Hi Everybody,
I’ve been thinking about trying to organize a woodworkers club in the area where I live to meet other people interested in the craft and maybe do some community projects, buy wood in bulk, create a community shop for those who don’t have shop space, etc….
If anybody out there had any other cool ideas about what this sort of club could do or certain ways in which it should be administrated I would love to get a few ideas. As well, if there’s anybody reading this that lives in Southern Baja and would be interested let me know. I’m going to make a few flyers and post them around town.
Thanks,
Brian
Replies
Brian, I have a good idea. When you get it up and running, you guys can fly me down to give demonstrations for weekend workshops, and after a couple of weeks maybe you could make me fly back home.
Do you have a sailboat? I have been wanting to do some sailing down there.
'My' club has a great lending library of both books and video tapes that members can check out. Some of the tapes are commercial while others are videos of interesting meetings. Twice a year we have a 'round-robin' where several members present short demos. Several meetings a year are presented by members and several by professionals in the woodworking trade. Is there a Woodcraft Store near you?? Perhaps they can supply a speaker for you. How about a tour of a hardwood lumber yard? Are there any lumber mills in your area? That can be another great meeting.
Just a few meetings (speakers) we have had: Finishing, Dovetail making, wood-turning, scroll-saw work, tuning up your equipment, sharpening tools, making jigs and fixtures, veneering....
Visit 'my' club's website at http://www.liwoodworkers.org. and see what ideas you can find. Best of luck on this interesting adventure.
SawdustSteve Long Island, NY (E of NYC)
Brianmexico , when my cruise ends at Cabo 6/11/06 Wave & I'll tell you some of the very real problems you face. Your ideas are really very nice, but you must be made aware of some of the dissapointments & headaches you will face, if you persue this to the bitter end.
Richard
You reek of negativity. There are some true success stories across this country from Albany to San Diego as organizations go. Don't rain on Brian's parade.LeeMontanaFest
<<< "...Don't rain on Brian's parade..." >>>
Dickybird said his .02 worth, you said yours- Who made you the emcee?
So, what? You want a penny back?LeeMontanaFest
San Diego has one of the most active organizations in the country when it comes to woodworking. I'm sure you could get all the advice you could stand from them. A friend, Carol Reed, is a past president of this organization. I could put you in contact with her if you'd like.
Go here, http://www.sdfwa.org/ for more information. I'm sure they will be forthcoming with information. Active guilds range throughout the country, let me know if you need a couple more.
Lee
Lee,
You beat me to the punch! Thanks for the plug. I'm an active member, and couldn't be happier with SDFWA. Had fun working the Design In Wood show at the Del Mar fair this year - making child-size chairs in red oak (using 18th century hand tools) that the organization donates to charities benefiting children.
IMHO, the SDFWA is an organization well worth emulating in other cities,
-Jazzdogg-
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell
Edited 6/30/2005 12:17 am ET by jazzdogg
Brian, I am just curious, have you retired to there, or how did you end up down there? I know there are a few people from here who are building homes there for their retirement.
I've lived and worked here for the past 10 years and I'm still a couple decades off from thinking about retirement. My wife and I have been farming here for a while and we export vegetables to the USA. Before farming I was a full time furniture maker and I'm trying to set a few things up again little by little.
Brian
Brian,If you are interested in discussing the "how to's" of starting an growing a woodworking club, I and a number of others would be glad to share what we have learned over the years.FVWWC, Fox Valley Woodworkers Club, was started in June of 1984. We have 165 individuals & family memberships and are on the grow!You can check us out at http://www.fvwwc.org to see what we are up to currently and what we have done of late.We have members of all ages, backgrounds & experience levels and the number of women and young people increases yearly.We may not have all the answers but, obviously, we are doing something right to be able to get 100-125 folks to show up every month for regular meetings no matter what the weather or other distractions might be.I have the honor of being the newsletter editor and webmaster for this great bunch of folks and, like everyone involved, look forward to every meeting and special event. The education alone is worth one's time and the enthusiasm and inspiration an added bonus.
Right off the top of my head I can count San Diego, Evergreen in the Northwest, Albany and Long Island in New York and Lehigh in Pennsylvania as wonderfully successful and productive organizations. Without question I've missed many just as vibrant. Smaller and more casual organizations often revolve around Woodcraft stores because they offer classes and demonstrations. It's great to see these groups form and many are very successful.I'd start one here in Montana but sheep just won't sit still for an hour and their critiques are really rough. LeeMontanaFest
There is a list on this forum home-page. Florida has the most at 12 which could lead me to believe that woodworking is a good hobby for when you retire. I was complaining about money to a friend a while back. He pointed out that I had been retired for 30 years, what should I expect.
Sometimes I make the joke that I haven't worked a day since I started this as a profession but those that work wood as a living realize it's hard work and often tedious. One of Ruthie's coworkers once commented that I must have a very exciting life. She oughta come out and watch me carve for an hour, it would put her to sleep.LeeMontanaFest
Yea, Have you thought about what you want ot do when you retire? I'm juggling between being a surgon, banking, and investment banking.
Well, right now my hobbies include dentistry and simple brain surgeries, or I might turn another casual interest, criminal law, into a bit of income to supplement my stipend from the Olde and Broken Down Woodworker's Pension Fund.I'd better get my arse to work, toodles.Lee
Edited 6/30/2005 10:57 am ET by Lee_Grindinger
Good Lee. It sounds like you would be a good friend to have. I like One-stop-Shopping.
My one good tooth is hurting. If I had a partial lobotomy, I wouldn't mind sanding so bad. And maybe you can help get me out of prison. Hell, I didn't shoot him, He shot himself while running after me for trying to steal a crust of bread from his trash-can.
Hello Keith,
How do I navigate to the General Discussion Home Page to see the list of woodworker's clubs that you mentioned?
John Huber, Austin, TX
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/fw_clubs.asp
"I'd start one here in Montana but sheep just won't sit still for an hour and their critiques are really rough."
Baaaaaahd, Lee. Very Baaaaahd.-Jazzdogg-
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell
"I'd start one here in Montana but sheep just won't sit still for an hour and their critiques are really rough."
Try importing some from Australia, they are more forgiving and also very co-operative.
Brian,
Starting and running a group certainly has its headaches but I think the rewards far outweight them. I am in Sacramento and there are a number of wonderful groups here that are vibrant, give back to the community and are a source of a lot of good information.
Something they do that I haven't seen mentioned is organize tool swaps. Everybody brings out their old junk and trades or sells it for someone else's old junk.
I bought my old craftsman cast iron 6" jointer for $40 but I did have to sharpen the knives. One time a fruit grower showed up with a pickup full of dried walnut burl and gave it away for free. I have bought all sorts of cool tools, sold lots of them myself as well.
We alternate the location of the twice yearly tool sale and hold it at least once a year at the local Woodcraft. We don't do too much else with them although they are a great resource.
I am teaching a class next month there on making gunstocks as I am a part time stockmaker.
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