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Optimizing Your Time at Ebanista School

First, we recommend you go as far in the Core Class series as you can. Becoming a fine woodworker is not something one learns overnight, nor even in a year. But with all the experience of our instructors, we have seen all our students progress at a very accelerated pace. For most students that will mean starting with the two-part Beginnings I and II classes. Then progressing on with Intermediate I, II, and III.

In addition to the foundational learning of our Core Classes, we recommend supplementing your learning with our workshops. I can’t overemphasize the benefits of learning to sharpen your tools and highly recommend our Sharpening Workshop. We offer a variety of other workshops such as veneering, and finishing, which will make the student a more complete woodworker.

Finally, a class you will not find at many other woodworking schools is our Design Studio. So many people, even those having made a living at this for decades, bemoan the fact that they have little or no background in this important facet of being a woodworker. It is not true by a longshot that everyone can design. But it IS true that everyone can learn.

Students who already have a background in woodworking and are joining Ebanista to raise their skill level further are welcome to contact the school and discuss starting in a class after Beginnings I.

For those who have schedules that don’t allow them to be at Ebanista School over a multiple week period, we are offering 5 day furniture build classes. These were originally intended for the people who have contacted us from around the U.S. and Canada, but they are also becoming popular with people in the Seattle area as well. The 5 day classes, due to time constraints cannot delve so deeply into every aspect of woodworking as the longer classes, but instead focus on a very hands on building process where students ambitiously build a complete piece of furniture.

Core Classes

Beginnings I

Update: Winter & Spring 2024 classes are now sold out. If your preferred class is sold out, you can request to be placed on our waiting list by emailing assistantebanista@gmail.com. Beginnings I cancellations, however are rare.

Spring 2024: (4 weeks)

  • day: T/Th 1:00pm – 4:00pm, April 30 – May 23
  • eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:00pm, March 18 – April 10
  • Saturday 11:00am – 3:00pm, April 6 – May 11 (6 weeks)

Winter 2024: (4 weeks)

  • day: T/Th 1:00pm – 4:00pm, February 13 – March 17
  • eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:00pm, January 3 – January 29
  • Saturday: 11:00am – 3:00pm, January 13 – February 17 (6 weeks)

Fall 2023: (4 weeks)

  • day: T/Th 1:30pm – 4:30pm, October 17 – November 14
  • eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:00pm, September 6 – October 2
  • Saturday: 11:00am – 3:00pm, September 16 – October 21 (6 weeks)

Skill level: Best place to begin. All levels

Tools required:  Mask, Ear phones (not plugs), eye protection, 10′ or 12′ tape measure,

6″ metal rule.  optional: apron, tool tote (also available at ebanista w/ school logo)

Tuition includes: $650 course fee, $25 material fee

Also recommended:  Sharpening Workshop

Beginnings I is a 4 week class with over 24 hours of instruction designed to crack open the door to the amazing world of woodworking. We will help you become skilled, and SAFE, and confident with two of the major tool groups. Machines, including the all-important table saw, and the joiner, drill press, planer, band saw, and disc sander. And hand power tools such as the drill, router, sander, plate joiner, and amazing new Domino. We will also go through an introduction to the most satisfying and versatile group of woodworking tools: hand tools.

Each student will build a handsome serving tray. See photo. A set of good quality chisels will be required by the 3rd class. Ebanista has some very nice Japanese chisels for sale, or can advise students who wish to purchase on their own.

 

*Please visit the Details tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

 

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SKU: BeginningI Category:

Beginnings II

$1,205.00

Prerequisite: Beginnings I and Material Layout and Prep. Workshop or permission from the director

UPDATE: If your preferred section is not available, you can request to be placed on our waiting list by emailing assistantebanista@gmail.com.

