Woodworking School - THE UNPLUGGED WOODSHOP TORONTO

The Unplugged Woodshop

Canada’s First Hand Tool Only Woodworking School

THE ARTISAN PROGRAM 2021

10 Week Program. Begins October 12th, 2021

HAND TOOL BOOTCAMP

Full Day Hand Tool Intensive

FINISHING BOOTCAMP

Full Day Finishing Workshop

GREENWOOD WEDNESDAY

Three Nights of Green Woodworking

WOODWORKING FOR WOMEN

A Class for Women by Women

DOVETAIL BOOTCAMP

Learn the Art of Dovetails

JOINERY BOOTCAMP

Full Day Joinery Workshop

AN UNPLUGGED LIFE

ONLINE MEMBERSHIP SITE

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From the Blog

Fall 2020 Classes

Unplugged in Leslieville. Looking East from the shop after a late Spring rain. Rainbows over...

For the Love of Wood

The Unplugged Woodshop – Toronto, Canada Cottage Life TV Hey folks! I’m happy to...

An Unplugged Life

My Online Membership Site

AN UNPLUGGED LIFE

AN UNPLUGGED LIFE

An online membership site that will inspire you to get offline, slow down,

& work smarter with your hands & heart.

A different kind of membership site

Three New Weekly Episodes | Exclusive Projects & Plans | Detailed Instruction

Fundamental Hand Tool Skills | Tips & Tricks to finish each project

ONLINE WOODWORKING

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Episode 876 – The Jewelry Cabinet Part 04

With a coopered door in mind.... Hey folks! In today's episode we'll plan and get started on the...

Episode 875 – The Jewelry Cabinet Part 04

I know my Stanley No 08 is in there somewhere. Hey folks! In today's episode I'll give you a shop...

Episode 874 – The Jewelry Cabinet Part 03

The palette Hey folks! Continuing along with the initial stages of the jewelry cabinet design,...

theunpluggedwoodshop

Owner and Instructor at The Unplugged Woodshop Toronto. Author, musician, designer/maker. #woodworking #handtools #Toronto #CapeBreton 🇨🇦

I know there’s a Stanley No 608 in there somewhe

I know there’s a Stanley No 608 in there somewhere! Mahogany and maple for the jewelry cabinet…..Details on the Unplugged Woodshop website. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #woodworking #handplane #stanleybedrock608 #woodshavings #unpluggedwoodworking #handtoolsonly #madebyhand #toronto #leslieville

#whatsonyourbench ?!? Well it seems my bench has a

#whatsonyourbench ?!? Well it seems my bench has a few things in it…from front to back, the next two guitars are at their beginning stages…one in rosewood the other in mahogany. Behind those you’ll see my Lie Nielsen 5 1/2 Jack plane which I’ve been using to prepare these guitar parts as well as the next cabinet project which is the small stack of wood behind the plane. A jewelry cabinet …. a nice project that’s small enough to transport so I’ll be working on it during my trip to the East Coast next month. Behind that in my shop you’ll see a carved walnut back for the next Archtop I’m making…. As the humidity is very high right now in Southern Ontario, I decided not to glue the top and back to the sides until the Fall at which point the humidity will be a little easier to deal with. All good stuff. Challenging projects, new designs, beautiful wood and sharp tools. Good stuff ! So I’ll ask you now, what’s on your bench? #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #handtoolsonly #unpluggedwoodworking #madebyhand #whatsonyourbench #torontomakers #leslieville #gerrardstreeteast #unplugged

The wood palette for the next project. A small col

The wood palette for the next project. A small collection accumulated through the years… I’m hoping they’ll work for the Jewelry Cabinet I’ve been thinking about for my next project. From thoughts and inspiration to paper and then over to the wood pile, the design is coming together and all of these elements influence and can have a lasting affect on the final design. All good stuff and truly one of the most enjoyable stages of making! …. Follow along on An Unplugged Life, details on the Unplugged Woodshop website. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #handtoolsonly #designermaker #jewelrycabinet #toronto #madebyhand #beautifulwood #woodselection #design #unplugged

Have you ever looked into the belly of a whale? Me

Have you ever looked into the belly of a whale? Me neither, but here is a view through the end soundhole of the inside of the fretless guitar that was inspired by Pilot whales….-;) a room with a view. Sitka spruce, mahogany and ebony, nylon string guitar. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #fretlessguitar #guitarbracing #guitarinterior #handtoolsonly #madebyhand #unplugged

