Timber Tech for Makers. A two-day introduction to wood science, timber selection and material intelligence.
Timber is not an inert, uniform material. It is produced as part of the life cycle of a specific organism, and its properties, how it moves, how it works, how hard, how durable, flow directly from those biological specifics. Look at the trees, see the wood.
This two-day workshop is an introduction to that understanding. We will cover the science and the practice, the ecological thinking and the hands-on investigation. It is not a lecture, it is a working session with real timber and real tools for understanding it.
What you will cover
How trees grow and why that matters for the timber we use. The relationship between growth, species, site and material character.
Converting trees to timber. Sawing orientation, through and through, quarter sawn, rift sawn, and what each produces in terms of grain, figure, movement and working properties.
Moisture content and timber movement. How wood takes up and releases moisture, how that drives movement, and how to work with it rather than against it.
Engineered wood products. Plywood, MDF, LVL and others. What they are, how they are made, and when they are the right choice.
Species selection for specific uses. Matching timber properties to the demands of a given application, including hardness, stability, workability, durability and appearance.
Provenance and ecological thinking. Where timber comes from, how it is harvested, and what responsible sourcing looks like in practice.
Hands-on investigation of moisture content, timber properties and the specifics of grain and fibre orientation. Reading timber with eyes and hands.
Workshop details
Duration: 2 days
Location: Mount Egerton VIC 3352
Group size: Maximum 6 participants
Experience: Open to all levels. Suitable for woodworkers and furniture makers at any stage of their practice.
Price: $400 per person
Dates: Dates announced to the EOI list first, register your interest below
Mount Egerton is located on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria, approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne and 30 minutes from Ballarat. The studio is easily reached from Melbourne's west and from Geelong, Daylesford and regional Victoria.
Who this workshop suits
This workshop is for woodworkers and furniture makers who want to understand their primary material more deeply. It suits beginners who want to start with a solid foundation, and experienced makers who have been working with timber for years but want to fill the gaps in their material understanding.
It is also relevant to anyone who teaches woodworking and wants to develop their own material intelligence.
About the teaching
Ross Annels has been making furniture for over 25 years and brings a background in zoology, botany and environmental philosophy to his understanding of timber as a material. For Ross, wood science, ecological thinking and making practice are not separate subjects. They are part of the same conversation.
The workshop draws directly from that integrated practice.
Express your interest
Dates for this workshop are announced to the interest list first. If you would like to be notified when bookings open, contact Ross directly.
Where this leads
This workshop sits alongside the full program at Moonlite Studios and is relevant to almost every other workshop we offer. Participants often find it changes how they approach the making programs:
Hand Tools Fundamentals, a 5-day deep dive into furniture making fundamentals
Joinery, a 2-day deep dive into the fundamentals of timber joinery
Design Process for Makers, a 3-day workshop in how to get ideas and how to develop them
Moonlite Studios is a working furniture making and creative practice based in Mount Egerton, on Wadawurrung Country in Central Victoria. Courses and mentoring are offered year-round in small groups within a studio environment.
View all courses and workshops · Frequently Asked Questions · Mentoring with Ross · Contact