Spring: (6 weeks)
day: T/Th 12:30pm – 4:00pm, March 19 – April 25
eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:30pm, April 15 – May 22
Winter: (6 weeks)
day: T/Th 12:30pm – 4:00pm, January 2 – February 8
eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:30pm, January 31 – March 11
Fall: (6 weeks)
day: T/Th 1:00pm – 4:30pm, September 5 – October 12
eve: M/W 6:00pm – 9:30pm, October 4 – November 13

 

Skill level: All Levels (students must have completed Beginnings I and Material Layout and Prep. or been given permission from the director)

Project:  handmade jewelry/valuables box

Tools required for class: ear and eye protection, tape measure, set (6) of good chisels. Low angle block plane ( Most of the following tools are available at Ebanista).  6” adj square, layout tools, low-angle block plane, Japanese saw. plus many others. Call w questions.

Also recommended: Design Studio; Sharpening Workshop; Veneering Workshop

In this 6 week class, we will go more into depth on hand tools, including proper care and techniques and strategies for their use. You will learn why a planed finish is superior to one that is sanded. Why a marking knife is superior to a pencil for laying out joinery. Why accurate use of layout tools such as a combination square and a marking knife are so critical to superior woodworking. Why we believe that an intimate understanding of your chisels will start to reveal what you are capable of doing with wood. We will also start learning some of the joints that are the foundation of building furniture and cabinetry. In Beginnings II we will focus on the splined miter joint and frame-and-panel construction and include them in the class project: a handmade jewelry/valuables box.

There will also be consistent short practice sessions with our new hand planes and sharpening with Japanese water stones. Sharpening is perhaps the most important skill in all of woodworking and one you will continue to improve on and come to love throughout the years you work in wood. Even many people who have worked wood a very long time skip past learning this essential skill and are forever limited in what they are capable of. You should finish this class with a thorough exposure to hand tools and a very solid foundation to begin mastering them and incorporating them into your work. They will be emphasized and practiced in every subsequent class at Ebanista.

Please note: the Material Layout and Preparation workshop is a prerequisite for the Beginnings II class. If you have questions about this requirement, please email assistantebanista@gmail.com

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

 

SKU: N/A Category:

Intermediate Classes

$1,828.00

Spring 2024:

  • day: M/W 1:30pm – 4:30pm, March 18 – May 22
  • eve: T/Th 6:00pm – 9:00pm, March 19 – May 23

Winter 2024:

  • day: M/W 1:30pm – 4:30pm, January 3 – March 11
  • eve: T/Th 6:00pm – 9:00pm, January 2 – March 7

Fall 2023: 

  • eve: T/Th 6:00pm – 9:00pm, September 5 – November 14 (no class on 10/31)

 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Beginnings II level class at Ebanista and Wood Prepping Workshop or permission of instructor

In this 10 week course, students will benefit from each other’s experience and the breadth of topics being taught while focusing on their own level-appropriate project. Each level builds on the skills developed in previous levels and projects are designed to provide opportunities for new skill acquisition as well as practice and mastery of the previous.

Either section is open to both IM I,  IM 2, and now, IM 3 level students

Projects:

Level 1 – Small Table w/Mortise-and-tenon joinery, spokeshaved/curved legs

Level 2 –  Hall/SofaTable of the director’s design employing bent lamination techniques

Level 3- Tool Cabinet w dovetailed drawers, F&P doors. A cabinetmaking tour de force!

Level 4- CHAIRS!  ( whew. ‘Nuff Said)

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

SKU: N/A Category:

Design Studio

$1,390.00

Update: Enrollment is now open for Spring 2024 Design Studio. This course has a major advantage over all our other courses in that it is taught remotely.

Dates:

Spring: Fridays, March 22 – May 24, 4:00pm – 7:30pm

 

Skill level: All

Instructor: Jonathan Cohen

Introduction to design and design studio experience. Principles of design, sketching/rendering, mockups, and participating in and learning the value of critiques. Design is by far the most common part of woodworking that even longtime woodworkers will tell you they lack and wished they had a chance to learn. It is one of the signature classes here at the Ebanista School of Fine Woodworking, as almost no other schools even offer a design course. Building your own work, work that came from your own ideas, rather than from a magazine or a set of plans, is, in our opinion, one of the best reasons to become a woodworker. It really is exciting to see your own ideas reach fruition.

