Tillers specializes in hand tool work. These classes help you build the skills to produce quality work independent of electric power. The key is in sharp tools and knowing their strengths. The fun is in testing yourself against the products of old-time woodworkers!  These classes build and measure your abilities in pleasant company.

Woodworking Skills

Identifying Wood - 407
Learn to identify woods, whether you have a board, a log, or a splinter. We will focus on common hardwoods of southern Michigan and North America, and will also look at soft-woods and non-natives. Students will learn how to identify woods by studying the growth rings and structure of the wood viewed on the endgrain with a hand lens. Use of reference books, samples, and the microscope for wood identification will also be presented.
Enrollment: 8 to 12. Minimum Age: 12.

a/ June 7, 2008-- Saturday, 9am-4pm -- $45
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Tom Nehil, Instructor.

The Shaving Horse - 424
The shaving horse is both an essential tool of any woodwright's shop and a great illustration of early woodworking techniques. Materials will be provided for either splitting a horse out of a log or making one of rough-sawn planks. This project gives great practice in hand work, and you should leave with a useful tool.
Product: shaving horse. Enrollment: 4 to 10. Minimum Age: 12.

a/ May 3-4, 2008-- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $160
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Kramer, Dick Roosenberg, Instructors.

Windsor Tall Stools - 442
This course is an excellent skill builder for the Windsor loop back side chair class. Begin by splitting leg blanks from a cherry log and move on to simple exercise in working green wood with turning legs on a lathe. Carve the seat with hand tools. Besides improving your skills, you will have a beautiful saddle seat windsor stool -- great for the kitchen or music studio.
Product: a stool. Enrollment: 4 to 6. Minimum age: 12.

a/ January 18-20, 2008 -- Friday 6:00pm-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm- Sunday 9:00am-3:00pm -- $190
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Abeel, Jim Crammond, Instructors.

a/ May 30-June 1, 2008 -- Friday 6:00pm-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm- Sunday 9:00am-3:00pm -- $190
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Abeel, Jim Crammond, Instructors.

Coopering Barrels- 455
This class is an exciting addition that will extend the skills of White Coopering students. The skills learned in this class will enable you to make traditional barrels. (You can make your own coopering tools in the companion classes, Coopering Tools I & II.)
Product: a small barrel. Enrollment: 2-4. Minimum Age: 16.
This is a very limited class for students who have already made buckets.

a/ November 10-14, 2008 -- Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm -- $400
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, John Sarge, Instructors.

Coopering - 445 VIDEO
The cooper was essential to containing early fluid products. Use specialized coopers' tools to shape bucket staves and to cut the croze for a tight bottom fit. The skills learned in this class will enable you to make traditional white coopered (straight staved) items. (You can make your own coopering tools in the companion classes, Coopering Tools I & II.)
Product: a small bucket. Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 12.

a/ October 25-26, 2008 -- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $185
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, John Sarge, Instructors.

Coopering Butter Churns- 445
The butterchurn is one of the most graceful and classic designs of the coopered vessels. In this class you will split and shape staves to form the churn, then shave and shape the dasher and cover. Those who have taken the coopering class can build on their skills and technique. Build a beautiful and useful addition to your kitchen. First time coopers, please call to see if this or the coopering class is appropriate.
(Make your own coopering tools in the Coopering Tools I & II class.)
Product: a butter churn. Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 12.

a/ May 17-18, 2008 -- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $210
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, John Sarge, Instructors

Making Shaker Boxes - 448
Make a set of five beautiful oval Shaker boxes that nest inside each other. John Wilson blends his expertise in woodworking and gives participants exciting insights into Shaker craftsmanship. John Wilson's Home Shop has been making and teaching Shaker Boxes for a number of years and is the resource for Shaker box materials. A great class for new and experienced woodworkers.
Product: a nest of 5 boxes. Enrollment: 8 to 12. Minimum Age: 12.
Not offered in 2008

The advanced class provides opportunity for those who have taken the basics class to extend their skill level. Possibilities include a #8 fixed-handle carrier, #4 swing-handled carrier, and oval trays. Additional materials are available to purchase.
Products: handled carrier and oval tray. Enrollment: 8 to 12. Minimum age: 12.
Not offered in 2008

Cart Wrighting - 463
Practice making joinery that will hold up to bumping over farm lanes. We will assemble a two-wheeled cart based on designs drawn from a historical cart in the Abbey Collection. Students can also sign up for the Wheel Wrighting class to build wheels for this cart. For an additional $450 materials fee, you can take your own cart home.
Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 14.

a/ June 10-13, 2008-- Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5pm -- $420
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dick Roosenberg, John Sarge, Dave Kramer, Instructors.

