Welcome to the Conover Workshops Website
Two More Classes in Parkman While House Sells
Ernie will be teaching two more classes in Parkman while house sells. Click for details.
Our Unique Home and Shop for Sale
As many of you know, Susan became involved in Vävstuga Swedish Weaving Studio in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, two-and-a-half years ago. This has worked out so well that we have reluctantly decided to sell our house and shop in Ohio and relocate to Massachusetts. Ernie will reopen a smaller shop in Shelburne Falls to continue his writing, video and design work, as well as host small, more private classes.
It is with great reluctance that we sell our property. As we struggled with the idea close friends said, "you should let your students and friends know, for who will better appreciate your unique home than fellow woodworkers and weavers." Therefore, we are offering it first to you before we put it on the general real estate market.
We are offering our House and Shop as a package. We will also sell the machinery, benches and fixtures as a turnkey package to anyone wanting to continue the woodworking school. Perhaps you would like to operate a custom furniture business or simply want a super shop of your own. If any of these options are to your liking we will negotiate a fair price.
To learn more go to House
New DVD on Bench Planes
I have long envisioned turning my one day Hand Plane Basics Course into a video for home study. I am pleased to inform you that the first DVD in a two disk set has just been released by my publisher, Fox Chapel Publishing. Covering Bench Planes, it is part of Fox Chapel's Missing Shop Manual Series.
Missing Shop Manual: Bench Planes delivers all the information you need to smooth wood with planes. My hope is that it is like I was visiting your shop and helping you sort out your smoothing, jack and jointer planes, as well as, helping you to date any that are heirlooms. In this 55 minute DVD and 48 page booklet I cover both wood and metal planes, with the emphasis on the latter. As I think history is important to understanding of the present, I start with wood planes showing how to adjust and use them. I then do the same for metal planes. In addition to detailing the basics of setup, sharpening and adjusting (what I call tuning); I try to share all the tips and techniques I have gleaned over the years, so you’ll get the most out of your planes.
Technique wise I cover everything from working up rough-sawn boards, to planing end grain, to making and using shooting boxes—with plans for the shooting boxes in the Shop Manual. Just as in my course, there are sections devoted to the history of Spiers, Norris, Stanley/Bailey and Bedrock planes, with information on determining date of manufacture. A Stanley dating cheat sheet is in the Shop Manual. To order this “hot off the press DVD” go to: The Missing Shop Manual: Bench Planes