Introduction to ​Green Woodworking

It’s reasonable to wonder why green wood has surged in popularity over the past several years. The advantages lie in exactly what makes the material volatile: “green” wet wood is softer and easier to split, cut, and carve. Green wood also shrinks when it dries and locks in joints better than any glue around. The tools themselves are also less expensive, and the investment for a beginner is minimal compared to an arsenal of power tools. While spoons, spreaders, bowls, and spatulas are quite popular to craft, green woodworking principals can apply to larger objects such as chairs, stools, and benches as well as large projects like log cabins.

This course will focus on the fundamentals of green woodworking. Students will begin with whole logs and break them down to workable pieces to craft simple functional items such as chop sticks, butter spreaders, and cooking spoons to get a feel for working fresh split wood with hand tools. Students will also learn more about the possibilities of green woodworking and the tools required.