Eastern Massachusetts Guild of Woodworkers

Eastern Massachussetts Guild of Woodworkers

Upcoming Guild Events

March Guild meeting: Paul Cavalloro on CNC

March 08, 2025 9:00 AM • Walpole Woodcraft

April Guild meeting: Mickey Callahan on Kerf Bending and Making Tambours

April 12, 2025 9:00 AM • Walpole Woodcraft 3 Walpole Park S, Walpole, MA 02081

May Guild Meeting -- Annual Auction

May 10, 2025 9:00 AM • Needham Furniture Makers, 590 Hillside Avenue, Needham

Tribute to John George and the EMGW Mentor Program

Member Joe Frank lives in Somerset, MA, a short drive to southern Rhode Island. Joe joined several years ago as a novice. He needed a mentor and found one. John George stepped up.

Joe works full-time so his availability with John was limited. With a couple years lost due to Covid, John mentored Joe for almost four years, one evening a week at John's workshop in Hopkinton, MA. As Joe's craftsmanship progressed they continued their mentorship program building other pieces. Joe was elated to be mentored by John. But like all of us, Joe was surprised when John died suddenly last fall. Joe felt the need to extol his mentor and write about his experience. To learn more about their mentorship arrangement, read Joe's article A Tribute to John George and the EMGW Mentor Program. To contact Joe for more details, click Joe Frank.

Upcoming Non-Guild Events

No upcoming events

Map of Member Locations

For in-person meetings, the possibility to carpool to monthly and FIG meetings, and other group gatherings may be of use to you. Tom Shirley has updated the Member Map as of December, 2024 that displays members' locations on a Google map. This is private information, so to access the map you must be logged in. To interact with the map, simply click the map above. You can also click Member Map from the Member Map dropdown list. Once there you can pan, zoom in and out, and click a pin to see the member's name and location.

Woodworking Tip for February 2025 -- Permanent Wax Finish by Joshua Shapiro

If you have a tip to share, contact Andrew Davis

New EMGW Project - Dustpan and Brush

Bench Brush Project (formerly Dustpan and Brush Project) Update. (Howard Barnstone) On January 15 seven participants began the meeting with a discussion that even though the Bench Brush Project was a small one it had several interesting aspects to it that are more broadly applicable to other woodworking projects. This includes several complicated curves to the brush handle and the related wooden dustpan, the proportions of the brush, and wood bending techniques and/or bandsaw cutting techniques for making the sides of the wooden dustpan. We walked through developing a pattern for the brush, drilling holes for the bristle plugs, making the bristle plugs, and inserting them into the bench brush. We also discussed how to design other types of creative brush designs and outfitting them with the bristle plugs. Lastly, we went over the approach for making the wooden dustpan, in particular the two techniques for making the sides of the wooden dustpan.

Bristle packs, patterns, and the FW Bench Brush article were distributed with the idea that the participants would go off and make their bench brushes and dustpans. We decided to reconnect in the future to see the results of their version of the bench brush project.

In the picture left below, the participants (L to R) are Len Nyren, Rob Carver, Randy Hock, Linda Smith, John LeJeune, and Steve Iadarola. The Project leader, Howard Barnstone is seen in foreground in the picture to the right below.

Inlays, Paterae & Overlays

Michael Wheeler

January 4, 2025

Credits Vincent Valvo (Photos) and Tom Shirley (Photo Formatting)

Traditional Woodworking in the Modern Era

Dan Faia

December 14, 2024

Credits Vincent Valvo

Bevel Cut

Woodworking Establishment Clause

by Andrew Davis

Perhaps it's because of the new year. Perhaps it's because Andrew has been traveling to foreign lands and has grasped a more global view. Perhaps he's just tired of debating or hearing about the debates before us woodworkers. Or perhaps he's simply run out of Bevel Cut topics to discuss. In any event, Andrew has become a peacemaker.

Andrew's mission is an attempt to put our woodworking differences aside. This article is a request about acceptance to an ideal. It's your turn to abide. Please read Woodworking Establishment Clause to understand Andrew's noble cause. Woodworkers of the Guild Unite! (And if you have ideas for a topic, please send them to the leading contender for the EMGW Peace Prize.)

