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THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM
(In-Person Presentation and Livestream)
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SketchUp
with
Scott Berlinger
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How to Build a Gerstner Toolbox
by
Jeff Hoetker
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Jeff Hoetker gave an interesting insight into the development and manufacturing process, plus the subsequent change from immensely useful to collectible history of Gerstner Toolboxes.
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TOOL AUCTION THIS MONTH
The Guild has received a donation of several high-end hand tools that will be auctioned off at meetings over the next several months.
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Items available at the January meeting will be:
| Maker |
Item |
2024 Retail Value |
Minimum Bid |
| Texas Heritage |
12 slot canvas chisel roll |
$ 92 |
$ 37 |
| Thomas Flinn Pax |
24″ 4.5 TPI Rip Saw |
$ 142 |
$ 55 |
| CK |
Set of 6 Bevel Edge Chisels (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1, & 1 1/2) with custom turned handles |
$ 450 |
$ 180 |
| Liogier |
8MM Mortise Float |
$ 54 |
$ 22 |
| Gramercy |
Set of 2 hold fasts |
$ 40 |
$ 16 |
| Stanley |
NO 15 spoke shave with hock blade and plane sack |
$ 56 |
$ 23 |
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Alert! Alert!
Bonus Open Shop Days at the Shop
You asked, and Shop Manager David Gronefeld responded. There will be two additional Open Shop weekdays in January:
Monday and Tuesday, January 20th & 21st — 10 AM to 2 PM
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Bob Kastigar mans the Cap and Apron sale table. Aprons are priced at $40 and Caps at $20.While cash is the preferred method of payment, checks or credit cards might be accepted if the Treasurer is present.
(BTW, that’s not Bob sporting the cap in the photo)
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Crafted for durability, these items are ideal for daily use in the shop or when representing the Guild at events, such as the woodworking show.
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IT Team Expands to Support the Board and Website
In 2025, our IT team has expanded by adding two new volunteers to help manage the website, social media, and back-office support for the Board. Please join us in welcoming David Schuster and Anthony Fresta, who will be working alongside Todd Martin, Jim Becher, and Aaron Johnson this year. We are fortunate to have such a diverse and talented team supporting our IT needs.
- David Schuster and Aaron Johnson are full-stack developers who will focus on cleaning up and maintaining a healthy website.
- Anthony Fresta and Todd Martin provide critical back-office support for the Board, assisting with business operations, finances, class planning, and other activities essential to running the Guild and supporting our 380+ members (and counting).
- Jim Becher is our strategy and vision leader. He also maintains the YouTube livestream and keeps the events calendar on the website up to date.
With this exceptional team in place, we are well-positioned to meet the needs of our growing Guild. Thank you to all our volunteers for their continued dedication!
The Guild continues to grow, and with that growth comes the need for additional support from our membership. It is truly remarkable that our organization has thrived for over 40 years thanks to the dedication of volunteers.
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The Power of Giving:
Supporting the Guild’s Growth Through Donations
The Guild has thrived for over 40 years thanks to the generosity and dedication of our members and supporters. Your contributions help sustain our mission, allowing us to offer quality classes, maintain our facilities, and provide resources to our growing membership. Donations—both corporate and private—are essential to ensuring the Guild continues to prosper and expand.
We’re excited to share that the Guild has partnered with four companies that offer matching gift programs for employees and retirees. These companies—AT&T, Boeing, Bayer, and ServiceNow—make it easy for your contributions to have an even greater impact. Through these programs, your donation to the Guild may be matched dollar-for-dollar, (depending on the organization) doubling the support we receive to further our mission.
If you’re an employee or retiree of one of these organizations, we encourage you to explore their matching gift opportunities. For those whose employers are not listed, we recommend checking with your current or former employer to see if they offer a matching gift program for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations like ours. Many companies are eager to support causes their employees and retirees care about, making it a win-win for everyone involved.
Your generosity plays a critical role in the Guild’s success. Every dollar donated helps us enhance programming, upgrade equipment, and reach more woodworking enthusiasts in our community. Together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant Guild for the future.
Thank you for your continued support, and for considering the opportunity to amplify your impact through a matching gift program.
Todd Martin
Donations Coordinator
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A few pictures from Bill Schuchat’s
Beginner’s Woodworking Class:
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Bob Kastigar brought his chaotic cuting board with 35 different varieties of wood and LOTS of cuts.
