Build and Carve a 
Charleston Tea Table
With Dan Hamilton & Mary May

Classes are held from 9:00am - 5:00pm, with 1 hour lunch
Nov. 29 - Dec, 1 (assembly and shaping of table with Dan)
Dec. 2 & 3, (carving of details with Mary)
- 2 week break to finish carving -
Dec. 18 (gluing and finishing table with Dan) 

Cost - $850

Click on the "Add to Cart" below to sign up and pay for this class

Option for additional  carving instruction:
Advanced Carving for Furniture class with Mary May
Dec. 16 & 17, (continuation of carving before finishing table)
Click here for more information on this class

Cost - $200 

Click on the "Add to Cart" below to sign up and pay for this 
additional carving class

About the teachers

Dan L. Hamilton is a premier furniture maker and restorer, specializing in 18th  century furniture. His experience is vast and practices the true meaning of relentless precision in his endeavor to hold true to the traditional furniture making processes and techniques. Dan Hamilton has been commissioned to restore pieces for historical societies, and his furniture making has appeared in books and national magazines. Additionally, he is an avid participant of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) 18th Century Furniture Seminars, and member of  The Society of American Period Furniture Makers. You can see some of Dan's work at www.dlhamiltoncirca1762.com  

Mary May is a professional woodcarver and is owner of Cornerstone Creations, LLC. She has studied woodcarving at a variety of places around the world - England, Malaysia & Greece -  and has had many opportunities to study the traditional techniques of the European master carvers. She specializes in making carvings for reproduction period furniture and teaches these techniques at several locations throughout the US, as well as in her home town of Charleston, SC. Mary has produced instructional DVDs which include carving the ball and claw foot, the acanthus leaf, and both the concave and convex Newport shells. She has recently appeared as a guest on The Woodwright's Shop with Roy Underhill. Mary is a member of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers. You can see more of Mary's work throughout this web site.

About the class

In this class, you will build and carve a Charleston Tea Table – all with hand tools. You will learn the following:

- Demo on turning center pedestal (turnings will be provided)
- How to cut joints
- How to join boards for top
- How to carve rat’s foot, acanthus leaf knee, center acanthus leaf on turned section, and floral molding
- How to glue up and finish table (you will have 2 weeks to complete carving at home and come back on Dec. 
    18 to glue up and finish table)

Materials included in the price of class

- All wood
- Turned center column
- Hardware for table top (castors not included)
- Finishing materials

Materials you will need to bring to class

- Any hand planes you have – new or used
- Any saws – rip saws, cross cut back saw, dove-tail saw, cross-cut saw
- Mortise and bench chisels
- Heavy carving or mortise mallet
- Set of carving chisels (to be determined)