We’ve written in the past about how searching for Woodworking classes near me will become less relevant because Apps like HobbyHack will be become better and more prevalent in the very near future. As we’re about to release our first version of the app due out on May 29th, we’ll provide a fantastic option for those of you wanting to learn woodworking or learn carpentry in the convenience of your own home but still join the comradery of the group environment.
Here are the first 11 features that will help you learn woodworking, or learn carpentry as some call it online but be part of a group or Crew as we call them:
- Sign in and select your level
You’ll self-select your starting level but we recommend you join at the lowest possible level for you. Expertise in any skill comes from repetition, so the more tasks you perform in woodworking the better you will become. So take your time, enjoy the journey, and build up those repetitions!
2. Invite a Friend or two or many
During the sign-up process you’ll be offered a chance to invite family and friends to join in your crew. You could invite 24 if you’d like and create your own crew. Email Dave to make those types of larger arrangements and create your own woodworking class.
Are woodworking classes formal? Not yet, but that option will be made available in the future. Once you select your level, you will be placed in a Crew of similarly skilled people. This will be your Woodworking Class. The app is self-paced and learning material is generally available on the web. We’ve taken the time to review and pick the right videos so we’ve eliminated web searching for you. If for some reason you want to change crews, we have processes built in for that.
3. Uploading Previous projects
We’re offering all members the app’s full feature set for the first 30 days. This includes the ability to upload previous projects you’ve created before joining and store them within the app. After the first 30 days this feature will only be available to Basic Subscription (paid) members. Currently your projects are just a collection of pictures on your phone that you must search for. This feature gives you the ability to organize and store them in one convenient place.
4. Review learning material in your profile
Just like in woodworking classes or a carpentry course, we’ll have a list of skills you’ll be taught within each level, and a list of tasks that you’ll have to perform to refine those skills. There’s also a list of curated videos to help you with each specific task in that level.
5. How do I start a project?
You start a project by naming the project and selecting a set of tasks. Once the tasks are selected you pick one, milling for instance, and start the timer. We’ll collect that information and show how much time you spend in each task. If you’re a Basic (paid) subscriber, we’ll collect and show you that data over time so you can see your progress. In future releases you’ll be able to use the data to help you improve your overall efficiency.
BTW, you don’t have to do the exact projects we recommend. But pick projects that have the same type of tasks that are in the recommended projects.
6. Project Management Features
You’ll see exactly what tasks you’ve accomplished and what tasks remain. You’ll also upload receipts and see exactly how much a particular project is costing you. (This feature is only available in the Basic subscription.) The Basic members will also be able to review total time spent on a project, get a breakdown of time spent on each task and be able to compare stats from project to project. We plan to expand the analytics capabilities in future releases.
7. Project Completion
Once you complete your project you will publish for grading just like in a woodworking class or carpentry course. To do this you will be offered a screen to enter a detailed description, and we suggest you be as detailed as possible. That will provide a historic record and help your crew better understand the details. You will also be asked to upload specific photos of your project. Once all of that is completed, you’ll hit Publish so the other members of your crew will be notified your project is ready for grading.
8. Grading each other
As a member of a crew, you will be expected to grade your crewmate’s projects. Once a crew member completes and publishes a project, you will be notified that their project is ready to grade. You’ll be offered 4 or 5 categories to grade using their submitted pictures and notes in the comments section. We hope members provide their crewmates valuable feedback both positive and constructive, but never negative or insulting. We don’t want Twitter-like behavior.
9. How do I pass each level?
Members pass by getting an average of 4 out of 5 in all categories for each project in all levels. We have multiple projects required in most levels to build skill through repetition. And remember, you don’t have to pick a recommended project, just so your project has all the design features of the recommended projects.
10. Forums to ask questions
We want you to build your personal community so we’re segmenting the forums into three options. Two of the forum options will be reserved for Basic Subscription members. The universal option available to all, will be the Crew forum where you and your crewmates can interact just like you’re in a woodworking class. Think of it as a private group text but hopefully not that annoying! The next option is the HobbyHack communitywide option where your questions and or comments will go out to the entire HobbyHack community. The third will be a forum in which you’ll have the ability to follow certain people from the larger community and interact with them directly. Options 2 & 3 will only be available to paid subscriptions.
11. Master Assist
This feature will be available to all members and be an additional fee, as you’ll be able to get one on one video help from one of our available Master Woodworkers. this will work like ride share, a Master (Level 8 or 9) will make themself available in the app and then the member could request help from one of the available Masters. The member will be asked to enter their credit card information and once approved, a live video feed will be established within the app. Members can discuss specific problems and show the issue directly from your workbench.
