About the Guild

The Woodworkers Guild of South Jersey provides an atmosphere where people interested in woodworking can find others with similar interests.  The Guild is a very diverse group with a wide range of talent and interests.  Some of us are beginners, some of us have been doing woodworking as a hobby for a long time, and some of us do it professionally.  A few are involved mostly in home maintenance, most of us are jack-of-all-trade types, but some of us have found a specialty where we feel both skilled and comfortable.  A few of us collect antique hand tools.  Others make furniture in a style from the 1600s, 1700s, or 1800s, while others make things that are decidedly modern.  A few of us spend most of our time with a single tool (such as a lathe or a scroll saw).  Some of us do mostly hand-tool work, while others like to get into production mode.  We are many types of woodworkers.

The presentations you will hear will be of various types.  Most you will find practical.  Some will answer questions or show you new possibilities.  Others will involve a specific technique, tool, or safe operation.  A number will involve a project in which you have no real interest, but it will be fascinating to see what excites someone else, and how much thought and work they put into their creativity.  Some of what you see may seem to be above your skill level, but we each tend to bring in only our best work.  We are a little remiss at showing the projects that fail before they are finished, or the ones which were first attempts.  But we all learned through doing, and by being taught by others.  And we learned by making mistakes.  We don’t always share our mistakes, but we freely share our knowledge.

You will learn techniques, efficiencies, and shortcuts.  If you are fortunate, you may discover a whole new area in which to specialize – one that gives you new excitement and a drive to learn more and grow your skills.  One of us may be able to provide the clue that takes you from “I can’t do that” to “I can, and this is fun!”.  With any luck, you won’t just learn more about woodworking, you will learn more about yourself. 

Collectively, we have many different skill sets, and it may take a year’s worth of meetings to fully appreciate this.  Your fellow members can tell you’re their experiences with a certain tool type or brand.  They can advise you on joinery or jigs or lumber sources.  They can get you started in carving or turning or scroll saw work.  And they can tell you where they wasted time or money.  Collectively, this group has a lot of wisdom and experience.  And we are all willing to help each other.   We overlap, but we are each unique.  We all have a contribution to make.  We think you will enjoy your involvement with the Guild, and we all look forward to learning from you.