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About the Workshop
Learn to fell trees with confidence and read the grain of the log before you ever pick up a saw. This course covers chainsaw safety and control, traditional hewing with axe and adze, and the process of laying out center lines on irregular timbers, including natural curved beams. You’ll begin to understand how the forest becomes structure—and how much care that transformation deserves.
Topics Covered
Tree selection and judgement
Safe operation and maintenance of a chainsaw
Cutting down a tree safely
Introduction to hewing and sharpening axe
Creating a story pole from plans
Establishing centerlines on irregular timbers
Transferring joinery plans and marking to timbers
Optional operation and use of bandsaw mill
Included with Tuition
Meals Included - This workshop includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on each day with the exception of the last day, where only breakfast and lunch are served. Meals are typically brought in or cooked family style.
Project Materials - Each student will be provided with high quality lumber stock for project.
Prerequisites
None, however, to gain the maximum value from this workshop, it is recommend you have some woodworking experience. Please inquire if you are a beginner so we can plan accordingly. Consider taking one of our Japanese Woodworking Bootcamps prior to this course.
See our Prerequisites information for qualifying prior training.
Required Tools
The following tools are required to get the most out of your experience. A loner may be available but not guaranteed. Bringing incorrect, poor quality, or damaged tools will limit your ability to participate in the class. Please contact us for assistance in purchasing tools prior the the workshop.
Metric tape measure
String lines
Ink pot, line, brush (sumitsubo/sumisashi)
Small float level
Japanese hammer
Your personal sharpening gear
Pens/Pencil
Optional Tools
Chainsaw and your related gear
Japanese Hewing Axe
Japanese Hewing Adze
Centerline tool (available for purchase at the workshop)
Buy Tools for this Workshop
All tools, both required and most optional tools related to this workshop are listed below. You may purchase them along with your workshop registration and pick them up at the beginning of the workshop. Not all tools below are required, see above in the class description for the required items. Contact us if you are unsure of what you might need or have a suitable substitute.
