Shrink Pot Carving

Master craftsman Paul Adamson will teach you how to use traditional hand tools to carve your own pot from locally grown wood on this one-day course.

A shrink pot is a great greenwood project using small diameter wood, both branches and main stems. The pot utilises the natural shrinking properties of the wood as it dries to form a pot. The main body of the pot is initially drilled with hand augers before being chiseled out then refined with a variety of carving chisels and knives. The base is made by carving a loose, thin disc of dried wood to fit in a groove made inside the base of the pot. As the wood dries, the body of the pot shrinks around its base to create a useful and beautiful container. The pots can be used to store a variety of objects.

This course will cover the steps needed to make a simple shrink pot from freshly cut ‘green’ birch.

Each participant will take home their shrink pot and if time allows, a lid can be prepared on the day. The final lid fitting will be completed at home after your pot has finished drying.

THE COURSE WILL GIVE YOU

• The skills to hollow a wooden log to create the cylindrical body of the pot.
• The technique of shaping the dry wooden base and fitting it into a groove to make the base.
• Understanding of how to construct a shrink pot using the wood’s natural shrinkage when dry.

All courses are for 18 years and over.

Full payment for each course is required when booking (please do contact us if this is a problem).  You can change the date or cancel your place up to 30 days before the course starts but there is a £25 charge. The full course fee is non-refundable after this time, however we will always try to fill the cancelled place. If we can fill your place, we are of course happy to transfer you to another course.

Please note there are no dogs allowed on site and while we give you full safety briefings all courses are attended at your own risk.