William Ng School of Fine Woodworking

Building a Masters Work Bench with William Ng (6/23/13 – 6/29/13

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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Wood Turning with Jimmy Clewes (7/8/13 – 7/12/13)

In this class the emphasis will be design, shape, form and aesthetics. The class will also cover safety issues, sharpening, finishing and the use of the basic woodturning tools. The course is structured so that students will gain confidence in their ability and allow them to return to their workshop to further develop their artistic abilities. I encourage students to bring along any tools as I will... [Read more...]

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Sharpening and Hand Tool Tune Up with William Ng (7/13/13 – 7/14/13)

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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Joinery Techniques with William Ng (7/15/13 – 7/19/13)

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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Finishing Techniques with Brian Miller (7/20/13 – 7/21/13)

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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Greene & Greene Inspired Coffee Table with William Ng (7/29/13 – 8/2/13)

In this class not only will we build this beautiful coffee table inspired by Greene and Greene, Stickley and a little bit of Krenov, but will learn many table construction techniques. Reading wood grain, Mortise & tenon, shaping wood, bread board ends, drawer construction, fitting the drawer, as well as many of the Greene and Greene details such as square ebony plugs, cloud lifts and exposed ebony... [Read more...]

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Inlay Techniques Class with William Ng (8/3/13 – 8/4/13)

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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Period Furniture Carving with Boris Khechoyan (8/5/13 – 8/9/13)

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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Making Custom Cabinets with William Ng (8/12/13 – 8/16/13)

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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Making a Wooden Handplane with William Ng (9/6/13 – 9/8/13)

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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The Art of Marquetry with Matthew Werner (9/9/13 – 9/13/13)

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 5-day 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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Fundamentals of Fine Woodworking with William Ng (9/16/13 – 9/20/13)

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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Boxes, Joinery, & Jigs……OH MY! (9/23/13 – 9/27/13)

Box making ……… sounds simple, yet, it can be one of the most complex areas of woodworking because it offers endless opportunities for self expression in design and technique. Box making demands precision and accuracy in order for joinery, lids, hinges and other hardware to fit correctly. In this class we will cover box making tools, jigs and fixtures to aid in cutting small accurate... [Read more...]

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Blacker House Inspired Chair with William Ng (10/5/13 – 10/12/13)

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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Krenov Inspired Cabinet with Yeung Chan (10/13/13 – 10/19/13)

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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G & G Inspired 8 Legged Table with William Ng (10/21/13 – 10/26/13)

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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G&G Inspired Night Stand with Darrell Peart (10/28/13 – 11/2/13)

This three-drawer nightstand project, which is heavily inspired by Greene & Greene, offers the challenge of precision drawer construction and fitting as well as the opportunity to practice and perfect several traditional G &G details. All the hardware for this project, including the drawer runners and stops, will be shop-made as part of the project. Many topics will be covered during... [Read more...]

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