Reviews & Testimonials

I've just discovered woodworking and wanted to go on a course to ignite my passion. I am so pleased I found Mark Cass/ Neon Saw.He is a fantastic teacher - so passionate, so knowledgeable and above all a lot of fun. I'm now hungry to build lots of wooden things.

I have attended the Woodworking Basics evening course and was not disappointed. We got to use a variety of tools and went into specific details as and when needed/requested. Mark is a great teacher, puts you at ease and makes sure you understand the objective of the class. There was some good chats and even a cuppa and a biscuit, which has really rounded off the evening. I will definitely be back for some other courses Mark has on offer.

I would highly recommend this course. It was very relaxed and there were no strict rules on how to do things, just advice and helpful tips on how to create your favourite version of the project

Had a very good introductory class on wood working here. We covered a lot in 3 hours but it's very hands-on so you learn as you do. Marc is resourceful and a good mentor. The workshop is well equipped.I had never worked with wood before and still managed to make a decent product. This is great

I just finished a six week course making a small cupboard and had a great time. The course was structured and paced really well, with each lesson focused around a specific part of the cupboard. I loved Mark's teaching style, the techniques were explained simply and he creates a really relaxed atmosphere. Like the other reviewers I will definitely be signing up for another course soon.

Great class, really useful tips and came away with a nice box. Mark has a nice relaxed teaching style. Many thanks.

I did the lidded box one day course and it was a fantastic day for anyone thinking of getting into wood working or just getting started. Youtube is great source of info( and proably in equal measures a very bad one)but doesnt compare to day with a knowledgable professional like Mark! It was a great mix of introductions to both power tools and hand tools with some great advice and tips. Would higly recommend.

I got a box making course as a gift and had a great day! Mark is not just a knowledgeable teacher in all things wood work, he is also a really nice guy to spend a day with. I made an amazing little box, learned lots in the process and have since recommended it to all my friends.

Had a great time on Mark's 6week course building some tiny furniture. Really fun, very relaxed, and Mark was a highly engaging educator. Highly recommended this course for others looking for an after work activity or challenge.

The Neon Saw is a great place to learn basic to advanced woodworking techniques under the guidance of Mark Cass. His classes were informative, attentive, professional and mostly fun! I will definitely look into taking more classes when I can. I was sad when my course was over!

great workshop! learned loads! Would definitely recomend

Hi MarkThanks for a great and fun lesson!I learnt loads and really enjoyed your approach to teachingRoss

Had a one-on-one day with Mark to learn more about joinery technique, and he was a wealth of knowledge and experience. All his advice and practice was perfectly tailored to my skill level. He will be my first port of call the next time I need to step up my technique.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 6 week course to make a Foot Stool. Mark is an excellent teacher and makes even the most complicated of tasks easy to follow. Thanks for all your support and guidance Mark, and I look forward to seeing you again on the next course. P.S Mark makes a great cup of tea and the cakes are a real treat.

Absolutely brilliant day with Mark. a pleasure to watch and learn from a master craftsman. Mark has the ability to adapt his teaching to your skill set and is passionate about what he does

Did the 'Lidded Box' one day course and had a great time. Mark is an excellent teacher; knowledgable, passionate and incredibly patient! I've already booked my next one 🙂

I went to a 'DIY Basics' half day class and came away feeling great, informed and confident. Mark asked what we hoped to learn and then went straight to it - delivering exactly that. His teaching is very informal (which put me at ease) but thoroughly informative and he's hugely encouraging. I went in not knowing much and came out feeling confident about tackling those jobs round the house that I'd like to do myself. If you're not feeling confident about going you should REALLY just GO !

I attended a 1-2-1 day session with Mark and not only did I learn something I thoroughly enjoyed my time doing so. Mark is patient, professional and clearly understands that each individual learns at their own pace, things never felt rushed (even though the project I chose to undertake at the last minute meant that we had to!)There was plenty of hands on experience and Mark never once looked to take over or take control, he was present at every step just to ensure you had everything you needed and were, most importantly, staying safe!I would definitely recommend this workshop to anyone interested in woodworking, it has given me serious food for thought and confidence enough to look to tackle my own larger project, a PC desk.

A great course for beginners to learn the basics in a fun, relaxed environment. The space you do the course in is a fully working workshop and therefore an opportunity to use tools you normally wouldn't have access to are part of the experience. In a short space of time I had the chance to use everything from a chop saw, a band saw and a cordless drill to a jack plane and a bench hook (and was able to recall all of their names!). Mark had a great manner about him and was very happy for us to get stuck in and make mistakes, learning from them and pushing on through in the 3 hour course. A great course for beginners which I highly recommend

I spent a brilliant three hours with Mark, learning all sorts of useful ideas and tips about how to get better results when doing my own woodworking projects at home. Came out of the morning with a lovely little sconce I'd made, too. Will definitely go again.

