Rustic Carpentry reviews

3 Sep 20'

Alis reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"We had a great day on this this course. We went along one a complete novice and the other having some knowledge of working with wood. Both of us came away having learnt so much about a range of traditional tools, different wood types and various techniques used to create a bench. The real bonus is going home with a fantastic bench that will last us for a lifetime. Ian is very knowledgeable and a nice guy to spend a day with."

6 Jul 20'

Kim reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"We had such a fantastic family day out together making our rustic oak (chestnut and ash) bench with Ian. I would thoroughly recommend it and our two teenagers loved it too. Great sense of achievement at the end of the day and all socially distanced, with lots of fresh air too - the perfect way to celebrate end of lockdown."

11 Jun 20'

Michael Hawkins reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"Really enjoyed this course, and the bench looks great in our garden. We would definitely recommend this course!"

28 Mar 20'

Lucy reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"We had a wonderful time on Ian's green woodworking course making two stools. We have no previous woodworking experience but were keen to learn how to make something useful as a starting point. Ian was so enthusiastic and patient with our never-ending questions, and it was lovely to spend a day at his workshop isolated from technology. Would thoroughly recommend to anyone with an interest in woodworking, and we'll hopefully be back for another course in the future!"

29 Feb 20'

Charlotte Heath-kelly reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"We made an amazing Oak bench with Ian! Ian is very patient and attentive, and helps you make the best bench."

21 Feb 20'

Oak stool making reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"We had an outstanding day with Ian making an oak stool yesterday. Following a stroke my husband is unable to move his right arm and can struggle in company with his speech. We met with Ian a couple of months ago to discuss the possibilities. By the time we arrived yesterday Ian had everything in place to make this a perfect day, even designing new tools with friend Henry to ensure Rob could make a stool under his own steam and independently (apart from a small amount of axe work!). As we relaxed in such good company both the stool and easy conversation grew. My husband has a beautiful stool he crafted himself and enjoyed an experience that was truly accessible. Thank you Ian for going that extra mile!"

16 Feb 20'

Sirle reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"We had such a great day crafting our wooden stools with Ian. Me and my fiancee haven't done any woodwork before, though both of us have an interest in it. Ian was so patient, explaining and showing how to use the traditional tools. Thank you for everything Ian. It was such a fulfilling day. We came home with 2 stools we are so proud of and happy memories of a great day spent working and chatting."

13 Feb 20'

Alli reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"Brought this for me and my husband Sam who is a site carpenter by trade. Ian was fantastic, friendly and knowledgeable. We learnt a lot about using traditional techniques which Sam and I had never done before. We would highly recommend this course and we came away with a beautiful bench for our garden! Thanks Ian!"

9 Feb 20'

Sue Letts reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"What an enjoyable day! And such a sense of achievement at the end, having made, with Ian's expert and encouraging help, a presentable 3-legged stool! I've done a little bit of woodwork before (with more enthusiasm than skill) but nothing like this. From Ian, I learnt traditional techniques and tools which were new to me. I thoroughly recommend the whole experience."

4 Feb 20'

Martin Lovell reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"What a wonderful day. We started with some logs and ended up with a mallets and 2 rustic bar stools. Amazing. Neither my wife or I had done anything like this. Ian is patient, accommodating, and such a good teacher. We can highly recommend this course having left thinking what can we make next. A big thanks to Ian who is such an interesting guy."

31 Jan 20'

Ashraf reviewed: Make your own green woodworking 'Shave Horse' from Oak & Ash

"An amazing experience. Ian’s attitude to rustic work in my opinion is second to none. The experience I had was certainly fulfilling. If you like carpentry you would most certainly not go wrong by going on a course with Ian. He has really good person skills. The time with him was not only enjoyable but educational as well. Thank You Ian."

26 Jan 20'

Luke & Anabela reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"I went on Ian's 1 day benchmaking course with my partner and can thoroughly recommend it. We both had a great time and left with a lovely rustic bench made from oak, ash and chestnut as well as a huge hammer (called a 'persuader') we made for the purpose of hammering in the legs. We were really pleased that we managed to get so much done in such a short time without the day feeling at all rushed. Ian is clearly very passionate and knowledgeable about his craft and explained everything clearly and patiently. All in all a day well spent!"

19 Jan 20'

Ben Wolff reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"I received Ian's workshop as a Christmas gift, and had an excellent time. Ian's enthusiasm and passion for green woodworking was evident, and he carefully guided us through a day of learning about and using traditional hand tools with locally sourced wood; resulting in some beautiful Oak and Ash stools and very (!) sturdy mauls. The workshop was perfectly suited to all ability levels, as Ian was thorough and helpful in his guidance at each thoughtfully planned stage. He was patient and encouraging, and made it easy to gain a respect and appreciation for a style of woodworking that has been a fundamental part of local communities for centuries. A thoroughly enjoyable experience with a fantastic end product that will be cherished and will probably outlive me!"

15 Dec 19'

Mr Peter Savage reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"A truly excellent day creating a mountain of wood shavings, whilst having a brew. Ian is not only incredibly knowledgeable but also very patient. The day flew by and to top it off I have an oak stool which is undoubtedly less wonky than anything I would have made without supervision. Cracking fun I highly recommend it!"

4 Dec 19'

Jess reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"Fantastic course, would highly recommend. Ian is an amazing teacher and with no experience whatsoever, with his guidance, I crafted a beautiful stool. Superb day."

