Practical Course 1 & 2

Joy in working with wood
There is no denying and it cannot be overlooked. The industrial influences our thinking and governs our doing in construction. Standardisation, premanufacturing and digitalisation are the keywords that we encounter on a daily basis. We take it for granted, that construction itself and with timber in particular is solely understood as an assembly process of industrially (pre-)fabricated timber products and elements. However, beside this work only being governed by efficiency, we ignore the cultural meaning of our doing.
Because of that it seems more than necessary to shift our focus also to the craftsmanship of carpentry. Construction is still an analogous task and always demanded the mentioned craftsmanship. And exactly that is the content of Practical Course 1 and 2. Of course, these can only be seen as an introduction to the basics of the handicraft of the carpenter. But only through the own doing one is able to develop an appreciation for these craftsmanships. 

Practical Course 1 [208.454 | 1,5 SE | 2,0 ECTS] [Carpentry]
Course supervision: M. Gstettner, G. Schickhofer
Content supervision [LBS Murau]: ZM R. Schweiger, [participation: P. Schickhofer, BA], [organisation M. Gstettner]
In the scope of Practical Course 1 the students get to know the craftsmanship of the carpenter. In cooperation with the Landesinnung Holzbau Steiermark and the Landesberufschule (LBS) Murau  the students have the possibility to educate themselves in the usage with the tools and machines of the carpenter. After an introduction the students get to manufacture a small, yet sophisticated  object as a team and under the supervision of two carpentry masters and teachers of the LBS Murau. 

Practical Course 1 - 2023 | 27. February to 10. March 2023:
Object'23: "reading-pavilion in larch" [according to plans of a survey and analysis of a pavilion built in 1913] 

What happened after that?

The work at the LBS Murau was completed and the students were proud of their pavilion. With that, the course was completed and everyone was graded with a "participated". For us, the leaders of the course, a new phase began, because what should happen next with this "reading pavilion"? After dismantling and transporting it to Graz, the individual elements were stored in a weather-protected area in the BTZ.

A site wanted to be found. It didn't take long before our offer to give it to a school for use was accepted and landed on fertile ground. The BAfEP Graz made a suitable place available and thus began the considerations for implementation. After preparatory work in the house, the foundation work was completed in the last week of May.

Immediately afterwards, the individual elements were brought to the construction site and the construction of the wooden structure began. The lining of the roof structure formed the conclusion, which at the same time served as a surface for applying the roof. In this context, we would like to thank the teachers and students of the "Landesberufschule Graz" - Department: Roofers and Plumbers - who undertook the roofing of the pavilion as their final thesis. Finally, the floor was produced in the form of a brick covering, cleaning as well as the finishing work was also carried out.

G. Schickhofer, Graz, 6. July 2023

Practical Course 1 - 2024 | 26. February to 08. March 2023:
Object'24: "notice board for the evangelic parish Graz Eggenberg" [according to a design by S. Leahy and P. Schickhofer]
additional Object'24: "Bar for the Transport Planning Drawing Studio"

The starting pont for the project of 2024 was the wish by priest F. Eckhardt from the Christ Church Graz Eggenberg to substitute the old metallic and rusty notice board against a new one made from timber. S. Leahy and P. Schickhofer started the designing process and also proposed a redesign of the entry area including the new notice board. After several discussions an aggreement was reached and the realisation could start. A realised model, discussions and blueprints regarding construction and connections as well as the geometry served as a basis for the list of components accordint to which eventually the timber species Spruce, Larch and Robinia were chosen and and the cutting of the elements was carried out.

G. Schickhofer, Graz, 13. March 2024

Practical Course 2 [208.551 | 1,5 SE | 2,0 ECTS] [Furniture]
Course supervision: G. Schickhofer
Content supervision [OE_208]: TM B. Heissenberger [assistance: M. Gstettner]
Already in SS 2022 the adaption and expansion of the wood workshop at the Institute of Timber Engineering and Wood Technology took place under supervision of TM Ing. B. Heissenberger and  the assistance of DI M. Gstettner and P. Schickhofer, BA. Five workplaces equipped with european and japanese tools - four more will be added - are now available for the students interested in craftsmanship.

Glimpse of the course first held in WS 2022|23:
After an introduction to the "correct" handling of the tools of the carpenter, the students were able  to show their skills. Surprisingly quick the crafting skills that are probably lying in each one of us showed and with the joy of the own doing increasing on a daily basis the participants showed their craftsmanship on different workpieces. The "assistant's piece" - a casket - served as the worthy close of these two intense weeks in our newly equipped wood workshop. 

Practical Course 2 - 2023 | 6. February to 17. February 2023:
Object'23: "casket in spruce" [according to plans for the assistant's piece of the carpenter]

Practical Course 2 - 2024 | 12. February to 23. February 2024:
Object'24: "casket in spruce" [according to plans for the assistant's piece of the carpenter]

Practical Course 2 - 2024 | 18. September to 29. September 2024
Object'24|2: "Bread box in Pine" [according to plans by S. Holzmann]

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." [AT|Gen 3|19]

Due to the high interest a second course of Practical Course 2 was offered before the start of the WS2024/25. Again, all five work spaces were occupied to manufacture bread boxes in Pine.  Dovetail connections were made, the surfaces were planed and, eventually, impregnated. Worth mentioning are the two experts G. Schubert from OliNatura - he introduced the "products and their application for the surface treatment of wood" and W. Hess from Tormek - he educated us on the "stone preparation to sharpen steel drills and axes". After two intese weeks the course was closed with a joint "light meal".