Students meet twice a week for 2.5 hours per session on this 6-week course that introduces the fundamentals of bladesmithing. Begin with shop safety and an overview of tools, and move on to basic forging techniques to create your own knife. Students learn the techniques needed to forge, grind, heat treat, polish and sharpen knives. […]
The decision to repoint a masonry structure is most often related to some obvious signs of deterioration, such as disintegrating mortar, cracks in mortar joints, loose bricks or stones, or damp walls. On the surface, restoration projects may appear straightforward and intuitive, but there’s no substitute for skill and experience. Good repointing practices guarantee the […]
A basic carpentry class that breaks down the barriers keeping women from being comfortable with tools. Leave the class feeling confident and ready to tackle household projects on your own! Class Sessions: April 2-5 April 27-30 May 7-10 June 4-7 July 23-26 Pricing: Single Class: $850-$1700* Package (Includes Basic and Advanced Women’s Carpentry): $1600-$3200* […]
Wednesdays ~ April 8, 15, 22, 29 6:00pm-9:00pm Join us as the weather warms, but before summer blazes in the blacksmith shop for our Spring Evenings Beginners Course. This class is designed to appeal to students who are interested in blacksmithing but the time commitments and scheduling of our weekend and weeklong classes may pose […]
Basic Plaster Wall Repair 1 Day – 8:00 am to 3:00 pm A traditional and versatile building material, plaster was historically used as a protective and decorative coating for walls and ceilings. Plaster can result in finishes much harder than drywall which creates a more durable wall surface, and is more adaptable for specialty design […]
In this full day workshop, participants will gain skills needed to identify woods no matter what the sample size, be it a board, a log, or a small sample. The class will focus on common hardwoods and softwoods of North America. Skills learned can be applied to identification of non-native species as well. Participants will […]
This fast-paced two-day introduction moves students through the fundamentals of blacksmithing: basic hammering and forging techniques, heat treating, forge welding, and identification of “found” steels will be explored. Safety, tools, techniques, materials, terminology, and shop set-up will all be discussed. Students will make a cold chisel, drift punch, bottle opener, and wall hook in this […]
The challenging process of a blacksmithing project creates an environment and guidance that, through challenge, enables learners to leave with a renewed sense of empowerment and self-confidence. This two-hour experience will take the students through a demonstration and introduction to the forge. They will practice some basic blacksmithing skills while creating their first forged hook! […]
The challenging process of a blacksmithing project creates an environment and guidance that, through challenge, enables learners to leave with a renewed sense of empowerment and self-confidence. This four-hour experience will take students through the process of forging a basic knife with a paracord-wrapped handle. No experience is required! $300 per student 1 pm - […]
The key to using hand tools correctly is a sharp edge - learn how the masters make it look so easy. Join expert woodworker and machinist Bob Goppold for a one day workshop on sharpening hand planes and chisels. Learn the physical properties of tools, how to know when a blade needs sharpening, and several […]
Introduction to Mineral Paints & Stains 1 day – 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Discover the history behind and the differences between mineral based coatings to decorate masonry as opposed to using modern paints. This class will demonstrate how to match historic brick and stone colors using potassium silicate paints and stains along with covering […]
This two-day hands-on drystone workshop is focused on repairing and constructing dry-laid stone walls. Under the guidance of Neil Rippingale, participants will learn traditional drystone techniques and practice using both real-world conditions and controlled training environments. Register here to join us. Dates Friday, April 17 - Saturday, April 18, 2026 Times 8:15 am - 4:30 […]
If you’ve never heated metal in a forge and swung a hammer to shape it on an anvil, this is the class for you! Learn the absolute basics of blacksmithing on our half-day course. Get an introduction to the safety, tools and techniques of this ancient art. Leave the shop confident in your abilities, and […]
A basic introduction to carpentry and power tools. This two-day course is an introduction to the vast world of carpentry. You'll learn key vocabulary, become comfortable using basic hand tools, and gain confidence and fundamental knowledge to pursue future carpentry projects by completing a small project. Read Syllabus Class Schedule: April 18-19, Saturday - Sunday, […]
The decision to repoint a masonry structure is most often related to some obvious signs of deterioration, such as disintegrating mortar, cracks in mortar joints, loose bricks or stones, or damp walls. On the surface, restoration projects may appear straightforward and intuitive, but there’s no substitute for skill and experience. Good repointing practices guarantee the […]
