William Ng School of Fine Woodworking

Inlay Techniques Class with William Ng (2/11/12 – 2/12/12)

Using inlay to embellish your projects can be very rewarding. It’s a way to take your work to the next level, to set yourself apart from others. In this intensive two day class, we will cover the following topics: 1) Tools (including the Jeweler’s fretsaw, carving tools, shopmade vises, and a vise that I’ve personally designed and used for over 25 years); 2) Materials (including wood,... [Read more...]

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Making a Wooden Handplane with William Ng (2/17/12 – 2/19/12)

Using a finely tuned wooden hand plane you make yourself is probably one of woodworking’s ultimate experiences. It offers a great sense of satisfaction and is a reflection of fine craftsmanship. Plane making has been an honored tradition with the Eastern Masters, and is gaining huge popularity here in the states. In this three day class we will look at the history of hand planes and its design.... [Read more...]

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Thorsen House Inspired Cabinet with Dale Barnard (2/20/12 – 2/24/12)

The small curio cabinet was inspired by the wall cabinetry in the Thorsen House dining room. The details are all classic Greene & Greene. The class is fairly straight forward until we make the door, probably one of the most complex small cabinet doors ever conceived. A small project like this, chock full of details is not only fun to make, but a joy to own. This is high art indeed. There is a... [Read more...]

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Art Glass Workshop with Dale Barnard (2/25/12 – 2/26/12)

This class teaches the foil method, developed by Tiffany over 100 years ago. We will begin with the design and make our own patterns through glass cutting and soldering. We will be making the glass panels that fit the cabinet door made the week prior. This is the panel made in the HGTV video on youtube.com. I found working with glass surprisingly enjoyable because it is so different from working with... [Read more...]

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Nakashima Inspired Chair with William Ng (3/5/12 – 3/9/12)

In this class we will explore the works of one of my favorite woodworker, George Nakashima. This chair has elegance, simplicity, suttle details and beauty. Don’t let it’s simplicity fool you… This chair requires great skill in precision to execute. It involves carving, sculpting of the seat with various power and hand tools. The complex joinery has to be done accurately to ensure... [Read more...]

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Blacker House Inspired Chair with William Ng (3/10/12 – 3/17/12)

This is perhaps the most difficult class we offer at our school. This class is not for the faint hearted. This chair will challenge every areas of your woodworking skill. We will be dealing with angles, proportion, chair design, choosing wood grain, Sculpting of the crest rail using a 4-1/2″ angle grinder, Inlay technique for the back slat of the chair, Scribing technique for hand fitted joinery,... [Read more...]

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Finishing Techniques with Brian Miller (3/24/12 – 3/25/12)

This class will give every student a thorough understanding of the finishing process. It will cover all aspects of wood finishing: Proper sanding techniques, coloring wood (dyes, stains, chemical and plant dyes), color-matching, membrane finishes (shellac, varnish, lacquer) and understanding solvents and their use in the finishing process. We will also explore hand-rubbed finishes, shading and toning,... [Read more...]

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Fine Joinery Techniques with William Ng (3/26/12 – 3/30/12)

Good joinery is key to making fine furniture that will last for generations. Many of us are intimidated by the complexity of these joints. In this class we hope to de-mystify and simplify the joinery process. We will learn western and eastern joinery and their applications, including dovetails, half-blind dovetails, sliding dovetails, mortise-and-tenons, angled mortise-and-tenons, lap joints, bridle... [Read more...]

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The Art of Marquetry with Matthew Werner (3/31/12 – 4/1/12)

Create designs in wood! Marquetry is the art of creating imagery by cutting and fitting thin pieces of wood together. These designs are then veneered to a solid core to be used in making furniture or decorative panels. This will be a 2-day introductory class. No prior experience with marquetry is necessary, although students should be familiar with basic woodworking techniques. Through lectures, demonstrations... [Read more...]

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Music Stand – Working with Curves with Matthew Werner (4/2/12 – 4/6/12)

This class will focus on making a music stand designed by class instructor, Matthew Werner. We will learn techniques for working with curves that will expand your design and building vocabulary beyond straight edges and right angles. Techniques will include bent lamination, half-lap joinery, sliding dovetail joinery, and working with veneers. This is an advanced techniques class and students should... [Read more...]

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Krenov Inspired Cabinet with Yeung Chan (4/23/12 – 4/29/12)

Master woodworker James Krenov is one of the most influential woodworker/teacher of our time. His respect for wood, attention to detail, and his philosophy to woodworking has been well respected and admired by woodworkers all over the world. In this seven day, hands on class, Yeung Chan who studied under James Krenov will show you many of these incredible details while building this beautiful cabinet.... [Read more...]

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Fundamentals of Fine Woodworking with William Ng (4/30/12 – 5/4/12)

The secret to fine woodworking can be found in the pursuit of the fundamentals. With high-tech machines and power tools, these fundamentals can be overshadowed. In this class we will learn the values of design, drawings, mock-ups, sharpening, care and use of hand tools, tuning up a bench plane, layout, measuring tools, wood technology, choosing and preparing lumber, joinery (including hand cut dovetails... [Read more...]

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Rafter Tail Table with Darrell Peart (5/7/12 – 5/11/12)

Each student will be given the drawings and cultists for several Rafter Tail Tables. All the necessary jigs or templates for building any of the various designs will be either provided or made in class. Students will build in class, their choice of one of the designs – but will leave the class with all the necessary drawings and jigs to build all the other designs as well. May 7 – May... [Read more...]

