Carpentry: Building Furniture with Hand Tools

Designer and carpenter Israel Martín believes that building a handmade piece of solid wood furniture requires not only an excellent design and finish, but a huge amount of attention to detail, and he achieves it with the use of hand tools.

In this course, build a small cabinet with timelessly simple lines that will stand the test of time. Design your piece, choose your materials, and build and varnish your piece.

Start by getting to know Israel Martín a little better. He tells you about his professional career and the artists who have influenced his designs and techniques.

Revisit some basic concepts like safety, efficiency, and organization. Learn to hold the pieces of wood you are working with in place properly and what tools you need as well as how to use them.

Now it’s time to get stuck in! After finalizing your design, build the basic structure before getting to work on the shelves and draw. All this without laying a finger on a power tool!

Now finish up with the final details: a backboard and a handle for the draw. Brush your piece off to remove any rough areas before applying a special oil to protect the wood.