Short Courses

IBTC Portsmouth is delighted to present its first ever short course programme, beginning this Autumn.

Our short courses are a great way to improve existing skills or develop a brand-new hobby in the very special surroundings of the iconic Boathouse 4. The majority of courses are suitable for beginners and all tools and materials are provided for you. The courses for this Autumn and Winter are:

 

Hand tool sharpening and maintenance	Hand tool restoration
Jewellery box making	Make your own boat hook
Make your own beech mallet	Make your own smoothing plane
Make your own clock & barometer plaque	Construct a dovetail tool case
Caulking	Make your own spirit level
Make your own paddleboard paddle

 

More information on each course is below, to book or discuss contact the College. info@ibtcportsmouth.co.uk

All courses run 9.30am to 5pm and take place in our purpose-built training facilities. You will have access to a well equipped area with free tea & coffee, a microwave, a fridge and plenty of comfortable places to sit during breaks.  There's an hour for lunch; plenty of time to visit one of the on-site restaurants, visit nearby Gunwharf Quays shopping centre or go for a stroll around the Historic Dockyard.

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Hand tool sharpening and maintenance

Perfect for beginners, this course can teach you how to set up, sharpen and care for all your woodworking hand tools. A well-made hand tool can last a lifetime, or even two! Master the techniques you need to keep your favourite tools in tip-top condition with this comprehensive one-day course.

Don’t have a full set of tools? Don’t worry, we can provide tools for you to practise your skills on. When you book we will discuss which tools you plan on bringing to ensure that we have everything ready for you on the day.  

Dates: Friday 12th November 2021

Tuesday 7th December 2021 

Monday 17th January 2022

Tuesday 1st February 2022

Price: £105

Skill level: Beginner

 

Hand Tool Restoration

Why buy new tools when you can restore characterful older ones? In this two day course you will learn how to breathe life into worn-out planes, saws, hammers and mallets. You will be taught to identify common defects and develop the skills to repair them. At the end of the course the tools you restore will be yours to take home and keep.

All tools and materials, including tools for restoration, will be provided. If you already possess tools in need of repair, and would prefer to work on those during the course, just let us know when you make your booking.

Dates: Monday 22nd - Tuesday 23rd November 2021

Thursday 9th - Friday 10th December 2021

Price: £250 (£200 with own tools)

Skill level: Beginner

 

Jewellery box making

Handmade dovetail joints have been the sign of fine furniture for hundreds of years. On this 5 day course you will develop the skills to make dovetail joints and use them to create your very own jewellery box.

Over five days, you will learn how to accurately prepare, cut, build and finish a jointed box with lid and inset tray. The box will be made from a high quality hardwood and lined with velvet or baize to give a luxurious finish. All tools and materials will be provided. Some previous woodworking experience is recommended but a slightly modified course is available to those with little or no experience. This involves constructing the box using the simpler, finger joint technique.

Dates: Monday 29th November - Friday 3rd December 2021

Monday 7th - Friday 11th February 2022

Price: £480

Skill level: Beginner/Intermediate

Make your own boathook

Something practical and decorative for the sailors out there. Craft your own 8ft spruce boat hook on this four day course. Shape, taper and varnish your hook to achieve a fine finish. Develop your accuracy in shaping wood as you make a round cross-section from a square one and learn the decorative knot and whipping techniques required to make a sturdy and handsome grip.

All tools and materials will be provided.

Dates: Monday 13th - Thursday 16th December 2021

Price: £ 450

Skill level: Beginner

 

Make your own beech mallet

Historically, a mallet was one of the first objects a boatbuilding apprentice would learn how to make, and its something we still teach on our one year boatbuilding course.

Made from just two pieces of beech, a wood chosen for its close grain and hardness, a mallet is a surprisingly complex object to shape and construct. No glue is required in its manufacture; friction is all that’s needed to hold a well-made mallet together. On this two day course you will learn how to make a tapered mortice and neat stocked chamfers, the final mallet will be finished with a coat of refined linseed oil.

All tools and materials will be provided. 

Dates: Thursday 6th - Friday 7th January 2022

Price: £192

Skill level: Beginner

 

Make your own smoothing plane

Produce a Marples-style beech no.4 smoothing plane to a traditional pattern. This will enhance your hand skills and precision, and on completion of this three day course you will take home your own hand-crafted wooden plane. 

All tools and materials will be provided. Some previous woodworking experience is recommended before undertaking this course.

Dates: Wednesday 12th - Friday 14th January 2022

Price: £288

Skill level: Intermediate

 

Make your own clock and barometer plaque

Construct a beautiful and practical addition for your boat or home on this two day course. Make the plaque your own, with a choice of shapes, patterns and decorative woods. Develop your hand tools skills and use oak, walnut or sapele singly, or in combination, to make the perfect plaque to match your décor.

All tools and materials, including clock and barometer, will be provided. If you prefer to create a plaque for your own clock and/or barometer, please do contact us to discuss

Dates: Wednesday 19th - Thursday 20th January 2022

Price: £250

Skill level: Beginner

 

Construct a dovetail tool case

Over five days, you will construct an attache-style dovetail tool case, with an internal sliding drawer for smaller tools, sturdy handle, and a linseed oil and wax finish. This practical and stylish case will be large enough to hold all your key woodworking tools and allow you to carry them with ease.

All tools and materials will be provided. Some previous woodworking experience is recommended before undertaking this course. 

Dates: Monday 24th - Friday 28th January 2022

Price: £480

Skill level: Intermediate

 

Caulking

Caulking is the time-honoured technique for sealing the gaps between planks, vital for building or restoring carvel planked boats. On this two day course you will learn how to prepare the work site, select and use different caulking materials, and pay-up the seams, using caulking mallets and irons. You’ll also learn how to select and use mastics and tar to seal the seam.

Dates: Tuesday 22nd - Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Price: £192

Skill level: Beginner

Make your own spirit level

A 20cm spirt level is a classic shipwright’s tool. Over two days you can make your own handsome and functional level from sapele (a mahogany substitute) and brass fittings. This project will develop your hand tool skills as you learn to shape the wood to a high degree of precision.

All tools and materials will be provided.

Dates: Thursday 3rd - Friday 4th February 2022

Price: £192

Skill level: Beginner

 

Make your own paddleboard paddle

Make the paddleboard paddle of your dreams on this intensive one week course. No need to compromise with a shop-bought paddle when you can choose the position and contour of the grip, the placing of walnut and mahogany veneers and whether you build a otter tail, beaver tail or spade-ended blade.

Constructed from spruce, a strong yet light timber, and finished with marine-grade varnish, this will be a paddle you can be proud of for years to come.

All tools and materials will be provided. Some previous woodworking experience is recommended, but not essential, before undertaking this course.

Dates: Monday 28th February - Friday 4th March

Price: £480

Skill level: Beginner