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Bob also brought a wavy style cutting board which he stack cut on the bandsaw and then mixed up the pieces for the variation. Finished both boards with Walrus Oil.
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Steve Micola used a CNC created jig to make several segmened coasters of various woods.
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Adam Conners noticed his wife had a problem with keeping her cookbook open while working in the kitchen, so he solved the problem by make a Cook Book Stand of walnut and curly maple with a hand-cut through-tenon. He finished it with spray can polyurethane.
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John Markiel brought tool boxes that he made for his sander, router bits, Dremel tool, and one for an unknown future occupant.
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Keith Lissant brought in some of the 112 Christmas scroll sawn ornaments that he made this year for craft fairs, most from maple and walnut. The wreaths were made by cross-cutting branches of oak with walnut add-ons.
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Grady Vaughan showed pictures of a cabinet he finally completed after working on it for a little over a year. He started with rough sawn red oak from Jay Noffsinger’s stash and went from there. Finished with Minwax Golden Pecan stain and Waterlox original final finish.
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The 48″ x 18″ cabinet replaced a 60″ x 30″ desk in the den.
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The back was fully finished in case it is relocated and shows.
The corner legs were each made from 4 pieces and lock-mitered to have only corner seams show.
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All of the structural framework was constructed with hand-cut mortise and tenons.
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Version of SketchUp used for the detailed plans.
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TOOL RECALLS
and Other Videos
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Here is a link to a site that lists safety recall notices for woodworking tools. LINK
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COMMUNITY
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
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Holiday Toy Build
During the first part of December we made final deliveries of toys to six different non-profits in St Louis city and the surrounding area. A total of 1,760 toys were delivered in 2024 bringing our four year total to 5,890.
We will start building toys again at the shop the first Friday in February from 10 to 2.
Some folks build toys at home and turn them into the program. I would like to see more folks do this so we can increase our donated toy count. We could have easily donated several hundred more toys this past year if we would have had them. If you would like to do this and need parts or toy suggestions, contact Wayne Humphrey at a general meeting, at the shop, or at wehumphrey@hotmail.com.
Donations of materials to the program are always welcome. Good quality 1 by or 2 by of any species are always welcome and we constantly adjust patterns to work with the wood we have. BB plywood is also welcome. Got a box of miscellaneous wood parts you have collected over the years and won’t ever use? We can figure out something to do with them.
Thanks to the Guild and its members for support of the program. Whatever your interests in woodworking, get involved and help us make 2025 another great year for all our programs.
Wayne Humphrey
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Toy Committee Chair Steve Mettes waiting on toys to be brought into the meeting by Guild Toy Builders.
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Toy Committee Update
Thank you to all who have built toys and contributed to this important program.
Steve Mettes
Toy Committee Chair
(901) 237 – 4483 or email to smett32@yahoo.com
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Collected
Dec — 0
YTD — 2,566
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Delivered
Dec — 0
YTD — 1,778
Since 1994 — 89,038
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2024 Toy Program Major Contributors
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Over 800 Club
Paul Hellenbrand — 861
Over 100 Club
William Marsek — 444
Bill Meuth — 341
Dan O’Heron — 206
Linda Turner — 203
Bill Hobson — 150
Keith Lissant — 113
Over 50 Club
Wayne Humphrey — 94
Joe Turner — 64
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NEW CONTRIBUTORS
None this month
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2024 Target and Challenge
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Target for Delivered Items: 4,000
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10% Member Participation Target
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3.9% ACHIEVED
14 Members
(Total Guild Members 350)
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Organizations that we currently donate toys to include:
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BJC Children’s Hospital
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Hawthorn Children’s Psych. Hosp.
LifeWise STL
Mercy Hospital
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Peace Pantry Cedar Hill
RankenJordan Ped. Bridge Hospital
Rockwood School District
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Toys for Tots
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Steve Mettes, Chair
(Looking for replacement)
Paul Bailey
Hal Donovan
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Charles Schrock
Grady Vaughan
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Please contact us with comments, suggestions or if you need to arrange pickup or delivery of toys. Individual contact info can be found on the Members Only section of the SLWG website HERE.
