Professional Woodworking for Beginners

If you want to get started in this age-old craft, then this course by Maderística is the one for you. Learn to make wooden furniture filled with passion and a marked identity, and who better to usher you into the world of signature carpentry than architect, carpenter, and co-founder of the Maderística workshop Patricio Ortega? Take the leap by building your very own piece of furniture!

In this course, learn the key concepts, techniques, and tools used in professional carpentry and build a pine plywood stool without needing any previous experience.

Start by getting to know Patricio Ortega, who tells you how he transitioned from architecture to carpentry and how the Maderística workshop was born under the umbrella of "signature carpentry." He also shares his main influences, some very personal and others from his previous profession as an architect.

Discover the necessary materials for the course, specifically plywood, what dimensions you need, and look at the importance of ordering the pieces by size and thickness following a series of useful tips.

Patricio also gives you a detailed look at all the tools, specifying which are essential for your project and which are complementary.

Learn to use your cutting table as an extra tool as well as a milling machine, a jigsaw, and a circular saw.

Now get straight to work defining the general dimensions of your piece and adjusting them to your liking. Then use the circular saw to cut out the individual pieces. Put your piece together seamlessly following some basic rules, before moving on to designing the legs, drawing the template, and cutting them out with the jigsaw before sanding.

After seeing how to mark the axes on the seat piece, cut it with the manual milling machine for a more precise result. Patricio teaches you how to make a cross lap joint template, cut out the seat, and adjust the tenon for the perfect fit.

Finally, Patricio shares the Maderística methods for achieving the perfect finish, adding details and retouching imperfections. Now all that’s left is assembling your brand new stool!

Build a three-piece stool with half-lap joints and a cross lap joint on the seat.

Anyone who wants to get started in carpentry or carpentry enthusiasts looking to achieve more professional results.

No previous experience is necessary for this course. Your teacher will walk you through everything step by step, from how to use the tools to the basic techniques.

In terms of materials, you need a ruler, a carpenter’s square, a combination square, a jigsaw, a circular saw (optional), a milling or cutting machine, sandpaper, a hammer, and a few other simple supplies.

If you don’t have all of these tools and are not familiar with what they are used for, this course provides a more detailed look into each one and its advantages, so that you can analyze your needs and acquire them at a later date.