Both visual design and structural design as it pertains to woodworking are covered. Instructor has a degree in design and over 45 years of design experience. This class is one of the most relaxed and fun here at Ebanista.  Also available to non-woodworkers (such as interior designers) – who want a better understanding of furniture design. Class hours were designed to not interfere with workweeks, give a Friday afternoon transition time, and still leave the evening open for family and friends.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

SKU: DesignStudio Category:

10 Week Classes

Work Bench

$2,625.00

 

Update: The Fall Workbench course is now sold out. For information on future Workbench classes, please contact the director.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Instructors: Ebanista Staff

Dates:  Monday & Wednesday 12:30pm – 5:00pm, Fall 2022, September 12 – November 21

Prerequisite: Intermediate I or permission from director

Having a really nice work bench is one of the greatest pleasures for a woodworker. It is also a very strong incentive for doing your best work each time you are next to it. My bench is, after spending thousands of hours at it for over 40 years, still one of my most satisfying pieces.

In this class we will be building the very beautiful  and practical Roubo split top bench, that has become very popular in recent years, despite being first made hundreds of years ago. Each participant will custom fit her/his bench to their own needs for height and length, for their choice of woods and hardware, and a number of other special options. These will literally be one-of-a-kind pieces.

Because of the special nature of this project, class registration will need be made far in advance for several reasons.  First, class size will be strictly limited, lumber must be purchased and stored at Ebanista so that it will have extra time to season and stabilize to ensure that these benches will be around for a very long time. Class tuition covers studio time, instruction and basic material costs, such as sandpaper and glue. Lumber costs and hardware costs are the responsibility of each student, as individual choices will likely vary. Besides having a very special piece of your work to take home at the end of this class, you should see a noticeable leap forward in your woodworking skills, as building a workbench requires a broad range of woodworking skills. As usual, contact the school with any questions. We recommend signing up as soon as you can, class sells out, and is only offered once per year.

 

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Next Level

Next Level is a 10 week, invitation only, course for our most advanced students and those wishing to get to that level. It involves a heavy concentration on plane craft, plane making, veneering, and a variety of other topics selected through collaboration of students and instructors. Please contact director, Jonathan if interested.

Time/Date: TBD

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SKU: nextlevel Category:

Chair Making

$1,828.00

Fall 2023: M/W 1:30pm – 4:30pm, September 6 – November 13

Pre-requisites:  Intermediate I or permission of the instructor

Also recommended: Design Studio, Material Layout and Preparation Workshop, Sharpening Workshop

Tools required: see Intermediate Classes above + spokeshave, rabbet plane

Handmade chairs are one of the most difficult pieces in woodworking and therefore, one of the most satisfying.  The Chair Making class will be an intense, 10 weeks course, exploring design, talking about ergonomics, discussion of special skills specific to chair making in contrast with those required to make most other furniture, and the construction of one dining chair.  Each student will be working on a chair design provided by Ebanista as well as a bit of chair designing for their own future projects.

SKU: sprchair Category:

5 Day Workshops

5 Day Build Workshop

$1,525.00

Winter: Dec. 26th – 30th, 2023, 10:00am – 5:30pm

Summer: Aug. 5th – 9th, 2024, 10:00am – 5:30pm

Cost Includes: $1350 + $150 for materials

Skill level: All Levels

Prerequisite: Material Layout and Prep. Workshop

Instructor: Jonathan Cohen

Introducing 5 day intense building classes. 5 consecutive days, 7 hours/day. Instructor has designed a cherry writing desk to be built in its’ entirety, which each student will take with them at the end of the course. Early registration is encouraged as the materials will be purchased in advance to start the seasoning process and prepping before class starts. This class represents a bit of a departure from the structure of our 10 week classes. In those, the heavy emphasis is on teaching new skills and information, and the class projects are seen as a hands on manner of practicing those skills. In the 5 day classes the emphasis is on taking a project from start to completion, with a great deal of learning occurring during the process. Ideal also for those outside the Seattle area, or those who cannot fit a 10 week course in to their schedules.