20 Nov 19'

David Rigg reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"I was bought a craft voucher when I retired after 32 years as an Art teacher. Browsing the various possibilities, I came across Ian's course and my daughter who was looking over my shoulder, said that she fancied making a stool too. We booked the course and arrived at 9.30 on a cool November morning. Ian greeted us and we entered his workspace; an old tithe barn filled with impressive pieces of timber and woodworking tools and equipment. He gave an interesting short talk about the place of green woodwork in farming communities of the past and showed us some photographs and actual examples of his contemporary furniture and other work. We began by making a simple ash mallet using a saw, a hand axe and a draw knife, then selected our wood and began the process of making our stools. The seat was oak and the legs ash (its low moisture content would avoid problems with shrinkage). We split a length of ash using a free, then used hand axes to begin to shape the legs. We then sat at a draw horse and used draw knives to refine the shapes of the legs. Throughout these processes, Ian gave us clear and simple explanations and demonstrated what we had to do. He was calm and enthusiastic, and had a nice gentle sense of humour which made us feel quickly at ease. He always seemed aware of what we were doing and was ready to jump in and give further advice, when he sensed that we needed it (and also reviving tea and coffee). When the legs were all suitably shaped, we set about joining the legs to the seat. The legs were inserted into the angled holes and knocked in firmly. Protruding wood was then trimmed flush using a Japanese saw. We then drilled holes for decorative oak pins which were tapped into place to strengthen the joint between the legs and stool. After some careful measuring, we marked out and trimmed the length of the legs to get a level seat, and the main construction was complete. The recently cut bottom edge of the legs was chamfered using a spoke shave and the stools were oiled to protect them and bring out the grain. We both stood back and admired our work. The stools were incredibly strong and solid and they looked better than we could have hoped for. My daughter has never really done any serious work with wood, and I would say her stool was just as good as my own. We drove home with two beautiful stools which I am sure will last a lifetime. Thank you Ian ! We both really enjoyed our day and would recommend the course to anyone."

15 Nov 19'

Michael Gaadt reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"This course is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable courses that I have ever done. Ian puts you at ease throughout and takes you through everything in a very logical manner. Very rustic and gloriously natural, you are at one with yourself and the wood you are working with. I can still smell it now as I type this review. To think that with Ian's help I produced a gorgeous stool, totally practical and made by me...... Who would have thought it! A big thank you to Ian for his patience, and would I recommend this course? Most definitely yes, go on give it a go, you will not regret it!"

15 Nov 19'

Austin Gibbons reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"Great day with Ian making a rustic bench. All things well explained and directed with lots of encouragement. I'd recommend this for anyone starting as a novice as I was."

11 Nov 19'

Gareth Jones reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"Ian is an excellent teacher, his easy manner and knowledge of his craft makes this an enjoyable and rewarding day. Ian is very welcoming and guides you expertly through the process of making a rustic stool, so that at the end of the day you leave fulfilled and with a lovely piece of furniture. I heartily recommend this course. Thank you Ian. Gareth Jones"

10 Nov 19'

Sam Henson reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"Ian is a very personable, friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgable teacher. He provides depth and history behind the skill and teaches some of the basic and more in depth skills to create your own home's furniture. I couldn't recommend this course enough whether you're a beginner or have reasonable experience working with tools, you're sure to learn something! Sam"

5 Nov 19'

Ben Dawson reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"What a great experience! The course exceeded my expectations and was a great blend of learning a new skill, which fused physical activity and mindfulness. Ian is a fantastic teacher and a great and very interesting bloke to spend the day with. I can't recommend this course highly enough and I'm very proud of my stool!!!"

3 Nov 19'

Clare reviewed: Rustic oak garden bench - one day course

"This was a surprise trip for me, no idea what I was getting myself in to. But Ian was a fabulous teacher. His knowledge and patience is fabulous even when I was being very heavy handed. This sort of wood work is far more delicate than I could have imagined. The day made all the better by finding a kindred spirit in climbing, sharing stories of bear encounters in Yosemite and life without responsibilities. Fabulous day, can’t wait to go back and do another course."

31 Oct 19'

Mohammed Alam reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"What a great day! As a fine furniture student, it was wonderful to spend the whole day producing a rustic stool. Ian, a fabulous teacher, goes through the whole process using only traditional tools and techniques. It is a great introduction to green woodworking. I have definitely got the bug. I can't wait to try making a shaving horse on the next course."

28 Oct 19'

Daniel Morriss reviewed: Oak stool making experience - rustic carpentry & green wood work

"Brilliant day! I got this for my girlfriend for Christmas last year and it far exceeded our expectations. Ian was very accommodating when I contacted him to arrange the course with quick and informative responses. Ian was mega friendly and put us at ease as soon as we arrived, he is very genuine and likeable. He is incredibly knowledge and was always excited to answer any questions we had, we came away with a solid foundation on green carpentry as well as some beautiful stools that will last us a lifetime. Super chilled atmosphere throughout the day and I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking for a fun day working with your hands."

24 Oct 19'

Claire Crowley reviewed: Make your own green woodworking 'Shave Horse' from Oak & Ash

"A brilliant day learning skills with different heritage tools to make a shave horse. Ian is a great teacher; patient, very skilled and knowledgeable and encouraging. This course was just what we needed after a very busy term and we felt thoroughly engaged and ended up with a shave horse that we can use in our Forest School. We will be back to learn from Ian again ! Many thanks."