Woodworking Classes

2025 & 2026 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

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

Every Tuesday evening
$2200.00 AUD
27th January to 30th June 2026
(22 week course)

Presented by Alastair Boell
The ‘Shaker Nightstand’ course represents the perfect course for the beginner.

Nakashima Inspired Coffee Table - Beginners Course

Every Tuesday evening
$1190.00 AUD
7th Oct to 16th Dec 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

FULL
Stay tuned for next course in January 2026

Every Wednesday evening
$1030.00 AUD
6th August to 8th October 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

$780.00 AUD
Every Monday evening
3rd Nov to 22nd Dec 2025
(8 week course)

Presented by Michael Ooi
In this 8-week Beginner’s course, you will make this stunningly elegant hexagonal Kumiko Box made from Walnut and Maple or Celery Top Pine. It 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.

Windsor Inspired Foot Stool - Beginners Course

Every Wednesday evening
$1010.00 AUD
15th October to 17th 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).

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

Windsor - Continuous Arm Chair

$2390.00 AUD
Tues 4th to Mon 10th November
From 9am to 5pm
(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.

French Polishing

$410 AUD (2025
Sunday 26th October 2025

Presented by Eddy Toffeletti
French Polishing is a traditional finish where you apply thin layers of Shellac onto timber to bring out the subtle beauty held within.

Shaker Bentwood Tray

$380.00 AUD (2025 course)
Sunday 7th December 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 Alastair Boell
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 25th Nov to Sat 29th Nov 2025
9:00am to 5:00pm
(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.

Perch Stool

Sun 30th Nov to Tues 2nd Dec 2025
$970 AUD

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

Sunday 16th November 2025
$440 AUD

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

Tool Sharpening and Hand Plane Tuning

Sunday 30th November 2025
$430 AUD

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

Fri 13th to Mon 16th June 2025
$1,920 AUD

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

Sat 6th to Sun 7th December 2025
$820 AUD

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

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

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)

FULL
Sunday 27th July 2025
$440 AUD

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).

2025 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 4
Starting 29th Sept 2025 (11 week course)
AM class - 2 spots available
AFT class - FULL
PM class - 4 spots available

$1012 AUD: 2025 - 11 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, Alastair Boell , Lionel Seibert & Darren Naftal