Three people working on woodworking projects in a workshop, using wood glue and clamps

My First Joinery Class: What Students Actually Create at The Makers Society

  • December 27, 2025
  • |
  • Luca Dal Molin

“I’ve never held a saw in my life.”

We hear this almost daily at The Makers Society. It is usually followed by, “I’m not creative,” or “I don’t have steady hands.” Yet the moment a student steps into our Ras Al Khor studio, those doubts start to disappear. The scent of fresh pine and walnut, neatly arranged Japanese chisels, and the quiet focus of people working at their benches set the tone. This is not a place for judgement. It is a place for learning.

If you have been watching woodworking videos online and thinking, “I wish I could do that,” 2026 is the year to stop watching and start building. Here is exactly what happens in your first session with us.

More Than Just Nailing Wood: Understanding Joinery

A woodworking student intently shaping a piece of timber using a hand tool, with The Makers Society logo and geometric art visible

Many beginners assume woodworking is about nails, screws, and power tools. Our woodworking classes in Dubai focus on something far more rewarding: traditional joinery.

Joinery is the craft of connecting wood using the wood itself—dovetails, mortise-and-tenon joints, and precise edge-to-edge fits. These methods have been used for centuries because they are strong, durable, and elegant. Learning joinery teaches you how wood behaves, how grain direction affects strength, and how accuracy matters more than force.

Working slowly with chisels and saws is also deeply grounding. It requires full attention, naturally pulling you away from screens and into the moment. For many students, this is the most unexpected benefit of the class.

Woodworking Joinery Basics

Your First Project: What You Actually Build

A close-up shot of an instructor demonstrating a precise joinery technique to a female student, examining a wooden joint and green jig at a workbench.

We believe skills are learned through action, not lectures. Within the first 30 minutes, you will be cutting wood.

In our introductory sessions, students work on carefully selected DIY woodworking projects for beginners. These projects are designed to be achievable while still teaching real skills. Common first builds include a solid wood joiner’s mallet or a precisely finished serving board.

You begin with rough timber, learn how to square and dimension it, mark cuts accurately, and shape joints by hand. Every step is guided, but the work is yours. By the end of the class, you leave with a finished piece that is functional, refined, and built entirely by you. Most students are genuinely surprised by the quality of what they produce in just a few hours.

Learning in Ras Al Khor: Dubai’s Maker District

Ras Al Khor is not a showroom district. It is where Dubai builds, repairs, and creates. Hosting our woodworking classes in Dubai’s industrial heart keeps the experience grounded and authentic.

Our classrooms attract a wide mix of people—professionals from DIFC, designers, engineers, and complete beginners. Everyone starts at the same place. Shared challenges, small mistakes, and that moment when a joint fits perfectly create an instant sense of community. It is social, focused, and refreshingly offline.

Skills You Can Take Home

An instructor showing a student how to use a marking knife on a sample board, emphasizing the importance of precision over force in traditional joinery.

One of the core principles of our teaching is portability. We emphasize hand tools because they are quiet, precise, and suitable for home use—even in apartments.

Once you understand sharpening, sawing, and basic joinery, you can continue building anywhere. From repairing furniture to making shelves or boxes, the confidence gained in class stays with you. For those who want to continue, we also stock professional woodworking supplies in the UAE so you can build a simple, high-quality toolkit at home.

Ready to Start?

You do not need experience. You do not need tools. You only need curiosity.

Explore our current schedule at makingdubai.com and choose a session that fits your routine. Whether you are looking for a focused weekend escape or a long-term creative outlet, your first bench is waiting in Ras Al Khor.

Related post

A close-up photograph of a wooden workbench with a block plane, a set of chisels, a square, and a hand saw arranged on its surface.
Luca Dal Molin | February 25, 2026
Essential Hand Tools for Cabinet Making and Fine Furniture

Cabinet making tools are the foundation of precise furniture building. From layout squares to shoulder planes and router planes, each tool plays a specific role in creating accurate, refined joinery. Discover the essential system every serious cabinetmaker should master.

Essential woodworking hand tools for beginners including Japanese ryoba saw, bevel edge chisels, marking knife, combination square and joiner’s mallet
Luca Dal Molin | February 23, 2026
Buy Once, Buy Right: The 5 Hand Tools Beginners Actually Need

Buy Once, Buy Right: The 5 Hand Tools Beginners Actually Need is your minimalist guide to building a lifetime toolkit. Learn why cheap 100-piece sets fail and which five precision tools truly matter.

A wide-angle view of a complete, sunlit professional woodworking workshop with a large European beech workbench.
Luca Dal Molin | February 21, 2026
Essential Woodworking Tools: The Anatomy of a Professional Workshop

A professional workshop is a system, not a list. This guide explains how woodworking tools Dubai professionals rely on work together, from milling and joinery to precision and sharpening.

Selection of Luban hand planes arranged on a woodworking bench
Luca Dal Molin | February 19, 2026
Choosing the Right Hand Plane: From Smoothing to Joinery with Luban Hand Planes

Luban hand planes reward sharpness, control, and understanding of grain. This guide explains how different planes perform in real workshop conditions and how to choose the right one for precise woodworking.

Pairing chisel being struck with a wooden mallet while chopping a deep rectangular mortise.
Luca Dal Molin | February 17, 2026
Choosing the Right Chisels and Gouges for Woodworking

Woodworking chisels define the fit of every joint. Learn how to choose between bench and mortise chisels, Narex and Japanese steel, and build a core set that lasts.

Precise joinery layout using a marking knife and square at The Makers Society woodworking bench.
Luca Dal Molin | February 15, 2026
How Precision Measuring Tools Improve Woodworking Results

Precision measuring tools determine whether a joint succeeds or fails before the first cut is made. Learn why accurate layout is the true foundation of professional woodworking results.