We've made it back from a great weekend in Pasadena, where the Modern Woodworkers Association hosted the Hand Tool Olympics. If you missed the live stream and really want to see the activity, you can find a series of live streams on the MWA Channel on YouTube. We'll eventually find some time to edit the 6 or more hours of it to just the action, so be forewarned, there is a fair amount of downtime captured.
We'll be aggregating a ton of photos from WIA from our members over the next few weeks, and posting them as soon as we can. Before we do anything else, we'd like to acknowledge everyone who helped make the Hand Tool Olympics possible at WIA West.
First, a sincere thank you to our members who sacrificed hours of their time to help out teaching, timing, setting-up, tearing down, prepping wood, tuning tools, and so much more. In no particular order, thanks to:
Special Thanks to Wilbur Pan for capturing this photo of me getting my butt-kicking from Chuck Bender in the dovetail challenge...(I, uh...let him win...)
We'll be aggregating a ton of photos from WIA from our members over the next few weeks, and posting them as soon as we can. Before we do anything else, we'd like to acknowledge everyone who helped make the Hand Tool Olympics possible at WIA West.
First, a sincere thank you to our members who sacrificed hours of their time to help out teaching, timing, setting-up, tearing down, prepping wood, tuning tools, and so much more. In no particular order, thanks to:
- Kyle Barton
- Nik Brown
- Aaron Marshall
- Matt Gradwohl
- Jeremiah Rodriguez
- Chris Wong
- Mike Lingenfelter
- Matt Watkins
We also received tons of support from friends of the MWA in donating prizes and gifts, lending us tools, benches and materials, and other support for pulling it off. We thank them for their help, and encourage you, the members of the MWA, to support the organizations who share our mission and help make it possible:
- Hock Tools
- Lie-Nielsen
- Elkhead Tools
- Knew Concepts
- Blue Spruce Toolworks
- The Wood Whisperer
- The Hand Tool School
- Woodpeckers
- Port Townsend School of Woodworking
- Lee Valley - Veritas
- Cerritos College
- and of course Popular Woodworking
Last, but not least, Thanks to Adam Cherubini, Glen Huey, and Chuck Bender for stopping by to help educate, and sharing their skill and knowledge. We learned a lot!
We really had a lot of fun and appreciate all of you that helped out and also to all of those that came by to participate and hang out with us. I am sure we have left someone and and sincerely apologies if we did. Mike Siemsen who runs the HTO in Cincy e-mailed me today and asked if I would do run this event again? My short answer was most definitely, there is nothing like meeting and working with so many great woodworkers!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nick & Chris. I'm glad Pasadena was such a success. You guys did a great job organizing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks to the MWA for taking up the task of organizing and running the HTO at WIA West. WIA would not have been the same without the Hand Tool Olympics.
ReplyDeleteThe events are a great way to help budding woodworkers learn new skills and seasoned woodworkers develop theirs all while maintaining an element of fun. For those coming to WIA Midwest, make sure you jump in and give it a try. It's a blast!
Lastly, thanks to Nick for letting me win. Someday, after I get a few more pieces under my belt, I may be able to take you without you letting me win.
Keep up the great work guys both at WIA and with all the other tremendous things you do.
Chuck Bender