Boat Cabinetry
Practical guidance on the planning and constructing of interior joinery
- Dave Merrifield —July 28–August 3
Tuition: $750
Materials: $63.00
Note: Previous woodworking experience is required.
Master woodworker and furniture designer Dave Merrifield has designed a very useful and functional course for anyone interested in doing his/her own interior fitting out. The ultimate goal will be to develop practical cabinetmaking skills oriented toward boat work but also applicable to interior home projects. The variety of techniques covered, with an emphasis on curved shapes, will allow you to gain confidence and be successful in a wide range of boatbuilding or cabinetry designs. While many hand tool operations will be covered, this course is a machine-based woodworking experience.
Plans for boat interiors can be much more complex than for cabinets found in homes. At the start, Dave will introduce students to design, understanding technical drawings, accurate layout, and how to go about making their own designs on paper. You’ll then discuss the materials employed: various soft and hard woods, glues, sealants, and fastenings. Other procedures covered during the week will be scribing irregular shapes, veneering curved forms, bent lamination, and a host of time-tested joinery techniques.
For simplicity’s sake, each student will build his/her own curved-top, portable storage box, designed by Dave, that will be handy for the boat or home. The construction of the piece will highlight practical woodworking techniques and procedures that can easily be repeated in the average home shop. Practice will make perfect.
If you enjoy the challenge of creating something with your own hands and taking pride in your achievement, a week with Dave Merrifield just might be the perfect fit.
It was a privilege to be able to work with a craftsman like Dave Merrifield. I learned more about fine cabinetry in one week from Dave than from years of magazine articles. The ‘Access to Experience’ part of your mission statement is your school’s most unique and valuable attribute. Just rubbing shoulders with guys like Dave is worth the price of admission! 
