The Wood Academy - Hemel Hempstead

Nic Few

Richard is a fantastic teacher, with huge amounts of skill, knowledge and patience and an all round top bloke to work with. I spent one day a week in the workshop for a few months making a garden bench with no previous hands-on knowledge of woodworking. I learned so many different processes from sharpening chisels to making mortises by hand and have a new level of attention to detail and a love of incra rulers! I'm so delighted with how the bench turned out and have had lots of great comments. The workshop is also really well equipped, so the hardest thing is to decide what to make next!

Lucy Gill

My 11 year old daughter and I spent a day with Rich making a stool. We had the most wonderful day and would highly recommend it to anyone who fancies giving woodwork a try. Rich was so friendly, helpful and patient. We are complete beginners but with Rich's support and demos we did most of it ourselves using lots of tools and machines, and learnt so much. He even kindly welcomed us back for a few hours the next day to finish off as we ran out of time on the day. We are looking forward to our next project. Thank you Rich!

Hannah Thorn

Highly recommend! I made a bedside table for my daughter's bedroom and I enjoyed it so much that I'm now making a little wooden stool with Rich. He's a really lovely guy with tonnes of knowledge and the workshop is a beautiful place to learn. I felt like I'd struck lucky stumbling across his courses online. It's definitely great value for money.

Laura Keller

I was a total beginner, yet Richard did a brilliant job in taking me from the absolute basics through to making an actual real, proper, functioning table and stool-tops! (Would post pics but haven’t finished sanding and oiling yet) I’m so chuffed! He was patient, flexible and an excellent teacher, allowing me to set the pace. Richard helped me solve lots of woodworking problems on the go (I wanted to reuse an old piece of wood which was not big enough, was full of holes and needed lots of mods). I learned how to use a bench saw, hand saws, table saw, planer, a router, make domino joins, mark out, glue, clamp, cut, sand. Learned the meaning of words I did not even know were words and can now casually throw ‘kerf’ and ‘rip cuts’ into conversations ?. A great experience- great workshop and a great teacher-I would highly recommend.

Simon Turnbull

A really terrific and fun day's woodworking with Rich. As a beginner to carpentry I learned a huge amount under Rich's patient tutoring and came away with a stool I was really proud of. My disbelieving family thought I'd bought it! I'd highly recommend a day's workshop - lots of fun and always very safe.

Ray Fowler

What an incredibly positive experience. I had a great day learning how to make a Japanese toolbox. I was allowed to use so many new and different tools including a Japanese Saw ( I’m going to buy one of those).
Richard was a great tutor very patient and helpful as well as being informative he showed me how to correct mistakes and kept me on the right track.
His workshop has got just about every tool that you can imagine to make some amazing things. I would highly recommend booking a day to actually create something and see just what you’re capable of

Stephen Mc Donald

I was looking for help with my new woodworking project when I discovered Richard's courses online. He offers tutorage with woodworking and carpentry skills combined.

Many years ago, I bought an antique chess board in Olympia but I never had a suitable table to display it on. After a consultation with Richard explaining my passion for craft and antiques we came up with the idea for a bespoke table that far exceeded my expectations. This greatly enhanced the original antique chess board.

I went to Richard’s workshop for a single day. It’s idyllic and tranquil, situated on a wonderful farm in rural Hertfordshire. His workshop provided a very safe and user friendly environment with every piece of equipment imaginable combining traditional hand tools with modern machinery, even equipment I have never seen before let alone used, giving me a greater appreciation of woodwork and carpentry.

Richard is a very patient and professional teacher offering a service in an area that he is extremely passionate about. His enthusiasm quickly hooked me.

I found him amiable, funny and extremely creative and inventive with his ideas. I enjoyed my time with him that much and learnt so many new skills that I have already booked another workshop to design and build a display case for my vintage Star Wars figures!

Very impressed with the whole experience and the output of the final product! I highly recommend to anyone who wants to get hands on with a creative project!

Tom P

Rich is a friendly, patient, and extremely knowledgable teacher. He provides a great space to learn in, and makes a world class egg bap on the fire (although I can't confirm this will be available as part of every package). I would recommend him to anyone, no experience needed. I haven't touched a saw for about 20 years, and with Rich's help made this milking stool. Enough said.