Two days give you more hands-on time to apply the basic principles. Spend more time working with batter frames and stringlines. Sleep on what you learn and come back to practice with guidance. Get exposed to basic stone shaping and stone splitting. Enjoy more time interacting with waller-teachers and getting answers to your questions. Learn […]
A basic carpentry class that breaks down the barriers keeping women from being comfortable with tools. Leave the class feeling confident and ready to tackle household projects on your own! Class Sessions: April 2-5 April 27-30 May 7-10 June 4-7 July 23-26 Pricing: Single Class: $850-$1700* Package (Includes Basic and Advanced Women’s Carpentry): $1600-$3200* […]
In this two-day hands-on masonry workshop under the guidance of Master Craftsman David Gibney, participants will learn and practice traditional repointing techniques using both real-world conditions and controlled training environments. Register here to join us. Dates Friday, May 1 - Saturday, May 2, 2026 Times 8:30 am - 4:30 pm daily Location Arthurdale Heritage, 18 […]
Jump into the amazing world of blacksmithing. You will learn basic techniques from tapers to scrolls, bending, forming, hot punching and drifting, hot cutting, basics of tool usage and selection from hammers to tongs to anvils and vises! Expect to leave with a baseline understanding of hot forging of steel, coal forge maintenance and tool […]
This course will give students a foundational education in timber framing while they work as a group to build and complete a timber frame pavilion. Students will gain an understanding of the materials, tools and safety standards used in the timber framing industry. Students will receive hands-on experience laying out, cutting, and assembling traditional joinery. […]
Construct and raise a small timber frame structure using mortise and tenon joinery. In this hands-on course students will learn layout techniques, tool use, and joinery cutting methods as we work on a small timber frame project, culminating in a raising on the final day. This course will focus on traditional hand tools and joinery […]
May 4 – 14, 2026: Monday - Thursday 6PM to 9PM Cost: $400 Topic: Basic Carpentry for Heritage Structures (Designed for Beginners) Goal: Introduce participants to the fundamentals of historic carpentry and wood conservation, with an emphasis on diagnosing, repairing, and preserving structural timber elements such as posts, beams, joists, and rafters alongside finish and trim […]
A basic carpentry class that breaks down the barriers keeping women from being comfortable with tools. Leave the class feeling confident and ready to tackle household projects on your own! Class Sessions: April 2-5 April 27-30 May 7-10 June 4-7 July 23-26 Pricing: Single Class: $850-$1700* Package (Includes Basic and Advanced Women’s Carpentry): $1600-$3200* […]
Stone Grave Marker & Monument Cleaning & Repair Basics 1 Day – 8:00 am to 3:00 pm While cemeteries are often considered to be perpetual, their most prominent feature, the grave markers, is not. Additionally, deferred maintenance usually accelerates the deterioration of gravestones and monuments which can result in safety hazards. Our preservation practices attempt […]
Step into the world of round log timber framing, where the beauty of natural wood meets the precision of traditional joinery. Unlike conventional timber framing, this unique craft replaces square-sawn timbers with carefully de-barked logs, preserving their organic shape while integrating the structural integrity of timber frame joinery. The result is a striking hybrid of […]
Essential framing and power tool skills for structures. Learn the essential tools, terms, and techniques of carpentry while building a small structure such as a shed or playhouse. In this supportive, hands-on course, you’ll safely use a range of hand and power tools and explore the basics of house framing, layout, and the “anatomy” of […]
A two-day introduction to square rule timber framing Perfect for students with a budding interest in timber framing, this course will cover the basics through a hands-on building project. We'll introduce basic layout concepts and terminology, and every student will experience cutting joinery. Each student will make their own mailbox post to take home. Read […]
Come try your hand at Blacksmithing for a day at Peters Valley School of Craft! In this introductory workshop we will lay the foundations for a journey into the blacksmithing world. This class is designed for people who have never used a coal forge before. We will focus on starting and maintaining a coal fire, […]
Come try your hand at woodturning! Spend the day on the lathe discovering how to make beautiful, round wooden objects! We’ll learn about the different lathe components, talk tools, and practice staying safe while creating candlesticks, bud vases, rolling pins, and more. Each participant should expect to leave with one or more small projects, as […]
Come try your hand at Blacksmithing for a day at Peters Valley School of Craft! In this introductory workshop we will lay the foundations for a journey into the blacksmithing world. This class is designed for people who have never used a coal forge before. We will focus on starting and maintaining a coal fire, […]