October 2025 Newsletter

Dedicated to the art of woodworking since 1984.









SLWG October 2025 Newsletter






Next Meeting:

6:45 PM Thursday, October 16th 

Moolah Shrine Center, Oasis Room
12545 Fee Fee Rd, St. Louis, MO  63146

President’s Letter

Bring your Show and Tell items to this month’s meeting.  We won’t have one next month because of the Christmas Party.  Hope to see a lot of participation.

At this month’s meeting I’ll be giving a talk about the ins and outs of the scroll saw and my scroll saw experience through the years.  I’m hoping to have two of my saws at the meeting that anyone can try out.

On Saturday, November 1, we will be touring Home Sweet Home.  You will need to register for this free event.  Go out the Guild home page and scroll down to the bottom and look for Latest News & Events, there is a link to register or just clink on this link  https://forms.gle/HG1zq3uRZXhUyPpHA

In the shop, the new mortise machine is up and running. David Gronefeld has done a great job getting it set up.  Also, this month the board has given it’s ok to buy a brand-new Lathe. A committee of 5 Guild members are reviewing the available machines, and they have it narrowed it down to 3 options. Be on the lookout for the new one.

For the November meeting, we are looking for people to donate items for the drawing prizes.  Prizes need to be something you have made.  If you are coming, please register on the home page at the Saw Dust party registration so we can get an accurate count.

Items for the Feztival  of Trees need to be turned at this month’s meeting.  Moolah will be decorating the Trees starting that night.

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)


Working with Scroll Saws

with

Brian Ellison

If you can’t make it to this month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.

LAST MONTH’S PROGRAM


Traditional Woodcarving

with

Mary May

Mary May’s School of Traditional Woodcarving


Mary brought several examples of her tools (chisels) and her exquisite work products.

Mary has written an illustrated book about how to carve various styles of acanthus leaves.

If you could not make it to last month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.

A/V Tech Support Needed

The Guild is looking for 2-3 members proficient at Microsoft PowerPoint to help at the AV table during meetings. Additional IT experience a plus.

Contact Hal Donovan at hal.donovan@slwg.org.

SAVE THE DATE!

HomeSweetHome Facility Tour

Saturday, November 1st

(NOTE REVISED DATE)

9:30 AM to 11:30 AM

10 Sunnen Dr. #100
Maplewood, MO 63143

Please register at:  HomeSweetHome Sign In

A chance to see the facility that processes and distributes the goods that we build and donate.

Save the Date

November Saw Dust Party
(Instead of the September Picnic)

Preparations for the SLWG Saw Dust Party continue.  Doors will open at 6:00p, November 20th.  Dinner buffet will start around 6:40p.  Important things for you to know.
 

Registration:  If you are planning to attend and haven’t already, PLEASE go to the website and register soon.  We need a good estimate to plan food, set-up, and games.  The link to our website is
https://slwg.org/events/sawdust-end-of-year-party/

Volunteers:  We need 4 – 6 volunteers to help with set-up.  Arrive at 4:30p.  If you are willing to volunteer, there will be a sign-up sheet at the October Members Meeting.  If you are unable to make the meeting, send a note to Joe Turner at treasurer@slwg.org.

Food:  The Guild will be providing the entrée, fried chicken.  BUT, the committee has made a change regarding what members should bring.  If your Last name starts with A – M, please bring a side dish.  If your Last name starts with N – Z, please bring a dessert.  Enough to satisfy 10 – 12.  Also, there will NOT be outlets available, so do not bring a dish that needs to be plugged in.

Recognition:  After you get your name tag (upon entering), please make your way over to the Recognition Table to receive raffle tickets for each of the areas you have been involved with that help keep the SLWG thriving.  Details will be available at the table.  A member from each of the various groups will win a gift card.

Fun:  Activities include “How many screws/wood plugs are in the Jars”, Wooden Tower Building (team event), and SLWG Bingo.

Prizes:  Prizes will be awarded throughout the night, either earned or randomly, so your chances of winning are real (way better than Lotto).  If you are interested in donating one or more hand-crafted prizes to this event, please bring them to the October Members Meeting or contact Joe Turner.

Joe Turner
Joe.turner@slwg.org
314.495.5938
 

SAVE THE DATE!

