn to use a compass for laying out circles, triangles, and early geometric figures.

After learning measurement and simple layout, students are prepared to cut wood to their desired lengths. The natural next step is learning to properly use a hand saw in a mitre box then progressing to free sawing crosscuts. We learn to drill holes with eggbeater drills and how to safely use a hammer and nails to join wood together. For more advanced projects students learn to use the hand brace to easily drive screws for joining wood. Finally we train to use rasps and other shaping tools. Projects are completed with natural finishes such as shelac from boiled beetles or linseed oil.

What We Learn Ages 9-14

As with our other woodworking classes all teaching is project based. Beginning with intermediate layout challenges students will learn how to express difficult shapes in wood. This will include making octagons and other polygons, as well as gears and notched shapes. New tools, including the bevel gauge and bevel square will be introduced and utilized in our projects.

The first project, chosen by the student from several choices, will be designed to teach these new skills, afterwards students can design their own projects and look at a multitude of projects designed for their skill level.

Students will learn how to use coping saws to cut along curved lines as they make intricate shapes and pieces for their projects. Students will also learn proper care and use of japanese saws, allowing very detailed cuts to be made. The students knowledge of boring devices will be enhanced as they learn how to pick the proper size fastening for different scales of projects, and also learn new fastening techniques.