Breaking Open the Bandsaw Box by Ellie Richards

The Penland Bandsaw Box workshop, titled Breaking Open the Bandsaw Box, is a prerecorded online class taught by the woodworker Ellie Richards for Penland School of Craft. In four videos lasting about three hours and twenty minutes in total, she shows how to saw a block of wood into pieces, remove the centre, glue it back together as a box, refine its shape and finish it with colour and texture. A materials list is included. The class is open to all skill levels, costs $250 and gives you 60 days of access.

A bandsaw box is one of the most direct ways into sculptural woodworking: a single block becomes a lidded or drawered container without joinery. Richards treats it as more than a weekend project. Alongside the cutting, she discusses the properties of wood, design choices and the safe use of hand tools, so the box becomes a way to learn how wood behaves. It is part of Penland Everywhere, the North Carolina craft school's online programme, taught by the same instructors who teach on campus.

What You Will Learn

The workshop moves from the machine to the finished surface. The official page lists these topics:

• The anatomy of the bandsaw and how to use it safely
• Sawing a block into pieces and removing the centre to create a cavity
• Gluing and clamping the pieces back into a box
• Trimming and shaping the form
• Safe use of carving gouges, chisels, block planes, files and rasps
• How the properties of wood affect cutting and shaping
• Design decisions for the form of the box
• Finishing, including colour and texture

Who Is the Penland Bandsaw Box Workshop For?

The short answer: makers who have, or can use, a bandsaw and want a structured first sculptural project in wood. Penland describes it as suitable for all skill levels, so a beginner can follow it, while furniture makers and turners may value Richards' approach to shaping and surface.

It is not for someone without access to a bandsaw, because the machine is central to every stage. The class is also recorded, so there is no one to check your set-up or technique in person. If you have never used power tools, take a safety induction at a local makerspace or woodshop before you start.

Course Structure

The workshop is made up of four prerecorded videos plus a materials list. The official page gives these running times:

• Bandsaw Anatomy and Use: 55 minutes 39 seconds
• Cutting, Gluing and Clamping: 69 minutes 25 seconds
• Trimming and Shaping: 46 minutes 12 seconds
• Finishing Your Bandsaw Box: 26 minutes 46 seconds

Together that comes to roughly three hours and twenty minutes. The order follows the making of one box, so most people will watch it in sequence, then return to the shaping and finishing videos while working on later boxes.

Price and Access

The Penland Bandsaw Box workshop costs $250 USD, paid once. Access lasts 60 days from purchase, and you may rewatch the videos freely during that period. After 60 days the access ends.

Penland does not accept cancellations for its online programmes, and there are no scholarships for online classes. The materials list can be viewed before purchase, so you can check that your workshop has the tools you need.

About the Instructor

Ellie Richards is a studio artist who has taught at the Appalachian Center for Craft, Haystack and the Yestermorrow Design/Build School. She has exhibited at the Mint Museum, the Center for Craft, SOFA Chicago and the Society of Contemporary Craft. Her residencies include the Center for Art in Wood in Philadelphia and San Diego State University, and she is a former Penland resident artist. The official page also lists the Taunton Press publication Making Good: Life of a Craftsman among her credits.

Things to Consider

• Access window: 60 days is enough for several boxes, but only if your wood and tools are ready when you buy.
• No cancellations: online purchases from Penland cannot be cancelled, so choose a period when you have workshop time.
• Equipment: you need a bandsaw, clamps, glue and the hand tools on the materials list; check the list first.
• Safety: follow the bandsaw anatomy video closely and wear proper protection; no one is supervising.
• Device: watch on a computer or tablet with a reliable connection; Penland does not recommend a phone.
• Feedback: there is no personal critique, so share photos with a woodworking group or local guild.

How to Get the Most From It

Make a quick practice box from cheap timber first, then a second one in a better wood once you understand the cuts. The Penland Bandsaw Box method rewards repetition: each box teaches you more about grain, glue lines and how far you can push the shape. Keep notes on blade choice and finishes so you can repeat what worked after your access ends.

Start the Course

Interested in learning with Penland School of Craft?

Start Breaking Open the Bandsaw Box

For the full syllabus and pricing, visit the official Penland School of Craft website.

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Last verified: November 12, 2026