The Rochester Woodworkers Society |

Mike Korsak (March 19th and 20th)

Virtual Visit: Mike will do both his Friday evening presentation and his Saturday workshop via Zoom. Mike Korsak is an award-winning furniture maker whose work has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States. Mike possesses a strong...

Owain Harris (January 29th and 30th)

Virtual Visit: Owain will do both his Friday evening presentation and his Saturday workshop via Zoom. Owain Harris is a self-taught woodworker who operates a one man studio in Gonic NH where he builds custom furniture and cabinetry. He began his career in wood as a...

David Fisher (February 19th and 20th)

Virtual Visit: David will do both his Friday evening presentation and his Saturday workshop via Zoom. Dave Fisher has been finding inspiration in the woods around his home in Western Pennsylvania since he was a boy. About fifteen years ago, he began to...

Join RWS Today

From The Chair – August 2020

2020-21 Season News Greetings RWS members, As promised, here's a rundown of how RWS will operate this year (September 2020 - June 2021). The short story: We are still going to have monthly national speakers and SIG meetings and some local workshops. These are all...

From The Chair – February 2020

The Joy of Woodworking Greetings RWS members, You are reading this because you love woodworking. (OK, maybe you are just curious.) You like to make things. You love the beauty of wood. You admire the beauty of design. Whatever specific aspects of woodworking move you,...

From The Chair – December 2019

Grateful Greetings RWS members, The holiday season is in full swing. I know this because of those lingering feelings that I should: Catch up with family and old friends Make somebody a gift Volunteer someplace Donate someplace Sing Shop Dig out annual decorations Make...

From The Chair – October 2019

Experience Teaches Judgement Greetings RWS members, Have you ever surprised yourself by selecting the right size socket for a bolt or hex key for a set screw on the first try? You probably had thought about the vintage and origin of the fastener at hand and guessed...

From The Chair – August 2019

Collaboration of the Long Distance SIG Greetings RWS members, Welcome to the 2019/2020 season of RWS. Another new beginning for the organization with more opportunities to learn and do. High in my attention lately has been my impending retirement from the world of...

From The Chair – April 2019

Finding the artist within Greetings RWS members, At the most recent RWS national speaker workshop, as Yoav Liberman reviewed his work, I was struck over and over by the same question: “How did you come up with that design choice?” These were his artistic choices, not...

From The Chair – February 2019

And the sign said, “Help wanted” --- You may have heard that Connie Gates will soon step down from her position as RWS Librarian. Thank you, Connie, for your years of service to RWS members. You have been a joy! But her position won’t go vacant, because John Alescio,...

From The Chair – December 2018

Tis the season for reflecting --- As this year winds down with the holidays upon us, my mind has been going a million miles an hour thinking about how fast life flies by, about this charmed life I have been given, about what I have and haven’t yet done with it, and...

From The Chair – August 2018

Holy Cow Moments Greetings RWS members, Thank you for this opportunity to serve as your new Chairman. I am very grateful for the experiences that RWS has provided me, and I intend to repay that favor by doing all I can to sustain and enhance the RWS experience for...

From The Chair – April 2018

Changes About two years ago I began my term as RWS Chairman. The position was about to become vacant, and as our bylaws state, only an existing board member can assume the chairmanship. As one of the longer serving members on the Board, I agreed to accept the...

Making Tools with O1 Steel – David Gilbert; October 21, 2020
Scroll Saw Use – Gary Buck; November 18, 2020
Making and installing small pyramid-top ebony plugs – Al Kupchella; December 16, 2020
Working with a Live Edge I and II – Alan Van De Moere; January 27, 2021 and February 24, 2021
My Small Shop – Norm Erwin; March 24, 2021
Procuring Hardwood – TBD; April 26, 2021 (NOT CONFIRMED)
Bandsaw 101 – TBD; May 30, 2021 (NOT CONFIRMED)

National Speakers for 2020-21

Click on a link for a profile of the speaker, if available.

Scott Grove – Fine Furniture and Finishing; September 18 and 19, 2020
Matt Kenney – Furniture and Box Maker; October 16 and 17, 2020
Tim Coleman – Custom Furniture Maker; November 20 and 21, 2020
Owain Harris – Furniture Maker; January 29th and 30th, 2021
David Fisher – Bowl and Spoon Carver; February 19 and 20, 2021
Mike Korsak – Furniture Maker; March 19 and 20, 2021

More speakers will be confirmed soon. Check back for details!

Monthly Show & Tell sessions

Enjoy a bit of socialization and see some friendly faces again! Interested members will get a few minutes to share their projects. Now you can show us your at-home projects that were normally too big to carry to the (past) meetings.

Upcoming sessions are currently scheduled until May 2021 (see schedule below). All RWS members will receive an email with a link to join each Zoom session. Socializing begins at 6:30PM and the Show & Tell speakers start at 7PM. If you would like to share your project(s), please send a few photos and a brief description of each project to showtell@rochesterwoodworkers.org, at least 4 days in advance of the session. You will receive confirmation when you are added to the agenda.

November 24, 2020	January 26, 2021	March 23, 2021	May 25, 2021
December 22, 2020	February 23, 2021	April 27, 2021

We are a group in Upstate NY dedicated to the enjoyment of woodworking. Membership includes lectures and workshops by renowned woodworking personalities and local professionals as well as free access to our extensive lending library of books and videos.

RWS welcomes everyone interested in the craft whether professional or hobbyist. Join the company of hundreds of enthusiasts – carvers, turners, furniture makers, boat builders, and other skilled craftspeople and take your woodworking skills to a new level.

Local Workshops for 2020-21

National Speakers for 2020-21

Monthly Show & Tell sessions