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THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM
(In-Person Presentation and Livestream)
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Traditional Woodcarving
with
Mary May
Mary May’s School of Traditional Woodcarving
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If you can’t make it to this month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.
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SLWG Secretary Adam Conner provided useful information and examples of basic joinery at the August meeting. Watch the whole program on the link below.
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If you could not make it to last month’s meeting in-person, here is the LINK for streaming.
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SILENT AUCTION THIS MEETING
As previously mentioned, we recently had a woodworker donate us several items as he works to close-out his shop. We held a Silent Auction last month and several members went home with nice tools at a good price. All items last month found a new home.
It turns out, he had some more items to let go of. And these remaining woodworking items are enough to warrant another Silent Auction this month. Items include:
Chisels Air compressor (like new)
Tenoning jig (like new) Pantograph
Wooden mallet Veritas angle jig
Set of small files Assortment of Bench Dogs
Several groupings of router bits
Some items available for FREE!!
In addition, we have a Shopsmith which will be available for bidding at the SEPTEMBER Meeting. Bob Danner, our resident Shopsmith expert, assessed the machine and has written up the following summary:
For auction is a very clean, well maintained Shopsmith 510 which has been donated to the Guild. The Shopsmith has been kept in a climate-controlled shop since purchase and is in excellent condition. The following are included:
* 510 main table, fence, and extension table
* Bandsaw with fence
* 12” sanding disc
* Lathe tool rest, live center, and faceplate
* Drill chuck
* Safety items: feather boards, push pads, etc.
This is the perfect system for a small basement or garage shop. All Shopsmith basic functions are possible: table saw, drill press, lathe, disk sander, horizontal boring (which no other tool can do). Set up and training, if needed, can be provided by Bob Danner. See Bob for details or call him at 314-365-1163.
If you are interested in bidding on the Shopsmith, but not able to attend the meeting, please call or text Joe Turner for assistance. He will explain the process to be used for this situation. Joe’s number is 314-495-5938.
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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.
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SAVE THE DATE!
HomeSweetHome Facility Tour
Saturday, November 8th
A chance to see the facility that processes and distributes the goods that we build and donate. More info to come!
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Save the Date
November Saw Dust Party
(Instead of the September Picnic)
Planning for the Saw Dust Party (Nov. 20th Meeting night) continues.
Information to pass on:
- We’re planning to make this party fun for both members and their spouses (one spouse per member). So, make sure she or he knows they’re invited.
- To properly plan the food (and activity supplies), you will need to register. We will be publishing an event registration (goal is sometime in September) on the website with additional details. So, more to come on this.
- As mentioned last month, we’re interested in shop-made projects provided by our members to use for various activity prizes. If you’re interested in providing a prize, let me know. The sooner the better to help us plan.
- And to go with our Saw Dust theme, we need your scrap wood (but not your dust). You may be wondering why…..well, you’ll find out at the party. Sizes of wood can be as small as 1″ cubes, though pieces 2″ – 6″ x whatever x 3/4″ – 2″ is the general ballpark. And if it’s bigger than needed, we’ll cut it down. All wood species welcome. Bringing the scraps to the monthly meetings is ideal, but if you can’t, give me a call.
Joe Turner
Joe.turner@slwg.org
314.495.5938
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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.
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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.
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.
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Editor’s Note: If you want more details on the S&T items below, click on the link above to watch the video of the last meeting.
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Ronald Farver brought in several items that he has built to improve quality of life.
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They include a box for a flashlight that has a special kind of battery that he doesn’t want to lose, a handsaw box with a unique handle and latching system, and this Jeweler’s Lath base with cover to protect it and also makes it handy to transport.
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Condiment carrier for BBQ time.
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Protective box for model of McDonnell Douglas plane. Reduces stress when the kids are around.
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Adam Conner brought in this small cherry wood cabinet that he made using dovetail joints for the drawers and mortise and tenon joints for the structural members.
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Bob Jones made this table for the HomeSweetHome program using the donated church pew wood. He used an iron acetate stain on the legs to get the black color and made several trials on the top before he was satisfied with the results.
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Mark Sutton made this Kokopelli image in a shadow box with his bandsaw and various species of wood to get the interesting color pattern.
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Jay Noffsinger received a vacuum pump as a gift and decided to make his own vacuum press system as an alternative to using vacuum bags.
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He placed a melamine top on a torsion box frame and built the top frame for the heavy-duty plastic from maple for stiffness and applied a double rubber seal around the edge for a secure barrier. He says it works much better than bags for him.
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Scott Berlinger showed us his shop-made version of an expensive jig for patterning curves on a bandsaw that he says works just as well as the original.
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Our intrepid Meeting A/V team who makes our streaming, recording, meeting audio and video, and other cool things happen. They deserve a shoutout for the time and effort they put into preparations for every meeting.
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TOOL RECALLS
and Other Videos
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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
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Safety Issue
We have been advised that while there is not a recall, several injuries and mishaps (think SawStop) have been reported with the use of metal tapering jigs on table saws, and the pros are recommending that if you have one of these, it should NEVER be used on the table saw. A non-metallic or sled-type tapering jig should be used instead. The Guild has removed the metal tapering jig that was in the Faust Park shop.
