About the club
We meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 9 AM at the Fort Pierce Indian River State College Campus, The Brown Center For Innovation & Entrepreneurship ( Building Y) Room 112 in Fort Pierce.
From the south of IRSC Campus (Fort Pierce or P.S.L.) take 25th Street north to Cortez St and turn left at the light to South 35th St. The building and parking lot are NE of this intersection. If coming from the north of the IRSC Campus (Fort Pierce or Vero) take Virginia Ave. to South 35th Street and turn south into the campus area to the last building on the left. Entry will be on the south side of the building.
3209 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
We are a chapter of the American Association of Woodturners.
This monthly meeting includes a welcome to visitors or new members, adoption of prior meeting minutes, and treasurer’s report followed by a safety tip. Then there is a review of the old business and an introduction to the new business. Next is “Show&Tell” time, where members bring work or other items of interest to share with the club. We encourage all members, regardless of skill level to bring their work. Sometimes, it is to share the tale of a good intention, gone wrong and a lesson learned. Then we have a demonstrator or video demonstration of some aspects of woodturning as an educational component of the meeting. These meetings seldom last more than two hours.
Hands-On Sessions
Immediately following the monthly general meeting, at the same location, where the club has several lathes and ancillary equipment. That session may also include various demonstrations by members and a lot of socialization. These conclude around 2 hours later with a “wood auction” for any wood that has been provided to the club. A nominal fee is collected for each chance to pick a piece of wood.
Where do we get our wood
Because the club has been in existence for more than a decade and has established good relations with neighbors and the Fort Pierce community, we get calls from generous friends who are removing trees or see a tree that is down and on its way to the landfill. With permission, we often go and collect wood for the club. Our members too, bring found wood to share. Hurricanes often, unfortunately – or fortunately, provide a windfall of wood. We make the wood available to club members and sometimes visitors.
Classes
At least once a year, the club conducts one-on-one instruction for beginner turners or experienced turners who desire to learn or improve some technique. The instructors are fellow club members who have demonstrated skill and competence. Safety is always the first order of business.
Family Cook-Out
Once a year, the club holds a pitch-in cook-out lunch for members and their families. The club provides hamburgers, hot dogs, and the “fixins”. Members are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert to share. At this celebration, members are encouraged to bring an item of their work to show. We recognize outstanding club members and salute their contributions and accomplishments.
St Lucie County Fair
Annually, at the County Fair, the club sets up lathes to turn tops for the tots. Members are allowed to showcase their work and sell it to the public. Donations of member-made wood bowls, vases, pens, and other objects are available via drawings daily. Monetary donations benefit the club’s general fund and defray the cost of wood used to make tops.
Heathcote Botanical Gardens Plant Sale & Show
The club participates in the annual Heathcote Botanical Gardens plant sale in the Fall or early Winter. At that event, the club demonstrates bowl turning and provides tops for tots. Members are able to bring their work for sale to the public.
Tool Sales
Periodically, the club is notified of tools that are for sale. We are happy to provide time and space at our meetings or hands-on sessions for sellers to meet with the club members to find new homes for well-loved tools.
Membership
We welcome new members. A background in woodturning is not a prerequisite. We will train the uninitiated and we always enjoy new members who have experience. We have numerous “snowbirds” in the club and find the cross-pollination of ideas from members who also participate in other clubs to be worthwhile.
Individuals interested in joining the club should fill out the form below and either mail it or bring it to a meeting with $30 in cash or a check made out to “Treasure Coast Woodturners Guild”.
The AAW’s purpose, in part, is to foster a wider understanding and appreciation of lathe-turning as a traditional and contemporary craft and a form of art among the general public, hobbyist turners, part-time turners, and professional turners. This will be accomplished by providing education, information, organization, technical assistance, and publications relating to woodturning.
The club encourages all members to join the AAW. There are many benefits including a magazine published every other month full of great articles and ideas. AAW members are eligible for random drawings by the organization for equipment and tools at no additional cost to members. There are groups within AAW that focus on aspects of shared interest, like Women In Turning (WIT), Turners Without Borders, Young/Student Turners and Turning to the Future, and more. AAW has an enormous online library of great videos and instructional materials. There are many more benefits that can be reviewed on the association’s website. “