No meeting this month and shop is temporarily closed due to weather

SLWG February 2025 Newsletter

MEETING CANCELLED THIS MONTH!!

Next Meeting:

NO MEETING

THIS

THURSDAY

The Building where we hold our meetings will be closed on this Thursday due to the weather and its aftermath so we will be unable to meet.

See you next month!!

President’s Letter

A few points that I want to make about this Guild this month:

Our Guild Charter
The St. Louis Woodworker’s Guild is a 501c3 organization that was first organized in 1984. The primary focus of the Guild is woodworking education and community service. Our Community Services are a big part of our organization. Our community services are listed below with some of our pressing needs.

Toy Chairman.
We are in need of a chairman now. Duties, as I know of right now, are listed below. If you need more information, ask any member of the Toy Committee: Paul Bailey, Hal Donovan, Charles Schrock, Grady Vaughan

Attend each regularly scheduled monthly meeting, collect the toys and announce how many we received.
Track toy inventory and announce if we are short and need more toys
Keep a stock of toy parts, order when they get low and turn in the bill to the Treasurer
Coordinate to make sure toys are ready for the members to deliver to the hospitals
Send a monthly report to the Board on the numbers delivered and received

Christmas toys
Meets the 1^st and 3^rd Fridays of each month and builds toys. The best part is no experience is needed as there are all kinds of thing to be done. Members at any skill level are encouraged to take part.
This year we have a goal for 2000 toys to be donated to 5 different organizations. If you are going to make a toy, please consider making two or more of the same. The way I look at it is the first one is easy and you can make a few more parts for a few more while you are set up.

Faust Park Art Fair
We are doing the this again this year. The fair is August 16. We are looking for donations of anything made of wood. Last year the small toys and bowls went over very well.

Feztival of trees
The Moolah Feztival of Trees Is only 8 months away and that time will fly by. Think about what kind of woodworking stuff we can put in it this year. We have done three years of fantastic stuff and each year it keeps getting better. Please use your wonderful talents and let’s make this years’ the best yet.

Stay safe in the shop,

Brian Ellison

When choosing lumber, be it domestic or exotic hardwood, Visit Andrew and the team at U-Pick Hardwoods in St. Charles Mo.
U Pick hardwoods offers guild members a 10% Discount with your current membership card.

Beaver Industrial Supply has name-brand woodworking tools engineered to make your shop more productive. We carry a full range of products like high-end saws, planers, sanders, lathes, joiners, drills and dust extractors. Shop products from Axiom, Fein, Festool, Jet, Kreg, Powermatic, Laguna Tools, Skilsaw and more!

THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM
(In-Person Presentation and Livestream)

No meeting this month.

LAST MONTH’S PROGRAM

SketchUp

with

Scott Berlinger

Scott gave a captivating discussion of the capabilities of SketchUp and how it has evolved over the years. See link below to see the entire presentation.

Link to Previous Month’s Meeting Recording

TOOL AUCTION NEXT 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.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Items available at the March meeting will be:

Manufacturer Item Retail Min. Bid

Veritas	Flat Spoke Shave	$ 144	$ 58
Vbuck Brothers	1 ” Chisel	$ 10	$ 4
Ashley Iles	No 7 Straight Gouge	$ 59	$ 24
TH Witherby	1/2 inch bench chisel	$ 20	$ 8
TH Witherby	1/2 inch bevel edge chisel	$ 25	$ 10
TH Witherby	1 1/2 inch bevel edge chisel	$ 129	$ 52

Triton TSPS-450 Spindle Sander $ 200 $ 80

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)

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.

SAVE THE DATE

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

Donate to the St. Louis Woodworkers Guild HERE

SHOW AND TELL

Jeff Nasser brought a Brazilian rosewood peppermill with a holly wood top. Finished with multiple coats of CA glue.

Wayne Humphrey brought in a small part that came off of a toy and could possibly be a choke hazard for a child. He wanted to raise awareness of the necessity of making sure that our toys are as safe as possible.

Brad Bernhard brought in a black walnut green log carving that he made using only hand tools. He used a Fine Woodworking Magazine article as a guide.

The hand tools that Brad used included a block plane, folding draw knife, various gouges, and a scraper.

Steve Mikola brought in the sequel to his last month’s S&T segmented piece items which he completed into the nicely finished bowls and other shapes.

Charles Schrock found a piece of pistachio wood that he turned into a nicely done bowl. He finished it with a water-based acrylic poly.

Grady Vaughan brought in a food service wrap dispenser box that looks a lot nicer than the cardboard box that used to sit on the kitchen counter. He noted that it holds 3000 ft of 18″ wide plastic wrap which will last a while. Constructed from red oak stained with Minwax English Chestnut and Waterlox Original gloss finish.

Grady also brought End Table number 20 that he has made for HSH. Constructed from red oak with Waterlox Original gloss finish. The wood for the top came from Jay Noffsinger’s stash and the legs were made from laminated leftover oak flooring strips.

Brian Ellison showed a drill press table that he assembled using his 3D printer for jig parts for the vacuum connection slide clamps.

Gary Schmidt brought in a pull-toy horse that will be a real hit with the kids. Made from pine with shop-made wheels.

Dan Lender brought slides of a vanity that he made for a new bathroom renovation currently being done at his house. He calls the style “Modern Arts & Crafts”, constructed from quartersawn oak and 1/8″ shop-made veneer.

Since vanities require plumbing, Dan has incorporated some interesting design features into the drawers for efficient use of the space.

Dan’s method of maintaining his grain matching decisions.

