Happy New Year from Waters & Acland!

Happy New Year! Our Designer Maker students are back in the workshop after the Christmas break and have wasted no time getting stuck into their first self‑designed projects of the year. The studio has a great energy right now — busy, focused, and impressively ahead of schedule!

At this stage of the term, it’s all about carcase construction. Across the benches you’ll see projects at every phase: components carefully prepared, assemblies laid out ready for glue‑up, and carcases coming together in clamps. It’s a hugely important moment in any furniture build, and the students are approaching it with confidence and care.

Before any timber was cut, each design was talked through and finalised with lead designer Will Acland, with construction methods reviewed in detail by our tutors. Slowing down, thinking through sequence and structure, and anticipating challenges, is just as important as the making itself.

The machine room has been particularly busy this week. After hand selecting their boards at the excellent Duffield Timber, students are responsible for processing their own rough sawn timber. This approach helps them maximise yield, minimise waste, and truly understand their material — a vital skill for anyone planning to work independently or on commission.

Carcase making is a key learning milestone. It teaches accuracy, preparation, and forward planning —especially when it comes to complex glue ups, where everything must be ready before the clock starts ticking. These are exactly the skills students will rely on if they go on to set up their own workshops and produce work to commission. (Although it’s worth noting that partners, friends and family members are often quietly recruited as extra hands during glue‑up day! 😂)

It’s been brilliant to see such thoughtful work and steady progress so early in the term, and we’re excited to see these projects develop over the coming weeks.

Upcoming Short Courses

Alongside our designer maker course, we have some excellent short courses coming up soon:

• Tri Table Making – Laminating & Veneering 5‑day course starting 9th February — only 2 places left
• Introduction to Furniture Making 5‑day course starting 2nd February — 4 places available
• Dovetailed Box Making 10‑day course starting 16th March — 3 places available

We’re also launching a new 12‑week long course, starting 20th April and running through the summer term. Places are very limited.

For full details on all courses, visit: