What Organization to Join?

[Rich Huhra]

I am and I think others in the forum would like to know what Association, Club or Organization you belong to as a woodworker? And do you think it helps with your woodworking?

Thanks
Richard

[harry strasil]

I wish there was one around here, I drove over a hundred miles once to attend one in a large city, but being a neanderthal mostly, it was a disappointment. I was invited to demo my treadle scroll saw and then wasn't even asked to. I guess me and another fella who came a long way from over in Iowa didn't go over to good as when they were passing around some of the fancy cutters and talking thousandts of inch precision in wood, the other fella commented to me that the speaker was doing brain surgery on wood and I got one whale of a laugh attack. LOL

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I'm a member of the Midwest Tool Collectors Association. Like Harry mentioned, meetings are way too far away, but I do like their magazine.

[John Thompson]

When my check gets there tomorrow... I will be a member of the Woodworkers' Guild of Georgia. Why.. because a large % of the 400 members are very experienced in a very wide range of skills. I have been a large carcass builder for 30 + years but... I am not in the league with some of those guys in scrolling.. turnings.. carving.. inlay and marquetry.. etc. and I hope to pick up some things I have just not gotten to in the past 38 years.

Sarge..

[Charles Krieger]

I joined the Diablo Woodworkers Club about a year ago. It has been more helpful than I expected. Each meeting has a show and tell for members to exhibit and explain their projects. A significant portion of the meeting is devoted to a guest speaker, mostly really informative woodworkers with special skills. The business portion of the meeting is short with all the special interest groups giving brief descriptions of their activities. I attend the router special interest group as well as the general meeting and I feel I always come away with a handy bit of knowledge. All this said I have onlly been woodwoking for a couple of years so everything is a learning experience. To learn more about this club and see some of the members work: http://www.diablowoodworkers.com/

[Larry Marley]

I joined the Orange County Woodworkers Association one year ago.
great group, I kick myself for not joining years ago.
Their sub chapter is the Orange County Woodturners Association.
Each group meets once a month. I learn so much, and the discounts at local merchants more than pay for the dues.
They make thousands of toys for local disadvantaged children, and thousands of Pens for the Freedom Pen project each year.
Each group has guest speakers and demonstrators, and there are weekend work shops and clinics. Getting my work critiqued by true experts really gives me the desire and information to improve.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Just read the posts here..... It's FREE. You can contribute if you like.

Just to let you know, I just got 2 VERY valuable tips.
1) Using Barkeepers Friend to clean my table saw top

2) Boeshield T9 to keep it from rusting.

I just got done cleaning my top. Looks BRAND new! Couldn't stop. Cleaned and Boeshielded most of my stuff. Ran out of time or I would have done it all.

This Forum is just awesome. If you were on the Turners forum I'd reccomend a local AAW club to join.

[Gary Breckenridge]

I belong to the Northeast Ohio Wood Workers Guild. I'm not sure if we learn more or laugh more. We meet monthly in members' shops.

[Joe Scharle]

If your location were made public, you may get some useful suggestions.

[Rod Sheridan]

I belong to the Woodturners Guild of Ontario.

There are two meetings a month, a general business and "show and tell" meeting, where I am able to see what real turnings look like. (As opposed to the round firewood I specialize in )

The second meeting is a skills development night, where a senior member demonstrates skills ranging from custom tool making to using a particular gouge or making a particular type of object.

The Guild is a great resource.........regards, Rod.

[Orion Henderson]

SAPFM.org is a very good national organization with many satellite regional groups attached to it. If that is the type of furniture/woodworking you are into.

[Steve Mellott]

I belong to the Gwinnett Woodworkers Association (meets weekly) and the Peachstate Woodturners group (meets monthly). Without a doubt, both groups have helped to improve my woodworking skills. You get to see demonstrations (we've had Jimmy Klewes, Nick Cook, Kimberly Winkle, Bruce Bell, etc), participate in hands-on events, have access to DVDs, have access to other members' shops, get discounts from local lumber yards and have a great time in the process. Those two organizations and this web site provide significantly more value than any woodworking magazine.

[Don Orr]

I belong to the Northeastern Woodworkers Association in the capital region of Ny state. They have been a very helpful resource in my woodworking education. I also was very involved in the woodturning subgroup where I learned a lot from some wonderful people. I also belong to the American Association of Woodturners and participate in a couple of their local chapters.

It's nice to have a group as a resource-there are some very skilled and talented woodworkers in our group who are willing to share their knowledge.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I am a preferred member of the inside track club of Harbor freight. It helps me to save big money on buying tools de China.

[Roger Newby]

I am a Charter member of the Greater Syracuse, Nebraska Woodworkers Association....also secretary and treasurer. Meeting are held whenever I go out to the shop. It's a very quiet and civilized bunch with no arguments what so ever