Annual Super Star Weekend
Saturday, April 11, 2026

Another great Guild weekend in store for Guild Members only! 
Guild Super Star Weekend Coordinator Brad Bernhard has engaged Fine Woodworking Magazine‘s Roland Johnson for an all-day Saturday woodworking learning experience for only $60 per member.

More info will come in future Newsletters and on the SLWG website.  Registration for this event will be available starting in November.

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.
Crafted for durability, these items are ideal for daily use in the shop or when representing the Guild at events, such as the Faust Park events.

Donate to the St. Louis Woodworkers Guild HERE

SHOW AND TELL

Editor’s Note:  If you want more details on the S&T items that were presented at the meeting, click on the link above to watch the video of the last meeting.

Also, we didn’t have a formal S&T at the last meeting, so we are sharing general pictures taken around the room during the meeting.

Jack McKay introduced the practice of carving Comfort Birds to the Guild at this meeting and kicked off a small project of getting 40 birds carved to hand out as gifts to cancer patients or others in need of comfort.  He distributed all of the blanks to volunteer carvers.

Treasurer Joe Turner hawks the raffle tickets at the meetings.  The prizes are worth the investment, if you are lucky enough to win.

Hal Donovan works with Scott Berlinger on getting the PowerPoint presentations for the program.

The Silent Auctions at the August and September meetings had some great deals.

At the round tables, members have opportunities to share woodworking issues they are dealing with.

Brian Ellison always has fun at the meetings!

Mary May had a display table with her work examples and copies of her acanthus leaf book.

TOOL RECALLS
and Other Videos

Check these links out if you have these items (some might be a little dated):

Leatherman Multitool Recall (7/31/25)  LINK

ToolGuyd Recalls Website  (Various) LINK

Grizzly Wood Lathes (11/2/23)  LINK

Rigid Framing Nailers (7/31/25)  LINK

COMMUNITY

St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
 

Holiday Toy Program

Feztival Toys and Toys for distribution this Christmas season DUE THIS MEETING.

Finished toys received after this meeting will be put into next year’s cache.

If you want more information on what we are building, see Vickie Berry or Wayne Humphrey.
Wayne Humphrey

Toy Committee Chair Bob Baird will be at the Toy Table to receive completed toys and distribute parts to those who request them.  Please be sure to contact him ahead of the meeting if you need parts. 

  Toy Committee Update

If you need supplies (wood, dowels, wheels, pins, etc.) please don’t let that stand in your way of making toys 😊. Reach out to Bob or Wayne, and we will let you into the shed to look around for what you need.

We have lots of patterns for toys of every kind. Contact me, and I will share them with you. We hope to have them all up on the website soon.

Please contact a committee member with any comments or suggestions you may have for the program and thank you to all who have built toys and contributed to this important program. 
 

Bob Baird
Toy Committee Chair

2025 Toy Report

Toy Tally

Collected
September — 299
YTD — 1,552

Delivered
September — 170
YTD — 1,057

Since 1994 — 92,209

2025 Toy Program Major Contributors

Over 100 Club
William Marsek — 368
Bill Meuth — 338
Paul Hellenbrand — 330
Linda Turner — 321
Dan Sudkamp — 104

NEW CONTRIBUTORS
Vickie Berry                      John Chapman

2025 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Items:  4,000

26.4% ACHIEVED

10% Member Participation Target

(40 Members)

25% ACHIEVED
10 Members (through September)
(Total Guild Members 402)

Organizations that we currently donate toys to include:

BJC Children’s Hospital
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
Hawthorn Children’s Psych. Hosp.
LifeWise STL
Mercy Hospital North Pediatrics
Lambert St. Louis Airport USO

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

Toy Committee

Bob Baird, Chair
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

Tom will have wood to distribute at this month’s meeting

Talk to him at the meeting if you need wood for this program

We have completed 6 months of our fiscal year. Twenty-three tables were delivered in September to bring our total for the year to 81tables. Our goal is to deliver 150 by March 31, 2026. Already this year we have 5 Members who have built and donated 5 or more tables.
 
Members Mark Koritz and the family deceased of member Vic Barr donated wood in September. Mark donated approximately 250 bdf of spruce, cherry, and walnut. Some of the spruce will be used to make toys. Much of the walnut will require further milling to cut to usable sizes for tables and toys. Vic’s family donated approximately 100 1” x 2” x 36” white oak boards which are perfect for making small side tables. Thank you to Mark and the Barr family.