Wheel Wrighting - 464 VIDEO
Learn the process of constructing wooden wheels for wagons and buggies. See how small hubs are turned and mortised. Practice your hand at shaving spokes. See how felloes are steam bent. Lend your hand as we heat shrink steel tires onto a set of wheels in a cloud of steam. Wheel wrighting is a fascinating combination of early precision wood and metal working, and involves exciting team work. Take cartwrighting as well to complete your transport-building skills.
Products: none.    Enrollment: 4 to 12.   Minimum Age: 14.

a/ June14-15, 2008-- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $185
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. John Sarge, Dave Kramer, Instructors.

Wooden Wheelbarrows - 465
Spend a weekend making a functional replica of an old-fashioned wooden wheel barrow. Join elm and white oak to form a utilitarian object of beauty. Our craftsmen assist step by step in making this useful tool. This gem will be a delight to use in your garden.
Product: a wooden wheelbarrow. Enrollment: 2 to 6. Minimum Age: 14.

a/ November 7-9, 2008-- Friday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $265
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Kramer, Dick Roosenberg, Instructors.

Windsor Chair Making - 471
Learn the skills for making elegant Windsor chairs, including turning and bending wood. Pieces are worked with hand tools and lathe. In this four day class, David Abeel and Jim Crammond share their excellent skills in hand woodworking and appreciation of beautiful craftsmanship to help you build a chair of your own.
Product: a windsor chair. Enrollment 4 to 6. Minimum Age 16.

a/ October 15-19, 2008 -- Wed 6pm-9pm, Thurs-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $440
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. David Abeel, Jim Crammond, Instructors.

Windsor Tables - 472
Jim Rantala, professional Windsor Furniture maker, offers woodworking enthusiasts a new class to make a Windsor table. Jim will be assisted by Dave Abeel to ensure students get lots of one on one time as they turn green wood and create project components from scratch.
Product: none Enrollment 4 to 6. Minimum Age 16.
Not offered in 2008

Woodcarving I - 481
Art Barrett carves beautifully intricate walking sticks. His philosophy is that anyone with a desire to learn can carve. Learn three-dimensional techniques of carving are through samples, patterns, and hands-on work. Learn to sharpen and handle various carving tools. Choose and start a project of your own.
Products: small carved objects. Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 14.

a/ February 28-29, 2008-- Thursday-Friday, 9am-5:00pm -- $140
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Art Barrett, Instructor

Woodcarving II - 482
Take the skills learned in Wood Carving I a little farther. This class gives you more experience in relief carving.
Products: relief carvings. Enrollment: 2 to 8. Minimum Age: 16.
Not offered in 2008

Woodworking Instructors

Chuck Andrews, an excellent hand tool woodworker, spends many hours doing wood and blacksmithing projects at Tillers. Chuck is an member and former President of the Southwest Michigan Woodworkers Guild.

Tom Hurst brings lathe and greenwood experience along with traditional woodwrighting skills.

Dave Kramer, a trained Industrial Arts Teacher, has spent many years showing woodworking and toolmaking practices overseas. Most of this was at schools with little other than hand tools. He enjoys carving ox yokes as well as fine woodworking.

Woodworking Tools

Sharpening Saws - 451
Find out how to sharpen and set hand saws to a fine working condition. Learn how to identify and price them. See how tools can be restored without damaging their value. Effective methods of adjusting and using a variety of old tools will be demonstrated. Bring your old saws to find their value and bring them back to working condition.
Product: your own saws retuned. Enrollment: 4 to 10. Minimum Age: 16.

a/ November 15, 2008 -- Saturday, 9:00am-5:30pm -- $85
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Gil Chesbro, Instructor.

Tools for Timber Framers - 452
Students will make chisels, slicks, gouges, and mallets in this practical tool chest building class. Leave with more than your money's worth of tools, plus the knowledge to make more. Non-traditional metal working methods and processes are used to facilitate production. (For more traditional techniques, consider our Colonial Smithing class with James Slining.)
Product: chisels, slicks, gouges, and mallets. Enrollment: 4 to 10. Minimum Age: 16.

a/ April 19-20, 2008 -- Saturday-- Sunday, 8:30am-5pm -- $230
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, Charlie Bussard, John Sarge, Instructors.

Spoke Shaves - 454
Make a fine flat-blade spoke shave with a beautiful hardwood body and handles. Spoke shaves are simple tools originally used to round the edges of wooden spokes. They are practical tools for any hand tool woodworker. Experiment with a variety of old spoke shaves, and learn how to shape and make your own wooden spoke shave.
Product: a spoke shave. Enrollment: 4 to 10. Minimum Age: 14.

a/ March 15, 2008-- Saturday, 9:00am-5:30pm -- $85
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Gil Chesbro, Instructor.

