Training & skills improvement

[Maz123]

Hi all,

I'm looking to improve my carpentry skills.
I have some basic knowledge and experience but wanted to improve and learn more, such as jointing techniques.
Have googled a bit and can only seem to find introductory or basic courses, mostly covering things I have experience in already.
Other courses I've seen for furniture making seem very expensive and very specific, eg. make a stool over x amount of days, so not sure they'll cover what I want, although I could be wrong

I live in SW London so if anyone knows anywhere that offers courses that would be suitable and not crazy expensive and cover a variety of carpentry skills this would be amazing
Or suggestions for other places or ways I could gain these skills?

Thanks

[Grumps]

From your number of Posts you are obviously not new here.

I don't think the type of course you are looking for is available [at sensible prices]. You haven't mentioned your availability (work commitments) or your 'ambition'. Home projects or...., etc.

I'd suggest looking at the Volunteer sector. Locally, we have a Charity that takes in furniture, repairs it, and then makes it available to the public.

The area that I am involved in, although from an Engineering aspect, rather than Wood Butchery, is the Heritage Railway sector. It costs me a few shekels a year for membership + personal travel.

From your location, frankly to join a Railway with the Professionalism that you would no doubt be seeking, would have to be the Mid Hants. Scoot down the M3. Although that would depend upon which days they concentrate on subjects of interest to you.

Our Wood Bitchery mob (Freudian slip in the spelling there. ) attend mainly on Wednesdays. Just don't expect to get 'trained up' on machines as soon as you arrive. Ours use external trainers for the Woodworking machines. Therefore Cost and Commitment come into play.

[Maz123]

Thanks Grumps...

I'm self-employed and so a little flexible but also busy and have work commitments during the week...so not too much 'spare' time.
My ambition is to be better at carpentry for home projects and work. My grandad was a carpenter but unfortunately passed when I was young so didn't get to learn from him but was always fascinated with what he could make from a piece of timber

I'll look up the railway thing and volunteer sector and see if there's anything suitable and that I can realistically commit to. Thanks