Confidence with tools
December 6th fully booked
February 21st 4 places available Ladies only
March 7th 4 places available
Courses run from 10am-3pm and cost £70 per person. Group bookings for up to 6 people are available, for more info on prices and dates either contact me at matt@mattboysons.co.uk or use the BOOK NOW button below to go to Craft Courses where you can contact me prior to booking.
Workshops for beginners
The first step towards doing DIY safely and successfully is becoming comfortable with the tools you’re using.
This an almost entirely practical course. You’ll start the day using the most basic of hand tools and work your way through to the power tools you need to own to take on simpler DIY projects around the home.
Along side each process we’ll also look at which PPE you need to have for different tools and projects.
Once you’re feeling relaxed with handling the tools we’ll start to apply these skills to a couple of the more common household jobs like putting up a shelf hanging a picture.
We don’t get too caught up with decorating but we do cover how to fix any mistakes you might make along the way like filling unwanted or oversized holes and some common sense techniques that will help you keep your home looking fresh in-between refurbishments.
For the beginner going into somewhere like B&Q can be overwhelming for the sheer choice of fixings, glues and paints that are available so we cover the most commonly used materials and which ones you need to buy for different projects.
As well as which materials and fixings to buy we’ll also look at putting together a tool kit that will enable you to take on most jobs and what to look for when you’re buying power tools.
The end goal for the day’s course is for you to feel happy to have a go when you get home so you can get started taking on some of those simpler jobs around your house rather than paying someone else too do them for you.
In Brief during the day you’ll
Saw wood, metal and plastic
Drill holes in masonry, plasterboard, wood and metal
Fill holes in the above
Hammer in nails, screw in screws and glue things together
Learn what PPE to use for different jobs
Discover that the only thing stopping you from being a DIYer is a little confidence and a chance to have a go.
My courses run with a maximum of 5 students to make sure that everyone has my attention, can keep focussed on what we’re doing and gets an equal go with all the equipment.
I have a reasonable amount of parking at my workshop or I’m more than happy to collect students from Hassocks train station which is the first stop north of Brighton.
Outside of tea and biscuits food is not included in the day so please bring your lunch with you.
Also please bear in mind that the courses take place in an 18th century barn so please dress dress warmly and safely. Wear comfortable shoes and don’t wear baggy, loose fitting clothing or anything that you would mind getting damaged.
Cheers
M
A little about Matt
Although my initial training was as a photographer, I’ve always earned either some or all of my income by working with my hands. At school I painted boats through the winter and at college I started doing property maintenance to fill out my grant. When I finally realised that photography wasn’t for me I went into general building full time before moving on to yurt making in 2001. Once I’d made a few yurts and because of their sudden increase in popularity, I started teaching other people to make them and this became an established enough part of my business that I started to think about other potential workshops to run.
When I was a builder I would occasionally work for people who regretted not having the confidence to have a go at even basic DIY and wished they could. so a workshop aimed at getting some hands on time with tools seemed like an excellent first course to start with. However, as is the way of things, the yurt business did well enough that I never had the time for this particular workshop to happen. So it’s nice that now I have changed direction towards being a full-time designer/maker, and my time is a bit more my own I’ve been able to finally get them underway.
Students in action
Some kind words about my workshops past and present
My ‘beginners’ workshops
“Had a lovely day in such a beautiful setting. Matt is a great teacher, very knowledgeable and patient! He also kindly tailored some tasks to suit our specific problems. I am a complete beginner but came away feeling confident I could carry out basic tasks. From identifying tools to having a go practically it was a great learning experience in such a lovely place with lovely people.”
Claire
“This was just the course I needed – it was both helpful (lots of tips), practical (hands on) and fun. I am inspired to do my own DIY. Matt is a great teacher and the setting was lovely and fellow participants also great fun. Thank you.”
Alison
“What a brilliant day! We had so much fun, laughed a lot, learned a lot and all came away encouraged and confident to get home and start drilling, filling and sawing. Thank you, Matt; you are a wonderful teacher! Please run some more courses!”
Justine Johnson
“Finally! An introduction to DIY in the most fabulous of workshops with a great instructor. Matt was so welcoming, had the most fantastic day. I only wish I’d done this type of course years ago as would have saved ££££’s in handyman costs for the most simple of tasks. Matt was also patient and understood the nerves of sawing something for the first time! Since that day I’ve fixed my shed using wood filler and put up some shelves. Changed door handles, got my Dyson fixed onto the wall. I got some decorators chalk and sorted out my skirting boards and sealant in my bathroom around the bath and sink. I’ve even been practising drilling holes into old bricks and pieces of wood. Would highly recommend to anyone thinking about a day with Matt to get it booked. After some of the disasters I’ve seen some male friends attempt with DIY I think the blokes should get themselves booked in too! Thank you Matt for giving me the confidence boost that I can do house jobs myself. And do them well. “
Sian Davies
“We thoroughly enjoyed our day with tutor Matt Boyson on the ‘Confidence with tools’ course. We learnt how to operate a drill, a saw, and sealant gun, and had hands on practice with all three. Matt is a friendly/easy going guy, with an abundance of knowledge, and was extremely patient. We highly recommend this course, and would like to pass on our thanks to Matt for a great day.”
Wendy and Dave
What an empowering and thoroughly useful course. I built on what I knew and learnt and tried out many new things too. I thoroughly enjoyed your fluid bespoke style of teaching and your sharing the pure joy you have with wood, your work and teaching
Claire Cox
Great day today, thank you so much. Wish I could do it every weekend. Loved it.
Justine Smith
Thanks so much for yesterday’s course, I really enjoyed myself. You have a lovely style of teaching that made me feel very at ease and able! Going through the power tools and having a go was useful but I particularly loved using the hand tools and am keen to do more of that.
I’ve been looking at making some shelves for my daughter out of scaffolding boards today so have obviously been inspired by yesterday.
Caroline
I really enjoyed learning with Matt in his workshop. We gently worked our way through a range of tools and approaches to woodworking and I spent some very happy hours playing with a draw knife. Matt is a great teacher, endlessly patient with our questions and he made woodworking and basic DIY feel more accessible, I came away not just feeling confident to try new projects at home but more grounded too – thank you.
Jo Deighton
From the yurt making days
Matt spent 2 weeks with us at our home in France building a green wood workspace and showing us how to use it to make our yurt. We keep showing off our yurt building experience to friends and we are so happy that we did it. You are really a great teacher and guided us gently through the process! More More More!!!!
Meg & Colin Mcdowell
Matt works with his hands AND his heart, generously sharing his deep understanding of working with wood. His yurts reflect his quirky but respectful attitude to nature and it is this knowledge that he conveys with such skill as a tutor.
Sue Craig
Working with Matt was a great experience, he is able to share his woodland wisdom in a friendly open way which made the whole build really enjoyable.
I now have a beautiful 16ft hand built yurt which I am using for gatherings with friends and family. Everyone loves being in this special space!
Sharon Clifton
Matt, I must say, is a bit like a modern Nomad, fun and inspirational to work with: give him a BBQ dish, he’ll make it into a forge; a waste gas pipe, into a wood streamer. If you want to learn the process of yurt making from coppicing your own wood to having a yurt as the finished product, Matt is your man!
Hong Dam
Address
The Tythe Barn, Underhill Lane
Clayton, nr Ditchling
West Sussex, BN6 9PL
Call me
07799 630027