Hand tool Bootcamp at the Unplugged Woodshop. Anot

Hand tool Bootcamp at the Unplugged Woodshop. Another great Saturday with a super group of people! What are you making today?#theunpluggedwoodshop #torontowoodworking #woodworkingclasses #torontomakers #handtoolsonly #learnwoodworking #unplugged #leslieville #gerrardstreeteast

Another semester of Woodworking for Women comes to

Another semester of Woodworking for Women comes to a close. Watch the website for details on the Fall calendar and classes! #theunpluggedwoodshop #woodworkingclassestoronto #woodworkingcommunity #womenwoodworking #torontowoodworking #handtoolsonly #torontoclasses #leslieville #gerrardstreeteast

Pencil to paper, a new project begins. A jewelry c

Pencil to paper, a new project begins. A jewelry cabinet. From design to finish and everything in between. The next project on An Unplugged Life, details on the Unplugged Woodshop website. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #cabinetmaking #handtoolsonly #jewelrycabinet #madebyhand #design #handmade #torontomakers #leslieville #gerrardstreeteast

And introducing “Goldivox” a 650mm scale, 12 f

And introducing “Goldivox” a 650mm scale, 12 fret to the body classical guitar. Gold frets and tuners... The top is an amazing example of bear claw Engelmann spruce with pretty much everything else in curly maple. Again based on a fan bracing pattern minus the traditional sound hole and an 18 hole bridge. Extremely pleased with these two builds as they share the same design and seem to work well. Will post sound bites later this week and will get some “proper” studio sounds over the coming months. These guitars are two of four for this calendar year… I’m just at the beginning stages of the next couple again testing this pattern and refining the design. Stay tuned and thanks for the interest. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #unpluggedguitarmaking #guitarmaking #handtoolsonly #unpluggedlutherie #lutherie #classicalguitar #curlymapleguitar #nylonstringguitar #customguitar #guitardesign #torontoguitar #toronto #unplugged

Here’s a few shots from along the way as I made

Here’s a few shots from along the way as I made the second nylon string guitar. This one is all curly maple ( back, sides, neck, fingerboard and bridge ) with an incredible example of bear claw Engelmann spruce for the top. I decided to use gold frets as well as gold tuners for a super clean look. It has the same interior bracing pattern I used for Pilot, the ebony and spruce fretless guitar with a few slight modifications where/when needed. No soundport or inlays on this one but instead a carved embellishment to accentuate the front sound holes. This was another fun project and I’m extremely pleased with the result. I’ll post some final pics tomorrow and then some sound samples when I can. Stay tuned! #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #guitarmaking #classicalguitar #nylonstringguitar #handtoolsonly #unplugged #madebyhand #lutherie #guitarmaking #toronto

…Did I mention it comes in maple? Yes indeed, Pi

…Did I mention it comes in maple? Yes indeed, Pilot has a sister! Frets and all. Details in tomorrow’s post. Stay tuned…. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #fretlessguitar #nylonstringguitar #classicalguitar #guitarmaking #lutherie #customguitars #handtoolsonly #madebyhand #nopowernoproblem #guitarmaker #unplugged #toronto

8:00 am sound bites… Pilot, my first attempt at

8:00 am sound bites… Pilot, my first attempt at making and playing,!!? a fretless guitar. ….Lots of fun along the way and still a lifetime ahead to practice and learn. This is just an iPhone recording so you’ll hear the room and street sounds on the recording. I’m loving the “fretless bass” quality of this guitar and look forward to getting into a proper studio someday soon. You’ll find more details about the guitar and how it was designed and made on the Unplugged Woodshop website. Thanks for watching. #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #guitarmaking #fretlessguitar #nylonstringguitar #classicalguitarmaking #handtoolsonly #madebyhand #nopowernoproblem #unplugged #toronto

Introducing, “Pilot”. A fretless guitar inspir

Introducing, “Pilot”. A fretless guitar inspired by the Pilot whales ( black fish as the local fishers call them ) we watch off the shores of our home on Cape Breton Island. It has an 18 hole tie block which I like very much. Sitka spruce top ( with amazing bear claw figure ) and Macassar ebony back and sides. 650 mm scale. Perfect for whale music and sessions with the mermaids! #theunpluggedwoodshop #anunpluggedlife #nylonstringguitar #fretlessguitar #sitkaspruce #macassarebony #18holetieblock #guitarmaking #lutherie #unplugged #handtoolsonly #nopowernoproblem #madebyhand #whatsonyourbench

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Heirloom Quality Furniture

Commission work available.

Custom furniture, made by hand at The Unplugged Woodshop.

by: Tom Fidgen
Species: Reclaimed Teak
Features: Kumiko Panel, Etched Glass Panels, Dedicated Tea Boxes