Very much enjoyed this one-off Woodworking Basics course. It’s cleverly set up to keep you busy and learning at all times and Mark is an effective teacher with a genuine enthusiasm for tools, materials and methods. A good dose of humour too! I will be back for other courses.

I did a 1:1 day course with Mark and highly recommend it! Mark is an extremely knowledgeable and patient teacher. He tailored the day to the areas of carpentry which I was interested in and showed me best, safe practice on a number of machines in the workshop. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mark's classes to anyone from beginner to expert. Be warned - you will want to buy a Festool Domino tool once you've seen in in action so start saving now 😉 !

Can’t recommend Mark’s lessons enough! I recent took a single evening course on a Monday, as soon as I got home I booked onto a six week course to build a small cupboard starting the same week!Mark is a great teacher and has an endless amount of knowledge at his disposal. He had such a likeable and friendly approach and I hope to book onto another course soon!The classes are really fun and I can’t thank Mark enough, I had a great time!

I’ve now done 2 courses with Mark as an absolute beginner, making a lidded box (day) and small cupboard (6 week evening class).I can’t recall any better spent money than this in recent memory. Mark will teach you an array of skills using the vast amount of handheld & machine tools in the workshop, in a relaxed setting with patience and good humour chucked in on the side. And a nice cuppa from a snazzy kettle.You will not be disappointed!

A fantastic day spent on a one-to-one course with Mark at Neon Saw. Just the sheer amount of knowledge and passion Mark has for woodworking can't be underestimated! I learnt so much in that one day, and really appreciated how Mark adapted the day to my ability. 100% would recommend this course to anyone looking for improving their woodworking skills.

Just what I was after! I wanted to improve my knowledge of carpentry, but not enrol on a formal, lengthy course. The workshop is set in a lovely quiet mews in central Hove. It was a perfect length and very informative. Learnt basic techniques. Mark is a natural teacher. Would thoroughly recommend. I will definitely be doing more courses and may even do a whole day 1:1 to produce a piece I have been planning to build. 5 stars.

Mark runs great courses here catering for all abilities. I did the 6 week stool making course. Not only was it informative and taught me many woodworking skills, it was - most importantly - fun and engaging. I learned so much and perhaps best of all, it wasnt all theory - you get proper hands on experience.

I did the Liddled Box Class. Great fun. Mark is a really nice guy. He explained everything clearly and simply. There were 4 of us, with plenty of space to work and lots of decent (sharp) tools to play with.... Perfect if you need to learn a few skills and end up with a little box to take home.

I’ve now done 2 courses with Mark as an absolute beginner, making a lidded box (day) and small cupboard (6 week evening class).I can’t recall any better spent money than this in recent memory. Mark will teach you an array of skills using the vast amount of handheld & machine tools in the workshop, in a relaxed setting with patience and good humour chucked in on the side. And a nice cuppa from a snazzy kettle.You will not be disappointed!

Had a lovely time at Neon Saw on the woodworking basics evening course I attended. Mark is very friendly and explains things very clearly with practical examples. For a 3 hour course I feel like I learned a lot and broke some bad habits i'd picked up just doing stuff myself. Great follow-up info by e-mail and open to answering questions outside of the course. I'll definitely be booking myself onto some of the longer courses Mark runs.

I treated myself to a one to one with Mark, as I had previously done a short carpentry and joinery, over 30 years ago. I had some basic knowledge and skills but wanted to get a better idea of what tools are available now days and to get a bit of confidence to tackle small cabinet making projects, as a hobby (was inspired by Channel 4's - "Handmade - Britain's best woodworker). Mark was the right man for the job, and his lovely workshop is very well equipped. We managed to get through my extensive list - sorry Mark! I left full of ideas for projects and really recommend him to others with any interest in wood-drafting. Thanks Mark!

I did the Liddled Box Class. Great fun. Mark is a really nice guy. He explained everything clearly and simply. There were 4 of us, with plenty of space to work and lots of decent (sharp) tools to play with.... Perfect if you need to learn a few skills and end up with a little box to take home.

Well done Mark. A great set-up. Perfect introduction to carpentry in a relaxed setting. Coming back for more.

I took part in the Beginners Woodwork course. It was brilliant! I wanted to do something to bring my name alive and it really did. I have some disabilities and Mark was incredibly patient - supporting me when I needed it and giving me the opportunity to do things myself as well. I'd recommend this to anyone.