 

SKU: 5daywrkshp Category:

5-Day Advanced Joinery

$1,350.00

Date: June 10th-14th, 9:00am – 5:00pm

Skill Level: all levels

Instructor: Ross Day

In studio furniture making, two classic joints stand out as testaments to the evaluation of a finely crafted piece of furniture, as well as the skill level of the maker. Those are the mortise & tenon joint, and the hand cut dovetail joint. In this 5 day intensive, we will examine and learn how to consider and execute both of these critical and beautiful forms of joinery!

You will learn how to layout, and accurately and efficiently hand-cut, both through and half blind dovetails. Commonly used in case joinery, or for drawers, it is the signature joint of fine craftsmanship. A mystery dovetail, seemingly impossible, will also be presented for fun. We will also look at three different forms of mortise & tenon: loose aka floating tenons (hidden), slip tenons (exposed), and the thru wedged tenon (exposed). Layout and technique, as well as when and where to choose one or the other, will be presented.

And finally, the often overlooked subject of Graphics; the aesthetic interplay of spacing, angles, etc. will be added to make your joinery go beyond being merely structural, to make your piece come alive!

 

SKU: 5dayjoinery Category:

5-Day PlaneCraft

$1,350.00

Date: June 3rd-7th, 9:00am – 5:00pm

Skill Level: all levels

Instructor: Ross Day

Hand planes, and the art of hand-planing, as well as the other cutting tools associated with them, are
the ultimate way for the furniture maker to connect and tap into the interrelationship between themselves,
their tools, and their material. Machines are a fundamental part of the furnituremaking process of course,
but precision in hand tools, especially when turned into instruments, will add to, and accomplish,
what machines can simply never do, and allow you to refine and take your skills to a completely
different level!
We will open the doors to PlaneCraft; the choices, differences, preparation, tune-up, and efficient use of these essential and wonderful tools. Beginning by examining the common characteristics of all hand-planes, we will do a deep dive on the literal nuts-and-bolts of Western planes; how they operate, best practices and procedures for tuning them up, and the proper use and care of them. We will then turn our attention to the mysteries of the Japanese plane; while doing the same job, has a very different philosophy, design, and set-up than its Western counterpart. Complete set-up instructions and steps will demystify this tool that at first glance seems to be just an iron in a simple block of wood, but in reality is very sophisticated. We will finally examine Specialty planes; designed to do narrowly focused tasks general planes cannot do. And for icing on the cake, the critically important and often misunderstood hand scraper will be introduced. Fitting like the hand within the glove, this tool coexists with your hand planes to take care of all your surface preparation needs.
Once the tools themselves are understood, we will then move on to methods and techniques for all the common planing tasks; surface planing, edge planing, planing end grain (yes, very doable!). Common problems, and traps to avoid, will be taught and demonstrated as well.
The 5-day workshop will stretch well beyond what is covered in our 2 day PlaneCraft weekend workshop. Including, but not limited to: sharpening plane irons, chisels, hand scrapers, and specific assignments introduced for practice of your new found knowledge, along with the time to work individually with Ross, for guidance and
troubleshooting.
Bring your existing tools, and/or purchase new ones, and transform them and your work in this unique experience.
SKU: 5dayplane Category:

Weekend Workshops

Material Layout & Preparation

$284.00

Spring: Sunday, March 17 & April 14

Winter: Sunday, January 7 & January 28

 

Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm

Instructor: Ebanista Staff

All students taking Beginnings II or higher are required to take the Material Layout & Prep. workshop or be cleared by the instructor

Starting in Winter  2023, all Ebanista students will be required to take this workshop prior to their first Beginnings II class. It is also highly recommended for anyone past the Beginnings II level who does not feel they have achieved a high skill level in material preparation. It has become more and more clear to us over the years that many students, even in upper level classes, still find this VERY essential part of working to be challenging. We will go over careful layout as well as marking and preparing work before and during projects. It is this work that will make all future work safer, more accurate, and more beautiful. It will also save a lot of wasted time and material.