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COMMUNITY
St. Louis Woodworkers Guild contributions to the local community
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Current total of toys in inventory for distribution is 1,086. We have about 300 toys in progress and will get more started at our next build date. We are going to working most Fridays from now to the middle of November to wrap up all the loose ends and get a running start for the next year.
If you want more information on what we are building, see Vickie Berry or Wayne Humphrey.
Wayne Humphrey
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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.
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Some of the toy donations at the August meeting.
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Toy Committee Update
We added Lambert St. Louis Airport USO and Crisis Nursery to our list of toy recipients last month.
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
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Collected
August — 227
YTD — 1253
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Delivered
August — 300
YTD — 737
Since 1994 — 91,249
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2025 Toy Program Major Contributors
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Over 100 Club
Paul Hellenbrand — 330
William Marsek — 328
Linda Turner — 321
Dan Sudkamp — 104
Over 50 Club
Bill Meuth — 79
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NEW CONTRIBUTORS
None this month
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2025 Target and Challenge
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Target for Delivered Items: 4,000
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10% Member Participation Target
(40 Members)
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20% ACHIEVED
8 Members (through August)
(Total Guild Members 402)
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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
Hawthorn Children’s Psych. Hosp.
LifeWise STL
Mercy Hospital North Pediatrics
Lambert St. Louis Airport USO
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Peace Pantry Cedar Hill
RankenJordan Ped. Bridge Hospital
Rockwood School District
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Toys for Tots
Crisis Nursery Wentzville
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Bob Baird, Chair
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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Tom will NOT have wood to distribute at this month’s meeting
Talk to him at the meeting if you need wood for this program
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Three tables above by Grady Vaughan and three more by Hal Donovan below for the HSH Program.
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We have completed 5 months of our fiscal year with a total of 54 tables delivered so far. Our goal is to deliver 150 by March 31, 2026.
The donations of wood combined with Members’ time and talent have helped and will continue to help St. Louis area residents and families. Every table that Members have donated through the Guild has gone to someone in need.
Already this year we have 4 Members who have built and donated 5 or more tables. More table builders are needed. Especially after the May tornadoes hit the St. Louis region.
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
We are starting a new dinette table product which is in the design/build proof stage at this time and should be rolled out shortly. See photo below for the prototype. This is being developed at the request of HSH as something that they really need for their customers.
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
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Talley to 8/31/25:
Current Month Current Year Program Total
Dining Tables 1 2 35
End Tables/Sofa Server 11 40 367
Coffee Tables 0 7 40
Night Stands 0 5 10
Total 12 54 452
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Total Tables by Year
FY 2022-2023 102
FY 2023-2024 121
FY 2024-2025 175
FY 2025-2026 (5 months) 54
Grand Total for Program 452
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FY 2025-2026 Target and Challenge
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Target for Delivered Tables: 150
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Table of Recognition
Below are the Members who have built five or more tables in the current FY.
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10+
Hal Donovan
Tom Tierney
Grady Vaughan
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Current Year No. of 5+ Builders 4
Overall No. of 5+ Builders 17
Current Year No. of Builders 15
Overall No. of Builders 40
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Tables like this 34” square dinette table will be built and donated by Guild Members to HomeSweetHome starting this month. The table legs and apron will be made from Guild supplied 4/4 poplar. The table tops will be 3/4” plywood, HSH supplied table leaves, or donated lumber.
Plans for the table will be on our website soon. Kits for the table base will be available later this month.
Please contact Tom Tierney in person, by call or text at (314) 412-1817, or by email tmtierney@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the list for a base kit.
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UPCOMING MEETING PRESENTATIONS
October 16 Brian Ellison About the Scroll Saw
November 20 Guild Panel Stump the Chump
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Woodworking Classes
Held at Faust Park Workshop
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Bob Ryan conducted a FREE Kitchen Cabinet class at the shop on August 21 that covered the basics of designing and constructing face frames, doors, drawers, and pointers about things you might not think of until it is too late.
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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.
- No one below the age of 16 is allowed in the shop
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For Faust Park Shop “Open Hours” and the next Safety Class, click on this LINK for access to the website calendar.
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Directions to the shop: 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 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!
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Mitchell Brady
Tom Bush
Zoey Craun
Phillip Marotta
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Alberto Morales
Dennis Reed
Ryan Skehan
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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.
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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:
Hal Donovan (exp. 2026)
TBD(exp. 2027)
Bob Kastigar (exp. 2028)
Bob Danner (exp. 2029)
Immediate Past President:
Jay Noffsinger
Membership Coordinator:
Brian Ellison (Temp) – membership@slwg.org
IT/Sponsorship/Donations Coordinator:
Todd Martin – donations@slwg.org
IT Administrator:
it@slwg.org
IT Support Team
support@slwg.org
Todd Martin
Dave Schuster
Jim Becher
Nick Balogh
Steve Botkin
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Newsletter Editor:
Grady Vaughan
newsletter@slwg.org
Librarian:
Al Carlson
Toy Committee Chair:
Bob Baird
toys@slwg.org
Photographer:
Leo Weisman
Shop Manager:
David Gronefeld
Classes and Workshops Coordinator:
Corey Doner
Program Coordinator:
Corey Doner
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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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Pine Level Sponsor. Guild members will receive a 10% discount on saw sharpening at Quinn Saw.
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Pine Level Sponsor. Learn the art of Traditional Woodcarving with professional woodcarver, Mary May!
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