UPCOMING COURSES 2021
BASED IN OUR CAPE TOWN WORKSHOP
Cupboard Building & Installation – Monday, 8th February 2021 @ 10h00
Wednesday Beginners’ Course (Option 4) – 10th February 2021 @ 18h00
Intensive Course (Option 3) – Monday, 15th February 2021 @ 10h00
Saturday Beginners’ Course (Option 2) – 20th February 2021 @ 13h15
Intensive Course (Option 3) – Monday, 8th March 2021 @ 10h00
CUPBOARD BUILDING & INSTALLATION
Next course starts Monday, 8th February 2021
BASED IN CAPE TOWN
Students from all over South Africa and the world!
WHERE TO FIND US
WELCOME TO THE MERCURY SCHOOL OF WOODWORK WEBSITE
The three Foundation in Woodwork courses are also offered in the form of the Intensive Course, when all fifteen lessons are completed over six days, from a Monday to the Saturday immediately following. This Course has proved to be very popular with students from all over South Africa, and overseas.
Based in Cape Town, The Mercury School of Woodwork offers you the opportunity to rediscover the age-old craft of woodwork. Experience the joy and simplicity of working with your hands, along with the satisfaction of learning a useful skill. Whether you are a complete novice or a seasoned woodworker wanting to brush up on technique, you’ll find the course that suits you. Our youngest students were at Grade 8 level, and the oldest at 72 years!
The school was established in 2006 with the aim of providing students with the opportunity to gain knowledge of woodwork techniques, materials, machinery and finishes in a friendly, fun and safe environment. Our small classes ensure the perfect balance between shared learning and individual attention.
We currently offer Beginners’, Intermediate and Advanced courses in our Foundation in Woodwork phase.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR WOODWORK COURSES?
If you are looking for course information click here. Alternatively, send us a message and we will get in touch!
Our Intensive Course
All three of our Foundation in Woodwork courses are also offered by way of our Intensive Course. In this instance, all fifteen lessons of the Foundation courses are completed over five days, from a Monday to the Friday immediately following. This Course has been attended by students from all over South Africa, as well as those from outside the country.
BEGINNERS
This course is designed for those who either know little (or nothing) about woodwork, and those who might have forgotten what they did know. We teach students to make simple items to illustrate basic concepts in woodwork, while keeping it enjoyable and fun. By the end of the five-lesson course, you will have a solid understanding of the concept of working with a drawing and making something of it. Along the way, you will be introduced to all the hand tools you need to get going. The emphasis is almost entirely on hand tools (with the exception of powered drills). We demonstrate all the tools and students get to practice using them in class.
Click here for the full syllabus: Beginners

INTERMEDIATE
This course caters for students who have completed the beginners course or those with some background in woodwork. The Intermediate course will further your skills and knowledge of woodwork technicalities such as grain direction, sanding, fastening systems (screws, nails, wall plugs, etc) and drill bits. Lessons include demonstrations and discussions on hand power tools such as routers, sanding machines, jig saws, portable circular saws, etc. You’ll also be taught about standing power tools like the table saw, radial arm saw, surfacer, band saw, scroll saw, column drill, chisel morticer.
Click here for the full syllabus: Intermediate

ADVANCED
By now, you’ll be ready to concentrate on joint-making, in particular, mortise and tenon, dowel joints, pocket-hole joinery, biscuit joinery, butt and half lap joints and edge-joining of solid timber. Advanced students will have enough expertise to make anything from picture frames to furniture, shelving and even decking. You can arrange private classes with one of the teachers at the school for assistance on a particular project you have in mind.
Click here for the full syllabus: Advanced

EXTRA COURSES
Extra Courses covering the subjects of Router Use, Pocket Hole Joinery, Biscuit Wafer Joinery, Mortise and Tenon Joints and Door Hanging can be arranged on request, subject to time availability.
TOP QUESTIONS
- Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced: R1600-00 per course;
- Intensive Course: R4800-00;
- Router Use Levels #1 & #2, Pocket Hole Joinery, Biscuit Wafer Joinery, Mortise & Tenon Joints – R1700-00 each;
- Cupboard Building and Installation Course: R7800-00.
All the above include all materials needed, and the use of any equipment required.
- Door Hanging: R1800-00 plus materials (door frame, hollow core door, mortise lock, hinges & handles needed).
Basic hand tool kit for woodwork:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. |
Try square 300mm Combination square 300mm Sliding Bevel Tape Measure 5,0m Steel Rule 500mm Steel Rule 150mm Handsaw 660mm – General Purpose (9tpi) Tenon Saw (Backsaw) 250mm (11-14tpi) Claw hammer (fibre glass shaft) Panel Pin Hammer Chisel 6,0mm (1/4”) (Bevel) Chisel 18,0mm (3/4”) (Bevel) |
13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. |
Chisel mallet (+/- 500g) Bradawl Carpenter’s pencil HB pencil No 4 plane (Jack Plane 350-380 mm long) #2 posidriv screwdriver Carpenter’s pincers Marking Gauge (cutting gauge) Safety glasses Earplugs Dust mask |
- All three of our Foundation in Woodwork Courses (Beginners’, Intermediate & Advanced) comprise of five lessons of about two-hour duration each.
- Students can start at any of these three levels, depending on your previous experience with woodwork.
- After a level is completed, there is no obligation to carry on with the others not yet done.
- All classes are conducted at our workshop in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town.
- We start with the Beginners’, then go on to the Intermediate & Advanced.
The following dates are the starting dates for these three different options:
OPTION 1: Weekday classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and all fifteen lessons of the Foundation are completed in seven visits to the studio.Each of these classes, which last about four hours, as a “double lesson” is done on each day (10h00 – 14h00.)
OPTION 2: Classes are held on a Saturday. All three levels are offered on each Saturday. This means that each level is completed over five weeks. The time for Beginners’ is at 13h15. The time for Intermediate is 11h00 and the Advanced at 09h00.
OPTION 3: Classes for The Intensive Course are completed over 5 days from a Monday to Friday of the same week. All fifteen lessons of the Foundation in Woodwork (Beginners’, Intermediate & Advanced) are completed.
OPTION 4: Classes for Beginners are completed on a weekly basis on Wednesday evenings. Times are from 18h00 till 20h00.

Custom woodwork & Timber decks

Tables and desks

Food serving boards