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Furniture Design: Greene & Greene and Beyond with Darrell Peart (5/12/12)

This class is intended as an introduction to furniture design from Darrell’s perspective, which is heavily influenced by the Arts & Crafts Movement and by Greene & Greene. While much of the discussion will revolve around the designs of Greene & Greene – it will not be limited to such. Attendees will be asked to obtain William Varnum’s book “Arts & Crafts... [Read more...]

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G & G Inspired 8 Legged Table with William Ng (5/14/12 – 5/19/12)

This is one of our more popular classes. This beautiful table is well proportioned, with simple elegant lines that will grace any home. It can be used as a hall table, sofa table or an entry table. Imagine what your guest will say when they are welcome into your home and met with this stunning piece of furniture. The table will be constructed using African Mahogany and Ebony. Wood will be prepared... [Read more...]

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Period Furniture Carving with Boris Khechoyan (5/21/12 – 5/25/12)

This class is designed to familiarize the student with the tools and techniques of woodworking. The student will learn the basic techniques of perspective, proportions, and symmetry. Every project begins with an understanding of how to visualize the finished work and thinking in 3 dimensions. This class offers a creative mixture of lecture, demonstrations, and hands-on experience. It is designed to... [Read more...]

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Practical Wood Turning with James Santhan (6/2/12 – 6/3/12)

This hands-on class is specifically designed for the beginning woodturner. The student will learn the safety aspects of woodturning and the proper use and sharpening techniques of standard woodturning tools. It will cover techniques for turning between centers (i.e. spindle turning) as well as faceplate turning. Each student will have an opportunity to turn a variety of projects including spindles,... [Read more...]

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Adirondack Chair in the Greene & Greene Style with Marc Spagnuolo (6/4/12 – 6/8/12)

Think you know what Adirondack Chairs are all about? Think again! The Greene & Greene Adirondack Chair breathes new life into this summertime classic. The chair is not only comfortable, but the elegant Greene & Greene details will immediately grab your attention. This project will challenge your skills, while reinforcing classic joinery methods as well as those specific to the Greene &... [Read more...]

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Building a Masters Work Bench with William Ng (6/10/12 – 6/16/12)

The workbench is the heart of the shop. It’s where most woodworking is done. A good workbench will provide stability and numerous options in securing your work for those critical woodworking moments. Some of the construction methods will include making large mortise and tenons, cutting angled square dog holes, milling, gluing and assembly. This workbench will be constructed with the finest hard... [Read more...]

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Jewelry Box with Marquetry with Paul Schurch (6/18/12 – 6/22/12)

This class is an instructional hands-on five day workshop that will involve making a 10” x 15” x 4” high-end wooden jewelry box with a veneer marquetry design applied onto the top lid and completing it by the end of the week. I will cover the challenges and considerations of combining solid woodwork with veneer work, and give each student instruction and hands-on experience working with both... [Read more...]

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Making Curves in Furniture with Paul Schurch (6/23/12 – 6/24/12)

This two-day class will be a hands on demonstration dedicated to understanding the process of making curved panels that work. Curves can be used in furniture, both traditional and contemporary styles, modern work to sculpture, and can take veneered furniture projects to a whole new level with the introduction of curves. There are many questions about proper bending materials, adhesives and veneering... [Read more...]

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Morris Chair with William Ng (7/9/12 – 7/14/12)

The Morris Chair is an American classic piece of furniture designed and created by William Morris. This chair has a rich history and will sit well, anywhere in the house. This six-day class will challenge woodworkers of all levels. The main emphasis will be on joinery. We will also cover how to design and use jigs and fixtures to accomplish tasks such as: the angled mortise and tenon, the drop arm,... [Read more...]

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Making Custom Cabinets with William Ng (7/16/12 – 7/20/12)

In this class, we will cover different methods and techniques for cabinet construction. These methods can be applied to building kitchens, vanities, entertainment unit, build-in, home theaters or just a stand alone cabinet. We will build a cabinet using face frame, finish ends with frame and panel. We will cover topics such as door making from raised panels to grain matching, drawer construction using... [Read more...]

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Sculpted Dining Chair with William Ng (7/30/12 – 8/4/12)

Class description coming soon!

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Fundamentals of Fine Woodworking with William Ng (9/10/12 – 9/14/12)

The secret to fine woodworking can be found in the pursuit of the fundamentals. With high-tech machines and power tools, these fundamentals can be overshadowed. In this class we will learn the values of design, drawings, mock-ups, sharpening, care and use of hand tools, tuning up a bench plane, layout, measuring tools, wood technology, choosing and preparing lumber, joinery (including hand cut dovetails... [Read more...]

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Sharpening and Hand Tool Tune Up with William Ng (9/15/12 – 9/16/12)

There is nothing like the experience of using sharp tools. Where the actual tool does what you want it to do with ease. You should not have to fight with your tools. They should work for you and with you. In this class, we will cover a variety of techniques for sharpening edge tools including the use of Japanese water stones. We will sharpen a bevel-edged chisel, a plane iron and a cabinet scraper.... [Read more...]

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Blacker House Inspired Chair with William Ng (9/22/12 – 9/29/12)

This is perhaps the most difficult class we offer at our school. This class is not for the faint hearted. This chair will challenge every areas of your woodworking skill. We will be dealing with angles, proportion, chair design, choosing wood grain, Sculpting of the crest rail using a 4-1/2″ angle grinder, Inlay technique for the back slat of the chair, Scribing technique for hand fitted joinery,... [Read more...]

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G&G Inspired 8 Legged Table (11/12/12 – 11/17/12)

This is one of our more popular classes. This beautiful table is well proportioned, with simple elegant lines that will grace any home. It can be used as a hall table, sofa table or an entry table. Imagine what your guest will say when they are welcome into your home and met with this stunning piece of furniture. The table will be constructed using African Mahogany and Ebony. Wood will be prepared... [Read more...]

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