Thank you to Marc Koritz, Vickie Berry, Paul Hellenbrand, and Wayne Humphrey for lending their vehicles and time for picking up and transporting the wood.

The donations of wood combined with Members’ time and talent help St. Louis area residents. Every table Members have donated through the Guild has gone to someone in need. More table builders are needed, especially after the May tornadoes.
 
 PLEASE NOTE:
 
TABLE WOOD WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE MEETING BY THE REAR ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING. LOOK FOR THE DARK GREY TACOMA PICKUP.
 
ALSO, ANYONE WISHING TO DROP OFF A TABLE MAY DO SO AT THE MEETING.
 
FINALLY, PLEASE SEE ME TO SIGN UP FOR WOOD TO MAKE A DINETTE TABLE BASE. WE WILL PROVIDE MATERIAL FOR THE TOP ONCE THE BASE IS COMPLETED.

MEASURED DRAWINGS FOR THE DINETTE TABLE ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HomeSweetHome – St. Louis Woodworkers Guild. THANK YOU, DAN LENDER, FOR THESE DRAWINGS!

We would like you to join in on this effort. Please consider getting more involved in the Guild Outreach programs be it through HSH or Toys or both.

Your involvement will help make the programs, the Guild, and our community even better.
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

Talley to 10/06/25:
                                    Current Month             Current Year          Program Total
Dining Tables                       7                                   9                          42
End Tables/Sofa Server       9                                 51                        380
Coffee Tables                       1                                 10                          41
Night Stands                        0                                   5                          10

Total                                    17                                 75                        473

Total Tables by Year

FY 2022-2023                           102
FY 2023-2024                           121
FY 2024-2025                           175
FY 2025-2026   (6 months)         75

Grand Total for Program           473

FY 2025-2026 Target and Challenge

Target for Delivered Tables:  150

50% ACHIEVED

Table of Recognition
Below are the Members who have built five or more tables in the current FY.

5 +
Paul Deutsch
Charles Schrock

10+
Hal Donovan
Tom Tierney
Grady Vaughan

Current Year No. of 5+ Builders               5
Overall No. of 5+ Builders                      17

Current Year No. of Builders                  16
Overall No. of Builders                           41

Hal Donovan‘s End Tables number 79, 80 and 81.  In addition to the End Tables, he has also completed 10 Sofa Tables.  Wow!

UPCOMING MEETING PRESENTATIONS

October 16                 Brian Ellison                   About the Scroll Saw

November 20             Guild Panel                     Stump the Chump
 

Woodworking Classes

Held at Faust Park Workshop

See the Full Schedule 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. First time Safety Class is $20.  Refresher attendance is FREE!
  • No one below the age of 16 is allowed in the shop

For Faust Park Shop “Open Hours” and the next Safety Class, click on this LINK for access to the website calendar.

Directions to the shop: 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 classes and use of the Faust Park Shop.
 
CURRENT Annual Membership Dues:

 

Basic Membership            $50
Full Shop Membership    $120
 
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

Jimmy Metzler
Evan Richards
William Goldkamp
Andrew Froderman
Steve Holzer

If you are a current or retired Boeing employee you can 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:
Hal Donovan (exp. 2026)
Grady Vaughan (exp. 2027)
Bob Kastigar  (exp. 2028)
Bob Danner (exp. 2029)

Immediate Past President:
Jay Noffsinger

Membership Coordinator:
Brian Ellison – membership@slwg.org

IT/Sponsorship/Donations Coordinator:
Todd Martindonations@slwg.org

IT Administrator:
 it@slwg.org

IT Support Team
support@slwg.org
Todd Martin
Dave Schuster
Jim Becher
Nick Balogh
Steve Botkin

Librarian:
Al Carlson

Toy Committee Chair:
Bob Baird
toys@slwg.org

Photographer:
Leo Weisman

Shop Manager:
David Gronefeld

Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
newsletter@slwg.org

Classes and Workshops Coordinator:
Corey Doner

Program Coordinator:
Corey Doner
 


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.


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


Pine Level Sponsor.  Learn the art of Traditional Woodcarving with professional woodcarver, Mary May!

Image Credits:
 


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


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