Woodworking In America 2024 – FineWoodworking

I’ve said it more than a few times: Woodworking is an isolated activity, and outside of the digital spheres we build for ourselves, it’s rare for woodworkers to share in true camaraderie with other woodworkers. It’s important to get out of our shops and off our phones and be around people who are more than happy to talk about topics such as tool sharpening. That’s why we’re excited to announce Woodworking in America 2024!

Woodsmith, Popular Woodworking, and Fine Woodworking are teaming up to bring you an event in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 11 and 12, 2024, that will be unlike any other. So come hang out, learn a bit from the presenters, and bask in the glory of being in a place where you’re not the only weird woodworker, but one of many weird woodworkers!

—Ben

We’ll do our best to keep this page updated, but head over to Phil’s post on Woodsmith for the MOST updated version.

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When, Where, What

The event will be held at the Franklin Center. This is a repurposed former junior high school. We’ll be using the auditorium, several classrooms, and the old woodshop for our presentations.

Exhibitors and refreshments will be located in the cafeteria. Walking the halls will take you back to your school days. An educational setting is an ideal venue for a woodworking event like Woodworking in America, which will provide many opportunities to learn more about our craft.

Ticket Options

2-Day VIP ticket ($425) includes:

• General admission to the exhibit floor October 11 and 12 (Friday and Saturday)
• Unlimited access to seminars and demonstrations
• Entry to Friday’s cocktail party
• Open house with event hosts on October 10, including a tour of the shop and studios for Woodsmith, ShopNotes, and the Woodsmith Shop TV show.

Marketplace ticket ($25) allows access to the exhibit floor for one day. Children 16 and younger are admitted free.

Buy tickets to Woodworking in America 2024

Presenters

The lineup of presenters is growing, so check back often. Here’s what we know so far:

Patrick Edwards — A Lifetime of Working with Traditional Protein Glues
W. Patrick Edwards, a furniture conservator in private practice and the 2014 SAPFM Cartouche Award recipient, will discuss the various advantages of working with animal protein glues in woodworking. With over 50 years of professional experience, he will demonstrate using hide glues for rub joints, hammer veneering, lamination, marquetry, and veneering, as well as how to reverse the glue bond when correcting mistakes in assembly. Patrick is the developer of Old Brown Glue and will explain how the glue was modified and how it has real advantages over the traditional hot hide glue using a double boiler. Don’t be confused about adhesion and gram strength; find out from an expert with a lifetime of experience. wpatrickedwards.com

Alexis Dolese — Building Custom Furniture and a Business
Alexis Dolese is a second-generation furniture maker and educator in Bozeman, Montana. She will share practical techniques for building custom furniture and insights on running a business. Her discussion will also focus on the practical aspects of designing solid wood pieces with clients in mind and strategies for creating high-quality works efficiently. She will also touch on setting up a shop for furniture making and teaching woodworking. dolesewoodworks.com

Wilbur Pan — Japanese Tools

Matt Monaco — Turning

Rollie Johnson — Coloring Wood with Dyes and Stains
Chromophobia is defined as a persistent, irrational aversion to colors and is usually a conditioned response. Sounds like a woodworking problem! Too many woodworkers are terrified of adding color to their woodworking, falling back on the hackneyed phrase “I would never ruin the natural beauty of wood by changing its color.” What they’re really saying is “I’m afraid of color and that I might ruin the piece.” Unfortunately in many cases, that’s exactly what happens. Rollie will demonstrate how to correctly use color to bring out the best in a piece—no more bland! Many factors will determine the outcome of using color, and we will make a grand tour of them. Stain, pigment dye, and reactive dye will be compared, and there will be an overview of best application practices. We will also delve into surface preparation and correct adhesive usage to avoid the dreaded “glue spots.” Fear no more, color is here!

Amanda Russell (Fine Woodworking) — Router Joinery Machines

Phil Huber (Woodsmith Shop) — The Bandsaw-Centered Workshop
Several years ago, Phil sold the table saw in his shop. While that seems like a crazy idea for a furniture maker, it makes sense in his small shop. During this presentation, you’ll see how his shop space works with a bandsaw and learn how the other tools he uses play well with this vital machine. He’ll demonstrate a few techniques and share his favorite jigs and accessories for making accurate and safe cuts for a wide range of woodworking tasks, from tables and cabinets to spoons and bowls.

Logan Wittmer (Popular Woodworking) — Sawmilling Demos

Ben Strano (Fine Woodworking) — 3D Printing for Woodworkers
You don’t need to be a 3D-printing enthusiast to enjoy the benefits of this incredible technology in your woodshop. From tool holders to dust-collection fittings there is an ever-growing array of 3D models you can download and use in your shop. For Ben, 3D printing hits the next level when paired with free CAD software to make that exact doo-dad you need. Ben will demonstrate how he makes custom mortising templates, bends forms for multiple stringing, routs complex patterns, and makes custom marking and measuring tools.

Chris Fitch (Woodsmith and ShopNotes) 

Dillon Baker (ShopNotes) 

Shop Talk Live … Live
We’ll also host a live recording of Fine Woodworking‘s podcast, Shop Talk Live, with audience Q&A.

Join Us for an Open House

From 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 10, you’ll have the chance to attend an open house tour of the shop and studios for Woodsmith, ShopNotes, and the Woodsmith Shop TV show. Meet the staff and get a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming projects and issues.