TOOL RECALLS
and Other Videos

Here is a link to a site that lists safety recall notices for woodworking tools. LINK

COMMUNITY

St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community

Toy Committee Chair Steve Mettes waiting on toys to be brought into the meeting by Guild Toy Builders.

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

2025 Toy Report

Editors Note: We are working on the new figures for 2025 and hope to be able to report them next month.

Toy Tally

Collected
Jan — 0
YTD — 0

Delivered
Jan — 0
YTD — 0
Since 1994 — 89,038

2025 Toy Program Major Contributors

Over 50 Club
Looking for Toy Builders!

NEW CONTRIBUTORS
None this month

2025 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Items: 4,000

?% ACHIEVED

10% Member Participation Target

?% ACHIEVED
? Members
(Total Guild Members 408)

Organizations that we currently donate toys to include:

BJC Children’s Hospital
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Hawthorn Children’s Psych. Hosp.
LifeWise STL
Mercy Hospital

Peace Pantry Cedar Hill
RankenJordan Ped. Bridge Hospital
Rockwood School District
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Toys for Tots

Toy Committee

Steve Mettes, Chair
(Looking for replacement)
Paul Bailey
Hal Donovan

Charles Schrock
Grady Vaughan

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.

HSH Table Build Community Outreach

We have completed 10 months of our fiscal year. Fifteen tables were delivered in January to bring out total to 142 tables, 8 shy of our new goal of 150. The donations of wood combined with Members’ time and talent have helped and will continue to help St. Louis area people and families. Every table Members have donated through the Guild has gone to someone in need.

We delivered an average of 13 tables per month for the first 10 months. If we continue at this pace, we will come close to 170 tables by March 31, 2025.

The HSH team collected donated white oak from Foeder Crafters. The oak is available now. Contact me to arrange a pickup. Matt Wallace has already made one donation of wood which is being worked into table as you read this. Matt has a second wood donation coming this week.

Talley to 1/31/25:

Current Month Current Year Program Total

Dining Tables 0       8 32
End Tables/Sofa Server     10 118 301
Coffee Tables 5 16 28
Night Stands 0       0   4

Total 15 142 365

Total Tables by Year

FY 2022-2023 102
FY 2023-2024 120
FY 2024-2025 (10 Months) 142

Grand Total for Program 365

FY 2024-2025 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Tables: 150

95% ACHIEVED

While we have 16 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)

5 +
Paul Bailey
Roger Besancenez
Jim Hessburg
Jack Mckay
Phil Morton
Don Turner
John Vincini
Leo Weisman

10 +
Paul Hellenbrand
Karl D’Arcy

15 +
Paul Deutsch

20 +
Alan Brown
Grady Vaughan

55+
Charles Schrock

60+
Hal Donovan
Tom Tierney

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).

Watch for an email regarding an HSH Shop Workday.

Tom Tierney
(314) 412-1817
tmtierney@gmail.com

UPCOMING MEETING PRESENTATIONS

March 20 Brian Ellison The Scroll Saw
April 17 Business Meeting Election of Officers
May 15 Matt Wallace Woodmills

Woodworking Classes
Held at Faust Park Workshop

Upcoming Classes

See the Schedule on the SLWG Website HERE.

Date Teacher Subject


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

Check out the Events Calendar on the SLWG website HERE.

Faust Park Workshop Information

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.

March “Open Shop” Hours

Mar 2 9 am – 5 pm

Mar 4 & 5 10 am – 2 pm

Mar 8 9 am – 5 pm

Mar 11 & 12 10 am – 2 pm

Mar 15 & 16 9 am – 5 pm

Mar 17 & 18 10 am – 2 pm

Mar 22 9 am – 5 pm

Next Shop Safety Class

When:
Thursday, March 6th, 6:30 pm

Where:
Faust Park Workshop

Duration:
Plan for 3 Hours

Cost:
$20 for Current Members

Safety Class attendees must register online and bring their current Guild membership card.

Limit of 10 per class.
Visit the SLWG website for Safety Class Signup HERE.

Directions: Plug the following address into your GPS or phone:
1135 Henry Jackson Rd. Chesterfield, MO

Join or Renew your Guild

Membership Today!

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!

Click here to pay dues online

WELCOME to NEW MEMBERS

Aaron Bernstein
Will Beshore
Jonathan Cannon
Mary Ellison
Alhusain Ghazala
Peter Gioia
Joe Greyson
Shawn Menke
P.J. Moore

Nesha Newton
Mark Noble
Richard Oman
Jeffrey Parrotte
Horace Perry
Ted Thomas
David Vitale
Paul Zilch

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.

SLWG Officers, Board Members and Committee Leaders

President:
Brian Ellison
president@slwg.org

Vice President:
Corey Doner
vicepresident@slwg.org

Secretary:
Adam Conners
secretary@slwg.org

Treasurer:
Joe Turner
treasurer@slwg.org

Directors:
Dan Lender (exp. 2025)
Hal Donovan (exp. 2026)
Jason Sankovitch (exp. 2027)
Bob Kastigar (exp. 2028)

Immediate Past President:
Jay Noffsinger

Membership Coordinator:
Brian Ellison (Temp) – 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

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:
Corey Doner

Legal Counsel:
Bill Hobson

Contact a Guild Officer with Questions

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.

Walnut Level sponsor. Guild members will receive a 10% discount on many items at Rockler.

Cherry Level Sponsor. Guild members will receive a 10% discount on saw sharpening at Quinn Saw.

Image Credits:

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St. Louis Woodworkers Guild · PO Box 411766 · Saint Louis, MO 63141-1766 · USA

February 2025 Newsletter