At the Back Channel School of Woodworking we believe that woodworking is a satisfying and rewarding endeavor. Sitting at a desk for forty hours or more a week might cause people to forget the simple joy of creating something beautiful and useful with their own hands. We seek to encourage and enable people to build things for themselves, and for the people in their lives.

As with most complex skills, mastering the basics through simple practice is the key to success. In woodworking, just as in other crafts, gaps in knowledge lead to frustration and shoddy results. We emphasize basic skills that all woodworkers should possess no matter what type of woodworking they do or would like to pursue. All of our classes are designed with this idea in mind. As with learning to play a musical instrument, we think that fundamental woodworking skills are better learned through more hands on time with immediate feedback.

Our usual class format allows the students to absorb each lesson and practice technique between classes that last over a period of several weeks. As such, they are mostly oriented towards southwestern Pennsylvania residents.

Can't do weeknights?

If you're sure you're in learning woodworking, you could try the weekend à la carte Fundamentals classes.