Ben Willis Woodcraft
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This is the second course I have been on run by Ben and I'm sure it won't be the last. The courses are small groups so there's lots of opportunity to get individual help during each session. Ben is a great teacher, very knowledgeable, patient and explains things well. Green wood working is very relaxing, enjoyable and addictive, I'd highly recommend this class!
AbiBen was a really patient teacher, and not only showed us how to use the relevant tools, he also provided very interesting and informative background on green wood working. He struck a great balance between not being hand-holding, whilst being always available for us to ask questions / help when we needed it. Even though I was a bit apprehensive going into the course, and this was definitely outside of my comfort zone, this was a fantastic experience and truly suitable for a complete beginner. Thanks so much Ben and we'll definitely be sending family & friends your way!
OpheliaThis was bought as a Christmas present and I did a two day course making a Windsor Stool. It was amazing: Ben is a great teacher and has a boundless well of patience. The final product is stunning and every student there were 7 of us) went home proud of our achievements. I cannot recommend highly enough.
Mike RibtonBrilliant. Really enjoyed the 6 weeks and Ben was great! Highly recommend.
Carter WestwoodThis course truly deserves 5 stars. Ben is an excellent teacher whose vast experience and knowledge makes this a pleasurable course. Ben demonstrates each stage of the stool making process and then lets his students practice those skills on their own stool. He only intervenes if asked to do so by his students. I have learnt skills and practiced methods out of my comfort zone and enjoyed every minute of it in a friendly and non pressured environment. I will definitely look to do another course with this master craftsman and recommend this course to all budding woodworkers and curious craftspeople.
Kim SladeBen was extremely patient and spent time with each of us. He is very knowledgable, which made these two days a great opportunity to learn something new whilst having a great time! Highly recommend his courses.
DianaI really enjoyed this workshop. Ben was very knowledgeable and really easy to understand. All of us were really pleased with the stools we made!
Laura DI am doing Ben's Make a Windsor-Style Stool course, and I recommend this to anyone - even if you think that you will never do any of this type of woodwork again - as a fun and satisfying project with a beautiful end product that you can keep. Ben makes a great teacher - patient, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and helpful all day long. A nice sized group as well - enough people to feel busy and keep conversation going, small enough that nobody lacks help and attention.
DavidA fantastic course taught by Ben, who’s skill set and talent in his craft has truly inspired me to continue down the path of woodworking. I am so grateful for and absolutely adore my live-edge coffee table! I thoroughly enjoyed using hand tools such as the drawknife, spokeshave and a cabinet scraper. I can honestly say that I have gained valuable knowledge, insight and confidence in crafting a live-edge piece of furniture. I highly recommend this stupendous class; a wonderful experience whether you want to take your woodworking journey further or if you're just looking to branch out (sorry 🤓) to something outside of your comfort zone. Nice one Ben 👍 thanks v much
Felicity FullerA really valuable and insightful course which I enjoyed every aspect of! Ben is a great teacher who not only has the skills and knowledge, but also the patience to ensure that every member has what they need to get the job done. I'm really pleased with the bench I came out with and would recommend Ben's courses to anyone and everyone! Thanks Ben :)
Tolga YuceWorth every penny and hour spent. Ben was a fantastic teacher, very patient, thorough and knowledgeable. I cannot recommend this course or Ben highly enough. My bench looks amazing and I have had several compliments from friends and family. All in all a brilliant way to spend a Tuesday night.
Sophie LoweReally enjoyed this two day workshop; using traditional hand tools to make a Windsor stool. Ben's teaching and guidance was constructive and positive, and the level of support just right for me to feel confident gaining new skills and creating a rather lovely product.
SueFantastic two day course. Expertly run by Ben who has so much skill, expertise and patience. So proud of my end product that will have pride of place in my kitchen. Thank you !
ZoëAbsolutely fantastic course where I've learned so many new skills and tools, and made a piece of furniture I'll treasure forever. 👌
NickThis is a fantastic course. Ben is an excellent teacher - calm, patient and really knowledgeable. You don't need to have done a lot (or really any) woodwork in the past to do this course - whatever your experience, you'll get to take home a bench or table to be proud of.
AliceCan’t recommend Bens course enough. I’ve always wanted to do woodwork and Ben is brilliant at explaining and showing each step before setting the group off. Quite possibly too many positives to sum up, but here’s a few - I’ve made a beautiful stool!- I love craft but the end result is normally a bit embarrassing, this stool however is beautiful and I’m tempted to do the course again to make more - Ben is great at guiding. Leaves you to it, but helps out if needed - it’s pretty much 100% hand crafted - no machinery involved - from axing the wood trunk to make the legs all the way to finer details - it’s over two weeeknds - for me this works well practically, but also found as I was using muscles I’m not use to - so the rest was welcomed - amazing to use so many different tools and learn so much about the process Highly recommend!
ChristinaThis was a fantastic course. Ben is a great and attentive teacher and goes out of his way to accommodate you. I'm delighted with my new piece of furniture and hard to believe its all been made by me! A really rewarding experience and I hope to be back (again) soon. Can't recommend highly enough. Thanks Ben.
TimI was taught how to make a bench. Ben Willis was informative, friendly and an excellent teacher. We were in his Crystal Palace very large shed which contained everything we needed.
David TrilloI was taught how to make a bench. Ben Willis was informative, friendly and an excellent teacher. We were in his Crystal Palace very large shed which contained everything we needed.
