We had a feeling that the second annual Fine Woodworking Live conference would be even better than the first, but you never really know until it happens.

The new venue, the beautiful new student center at Southern CT State U., was near-perfect. Everything in one spot, from the classes, to the banquet, to the vendor area, to the catered lunches in the food court. 

The furniture tour at nearby Yale University was a huge hit, as 30 lucky people took a guided tour of Yale’s priceless underground trove of 100 or more iconic pieces, plus the official furniture exhibits at the University’s awesome new art galleries.

We had 20% more attendees this year too, and they loved the new schedule format: almost all electives and many more classes to choose from. Of course, we had the best teachers in the world once again, and closeup cameras projecting all the action on big screens.

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But the roaringest new success had to be Friday night’s 2×4 Buildoff. That was one thing we REALLY didn’t know would work, but it is now a fixture that is here to stay! Over 150 attendees and participants stayed up late to enjoy the battle. Amazing what woodworkers can do with a jigsaw, a pile of pine studs, and a box of screws!

The best thing of all are the friendships made, and those renewed. Many of us pursue this craft in isolation, which can be nice, but it feels good to share the love. That’s the reason we launched FWW Live, as one more way to keep us connected.

That powerful impulse drew attendees from as far as Brazil, Austria, Israel, and New Zealand, from Mexico to Canada. In fact, more than half of the attendees were back from year one. For the rest of you, there is always FWW Live 2014. I guarantee we’ll raise the bar again!

Launch Gallery