Melbourne Woodworking Classes

2025 Beginners Courses

Our Weekly Project Base Courses are geared towards Beginners or anyone interested in a more structure class where everyone works on the same project once a week and where the start and finish dates are set.

Featured

Nakashima Inspired Coffee Table - Beginners Course

NEW COURSE!

Every Tuesday evening
$1190.00 AUD
21st Jan to 1st April 2025
(11 week course)

Presented by Mike Blood

Guided by the principles of 'simplicity', 'craftsmanship', 'proportion' and 'material' (ie; the natural beauty of timber, we present to you our 11-week ‘Nakashima Inspired Coffee Table’ course. This course will start with an exciting opportunity to choose your own slab from a large collection of salvaged timbers at the Melbourne Guild of Fine Woodworking.

Natural Edged Bench - Beginners Course

Every Wednesday evening
$1030.00 AUD
29th January to 2nd April 2025
(10 week course)

Presented by Lee Gratton
This elegant Natural Edged Bench offers a satisfying taste of chair making with the convenience of it being scheduled every Wednesday evening for a single term (10 week course).

Kumiko Box - Beginner's Course

$690.00 AUD
Every Monday evening
3rd Feb to 24th March 2025
(7 week course)

Presented by Michael Ooi
In this 6-week Beginner’s course, you will make this stunningly elegant hexagonal Kumiko Box made from Walnut and Maple or Celery Top Pine. Tt is one of the prettiest pieces on offer and certainly packs a punch in terms of woodworking skills learnt in a short period of time.

Beginners Course: The Fundamentals of Fine Woodworking - The Shaker Nightstand

Every Monday evening
$2100.00 AUD
31st March to 8th September 2025
(22 week course)

Presented by Michael Ooi
The ‘Shaker Nightstand’ course represents the perfect course for the beginner.

North Bennet Street School - 18th Century Candle Box - Beginners Course

Every Wednesday evening
$990.00 AUD
30th April to 2nd July 2025
(10 week course)

Presented by Lee Gratton
North Bennet Street School in Boston is one America’s oldest ‘Artisans’ colleges. It was established in 1881 and runs a total of 7 different programs, one of which is a prestigious 2 Year Furniture Making Course.

Shaker Inspired Foot Stool - Beginners Course

Every Wednesday evening
$1010.00 AUD
9th July to 19th September 2025
(10 week course)
Presented by Lee Gratton
The stool that we will be making during this 10 week course has its origins in the Shaker life.

Windsor Inspired Foot Stool - Beginners Course

Every Wednesday evening
$1010.00 AUD
1st October to 3rd December 2025
(10 week course)

Presented by Lee Gratton
Tailored towards beginners, this Windsor Inspired Footstool offers a satisfying taste of chair making with the convenience of it being scheduled every Wednesday evening for a single term (10 week course).

2024 & 2025 Intensive Courses

Our Intensive Project Based Courses are for those who would like to immerse themselves in a project and have it completed in the shortest possible time. These courses range from a 1 day course to an 8 day course.

Featured

French Polishing

$395 (2024)
Sunday 27th October 2024

$410 AUD (2025
Sunday 27th April 2025
Sunday 26th October 2025

Presented by Matt Stonehouse
‘Shaker Oval Boxes’ are recognized artifacts of Shaker life and work.

Shaker Bentwood Tray

$370.00 AUD (2024 course)
Sunday 8th December 2024

$380.00 AUD (2025 course)
Sunday 31st August 2025

Presented by Matt Stonehouse
Adapting the classic Shaker oval box, we present to you the ‘Shaker Bentwood Tray’ course. While not traditional, this form echoes the look of iconic Shaker box tops.

Essential Tools for Woodworkers - Beginner's course

BEGINNERS WELCOME!

$890.00 AUD
Fri 17th to Sun 19th October 2025
(3 day course)

Presented by Michael Ooi
You will learn how to make a mallet, marking gauge, dovetail marker and a double bevel marking knife. These 4 tools represent an essential kit for anyone interested in fine woodworking.