David TrilloIt’s great. Ben is a fabulous and enthusiastic teacher. It’s straight into the basics of green wood working with traditional tools. Can’t recommend this highly enough.
MatthewI had a fantastic weekend on this course & would highly recommend anyone thinking about it to dive in. This was my first taste of woodwork since school & Ben was a superb teacher, taking us through every aspect of the process in a very personable, informative & relaxed manner. I learnt new skills & gained an ever bigger appreciation for the craft. And got to take a home probably the most beautiful piece of furniture I’ve ever owned! In fact, I will be looking to book another course soon. The chair making course in particular looks fantastic.
RobI had a fantastic weekend on this course & would highly recommend anyone thinking about it to dive in. This was my first taste of woodwork since school & Ben was a superb teacher, taking us through every aspect of the process in a very personable, informative & relaxed manner. I learnt new skills & gained an ever bigger appreciation for the craft. And got to take a home probably the most beautiful piece of furniture I’ve ever owned! In fact, I will be looking to book another course soon. The chair making course in particular looks fantastic.
RobBen’s Windsor chair course was a valuable learning experience in the art of greenwood joinery, the use of hand woodworking tools, and was also a lot of fun! Highly recommended.
Stephen BallWhat a lovely way to spend a Tuesday evening amongst friendly people; learning a new skill and finally getting to take home a beautiful new piece of furniture that as my mum described, “deserves to be in the Made catalogue”. We learnt how to use an axe, draw knife and spokeshave to carve the legs and joins. We also learnt some fundamental furniture making techniques - (my benches’ rake and splay angles are on point!). Ben let us choose our wood for the tabletop and I was very fortunate to get nice piece of spalted oak from one of my local walking spots, Nunhead Cemetery which gave my bench an extra sentimental value. This was my first woodworking course and I’m itching to do another. I’d recommend to anyone. Thank you, Ben for a brilliant course!
Luke PhillipsA thoroughly enjoyable course. Ben is a great teacher - everything was explained clearly and he instilled confidence to use completely unknown tools. I am delighted that my amateur craftsmanship made such a wonderful stool, I would highly recommend the course!
VickiExcellent teacher, clear and helpful, plenty of individual attention. I hadn't expected I would manage to make the stool, but did in fact turn out something quite impressive-looking.
Kitty WarnockIn this 2 day course I built a windsor stool. The course was extremely rewarding and fun. It was incredible to start with a fresh log and refine it (you also get a bit of a workout in the process) into to pieces of a stool and then finally assemble the end product. I am really happy with the outcome! Ben is incredibly skilled, as well as a really patient and passionate teacher. Would definitely recommend this class and am hoping to take another one of Ben's courses soon!!
GabyA very knowledgeable teacher in a relaxing and even therapeutical environment. Great experience and now got the bug... Starting some handmade bar stools with the techniques I learned
HenriqueBen's windsor chair course is a one of a kind for London. With his years of teaching experience and relaxed attitude I enjoyed every moment of building my very own windsor. Thanks Ben
ChrisI highly recommend Ben’s chair making course. It’s very satisfying to go from a log to a chair over a few months. Ben guides you through each process at the right pace, whether you have zero or some previous experience.
Peter MackThis course was absolutely wonderful. As am absolute beginner I was amazed at how doable all the tasks were, the instruction very clear and easy to follow, lots of support when it was needed, and the whole activity just flowed beautifully. I had a few constraints due to health issues, but this didn't matter at all. Ben was extremely accommodating and I am delighted with my stool. I can't wait to do another course. The workshop is a lovely place to be for a couple of days to immerse in the woodcrafting!
Cath RylanceBen is an intuitive and skilled teacher. He has just the right balance of instruction and trust in you to help you learn in an enjoyable and safe way. The course itself is a joy and incredibly satisfying. There is something elemental about working with wood with all the old tools and the fact you come away with something beautiful is almost incidental.
Paul KingFantastic course and Ben is a great teacher making all the techniques really easy to follow and fun, although you might discover muscles you didn’t know existed aching the next day! The best bit is taking home a great looking stool you made pretty much all by hand.
AnonymousFantastic two-day course, nice small class and Ben provides a great balance between teaching, helping and letting you just get on with it. Couldn't recommend it any higher. Great value for money and you come away with a genuinely nice looking piece of kit that you're (hopefully) somewhat proud of!
FrazerThis was one of the best courses I've done. Ben is a brilliant teacher, the course is so hands on, and I'm so very proud of my stool. It's so good in fact, my dad has said he'll pay me to do the course again and make him one! I can't recommend it enough, no matter how much experience you do or don't have in woodworking.
BeeI booked this for my husband as a gift and he has such a nice time. He's done some woodworking before but found the techniques in this class quite special, using no machine tools. The result is a lovely stool which we're very excited to use!
EmilieThis is the second course I have been on run by Ben and I'm sure it won't be the last. The courses are small groups so there's lots of opportunity to get individual help during each session. Ben is a great teacher, very knowledgeable, patient and explains things well. Green wood working is very relaxing, enjoyable and addictive, I'd highly recommend this class!
AbiBen was a really patient teacher, and not only showed us how to use the relevant tools, he also provided very interesting and informative background on green wood working. He struck a great balance between not being hand-holding, whilst being always available for us to ask questions / help when we needed it. Even though I was a bit apprehensive going into the course, and this was definitely outside of my comfort zone, this was a fantastic experience and truly suitable for a complete beginner. Thanks so much Ben and we'll definitely be sending family & friends your way!
Ophelia