In a world where entire buildings are constructed of high-efficiency triple-pane glass, it’s hard to imagine a time a few hundred years ago, when a single small window would have transformed an interior space. Windows meant light in the darkest months, fresh air, and a view of the outside world. But before the industrialization of woodworking, even a small window was a highly complex project to build, requiring ample skill and knowledge. In this unique one-time course offering, students will learn to build a traditional Norwegian sash window in its casing using hand tool joinery.

The first four days will be spent making the sash from pre-milled stock, connecting rails and stiles with a crossed vertical and horizontal bar using open mortises and tenons locked with suitable pegs. The next four days will be spent making the casing from rough-sawn boards, as well as planing and cutting the parts to size using hand planes and hand saws. We will experience how to make a board straight and flat and cut to the required dimensions, and will also explore a couple of strategies for making the sash rabbet. The casing corners will be joined with dovetails. All parts will be moulded with traditional sash profiles using specialized planes provided by the instructor. Throughout the class, we will pay close attention to detail in marking up and executing the high-precision joinery needed for a strong and beautiful window.

Students will bring home a four pane window to either hang on the wall or install in the perfect place to admire the view outside. Glass installation will not be completed in class, but guidance will be provided to complete this step at home. This course is best suited to those who have some prior experience with hand tool woodworking. Note that we will take a day off on May 8. Optional community learning opportunities will be provided, and class will resume on May 9.

Required Tools

• All required tools will be provided

Optional Tools

• Scrub plane
• Smoothing plane
• Panel cross cut hand saw and/or backsaw, no finer than 7-8 tpi
• Assorted chisels for dovetailling
• Wooden mallet
• Wooden ruler, tape measure, marking awl and ordinary try square
• Mortise gauge
• Try square and 45 mitre square
• Marking awl
• ⅜” mortise chisel, but same size benchchisel will also work
• Back saw for ripping and crosscutting, but only a crosscutting back saw will work too
• 1”, ¾”, ½” bench chisels
• Jointer plane
• Rip saw 4-5 tpi
• One or two Adjustable plow planes, ¼” or ⅜” blade
• One or two ¼” or even ⅛” chisels (for cleaning up narrow places)
• One or two block planes
• One fine tuned ¾” rabbet plane (for cleaning up tenon shoulders etc)