Workshop Overview.  Rob Cosman's Dovetail Mastery Workshop is a 3-day intensive workshop held from 22-24 July, 2024 that focuses on mastering hand cut through and half-blind dovetails.  The workshop is held at Rob's Workshop located in Grand Bay, New Brunswick, Canada.  If after reading through the information below, you have any questions about our dovetailing Workshop please email your questions to: support@robcosman.com.

Cost:  This dovetailing mastery workshop costs $1500 (USD), payable in two installments: 1) a $750 (USD) initial deposit and 2) a final $750 (USD) payment due no later than 45 days prior to the start of the workshop.  Tuition covers all instruction, lumber, meet & greet BBQ, three lunch meals, and daily fruit and snacks.  Upon payment of the initial deposit, students receive a 15% discount code valid for any full priced tool purchases on RobCosman.com.

Seats Available / Minimum Students.  We have 14 workbenches available for this workshop.  We must have a minimum of 8 students signed up within 60 days of the scheduled workshop start date to hold this workshop.  If 8 students are not signed up within 60 days of the start date we will cancel the class and refund 100% of your paid fees. 

Cancellation & Refund Policy:  $250 of your tuition is NON-REFUNDABLE (unless we cancel the workshop)  Any remaining balance paid is refundable if you cancel no later than 60 days before your scheduled workshop begins.  Cancellations made within 59 days of the workshop start date ARE NOT refundable.  

To cancel a previously reserved workshop please email us at robswebmaster@robcosman.com or by using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of any page of our website RobCosman.com.

Registration.  At checkout, there is a registration form to fill out.  This form is automatically sent to the class registrar.   Within 72 hours of checkout you will receive an email welcoming you to the workshop and giving you additional detailed information.  If you do not receive this email in 72 hours, please email robswebmaster@robcosman.com

Workshop Details.  This workshop is three full days of intensive dovetailing instruction and hands-on practice that will take your dovetailing skills to the next level.  The workshop is a skills-based learning experience that focuses on mastering hand cut through and half-blind dovetails.  Rob teaches his dovetailing techniques, tips, and tricks he has mastered over 35 years of teaching and professional woodworking.  The learning goals are that by the end of the three-day workshop you can layout, cut, and assemble directly from your saw cuts, perfect to near perfect through and half-blind dovetails.  We guarantee this workshop will be money well spent and you will go home a being able to make great dovetail joints.

Skills Covered in this Workshop:   

• Introduction to, sharpening, and use of dovetailing tools.
• Stock preparation with the shooting board and hand plane.
• Through and half-blind dovetail layout.
• Sawing to a line
• Transferring tails to the pinboard.
• Waste removal.
• Evaluating joint accuracy
• Glueing and assembling the joint. 
• Checking for square and cleaning up the joint.

Workshop Schedule.  This workshop runs daily from 07:30 am to 10:00pm daily.  Please have breakfast before you arrive at the workshop. We serve a hearty lunch meal around noon.  Bring your own meal for supper or dine after the end of the day.  The workshop concludes on the last schedule day around 9:00 pm.  We recommend scheduling your departure on the day after the last workshop day.

Workshop Location. This workshop is held in Rob's personal workshop which is located at 275 River Valley Drive, Grand Bay, New Brunswick, E5K 1A7, Canada.  The nearest large city is Saint John, New Brunswick Canada, approximately 15 minutes east of Rob's workshop.  The nearest large U.S. city is Bangor, Maine, located approximately three hours south of Rob's workshop.

Initial Meet-and-Greet.  We have an initial meet-and-greet and BBQ at Rob's Workshop for all students who can make it on Sunday, 21 July 2024 at 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Atlantic Time).   This is so you can see the facility; claim your workbench; drop-off any tools you brought; eat some "Frick'n good BBQ", and meet everybody.  If you cannot make the Sunday meet-and-greet please let us know (so we can get the food count correct) and be in the workshop on Monday between 07:00 and 07:25 am.   

Travel and Transportation.  If you plan to fly, we recommend you do not purchase airline tickets until after the cancellation announcement date (60 days prior to the workshop) has passed.

Please plan to arrive at Rob's workshop on Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. (Atlantic time) for the initial meet and greet.  If you cannot make the meet and greet please be in the workshop on Monday between 07:00 and 07:25 am. 

The workshop concludes on the last schedule workshop day around 9:00 pm.  We recommend scheduling your departure on the day after the last workshop day.

Click the red button below for more detailed information on nearby airports and local transportation.   

Lodging.  Rob Cosman has several short-term rentals located on the workshop premises that are available to workshop students through Airbnb.  Please visit our Airbnb site to reserve, look at pictures, or find out more information about these accommodations.  Click the red button below to learn about other lodging accommodations near Rob's Workshop.

Required Tools. Each student is expected to bring their own tools to the workshop, unless you are renting a tool kit from us.  Click on the red button below to see the list of required and optional tools, learn about renting tools, and other tool information. 

 Medical Coverage.  Students are responsible for arranging and paying for any medical services required while attending the workshop.  While the risk of injury or illness at our  workshop is very low, injuries and illness have and do occur.  While we can handle minor cuts and scrapes, we highly recommend non-Canadians purchase short-term visitor / tourist insurance for their visit to Canada.  There are numerous companies that offer this coverage.  We do not provide any recommendations.  We recommend doing an internet search for, "Tourist medical coverage in Canada."  That will return numerous results.  

Basic Requirements to Enter Canada. Entry into Canada is solely determined by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials in accordance with Canadian law.   We have had students that have had difficulties entering and one or two have even been denied entry into Canada.  We recommend you click on the red button below and carefully read the the requirements for entry into Canada.