Andrew welcomes your feedback.

Measure Twice, Cut Once - Wisdom From the Shop

Raking Light is Essential

by Rob Carver

Another outstanding essay comes from the desk of Rob Carver. A little history, a light physics, a little philosophy, a little examination, a little alliteration, and a little woodworking make this a lot of good reading. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Enjoy your reading Raking Light is Essential.

You can reach Rob by clicking Rob Carver.

Cape Cod Subgroup

Six of the eleven members of EMGW's Cape Cod subgroup met July 25 2024 at the home/workshop of Josh Shapiro in Chatham. We got a tour of Josh’s well-equipped shop which he assembled over the past 8 months, starting with an empty room. Josh buys used equipment exclusively and shared with the group his tips for buying equipment on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other venues. Contact Andrew if you are in or near the Cape Cod area. - Andrew Davis

Pictured from left to right are Steven Contin, Walter Henry, Andrew Davis, Josh Shapiro, Mike Walter, Rob Aronson.

Mentoring in EMGW

Mentoring in the Guild takes many forms. Everything from a brief conversation or email on a particular technique to a full-blown cooperative effort to build an entire piece. Most mentoring occurs informally among members. However, the Mentor Program provides an easy way, especially for new members, to get involved in mentoring. Members listed on the Mentor Program page of this website have expressed a willingness to help other members in a variety of ways.

To read more about the Mentor Program, click here or navigate to About Us then Mentor Program. To see the list of Mentor members with their interests and contact information, click here or navigate to Members then Mentors.

Featured Piece of the Month

A Workbench to Last a Lifetime

by Ed O'Neil

A woodworker has a lot of loyalty for tools that work for them, especially the workbench. A woodworker is at home behind their workbench but for Ed, after decades of using his original workbench and developing new skills for furniture making, the time had come to make a new home.

This is a story of designing and building a workbench from scratch. Ed provides considerable detail, tool choices, resources, and copious pictures for anyone interested in replicating his efforts. As you can see it's an appealing, sturdy, and functional workbench. The story is a perfect example of a Featured Piece by detailing the motivation, wood species, design issues, construction, overcoming pitfalls, lessons learned, wrap-up, finish, and acknowledgements. Read A Workbench to Last a Lifetime.

Click to contact Ed O'Neil.

Thanks to our recent contributors the backlog of Featured Piece articles is getting better. However, we are always looking to fill the queue. So please consider submitting an article. Remember this column is not necessarily dedicated to furniture pieces. Tools, jigs, processes, and other woodworking related themes are also relevant.

Guild Gear

Ken Zoller has received interest in ordering another allotment of EMGW hats and work shirts. The hats also double as gifts for our paid meeting presenters. Graphic designer and member Linda Smith has made our embroidery design more legible.

Pricing will greatly depend on how many items we order so get your orders in soon. Shirts will likely cost between $35 and $50 and hats $15 - $20 depending on volume and shipping. Once the order is ready to be placed, Ken will have definite pricing. Arrangements can be made for payment and delivery.

If any of you are interested, contact Ken Zoller for details (cost, sizes, quantity, timing, etc.) and/or order placement.

Final Guild Project Update - Make a Shave Horse

The Shave Horse Project group followed up their initial meeting with a horse round up rodeo where seven horses returned to Ed Payne's shop. The build process and horse features were compared and discussed.

See more details and pictures

Starting out in Woodworking? EMGW Members Compiled a Guidebook for You

Considering getting into woodworking? A team of members of EMGW has written a guidebook targeted for new woodworkers and a refresher for other woodworkers.

The guidebook is complimentary. It can be viewed and downloaded for your reading pleasure. We hope that reading the guidebook will engender interest in woodworking and membership in our guild. Click here for a priceless copy.

Considerable work has already gone into renewing older and securing new discounts from various sources. To review the list on the website you must first login then click Members and then Special Membership Discounts.