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HSH Table Build Community Outreach
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We have completed 9 months of our fiscal year. Sixteen tables were delivered in December to bring out total to 127 tables, 3 shy of our goal of 130 which was set back on April 1, 2024. Many hours and hands have contributed to get us here. The donations wood, your time and talent have helped and will continue to help St. Louis area people and families in ways we will never see or know.
We delivered an average of 14 tables per month for the first 9 months. I would like us to work toward a new goal of 11 table per month to get us to 150 tables to be delivered by March 31, 2025.
The HSH team will be collecting wood donations from Foeder Crafters next week. Matt Wallace has already made one donation of wood which is being worked into tables as you read this. Hopefully Matt has some more wood for us. Watch for HSH Shop Workday email next week.
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Talley to 12/31/24:
Current Month Current Year Program Total
Dining Tables 0 8 31
End Tables/Sofa Server 13 108 292
Coffee Tables 3 11 23
Night Stands 0 0 4
Total 16 127 350
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Total Tables by Year
FY 2022-2023 102
FY 2023-2024 121
FY 2024-2025 (9 Months) 127
Grand Total for Program 350
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FY 2024-2025 Target and Challenge
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Target for Delivered Tables: 130
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While we have 15 Members who have built and donated 5 or more tables and 38 Members who have participated in the HSH Outreach Program to date, we want you to join in the effort. Please consider getting involved.
Below are the Members who have built five or more tables since the start of the program on April 1, 2021.
Table of Recognition
(Two Year Total Number of Tables Built)
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5 +
Paul Bailey
Roger Besancenez
Jack Mckay
Phil Morton
Don Turner
John Vincini
Leo Weisman
10 +
Paul Hellenbrand
Karl D’Arcy
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15 +
Paul Deutsch
Grady Vaughan
20 +
Alan Brown
55+
Charles Schrock
60+
Hal Donovan
Tom Tierney
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Again, thank you to all the HSH Outreach Program participants. The Guild cannot do it without your willingness to volunteer your time and talents.
Information about our HSH table program and sample table measured drawings can be found on our website under the Community Service tab, HomeSweetHome. LINK HERE
Please contact me at the meeting or call, text, or email me if you are interested in building a table(s).
Tom Tierney
(314) 412-1817
tmtierney@gmail.com
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Tom will not have Kits at the January Meeting to use for making HSH Tables
Be sure to bring any completed tables to this meeting!!!
(He will also be dressed more warmly than shown in the picture)
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UPCOMING MEETING PRESENTATIONS
January 16 Scott Berlinger SketchUp
February 20 Brian Ellison Tuning up the Bandsaw–
The Alex Snodgrass Method
March 20 Brian Ellison The Scroll Saw
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Woodworking Classes
Held at Faust Park Workshop
Upcoming Classes
See the Schedule on the SLWG Website HERE.
Date Teacher Subject
| January 26 |
Schuchat |
Fundamentals of Woodworking 2025A-
Sharpen-Square up |
| February 1 |
Stoll |
Build a Moxen Vise |
| February 9 |
Schuchat |
Fundamentals of Woodworking 2025A-
Saw Dovetails |
| February 23 |
Schuchat |
Build A Bench (TBD due to his class) |
| March 1 |
Schuchat |
Fundamentals of Woodworking 2025A-
Dovetail Waste |
| March 8 |
Lender |
Superstar Weekend-Phil Morley |
| March 9 |
Schuchat |
Fundamentals of Woodworking 2025A-
Dado and Rabett |
| March 23 |
Schuchat |
Fundamentals of Woodworking 2025A-
Mortise |
| March 30 |
Doner |
Introduction to Pen Turning |
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Check out the Events Calendar on the SLWG website HERE.
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Faust Park Workshop Information
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- To participate in the Workshop Safety Class or use the shop, you must have paid the current year Guild dues and have your current membership card with appropriate marking.
- To use the Guild Workshop during open hours, you must have passed a Workshop Safety Class.
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February “Open Shop” Hours
Feb 2 9 am – 5 pm
Feb 4 & 5 10 am – 2 pm
Feb 8 9 am – 5 pm
Feb 11 & 12 10 am – 2 pm
Feb 15 & 16 9 am – 5 pm
Feb 22 9 am – 5 pm
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Next Shop Safety Class
When:
Thursday, Feb. 6th, 6:30 pm
Where:
Faust Park Workshop
Duration:
Plan for 3 Hours
Cost:
$20 for Current Members
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Safety Class attendees must register online and bring their current Guild membership card.
