What is a Tooling Camp?
A Tooling Camp is a hands on workshop for female identified and gender variant youth and adults designed to teach campers to use hand and power tools competently and confidently! Up to 20 campers, between the ages of 14 and 100, will join our experienced teachers and volunteers to learn to use the most essential tools of the woodshop (common hand tools like hand saws, hammers, wrenches, as well as power tools like drills, circular saws, jig saws and more). A 4 to 1 student ratio! No stationary tool will be unaccompanied by a teacher at any time. Campers will be led through the design and building of objects and structures, so as to learn by doing!
Where and when is the next Tooling Camp?
The next camp is yet to be scheduled. Stay tuned, details forthcoming. The last three camps were held at the Hyde Park Art Center and the Experimental Station respectively, in the summer of 2016, 2017 and 2018.
What is the schedule for the Tooling Camps?
It depends on the camp! We have held camps that ran in the evening from 6 to 9pm for two nights with an optional open shop night at the end, and this summer our camps will be 5 week days. We’ll keep our website updated with details on camps as they are scheduled.
Who are the teachers?
Project Fielding is organized and led by a group of experienced women and gender non-conforming carpenters/teachers Sara Black, Amber Ginsburg, Miriam Stevens, Caroline Robe, Brianna McIntyre, Kayla Ginsburg, Lia Rousset, and formerly Donesha Thompson and Billy Dee. Head to our Teachers page for detailed biographical information about this skilled crew. We also have the assistance of volunteers, also all experienced women and gender non-conforming woodworkers.
What is the cost?
It is very important to Project Fielding that any camper who is interested in joining is able. This is why we offer tuition on a sliding scale for all campers. Tuition costs are determined on a camp by camp basis depending on the time and length of the workshop. All costs include excellent and thorough instruction by teachers, wood working materials and access to tools.
Will campers be safe and insured?
Yes. Appropriate and safe tool use is the basis of our curriculum. Students will participate in safe tool use instructional workshops each day and they will have one-on-one observation and assistance from teachers for every tool they use. Woodshops and construction sites can be dangerous places if safety and appropriate tool use is not practiced. We believe it is this barrier that often causes apprehension in gaining these important skills. It is our collective belief that safety and competency lead to confidence, and not just in the woodshop but beyond! Project Fielding has insurance coverage for student injury in the very unlikely case that something were to happen. For any further questions on this matter, don’t hesitate to contact us!
How do we sign up?
Keep your eyes on the Tooling Camps page for information about upcoming camps. If a camp seems right for you, head to the homepage and look for a tab called Registration. You may also find it here. Please fill out the form to apply for the Tooling Camp. There are always limited spaces available for the camps and they are filled on a first come, first served basis. If there are spaces available, we will respond with a letter of acceptance and a request for payment (if applicable). In the case that you have applied to pay with a sliding scale, we will let you know how to proceed right away.