Coopering Tools - 455
Many of the specialty tools of the cooper are hard to find, new or used. These classes are a way for you to make your own plane, croze, bands and other items. These are excellent companion classes to White Coopering #445 and Coopering Butter Churns #445 and Barrel Making #445. You make your own tools to get started in the craft.
Products: croze and other tools. Enrollment: 4 to 10. Minimum Age: 14.

a/ May 15-16, 2008 -- Thursday-Friday, 9am-5pm -- $200
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, Charlie Bussard, John Sarge, Instructors.
In this class students will build barrel hoops, a hoop driver, and a cooper's floor jointer plane.

b/ October 23-24, 2008 -- Thursday-Friday, 9am-5pm -- $210
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Chuck Andrews, Charlie Bussard, John Sarge, Instructors.
In this class students will build bucket hoops, a croze, an inshave and gauges.

Using, Tuning, and Making Hand Planes - 457
In this class we study the uses of several types of hand planes. The ability to tune old planes is important since they are often neglected and in poor condition. To help understand the functions and parts of the plane, students will build a simplified wooden plane.
Products: a wooden plane. Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 16.

a/April 12-13, 2008-- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $155
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Kramer, John Sarge, Instructors.

Ox Yoke Making - 461
Yoke types, their dynamics, and their fit are compared. Participants gain hands-on skills by building neck yokes (4-6 inch bow widths) to take home. (Larger yokes can be made for a modest material fee.) Various adaptive yoke designs and methods of forming bows will be covered. Participants can help forge the hardware for their yokes.
Product: a yoke with 4-6" bows. Enrollment: 2 to 6. Minimum Age: 14.
Not offered in 2008

Forks and Rakes - 462
Steam bend ash, hickory and white oak into beautiful wooden forks. Shape a rake handle. Split out rake tines with a froe and drive them through a dowel sizer with a mallet. Use a shaving horse, draw knife, and a spoke shave to finish your set. Your new found skills will add beauty and utility to the garden shed. (Take our Shaving Horse class, and use your new shaving horse to sharpen your rake and fork tines.)
Products: a fork and a rake. Enrollment: 6 to 12. Minimum Age: 12.

a/ March 1-2, 2008-- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $165
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Dave Kramer, Chuck Andrews, Instructors.

Timber Framing

Introduction to Timber Framing - 430
Join us for a condensed opportunity to prepare timbers and assemble bents for a timber-framed building. This class is a shorter version of Tillers' full Timber Framing class. While it sacrifices some of the presentations, design, layout, and field trips, it has most of the hands-on experience. Fit mortise and tenon joints. Instructors guide you through layout, boring and chiseling mortises, forming tenons, cutting wind braces, and test assembling bents.Depending on the building, a full raising may not be included.
Enrollment: 4 to 16. Minimum Age: 14.
Not offered in 2008

Timber Framing and Raising - 431 - Past Classes
Enjoy the full experience of preparing timbers and raising a timber-framed building. Fit mortise and tenon joints and peg them with white oak very much like 150 years ago. Most beams will be sawn rather than hand-hewn. The timber frame is for Tillers or is sold to help defray the costs of instruction. An engineer discusses design requirements. Skilled framers guide you through design, layout, boring and chiseling mortises, forming tenon, cutting wind braces, assembling bents, and finally to the thrill of raising day. Enjoy some real teamwork!
Enrollment: 4 to 18. Minimum Age: 16.

a/ April 21-26, 2008 -- Monday-Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm -- $350
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Rob Burdick, Dick Roosenberg, John Sarge, Instructors.

b/ June 2-7, 2008 -- Thursday-Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm --$350
Inwood Farm, Charlevoix, MI. Rob Burdick, Mark Maier, Instructors
This class will build a small summer kitchen.

c/ September 25-27, 2008 -- Monday-Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm -- $160
DreamAcres, Wykoff, MN. Todd Juzwiak, John Sarge, Instructors.

c/ September 29-October 4, 2008 -- Thursday-Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm -- $310
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Rob Burdick, Dick Roosenberg, John Sarge, Instructors.

Raising Days - 432
As part of an old-time barn raising team, you will enjoy its warm sense of community. Many prior students come back to enjoy the last Raising Day of the timber Framing Classes. For beginners, clinics in chisel techniques help bring you up to speed. Tool sharpening sessions are open to all. Take a pike pole in hand and join the team to carefully lift heavy beam frames into place. Feel the satisfaction of driving octagon oak or locust pegs, eating a square lunch, and hanging around to see the emergence of another beautiful structure. Assignments are given by experience and prior participation.
Enrollment: 6 to 40. Minimum Age: 14 (minors with parents only.)

a/ April 26, 2008 -- Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm -- $25
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI.

d/ October 4, 2008 -- Saturday, 8:30am-5:30pm -- $25
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI.