 

SKU: N/A Category:

Design – Next Steps

Date: Sunday, October 8th

Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm

Instructor: Ross Day

Prerequisite: Design Studio or permission from school director

So, you have your design concept produced and completed on “paper”.  Now, how do you make it into an actual working document to build your piece exactly as you’d like it?
We will utilize a very direct, straightforward system to turn your completed design concept into a comprehensive, full scale, ‘layout board”. We will draw on 1/4″ MDF using ordinary tools most people would have, to achieve both straight lines and curves. You will learn very specific reasons, methods, and the simple beauty of doing it this way. Drawing up all necessary views, going on to make critical proportional corrections, additions, or subtractions, you will achieve a pleasing silhouette. Appropriate joinery is then plugged in, and voila! you are straight on to building, having a complete process in place, with no stones unturned, to guide you.
Specific methods for transferring important lines to make templates, jigs, etc. will also be discussed and demonstrated.

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.

SKU: N/A Category:

PlaneCraft Workshop

$495.00

Date: February 4th & 11th
Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm
Instructor: Ross Day
In this 2-day workshop students will open the doors to PlaneCraft:  the choices, differences, preparation, tune-up, and efficient use of these essential and wonderful tools.
Beginning by examination of the common characteristics of all hand-planes, we will then do a deep dive on the literal nuts and bolts of Western planes; how they operate, best practices and procedures for tuning them up, and the proper use and care of them. We will then turn our attention to the mysteries of the Japanese plane; a tool that does the same job, but of a very different philosophy and design than its Western counterpart. Complete set-up steps and instruction will be given to demystify and tune up this amazing tool that appears to be just an iron in a simple block of wood, lol.  We will finally examine Specialty planes, the tools designed to do specific, narrowly focused jobs that general planes simply cannot do. And for icing on the cake, the so important and often misunderstood Hand Scraper will be introduced. This tool fits hand-in-glove with your hand-planes to take care of all your surface preparation needs.
Once the tools themselves are understood, we will then move on to methods and techniques for all the common hand-planing tasks;  surface planing, edge planing, end grain (yes, planing endgrain!). Common hand-planing problems, and traps to avoid, will be taught and demonstrated, of course.  You will come away from this workshop with a new and broad understanding of how you can use and make these tools become instruments.
SKU: N/A Category:

Shop Economics

$232.00

Winter: Sunday, February 25th 2024, 1:00pm – 4:30pm

Note: Course taught virtually over Zoom

Note: this workshop is NOT just for woodworkers thinking of going into business for themselves. If you are just thinking of opening a small shop just for your own work, you will learn a lot of things designed to get your shop up and manageable.

Skill Level: Open to all

Instructor: Jonathan Cohen

At first glance, this workshop might seem to be an oxymoron. If you wanted to be good at business, why would you become a woodworker? This class is NOT designed to be a crackerjack Economics course, but to teach the very important fundamental aspects of keeping your love for woodworking a viable one. Not taking care of the planning and money will stop you from making a life, or a hobby, as an Ebanista, (or any other craft if you’d like to invite a friend), far quicker than just about any other problem you will face. 

We will discuss setting up a shop, machinery and tool purchase, whether to hire any employees if things start taking off, taxes, how to deal with clients, how to calculate costs and give estimates that pay you enough, the very important attention that should be paid to photographing your work and some tricks for keeping those costs under control, and strategies for dealing with galleries if you choose to give your work a wider audience.

I do not think there is anyone who has less interest in being described as a businessperson than I. But if you don’t at least become comfortable with the information in this workshop, you know what they say….ignore it at your own peril. As with most of what is taught at Ebanista, we do not claim to be teaching anything you could not learn on your own, eventually. The question is whether you want to avoid years of pitfalls and obstacles to get to your objectives. 

