Frequently Asked Questions
Moonlite Studios offers safe and inclusive workshops for all skill levels. If you have any questions not answered here, get in touch.
Are your workshops expensive?
Honestly, yes, if you compare them to a weekend craft class at a community centre. But what is a fair comparison?
A plumber charges around $180 an hour. An electrician, similar. A personal trainer charges $80 to $120 an hour. These are skilled people doing good work, and nobody questions what they charge.
Ross has been making furniture and teaching woodworking at a very high level for over 25 years. He has taught at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine, Sturt School for Wood, the JamFactory and the Queensland College of Art. He runs a working studio, not just a teaching facility, and every workshop is taught in that environment, around real work, real tools and real material thinking.
Workshops run with a maximum of between four to six participants. That means you get close, responsive teaching, not a demonstration to a room of twenty by an inexperienced teacher.
Materials are included in almost all workshops, and we use real, ethically sourced appropriate timber.
When you compare these rates to what you would pay for equivalent specialist instruction or service in almost any other field, they are not high. They reflect what it actually costs to teach well.
Do I need to be planning a career in furniture making?
Not at all. Our participants include people who have always wanted to try woodworking, makers from other disciplines who want to understand timber, designers who want hands-on material experience, and experienced woodworkers who want to extend a specific skill. The workshops are not vocational training, they are for anyone who wants to learn well.
If you are interested in vocational or accredited training, Ross works with SkillBuild RTO. See below.
I'm a teacher looking for professional development. Is this relevant?
Yes, directly. Several of our workshops are well suited to teachers working in design, technology, art, woodwork or maker education who want to develop their own material practice alongside their teaching. Design Process for Makers, Hand Tools Fundamentals, and the wood bending program in particular are relevant to teachers who want richer material intelligence to bring back to their students.
We are interested in developing dedicated PD programs for teachers and educators. If you are looking for something tailored to a staff group or faculty, get in touch and let's talk about what that might look like.
I'm considering a career change or retraining. Can woodworking become a livelihood?
For some people, yes. Our short course and workshop program is a good way to find out whether furniture making is something you want to pursue seriously. For those who decide it is, we recommend the accredited Certificate II in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology with SkillBuild RTO that gives a recognised trade qualification without requiring you to leave your current life behind.
Ross has worked with people from a wide range of previous careers, including from the defence forces, who have gone on to build serious making practices. If you are at that kind of crossroads and want to talk it through, Ross is happy to have that conversation.
Which workshop should I start with?
That depends on what you want to do and where you are. A rough guide:
If you have never done any woodworking, Box Making or Hot Pipe Bending are both welcoming starting points.
If you want a solid foundation in hand tool woodworking, Hand Tools Fundamentals is the one.
If you want to understand machines properly before making anything, Safe Machine Practice or Machine Tools Fundamentals is where to begin.
If bending interests you, start with Hot Pipe Bending or Introduction to Wood Bending.
If you want to develop your design thinking alongside your making, Design Process for Makers is a good early choice, it will change how you approach everything else.
If you are still unsure, get in touch. Ross is happy to talk it through.
Do I need prior experience?
It depends on the workshop. Most foundational workshops, Box Making, Hot Pipe Bending, Sharpening, Hand Tools Fundamentals, are open to complete beginners. Some advanced workshops recommend prior experience or completion of an earlier program. Each workshop page is clear about the appropriate level.
What if I'm slower or faster than the rest of the group?
The workshops are structured around learning, not production. If you work more slowly and carefully, that is fine, the product is not the point, the process is. If you move through things quickly, Ross will find ways to extend and deepen what you are doing. Small group sizes make this kind of responsiveness possible.
What should I bring?
For most workshops, all tools, materials and equipment are supplied. Appropriate PPE is provided, though you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer. Wear comfortable, closed-toe footwear. Loose clothing and long hair should be tied back when working with machines.
Bring your own lunch. We have a fridge and microwave on site.
For the Sharpening workshop, bring your own chisels and plane irons if you have them.
If you have a particular tool or piece of timber you want to work with or discuss, get in touch before the workshop and we can talk about whether to bring it.
Can I bring my own timber?
For most workshops, timber is supplied and included in the price. If you have a particular timber in mind, get in touch before the workshop. We can discuss whether it is suitable and how to incorporate it.
Can I bring my own tools?
Yes. If you have tools you use and love, bringing them is welcome. There is usually time to look at them together and talk about how they are set up.
Are there physical requirements?
Woodworking involves standing for extended periods, lifting timber, and working with both hands. If you have any physical limitations or health considerations that might be relevant, please get in touch before booking so we can talk about how to accommodate you.
Is photography and social media okay?
Yes. We encourage you to document your work and share it. If you post anything about your time at Moonlite Studios, tag us, we would love to see it. Of course, you need the consent of other participants if you want to include them in your posts.
What age can participants be?
Our workshops are designed for adults. For participants under 18, please get in touch to discuss before booking.
How do I get to Mount Egerton?
Mount Egerton is a small village in Central Victoria, approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Ballarat, not far from Ballan and Gordon. It is easily reached from Melbourne's west, and from Geelong, Daylesford and regional Victoria.
Detailed directions to the studio are provided to confirmed participants. If you have questions about getting here, get in touch.
Where can I stay nearby?
The studio is in the heart of good country. Mount Egerton itself is tiny, but the surrounding area has plenty of options.
Ballan, Lal Lal and Gordon are close by and have quiet, simple accommodation.
For something more indulgent, Daylesford and the Hepburn Springs area is about 30 minutes north and is one of Victoria's best known spa and springs destinations, with excellent accommodation, food and a strong craft culture. Ballarat, 30 minutes west, has good options at a range of price points.
If you are travelling from a distance and want to make a longer trip of it, this is good country to spend time in.
Can I visit the studio before booking?
Yes. Studio visits are by appointment. Get in touch to arrange a time.
What happens after a workshop?
We hope it is the beginning of something, not the end of one. Many participants go on to other workshops in the program, or move into mentoring to develop their practice further. Ross is available by email for questions that come up as you apply what you have learned. We are interested in the long-term development of the people who come through the studio, not just in filling workshop places.
Do you offer mentoring?
Yes. One-to-one mentoring in furniture making, wood bending and creative practice is available online and in person. Mentoring is a good option if you want to work on your own project or develop your practice at your own pace, rather than within a structured workshop.
What is your cancellation policy?
We understand that plans change. Our policy is:
Cancellations made more than 4 weeks before the workshop date receive a full refund minus a $50 administration fee.
Cancellations made between 2 and 4 weeks before the workshop date receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations made within 2 weeks of the workshop date are not refundable, but we will do our best to transfer your booking to a future date where possible.
If we need to cancel a workshop for any reason, you will receive a full refund or the option to transfer to another date.
Do you offer accredited training?
Ross works with SkillBuild RTO (RTO 70059), who offer the MSF20322 Certificate II in Cabinet Making and Timber Technology, a nationally recognised qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework. This is a separate program from the short course and workshop program. Get in touch for more information.
I have a question that isn't answered here.
Get in touch. Ross is happy to answer questions directly.
Moonlite Studios is a working furniture making and creative practice based in Mount Egerton, on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria.
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