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Directions: Plug the following address into your GPS or phone:
1135 Henry Jackson Rd. Chesterfield, MO
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Join or Renew your Guild
Membership Today!
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Annual Dues Renewals
Grace Period
If a membership lapses, a former member can rejoin the guild within 12 months of expiration without having to retake the $20 Shop Safety Class. After 12 months have passed, the individual will be required to Renew membership and retake the $20 safety class.
Annual membership renewal is available online (click on button below) with any major credit card, or mail a check for the appropriate amount with member’s name in the memo line to
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild
P.O. Box 411766
St. Louis, MO 63141-9998
Current membership and completion of Safety Class status is required for use of the Faust Park Shop.
Annual Membership Dues:
Basic Membership $40
Full Shop Membership $75
A Basic Membership entitles the member to four (4) uses of the Guild Shop during the membership year.
A Shop Membership entitles the member to unlimited use of the shop during Open Shop hours.
Member benefits also include:
> Discounts at Guild sponsors
> Access to Project Workshops
> Access to a local community of woodworkers
> Access to the secure portion of the website
See the SLWG Website for signing up!
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Brendan Alfonso
Fernando Alfonso
Anthony Austin
Matthew Basilious
Chris Blum
Philip Davis
Tyler Davis
Tom Dooling
David Drake
Rick Dreyfus
Cyndi Dreyfus
Paul Frauen
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Nathan Hull
Thomas Klein
Cody Kruse
Daniel Lee
Nick Macke
Thomas McKenna
Robert Rice
David Robison
David Schuster
Kenneth Smith
Carl Strickfaden
Matthew Wallace
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If you are a current or retired Boeing employee you can now contribute to the St. Louis Woodworker’s guild through the Boeing Gift Match program. The guild is now an approved charitable organization with the Boeing program. As an employee participant, your donation of $25.00 USD or more or the equivalent volunteer hours of 25 hours or more will be matched 1:1 by Boeing. The maximum individual contribution is $6,000.00 or 6,000 volunteer hours. Your contribution is tax deductible as long as you follow three simple steps:
Step 1: Eligible Boeing employees or retirees first make a contribution directly to the guild
Step 2: After making your donation go to Total Access and click on My Community Giving – GIVE – Gift Match on the Boeing Gift Match page.
Step 3: Register your donation whether it’s monetary or volunteer hours and select The St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild and enter the total amount and the date of the contribution.
It’s that easy, you get a great tax break and it benefits the guild directly. If you have any questions, please email Brian Ellison at president@slwg.org and if I don’t know the answer, I will try to find it for you.
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SLWG Officers, Board Members and Committee Leaders
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President:
Brian Ellison
president@slwg.org
Vice President:
Corey Doner
vicepresident@slwg.org
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Secretary:
Adam Conners
secretary@slwg.org
Treasurer:
Joe Turner
treasurer@slwg.org
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Directors:
Dan Lender (exp. 2025)
Hal Donovan (exp. 2026)
Jason Sankovitch (exp. 2027)
Bob Kastigar (exp. 2028)
Immediate Past President:
Jay Noffsinger
Membership Coordinator:
Matt Stacker – membership@slwg.org
IT/Sponsorship/Donations Coordinator:
Todd Martin – donations@slwg.org
Woodworking Show Coordinator:
Andrea Lyons – lyonsandreae@gmail.com
IT Administrator:
it@slwg.org
Webmasters
Aaron Johnson / Jim Becher – webmaster@slwg.org
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Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
newsletter@slwg.org
Librarians:
Al Carlson
Sarah Porter
Toy Committee Chair:
Steve Mettes
Photographer:
Leo Weisman
Shop Manager:
David Gronefeld
Classes and Workshops Coordinator:
Corey Doner
Program Coordinator:
Bob Ryan
Legal Counsel:
Bill Hobson
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Our Sponsors
The St. Louis Woodworkers Guild relies heavily on sponsorship to execute on our mission statement of education, community service, and local development.
Please Patronize our sponsors who support the guild and our mission to encourage and educate members and non-members to enjoy and enrich their woodworking skills and experiences.
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Walnut Level sponsor. Guild members will receive a 10% discount on many items at Rockler.
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Cherry Level Sponsor. Guild members will receive a 10% discount on saw sharpening at Quinn Saw.
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