Summer 2026
September 14-18

Bending wood is a poetic approach to woodworking. To instructor Yuri Kobayashi, it is much like a child playing in a sandbox. In this five-day course, experiment with the art and science of steam-bending wood to stimulate your creativity and demystify this fascinating process. This course is mainly experimental and involves group cooperation and shared problem-solving, the excitement of discovery, and success with your classmates. Participants will dive into interacting with materials on the first day. 

Prospective students should note that this class will take place right before Fun with Curves: Laminating, Bricklaying & Coopering with Seth Rolland and Kevin Reiswig. While either class can be taken alone, students may consider taking both of these classes back-to-back for an even more comprehensive education on curves in wood. Add in Port Townsend’s annual 2026 Wooden Boat Festival to start it off, and this could make quite a curvy three-week woodworking experience!

In this five-day course, we’ll get inspired by an intriguing property of wood: the flexibility achieved by applying moisture, heat, or both to form new shapes. We will explore bending, twisting, and weaving, and use reed or small-dimensioned wood to seek out design potential. Playing with the techniques, we will achieve unique, organic lines and forms - the possibilities are infinite.

Students will learn and practice the following techniques:

• Designing - what curved shapes or lines do you want to create?

• Selection, preparation, and milling of wood

• Making bending stations, forms, and molds

• Steam bending 

• Drying process and building drying molds and racks

• Re-dressing, shaping, and sizing the bent wood components

This course is process-focused and designed to build foundational knowledge in steam-bending techniques through demonstrations, experiments, and small projects. The goal is not to complete a piece of furniture but to learn and explore the practice of the steam-bending process.

Students are encouraged to come to class with their own bending ideas and projects they would like to investigate. However, Yuri will provide exercise projects to help you generate ideas, designs, or project plans.

Selecting and milling wood will be covered in this course. Students may bring their own stock for this course if they so choose. The materials fee will not be waived, however.

Required Tools

• A good pair of shears 

• Thermal resistant gloves

• Utility knife

Prerequisites

Some skills required. Proper safety techniques of woodworking machines will be demonstrated but it will be helpful if students have a basic understanding of their use. Please feel free to reach out to us if you are unsure about your fit for this course.

Class Information and Registration

Class runs 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday in Building 304 at Fort Worden. Map
Please read our What to Expect page for general information about the School.
Please also read our Registration Policy.
Please sign up for the waitlist if the class is full.

Class size: 12
Cost: $1,000
Materials Charge: $100