Workshops new

This very popular series of workshops covers a range of equipment found in our wood workshop.  It’s suitable for novices or anyone wishing to upskill, particularly in power-tools and machinery.

​​Each session will offer the chance to learn different skills, tools and machinery in a supportive, friendly setting whilst making items for our local community, our Women Empowerment Fund or for our community partners like Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao including:

• timber basics, marking and measuring,
• hand-saws and circular saws
• chiselling techniques and hand-planes
• power-tools such as planers and mitre saws
• drills, bits and impact drivers
• drill presses, jigsaws and bandsaws
• working with metal including cutting and filing
• basic joints, assembling work, screw/nail fixings
• if time, rotary tools (Dremel)

Based on our ‘Introduction to the Wood Workshop, this one-day class still packs a punch with what you cover but is designed to fit in with busy schedules.  It is also aimed at beginners and those looking for confidence in power tools often used in the home environment.

Similarly, our small class sizes and supportive, friendly approach will enable you learn a good range of common woodworking tools and equipment and gain confidence in their use whilst doing good for the local wildlife, building items to support the work of our community partner Urban Ark – Manawa Taiao.

The day includes:

• timber basics, marking and measuring
• chiselling techniques
• power tools including circular saws, jigsaws and mitre saws
• drills and impact drivers
• basic joints, assembling work, screw/nail fixings

Throughout this workshop, you’ll get hands-on experience with a range of essential carpentry tools and their uses including saws, drills and drivers, learning the right tool for each task.  No more guesswork — just practical skills you can apply right away.

You’ll start by constructing a mock-up of a stud wall frame so you understand how to tackle basic repairs and modifications with confidence.  You’ll also learn how to cut and fix timber mouldings and securely hang pictures and shelves…level!  Different abilities can be extended by learning about common DIY hardware.

In particular, you will learn:

• measuring, squaring, cutting and joining techniques
• how to safely and securely hang pictures and shelves
• different types of mouldings and practice installing

Lastly you’ll build a small planter box that you can take home, and depending on group ability we’ll also cover door hardware including handles and hinges.

There are opportunities to ask questions about your own projects throughout the sessions and share your experiences with your fellow workshoppers.

Learn to design and build a simple piece of furniture to take home and admire forever. Using basic cabinetry techniques and materials you will learn a design that can be adapted to create something for yourself such as a bedside table, a stool, a laptop table or a kid’s desk.

It is an opportunity to be creative whilst learning and embedding cutting, joining and assembling skills, in a supportive and friendly women-only environment at our unrivalled extensive central Auckland workshop.  Tools and machinery available to use include the track saw, dropsaw, benchsaw, jigsaw, drill press, electric and hand planes, sanders, etc.

This workshop works better for women who have some previous experience with power-tools.  If you’re a complete novice, we recommend doing our Introduction to the Wood Workshop (see above) series first to gain some confidence in working with the power-tools and machinery used in this workshop.

Due to popular demand, we’ve created our ‘level 2’ cabinetry workshop designed for those who have completed our Level 1 , or for women with experience who want the opportunity to try their hand at some finer woodworking skills by making a wall hanging cabinet.

The principles learnt can be applied to lots of other wood working projects that require a joint.

It is a unique opportunity to be both creative whilst learning new, and embedding existing skills.

Tools and machinery available to use include

• hand tools such as chisels and hand planes
• skilsaws, drop-saws and bench saws
• edge and plunge routers
• jigsaws, electric planes, drill press
• planer/thicknesser, sanders, etc.

This introductory workshop series is perfect for women | wāhine who are interested in making something functional to take home.  The process of creating our uniquely designed planter box in a welcoming and supportive environment will not only give you the opportunity to become proficient in a range of skills and equipment found in our wood workshop, it will build your confidence to have a go at other projects at home.

It is suitable for those who are just beginning their woodworking journey and includes:

• introduction to design principles, cutting lists and reading plans
• drop-, circular and table saw techniques
• clamping techniques, fixings and brad nailers
• joints including butt, mitre and rebates