HNL Tool Library got rolling last year with an array of donated tools that members can borrow as needed without having to pay the price of equipment they might use only occasionally.

Now the volunteer-driven organization is expanding its mission to education, offering workshops to teach people how to make and fix things themselves, from planter boxes to home and bike repair.

“The goal of these workshops is not to simply ‘make stuff,’ but rather to learn the skills and confidence that empower people to be more self-sufficient and sustainable,” said Elia Bruno, founder and director of the Tool Library.

“People are still very intimidated with the idea of working with your hands nowadays,” he added. “It’s something that almost got completely unplugged from our society.”

Often people just throw things away that could be easily fixed because they are daunted by the idea of taking them apart, said Bruno, who graduated in May from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a degree in sustainability studies.

The next workshop, Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon, will teach basic woodworking skills as students learn how to make wooden coasters out of pallet wood. Other classes coming up will cover basic bike maintenance, home repairs, and fixing or resizing window screens.

“Our goal is if you do a project with us, after the workshop you have acquired all the skills you need to do that by yourself,” Bruno said.

That’s how it worked for Pauline Sato, an environmental educator who attended a recent workshop on making planters, and learned how to use a miter saw, drill press and sander. Rather than simple assembly, the carpentry workshops start from scratch, usually with reclaimed wood.

“Elia was a fine teacher, offering careful instruction and patience as we novices learned how to use the tools with a nice piece of wood that looked like it had a lot of history,” said Sato, a member of the Tool Library.

“I’m very happy with my planter, which I was able to finish within the time period of the class,” she added. “I even borrowed a wood burner after the class to add some unique designs.”

Sato said she’d like to make more, perhaps as holiday gifts.

The workshop program was developed by volunteer Phil Ziegler. The cost of the classes ranges from $25 to $45, with discounts for students, seniors and Tool Library members. HNL Tool Library is on the premises of its partner, Re-Use Hawaii, at 200 Keawe St.

The Tool Library is also offering custom training sessions to nonprofits. Members of Sustainable Coastlines learned how to create sand sifters, which they use to clean up beaches, Bruno said. Big Brothers Big Sisters will be taking part in team-building sessions with the Tool Library next month.