The Furniture Institute of Massachusetts

Machines are a necessary part of woodworking. The class is the perfect class for anyone interested in becoming involved with woodworking. The students will be instructed in the safety and operation of all of the shop machines while building a pair of saw horses. The scroll saw, drill press, mortiser, table saw, swing saw, jointer, planer, band saw, lathe, grinder, shaper, and router table are the machines to be covered. Level: Beginner Course Length: One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM

Discover the secrets of woodworking hand tools. This class is a must for those interested in making the finest woodwork and furniture. Hand tools such as planes, chisels, scrapers and spokeshaves only perform well when they are tuned, sharpened and adjusted correctly. Phil will show participants how to achieve all of these tasks and more, so that working with these tools becomes a pleasure instead of a chore. After students have tuned up and sharpened there tools Phil will present the principles of “flat and square” and students will put their tools to work, laying out and cutting mortise and tenon, miter and dovetail joints. This is an excellent class for the novice and the intermediate woodworker. Level ~ Beginner / Intermediate Course Length – One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM

Federal furniture was customarily embellished with stringing, bandings, bellflowers and fans. In this course the student will make his or her own tool especially designed to inlay stringing into a leg fashioned by them. Simple bandings will be glued up and sawn. Bellflowers and fans will be cut from veneers and appropriately inlayed into solid stock. The age old technique of sand shading will also be explored, leaving the student with an increased awareness in the evolution of furniture ornamentation. Level ~ Beginner / Intermediate Course Length – One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM


The Sheraton chair is a great chair that departs from the construction of earlier chairs which gives it the lightness that these forms are known for. Making chairs includes some of the most challenging tasks in building a piece of furniture. Through a step-by-step approach, the class will learn the importance of layout, precision milling and the necessity of hand tools. In building a Sheraton Upholstered Arm Chair, each student will receive a layout prepared in the classroom by Phil and will work from the patterns generated by that particular layout. The necessary jigs will be constructed by calculating the numerous angles required to construct a Sheraton arm chair. This chair making class is recommended for the intermediate to advanced skill level. The participants should know basic hand tool skills. Upholstery is not included in this chair. A great class that can accompany this chair class is an upholstery class. Level: Intermediate /Advanced Instructor – Phil Lowe 2 Weeks (10 days) Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM no class on weekend

The Goddards and Townsends, 18th century furniture makers from Rhode Island, produced the finest block front furniture ever made. This uniquely American form, has brought record breaking amounts at New York’s best auction houses. This class will explore the design of the Newport shell with close attention given to the over-all modeling, the central scroll motif, and to the undulating curves of each lobe. Learn the techniques that these furniture makers implemented to create this truly masterful piece of work. Level ~ Beginner / Intermediate Course Length – One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM


This week-long class uses basic woodworking skills to create a beautiful and functional cabinet. Based on the plans provided, we will discuss design, proportion, and possible ways to customize your individual piece. Material choice, with a focus on grain graphics and direction, will follow; then we will start building. Accurate layout , cutting, and joinery form the heart of this project, along with hand tool skills and sharpening. There will be a focus on good shop practices which result in repeatable accuracy and efficient work habits. Carcass construction, frame and panel door making, hinge mortising, and door hanging will all be covered. We will also discuss interior arrangements, shelves, dividers and the possibility of a drawer. A small wall-hung cabinet has many of the elements of a large piece of furniture; the skills learned through building this project are easily transferrable to more complex endeavors. Level ~ Intermediate Course Length ~ One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00 AM ~ 5:00 PM

Bracket clocks were early timepieces that could be easily transported. This workshop is a great opportunity to build this classic. This is a great class to work along side one of the countries premier woodworkers. Past students say that watching Phil at the layout board, where he will develop the design and proportions of the case, is worth the price of the class. After the layout the stock list will be developed and hardware determined. In the shop students will prepare lumber and begin construction. Throughout the class Phil will give pointers on the accuracy in machining of wood and you can marvel at his control and precision he can obtain with simple hand tools. This class is also great to learn about the router table and running straight moldings with the shaper. Be one of the first to build this heirloom with Phil. Level ~ Beginner / Intermediate Course Length: One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM

A chest of drawers is the most useful pieces of furniture in the home. In this class the students will construct a small chest of drawers from a detail drawn by the instructor. Dovetails, mortise and tenons and miters will be employed for its construction. The participant will laminate panels for the top and ends, and learn sound drawer construction as well as base frame assembly. All the techniques for squaring the case and the proper fitting of drawers will fill the students knowledge in the basics of carcass construction. Level: Intermediate Course Length – Two Weeks Monday ~ Friday 9:00AM ~ 5:00PM

This is a great opportunity to spend time learning from a master upholsterer who describes himself as having “been spitting tacks for 45 years”. Over the week Joseph Karagezian will discuss the tools and materials necessary for simple upholstery and the students will upholster a simple slip seat using webbing, burlap, horsehair, cotton and muslin. In the latter part of the class the more advanced technique of spring tying and complex fabric cutting and advanced sewing techniques will be practiced. If you have a simple chair with a slip or spring seat we encourage you to bring it along to work on. Make sure the frame you bring is stripped of its upholstery when you arrive. Don’t miss this class as it isn’t offered that often. Level: Beginner / Intermediate Course Length ~ One Week Monday ~ Friday 9:00 AM ~ 5:00 PM