Courses
We run weekend workshop courses throughout the year.
We can't turn you into a skilled craftsman in one weekend but we aim to give you enough building blocks and confidence to tackle your own antique restoration projects.
Exactly what you learn depends on what you ask us to show you.
When are the courses run?
Dates for two-day Beginners Restoration weekend courses for 2012 are;-
18th 19th February |
21st 22nd July |
10th 11th March |
18th 19th August |
31st March 1st April |
15th 16th September |
28th 29th April |
13th 14th October |
26th 27th May |
10th 11th November |
23rd 24th June |
There might be a couple of extra weekends; we're fairly flexible so CONTACT US
In addition, there will be;-
Clock Appreciation weekend for Beginners; CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
- Two Antique appreciation courses (dates to be arranged - spring and autumn) - Content; the evolution of styles – wood types – estimating value - spotting the fake etc.
How many people will there be on the course?
Our rule is a minimum of three and a maximum of five. That way we can give very close instruction and supervision and you don't end up at the back of the class.
Course Content
We aim to pass on a wide range of skills that we have developed during our everyday antique restoration work. Exactly what you learn depends on what you ask us to show you.
Most of what we do is chair restoration - that covers woodwork repairs, finishes and, of course, upholstery.
But tell us what you'd like to learn about and if it's on this list we can help;-
Antique identification - how to identify a piece by wood-type, style, workmanship etc. - spot the quality and spot the fake.
Cane-work - cane seat replacement, Bergère chairs
Chair restoration - Our flagship course - The idea is that you bring a broken down antique chair and we show you the various restoration stages so that at the end of the weekend, you can leave with a heritage piece that, if it isn't finished, could be completed at home.
French polishing - What it's made of, how and where to apply it. How to get a professional finish. What can go wrong.
French polishing repairs - Rejuvenating a dull or aged surface, removing water and alcohol rings and marks
Rush and Sugan Seat replacement
Upholstery (that means tradition upholstery using traditional materials) from simple padded seats to more complicated sprung upholstery.
Woodwork - and other replacement parts - how to sharpen edge tools - how to use hand tools safely.
Woodwork repairs - making replacement seat frames, repairing broken legs, re-fixing loose and broken joints, mending drawers etc.
Wood turning - Wood turning is an essential skill in antique repair because there are always turned components to be replaced - legs, spindles, knobs etc.
Veneer repairs - Learn how to replace chipped or missing veneer.
What you need to bring
It isn't vital to bring a project but it's definitely advisable. In fact you can bring as many things as you like, even just to talk about what's involved with their restoration.
A "project" needs to be worth putting the effort into and is often something that might otherwise end up in the skip - We've never failed to restore any project.
We keep a variety of woods (Beech, Ash Sapele, Mahogany, Maple, African Rosewood, Walnut, Oak) but if you have a special project you may prefer to bring your own wood.
We also keep a range of upholstery materials and consumables (springs, webbing, hessian, tacks, stuffing)
If you don't have any antiques to bring, don't worry we always have lots of jobs "on the go" and there are always a few spare projects lying around.
If you bring a chair project, no matter how much work is involved, you might just finish it by the end of the weekend so do consider bringing your choice of finishing fabric: We only keep a very limited range of fabrics here (mostly off-cuts)
Equipment etc.
All the tools that you will need are provided but you're welcome to bring your own if you have them.
Bring your edge tools (chisels, plane blades etc.) if you need guidance about sharpening.
You may find it useful to bring along work gloves, and an apron or set of overalls.
A camera is a useful item to record the various stages of your work, along with a notebook and pen.
Accommodation
There are several Hotels and B&Bs in the area, CONTACT US for local accommodation information.
We can provide B&B and evening meal accommodation at Clooneenagh House so CONTACT US for more information.
Cost
Cost is €175 per person including lunches, coffee, tea, biscuits, etc, and including any materials used (wood, fabrics, upholstery supplies, polishes, etc).
We also have some tools and supplies available to buy at discounted prices.
Booking a Place
Contact us by completing the course enquiry form.
A deposit of €75 will secure your place on the course. If you cancel more than 2 weeks before the course date, that deposit will be re-funded in full.
DEPOSITS AND CANCELLATION POLICY
- Once you pay the €75 deposit your place on your specified course is guaranteed.
- If subsequently you want to cancel we will fully refund your deposit if you give us a month’s notice.
- With less than a month’s notice we will refund if we can find somebody to fill the cancelled space
We donate proceeds from weekend workshops to the Esther Benjamins Trust (a UK Registered Charity (Reg No. 1078187) to help their work with vulnerable and forgotten children in Nepal.
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