Windsor - Jerry Chair

$1920.00 AUD

Tues 8th to Fri 12th April 2025
(5 day course)

Presented by Jon Grant
The Windsor Jerry chair is contemporary in style and efficient to create. The Jerry has both turned legs and spindles, making it as much a beautiful woodturning project as it is a chairmaking one. It requires its maker to turn their hand to steam bending, turning, seat carving and classic Windsor Chair joinery.

Windsor - Continuous Arm Chair

$2390.00 AUD
Mon 30th June to Sun 6th July 2025
(7 day course)

Presented by Jon Grant
This is the Melbourne Guild’s fifth Continuous Arm chair resulting from Peter Galbert’s teaching visit to Australia.

Perch Stool

$970 AUD (2025 course)
Fri 4th to Sun 6th April 2025
and
Fri 3rd Oct to Sun 2nd Nov 2025
Presented by Jon Grant
This Perch is a great opportunity to introduce you to the world of ‘Windsor’ chair making and the techniques associated with this iconic style.

Shaker Bentwood Box: Sizes 1, 2 & 3

$440 AUD
Sunday 23rd March 2025

Sunday 16th November 2025

Presented by Matt Stonehouse
‘Shaker Oval Boxes’ are recognized artifacts of Shaker life and work.

Tool Sharpening and Hand Plane Tuning

$430 AUD
Sunday 4th May 2025
Sunday 30th November 2025

Presented by Michael Ooi
This is a very comprehensive one day sharpening course. The importance of this topic is ALWAYS overlooked to the detriment of your furniture making.

Roorkee Chair

$1,9200 AUD
Fri 13th to Mon 16th June 2025

Presented by Hugh Anderson
The Roorkee Chair belongs to the genre of Campaign Furniture. In the days of empires, there was a need for rugged, sturdy and simple furniture for military campaigns.

The Art of Japanese Kumiko

$790 AUD (2024 course)
Sat 23rd to Sun 24th November 2024

$820 AUD (2025 course)
Sat 29th to Sun 30th March 2025

Sat 6th to Sun 7th December 2025

Presented by Alastair Boell
Learn this delicate and sophisticated technique of assembling wooden pieces without the use of nails. Thinly slit wooden pieces are grooved, punched and mortised, and then fitted individually using a plane, saw, chisel and other tools to make fine adjustments.

Hand Cut Dovetailed Box for Beginners

$950 AUD
Fri 10th to Sun 12th October 2025

Presented by Simeon Dux
Most people, I’m sure would feel that hand cut dovetails are a daunting prospect and way beyond their skill level. Yet hand cut dovetails still represent around the world a standard of excellence that is easy to recognize by everyone.

Shaker Bentwood Box: Sizes 4, 5 & 6 (Medium)

$440 AUD
Sunday 27th July 2025

Presented by Matt Stonehouse
This course is recommended for those who have already completed the ‘Introductory’ course to Shaker Bentwood Boxes (Numbers 1, 2 & 3).

2024 & 2024 Open Workshop

This is a great opportunity for students of all levels to undertake their own projects under the expert tuition of our qualified instructors. Our Open Courses offer ongoing morning, afternoon & evening woodworking classes for students of any level to undertake a project of their own desire. Classes are limited to 8 students and there are between 9 - 11 classes per term, with 4 Terms per year.

Featured

Open Workshop - Monday

TERM 1
Starting 20th January 2025 (10 week course)
AM class - 1 spot available
AFT class - 1 spot available
PM class - 3 spots available

$920 AUD: 2025 - 10 week course

This is a great opportunity for students of all levels to undertake their own individual projects under the expert tuition of our qualified instructors. These classes are ongoing and offer a great opportunity to join a group of like minded enthusiasts.

Presented by Mike Blood, Mike Green & Lionel Seibert