Welcome back to the Workshop Blog. We have had a great response from our blog and newsletter! Thank you all.

We are following up our ‘Making of’ video with an exhibition walkthrough, focussing on the interactives in Unearthed. We showed you our making processes before and now, here are the outcomes. Later in the blog, you’ll see a spotlight on some of our new courses and a detailed look at how we made the 9 Men’s Morris interactive.

Watch the ‘Exhibition Walkthrough’ video below.

Unearthed: Interactives │ Exhibition Walkthrough

The walkthrough video shows some of the fantastic exhibition and highlights our interactives in it.

Here’s a list of the interactives with a very brief description of how each can be interacted with.

• Spearhead | Bronze cast with Ash handle – Visitors can touch our replica that sits next to the original
• Glacial Map Puzzle | Laser cut, layered acrylic – Different time periods can be rebuilt and discussed through a layered puzzle
• Mammoth Tooth | Cast Jesmonite – A 1:1 copy of the tooth on display so visitors can feel surface  
• Pot Puzzle | Magnetic Jesmonite pieces on a rotating mount – A replica Roman pot can be moved and rebuilt
• Log boat seat constructed from CNC cut wood, with metal worked handrails
• Coins | Bronze cast – The originals were 3D scanned, enlarged, printed and then cast in bronze so visitors can touch them
• 9 Nine Men’s Morris | CNC routed Beech boardgame with ceramic counters – The game is playable by two people

It has been great for us in the Workshop seeing the finished interactives being used on gallery and seeing so many people having fun with them. Hopefully, you can hear this in the video. The aim was to help visitors engage with the artefacts on a further level, and also in a way that cannot be done anywhere else but Derby Museums. The interactives in Unearthed are a great testament to the specialist making we achieve in the Workshop.

New workshop courses | 3D printing, Upholstery, Dovetails and more

As well as the daily movements of the Workshop, we also host a range of courses. Some are run by our Technicians, like the Canvas Making course in the photograph above, but we also enjoy facilitating specialist makers in the Workshop to run their own courses.

Recently, we needed some support in bringing our Bandsaw back to full working health. There was a part we needed to replace. We were unable to source the part and (of course) decided to make it. After some brain scratching and 3D modelling, we had a file but no means of printing in a highly specialised material strong enough for the machine. This is where Adam Leighton, a 3D printing friend, stepped in. He listened to us, took our file and soon returned with a working, printed Nylon part, ready for the machine, and the Bandsaw is back working again!

We are excited to be welcoming Adam Leighton and his new 3-week, introduction into 3D printing course. We are always asked about possible 3D courses in the workshop, so who better to lead one.

About Adam:

‘Derby‑born Adam Leighton, founder of Jam Seventy Nine (J79), is a multi‑disciplinary designer‑maker with many years of hands‑on experience. He has worked in a university environment for over 20 years, supporting learning and research across creative and technical subjects.

Specialising in 3D printing /additive manufacturing, product development, and digital manufacturing since 2016, Adam founded J79 in 2024 with a mission to educate and inspire the people of Derby about the exciting possibilities of 3D printing.

His work focuses on developing practical skills in making, design, and emerging technologies, with a strong emphasis on accessible, supportive, hands‑on learning.’

The course is open to all; beginners to 3D printing or to those wanting to solidify their skills.

Find out more here

As well as this, we also have an exciting new course, making Eco Upholstery Footstools. Join Katie, a City & Guilds qualified upholsterer and maker, for a one day course for a perfect introduction to the craft of traditional, hand-made, upholstery. Katie usually runs an upholstery workshop and teaching Studio at Spode Works in Stoke. The stools will have wadding from recycled plastic and the course is suitable for beginners and those who would like to learn traditional upholstery techniques.
Find out more here.

We also have an interesting upcoming woodworking course, where you learn to make dovetail joints and make a mobile phone stand. Steve Barlow, a cabinet maker with over 45 years experience, returns to the Workshop to lead this course. Attendees will be taken step by step through a practice joint, followed by making a hardwood dovetailed mobile phone stand to take away.
Find out more here.

9 Men’s Morris | Making the board

Continuing our more in-depth breakdowns of the making of the Unearthed interactives, here’s how we made the 9 Men’s Morris gameboard. For those unaware, 9 Men’s Morris is a two player boardgame that dates back to the Roman Empire, and perhaps before. We liken it Naughts & Crosses, but with extra dimensions.

Updates & Information

Upcoming Maker Saturdays:

We are opening the Workshop on selected Saturdays to Makers!
Every second Saturday of the month.
10am – 4:30pm

June 13th
July 11th
August 8th
September 12th
October 10th

Want to find out more about the Workshop?

Public Workshop at The Museum of Making

Interested in using the Workshop?

Become a Workshop Maker

Upcoming Courses:

• Intro to Dovetails: Mobile Phone Stand | 10th June
• Eco Upholstery Footstool | 13th June
• Introduction to 3D Printing | 26th June 2026 – 10th July 2026
• Cookie Cutters: An Intro to Tinsmithing | 27th June
• Introduction to Woodworking | 5th August – 19th August 2026
• Milk Bottle Mallets | 11th October

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