Coopering, or cooperage, as it’s correctly termed, is an old-world technique by which thin boards or staves are cut, bent and arranged in a circular fashion with metal hoops to create cups, storage vessels, and barrels mostly for trade on long ocean voyages. Today this woodworking technique is finding its way into furniture components such as solid doors, frame and panels, case work, chair seats and backs, benches, coffee tables along with sculptural work that is more art on form than function. Metal hoops are now replaced with tight fitting glued joints. The staves can be straight, tapered, bent laminated, steamed and bent or cut from solid stock. The way these elements are created combined with the desired curve can result in a wide range of pleasing shapes and forms. Adrian will demonstrate the many techniques from design, drawing, machining and clamping strategies that he uses in his work. He will also show the basics of making a coopered panel and include demonstrations on making a shape made coopering plane, and progress to more complex parts and designs using curved staves. Coopering can be done with very simple but accurate machine set ups coupled with a few simple jigs which makes the process possible, even for the novice. This will be a demonstration class with opportunities for students to get involved in machining and making the many examples.