The full 3-term Designer Maker Course 2025 & 2026
This full 3 term Designer Maker Course is where it all started for the school. We wanted to design and deliver a course that gave all that attended an intense and rounded education in what it takes to become a Furniture ‘Designer Maker’. We wanted it to be open to students from varied backgrounds, with varied ambitions and with varied levels of experience. From total beginners to experienced makers and / or designers, the course was designed to push everyone to achieve great things. We were adamant that the mission of the course was to bring our students up to what we would describe as reaching professional standards as quickly as possible and not to cut any corners along the way. And the results speak for themselves. Our student pieces are spectacular and even under the closest of inspection reveal a high quality in both making and design. What’s more our students have gone on to work for some of the worlds leading workshops, have won numerous awards, set up their own ‘Designer Maker’ businesses and even won medals at the World Championships of Cabinet Making. Of course many others just went on to continue to enjoy furniture making as a hobby that will remain a passion for a lifetime. All of these outcomes are things we work hard to make possible and we are proud of the on going achievements of all our students. Each and every one becoming part of the ever growing Waters and Acland Designer Maker family!
Designer Maker Course Content
Our full 3 term Designer Maker course has a clear set of goals. To teach the craft of cabinet making and furniture design to an exceptionally high standard whilst making a series of beautiful pieces of fine furniture designed by award winning furniture designer Will Acland during the set project phase of the course and by our talented students during the self designed project phase of the course. All pieces will be designed and made to the highest of standards and will be enjoyed for generations to come.
So how do we achieve these goals?
We achieve these goals through the dedication of our students, who often join us with no previous woodwork experience, in combination with a method of teaching developed over the last decade that builds high level skill and that produces work made to exceptional standards.
The Designer Maker Course — A Brief Overview :
Term 1 ‘Total Immersion’
The first term of our Designer Maker course is the most immersive period at the furniture school, focused on mastering both furniture making and design. Over 14 weeks (term lengths may vary), Designer Maker students devote hundreds of hours to developing core cabinetmaking skills and wood machining techniques. Guided by experienced tutors and projects from award-winning furniture designer Will Acland, students gain expertise in tool preparation, hand planing, chisel work, jointing, carcass assembly, veneering, and fitting piston-fit drawers and doors.
In addition to core hand skills training, we offer specialist training days covering laminating, carving, surface treatments, marquetry, jig creation, and more. These sessions inspire students and foster creative exploration.
Students also receive comprehensive training in our machine shop, mastering both fixed and portable tools. This culminates in the wall-hanging cabinet project, blending hand tools and machinery. The balance of fine hand skills and precision power tool use is central to our approach.
Technical Design training is intense, with every project fully drawn using SketchUp. This professional practice builds confidence, ensuring students are prepared for self-designed projects by the end of term.
Creativity is key throughout the Designer Maker course. Through drawing classes and one-on-one design sessions, students are encouraged to develop their own style and create future antiques, becoming true Designer Makers.
Term 2 ‘Building Confidence’
So our designer maker students now have excellent core hand skills. They are confident around woodworking machinery. They are proficient in the use of design software. They understand processes and professional practise within a designer maker studio / workshop. They are fizzing with design concepts and importantly they have ‘self designed’ project 1 ready to go. But we don’t take our feet off the gas. As soon as our students start making the first self designed project they move on to start working closely with award winning designer and head design tutor Will Acland on their next project. This is the pattern that continues throughout terms 2 and 3. Designing and making ever more complex pieces of furniture in conjunction with the tutors within the school. Will leads on design and Pete Craven leads on CAD and project delivery. Each project being designed alongside Will Acland in the design studio. Each project being made with one on one guidance from our amazing workshop tutors in the bench and machine rooms. Each project being designed for good reasons. To introduce new skills. To embed core skills. To practise traditional and contemporary furniture making techniques. To build confidence in all areas within the workshop and school.
The specialist training days continue but their focus changes. Less focus on the technical aspects of furniture making and more towards design, inspiration and for those wanting to turn pro, starting your own designer maker business. We organise trips to galleries and exhibitions as well as visits to other designer maker workshops and timber suppliers. The purpose of these trips are clear. It’s to empower our designer makers. To build confidence and to show them that the dream of becoming a true designer and maker of fine furniture is very much achievable.
Term 3 ‘Taking the lead’
Being a designer maker of fine furniture requires a number of things. The ability to make to a high level is a starting point. So is an eye for design and the ability to turn these ideas into working drawings. Problem solving isn’t far behind and an understanding of how to run a small business and sell your fine furniture is another key skill. But one theme that runs throughout all of these concepts is ‘self reliance’. The confidence to make decisions, to design, to make independently is absolutely key to future success, and it is this ‘self reliance’ that is at the heart of term 3 on the designer maker course. During terms 1 and 2 we have worked hard to give you the skill and the knowledge to design, make and if desired sell furniture. We have walked you thorough the design and build of a number of set and self designed projects. It’s now time to take the lead! To drive your projects more independently. The resources will still be there. The same level of access to teaching exists. The same drive for excellence remains. The big difference is that the designer maker student now sets the agenda. From the design, to testing, to the final making, we now want our students to lead. The school and tutors are now a resource. A resource in terms of the quality workshop facilities but also a resource in terms of knowledge. The same level of tuition remains but instead of us running the show, it’s over to you. The DESIGNER MAKER!!!
Designer Maker Course — Term 1 In Detail — Life at the bench
Having given you a brief overview of the full 3 term course let’s now take a closer look at what life looks like within the bench and machine rooms during that intensive first term.
