Sawdust Academy - Southsea

Matthew J.

I had been searching online for somewhere to learn woodworking techniques and to gain more confidence with tools- I found Jon's Academy and messaged via his website to attend a router course- We arrived and were met with a friendly welcome and a cup of tea! Always a good start to any course! Jon explained some of the techniques we'd be using and explained how the routers worked, he asked our current knowledge and to our surprise he actually tailored the course around our experience and wishes, Any course that is adaptive to it's attendee's is always welcome, we had a fantastic day in the shop making sawdust and ultimately came away with a comprehensive understanding and confidence that we genuinely couldn't have gained without Jon's years of experience as a woodworker and educator combined. Ultimately a fantastic day out-I could see the appeal with booking his paddle making course or stool course with a few friends just to have a day in the shop making something to take home! 5* and we will be back for the advanced joinery course!

Chris H.

My experience at Sawdust Academy was wonderful. The environment in the fort was serene and laid-back and was a wonderful location for the course has its a real retreat from everyday life. Jons attitude to the was very much about enjoying the experience and learning at your own pace and adapting the content he was teaching to what I wanted to know which he was able to do as he has a great deal of knowledge which he shared generously when I asked about topics which weren't included in that day's course.

I took Jon's joinery course, and I found that it gave me much more insight into working with wood. In the past, I have worked mainly with electric tools, but on this course, we were working with hand tools. Spending time with Jon let me understand much more about the wood I was working with and how to work it. Jon sees wood in minute detail and nuance, and it was a pleasure to receive some of that from him in his teaching.

I came away thinking about when I could next come to another of his amazing courses.

Daniel C.

Had an amazing time at Sawdust Academy today, making a three-legged stool. Jon is a fantastic teacher; super knowledgeable and very patient. Was so nice to make something meaningful with my hands in such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I came away very proud of what Jon had helped me create and with a real sense of accomplishment. A fantastic investment in my mental health and home decor!

Stephanie H.

Had the pleasure of building a stool with Jono in his workshop. As a complete novice everything was explained and demonstrated clearly and we got to build up our skills over the day. It was so much fun and great activity to do with friends! Looking forward to treasuring my stool forever 😊

Sian W.

Great place to learn woodwork and carpentry skills. Jon is a patient teacher. I did a day course for joints which gave me experience of using several tools. I’ll be back for more.

Lee B.

I have recently attended two of Jon's short courses and from having no carpentry skills I managed to make a stool that now graces my daughters bed room. Jon is super friendly and is always on hand with advice and guidance. Highly recommended!!

Katie S.

I recently had the pleasure of making a stool with Jono at his workshop, along with a small group of friends. Jono's incredible skill and warm hospitality made us all feel at ease. We learned valuable skills throughout the day, and each of us left with a fantastic stool that I’m extremely proud of. I can't recommend Jono and the Sawdust Academy highly enough!

Laura F.

I had a great day learning to make a wooden stool by hand with Jon. He helps just the right amount and gives you his full attention. He was happy to answer my various questions about types of woods, sustainability of woodworking, etc etc, topics on which he was very knowledgeable. The site, Fort Cumberland, is cool too.