Timber Frame Design Seminar - 434
This class is designed to give former students and experienced framers added insights into timber frame design. Less focused on hands-on project work than most of Tillers' timber framing classes, this seminar digs into methods, considerations, and limitations of timber framing. Models are used as design tools. Joint designs and strength are focal points. Joints are broken under controlled observation and measurement. 
Enrollment: 4 to 18. Minimum Age: 16.

a/ February 23-24, 2008 -- Saturday-Sunday, 9am-5pm -- $125
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Thomas Nehil, Steve Stier, Dick Roosenberg, Instructors.

Restoring Timber Frames - 435
From the sills to the roofing systems, many of our historic timber-framed structures need appropriate repairs.This workshop will use the Secretary of Interior's Standards for restoration to do actual structural repairs to a historic building using today's recommended best practices. Learn how to assure a long life for your barn. This class is good for both the hands-on person and those who want to understand how to hire the work done well. Several barn projects illustrate the types of problems frequently encountered.
Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 18.
not offered in 2008

Joinery for Timberframers - 436
This class explores hand tool and power tool use in timberframe joinery. Learn layout and refine mortise and tenon skills. This is a practical hands on session.
Enrollment: 4 to 16. Minimum Age: 16.
not offered in 2008.

Assembly for Timberframers - 437
Learn assembly by fitting, pegging, and raising pre-cut timbers. In this four day class, students can return from the Joinery Class 436, or come independently to learn techniques for assembling and raising heavy frames. This is a great opportunigy to refine skills learned in a general timber framing class. It puts more emphasis on putting the frame together-something that students frequently miss in the blur of their first framing experience. Rigging and safety are major focal points.
Enrollment 4 to 16. Minimum Age 18.
Not offered in 2008

Relocating Barns - 438
Co-Sponsored by the Michigan Barn Preservation Network
The Abbey farm buildings have been donated to Tillers. The task of careful dismantling, moving and reassembling will occur through 10 weeks. Learn how to salvage old barns and out buildings, and how to rebuild them. With the class format, students will participate in each step along the way, or may return during the weeks between the classes to help facilitate the next step. Join Tillers' staff and volunteers throughout this process. There will be both informational and hands-on sessions.
Enrollment: 2 to 16. Minimum Age: 18.
not offered in 2008

Restoring Wood Sash Windows - 439
This intensive workshop covers all aspects of wood window restoration. Hands on practice will include paint removal, sash cord replacement, repair and replacment of wooden parts, glazing removal, cutting glass, re-glazing, and weatherization updates.
not offered in 2008

Steel Square Essentials - 416
Explore uses of the steel square to lay out roof slopes, jack rafters, quick hypotenuses, and even scarf joints for timber framing. Learn to better understand this essential tool. This class directly follows the Design Seminar to enhance students' layout capabilities.
Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 16.
not offered in 2007

Art of Stone Masonry - 731
Master masons take you step by step through laying the foundations of a barn and springhouse. Learn how to mix mortar for historical matching of existing foundations. This class is good for both hands-on people and those who want to understand how to hire the work done well.
Enrollment: 4 to 12. Minimum Age: 18.

a/ September 11-13, 2008 -- Thursday-Saturday, 9am-5pm -- $280
Cook's Mill, Scotts, MI. Tom Nehil, Blair Bates, Dick Roosenberg, Instructors.

b/ June 7, 2008 -- Saturday, 9am-5pm -- $65
DreamAcres, Wykoff, MN. Ted Wilson, Instructor.

Dave Kramer taught woodworking, metalworking, and started animal traction programs during several years of international service with Peace Corps, Lutheran World Federation, and the Mennonite Central Committee. He knows the challenges facing the rural poor.

Thomas Nehil, a structural engineer with Nehil-Sivak, enjoys the challenges of wood joinery and studying the untested characteristics of traditional joinery.

Dick Roosenberg, along with his farm background, had a grandfather, Dan Halvorsen, who was a cabinet maker and who shared those skills and employment opportunities with his family. During the slow farm days, work switched to cabinet making with mortise and tenon joinery on the frames. Later, Dick expanded that to repairing barns and building historical buildings. When Mike Stitt and Steve Stier offered to help Tillers offer classes in timberframing, Dick was ready and eager to help organize the projects.

John Sarge, a blacksmith, mechanic, and woodworker, teaches tool maintenance and keeps everything working. John has worked with museums and has traveled to Nicaragua and Uganda on Tillers' projects.