Wood Finishing Fundamentals Made Simple & Easy
with Charlie Kokourek
Experience Level: Beginner, no prior experience needed
Friday Sept 22-Sunday Sept 24, 9am-4pm (3 sessions)
Ages 14+  

Through lecture and demonstration, Charlie takes students from wood preparation to rubbing out the final finish, while demystifying the many color and finishing products. This includes selecting the proper abrasives, sanders, and fillers; layering of colorants; ebonizing; glazing; brushing; and rubbing the final finish to perfection.

Participants will learn about different types of hand-applied finishes including dyes, pigments, oil based finishes, water based finishes, shellac, grain fillers, oils, and hard wax oils. You will learn not only what these different finishes are, but how they differ and why you would select one over another.

Work is done on practice panels provided by the school. Students are encouraged to bring special pieces of their own wood on which to experiment with colors and finishes.

This class is intended for all woodworkers from beginning hobbyists to those running small professional wood shops.

Charlie Kocourek is a woodworker, an artist, and a teacher with a broad range of skills and a passion for wood finishing. Charlie teaches a five day wood finishing class at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Maine. He’s a contributing editor for the Woodworker’s Guild of America where he writes articles and produces woodworking how-to videos. In addition to teaching woodworking classes in several different states, he’s also been featured on the PBS show American Woodshop, and written articles for Popular Woodworking Magazine and for the Marquetry Society’s Marquetarian Magazine. Charlie is also known for designing an adjustable height workbench called the Jack Bench. Charlie’s websites are Jack-Bench.com and CharlieKocourek.com.

SUPPLY LIST
Wood Finishing Made Easy –September 22 – 24, 2023

Please bring · Cork Sanding Block · Felt Sanding Block 1”x 2” x 4” · Golden Taklon brush set (One will be available for shared us)

• Six – 2” Foam Brushes: o https://www.amazon.com/Foam-Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Set
• A small (5- or 6-inch) random orbit sander or palm sander
• A small task or desk lamp similar to any of the following: o https://www.amazon.com/Architect-Multi-Joint-Adjustable Lamp o https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Deluxe-Clamp-Light-Socket o https://www.amazon.com/Cordless-Waterproof-Lamp-Portable o https://www.amazon.com/PowerSmit-Weatherproof-Adjustable-Lamp

Dress
Comfortable work clothes, and shoes

Optional items to bring:
· Samples of any specific dried hardwood that you are interested in experimenting on.

• Specific finishing projects that you would like to discuss
• Shop apron (optional)