The instructor, Jonathan, has over 47 years of running a professional furniture studio (business) and showing in galleries across the U.S.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

 

SKU: N/A Category:

Saw Your Own Lumber Workshop

$284.00

Saw Your Own Lumber

Date: Sunday, August 6th – 11:00am – 4:30pm

Skill level: Open to all

Instructor: Peter Peterson

( Please note: this workshop is not held at the Ebanista School shop , but rather at a professional saw yard in South Seattle, 1/2mile from the school.  wear old clothes and boots, and bring earphones, safety glasses, gloves and boots. Bag lunch.   ***Also wkshp subject to quick schedule change due to weather)

Professional full time sawyer Peter Peterson is welcoming us to give an amazing introduction to sawing your own lumber. Much of this will be hands-on. You will watch as he revs up the huge industrial saw that he and Urban Hardwoods use every day to produce their amazing slabs, move down to a much smaller portable horizontal bandsaw mill, and then we will finish with a hand held chainsaw mill. It is mesmerizing to pull off fresh colorful beautiful slabs of wood. join us just for the experience or to give yourself a huge head start in making your own lumber. You will gain an in depth understanding to where ( and why) your lumber comes from.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

Out of stock

SKU: sum23_lumber Category:

Wooden Hand Plane Making Workshop

 

Note: this is a two-day workshop. The first session is to glue up plane bodies, the second to shape and tune them.

Skill level: Open to all levels

Date: November 4th & 5th, 11:30am – 3:30pm

Instructor: Stephen Barney & Jonathan Cohen

Making your own planes is an amazing way to gain a deeper understanding of planecraft and to customize your stable of these iconic hand tools to your own needs. In this class we will de-mystify the process and under the tutelage of extraordinary craftsman Stephen Barney, who has made many of his own planes (in use for decades now), tune them and hone them to become some of your favorite hand tools. Tuition costs include material and $90 handmade extremely high quality plane irons we will be using. After all, what is the point in hand making a plane and using a cheap, factory iron? Students will find it very satisfying at the end of the workshop to carry their own new planes back to their work benches.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.

SKU: fall23_handplane Category:

Sharpening with Water Stones

$284.00

Fall: Sunday, September 24 & Sunday, October 15

Winter: Sunday, January 14 & Sunday, March 10

Spring 2024: Sunday, April 21 & May 19

Time: 11:00 am – 4:30 pm

Skill Level: All skill levels

Instructor: Stephen Barney

Sharpening your woodworking tools is the most essential skill of all, vital to achieving the skills to become a fine woodworker.   Every person attending these workshops so far has commented on how much this workshop has boosted their woodworking skills. Bring your own tools if you like, or Ebanista will have some planes and chisel sets for sale. There will also be some discussion of Japanese tools. This is a fine opportunity to learn from one of the most experienced woodworkers on the West coast. These classes are always very popular, so we recommend you sign up early.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

SKU: N/A Category:

Veneering Workshop

$284.00

Fall: November 12th 2023

Spring 2024: April 28th 2024

Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm

Skill Level: All skill levels

Instructor: Jonathan Cohen

Class Description: Veneering can be a way to open MANY doors to more kinds of fine furniture. It has been around for thousands of years, and when done well can add great beauty to a fine piece of furniture- especially as much of the most beautiful wood in the world is reserved for veneers. Also, knowing how to use, and make your own veneers can open up endless possibilities in your furniture and cabinet design. In this workshop we will learn how to cut, match and press veneers, as well as how to design with them and how to use them to their maximum advantage. We will work with a cold press and also have a demonstration with an easy to build, inexpensive vacuum press. You might be amazed at how a vacuum press can change your workshop completely, greatly expanding your possibilities.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

SKU: Veneer Category:

The Art of Finishing

Fall: Sunday, September 10th, 2023

Winter: Sunday, January 21st, 2024

Time: 11:00am – 4:30pm

Skill Level: All

Instructor: Ross Day

In this class we will remove the mystery from traditional finishing techniques. We will discuss the components and theory of each finish type as well as their pros and cons viz ease of application, wood protection, and refinishing/repair. We will then move into the most important (and neglected) part of finishing: surface preparation. With our sample boards completed we will prepare some finishes and proceed to experiment with them on our boards. You will see, first hand, how different finishes penetrate the wood and bring out its character. Rounding out the finishing session, we will consider adding color to finishes.

 

*Please visit the ‘Details’ tab to review our refund/cancellation policy.

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.

SKU: Art-Of-Finishing Category:
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