We start with the basics of hand tool preparation and use. We obsess about these core skills as they are the building blocks, the foundations of all fine furniture makers. These skills are learnt via the making of a series of small objects such as an octagonal cutting board with chamfered edges and the Chinese puzzle project. We strive for excellence even in the making of these simple objects and through close supervision and expert guidance we give our students the ability to hit these high standards. Our method for tool preparation and use really comes into it’s own at this point. Our students gain control of their tools and look back at those tough hours at the flattening and sharpening station with a new level of appreciation and understanding.
Within weeks we move on to the first major project. A beautiful table with exposed joinery which is a fine example of our method of teaching. We combine the making of a beautiful piece of fine furniture designed by Will Acland as both a sophisticated teaching aid but also as a work piece that will bring joy to whoever is lucky enough to own it. This project builds on the core hand skills. We use it to to introduce a number of key jointing methods and our students cut mortise and tenon, half lap and bridle joints both entirely by hand and also with the aid of woodwork machinery and portable power tools. The results are stunning and the joy of completing a piece to this standard after such a short time in the school is an exciting moment for our students.
The next project re focuses our students on hand skills through the making of a dovetailed box with mitred lining and carved lid. Dovetails! Often seen as the true test of craftsmanship and a joint even experienced makers often shy away from as any mistakes are on show for everyone to see. But as with all our teaching we feel through a combination of teaching methods refined over the past decade and the dedication of our students we can really hit the mark. And so much of the teaching up to this point has been about exactly that. Hitting the marks. Accurate marking and measuring, sawing, pareing with chisels and the creation of beautifully refined shavings with hand planes. All these skills are used and developed further during this box making project. Add to this relief carving training and the making of a hand carved lid and this project really does represent that fun and rewarding combination of skill and creativity.
Things take a slightly different turn with the next project as we introduce veneering, marquetry, laminating and vacuum forming, jig making and the use of more power tools in the creation of a three legged ‘Tri Table’ with marquetry top. Yet again this beautiful piece of fine furniture was designed by award winning designer Will Acland and will be our students to take away and enjoy for many years to come. But although our students take away these beautiful work pieces it’s the skills that they learn that are most important and it’s during this project that we start to combine traditional hand skills with what you may describe as more advanced furniture making techniques. We start to look at jig making for jointing and shaping. Components are laminated and formed in a vacuum bag or membrane press. Veneering and marquetry fundamentals are learned in the creation of the circular table top with striking marquetry design. This project is packed full of interesting and informative techniques. And the results are stunning.
At this point in the course we feel it’s time to get serious in the machine shop. Much of the time up to this point has been spent at the bench. Really drilling down and refining skills with hand tools in combination with some power tools and other workshop equipment. But in the making of our ‘wall hanging cabinet with sculpted shelves’ project we really focus on the advanced and very importantly the safe use of woodwork machines. We start this project with a trip to purchase timber. Each student selecting the fine boards that will make up this final piece. The following days will be spent in the fully equipped professional machine shop. For each machine we will work towards ‘sign off’ as a safe and competent operator. Components are machined and dimensioned before we return to the bench room for jointing, shaping and final construction and finishing. So many elements of the training come together during this project but door fitting, edge profiling, bandsaw veneer creation and fine furniture finishing are a few highlights.
So in just 1 intense term our Fine Furniture Maker course students have focussed intently on a perfect combination of traditional hand skills, the use of both portable and fixed power tools / machines as well as traditional and contemporary furniture making techniques. And the results are there for all to see. A series of beautifully made pieces of fine furniture. Designed to bring joy for generations. Designed to aid the teaching of high level furniture making skills. Designed and then made to act as reminder to all our students as to just how much they have learned. As a statement of the quality that can be achieved through that joyous combination of hard working student and dedicated teaching.
Self designed phase
During terms 2 and 3 of the 3 term course the students are in what we describe as the ‘self designed’ project phase of the course. They work closely with design tutor Will Acland and workshop tutors Graham Loveridge, Tim Smith and Peter Craven and develop ever more sophisticated and challenging projects. Each project allowing the student to explore specific areas of interest, new making techniques and to increasingly professionalise their approach to furniture design and build projects. The high level of tutor input remains as our students strive for ever higher standards. It really is amazing to observe the quality of workmanship and designs produced during this exciting time in the school.
So get in touch…
I hope these pages have given you a feel for what life on our 3 Term Designer Maker Course would be like. It’s over to you now. If you would like to know more or you want to start the application process then get in touch. Send us an email and we will respond to any questions and send over an application form. Remember, with only 6 places available on this course each year you will need to book well in advance. So don’t delay and make contact now.
Course Highlights
- Tool selection, preparation and use.
- Learn the Waters and Acland sharpening method.
- Create a series of small ‘skill building’ objects such as cutting board and Chinese puzzle.
- Gain control of chisels and planes.
- Accurate marking and measuring techniques.
- Understanding workshop drawings.
- Cut joints by hand and machine.
- Project 1 Low Table with exposed joinery.
- Surface treatments and wood finishing.
- Adhesive selection and use.
- Project assembly.
- Dovetail masterclass.
- Project 2 Dovetailed box with mitred lining.
- Hand shaping and relief carving.
- Veneering and marquetry fundamentals.
- Design and use of moulds and formers.
- Vacuum bags and membrane presses.
- Selection and cutting of laminates and veneers.
- Laminating components.
- Project 3 Tri Table with circular marquetry top.
- Advanced veneering and marquetry.
- Advanced wood finishing techniques.
- Jig making for portable and machine tools.
- Full machine shop training.
- Selecting and purchasing timber.
- Project 4 Wall hanging cabinet with sculpted shelves.
- Door fitting and hingeing.
- Edge profiling and shaping.
- French polishing.
- Wood turning.
- Steam bending
- Self designed projects in terms 2 and 3
- Self designed phase covers numerous advanced techniques depending on design
You can also get in touch by completing the form below:
