Visitors are encouraged to attend meetings of the Guild. This is a good way to see first-hand who we are and what we do.
Membership is only $30 annually. Becoming a member can be accomplished by completing and returning the application form that appears in every SLWG Newsletter or by printing, completing and returning the application form available here. Completed application forms with a check for one year's dues can be brought to any meeting of the Guild or sent via mail. Forms are also available at the meeting.
After joining, you will enjoy the following benefits:
- Membership Card - This card can be used at participating St. Louis woodworking retailers for a 10% discount on most items. This benefit alone is worth the cost of membership if you spend more than $300 on wood and/or woodworking supplies.
- Monthly Meetings - The guild meets each month (except December). Each meeting features a speaker who talks about and/or demonstrates a particular woodworking topic. Please see the newsletter page. Each newsletter features a recap of the program for the previous month's meeting.
- Mini-Workshops/Shop Tours - Every other month, a Guild member volunteers to host a mini-workshop or shop tour at their house or commercial shop. Workshops may be hands-on instruction and/or demonstration of a particular technique. Upcoming workshops may be found on our Events Calendar.
- Field Trips - A couple times a year, the guild sponsors a field trip. In the past, this has included trips to commerical shops in the area, historical houses containing period furniture, guided tours of area museums, etc.
- Guild Library - The Guild maintains a library of books, magazines, and videos related to woodworking. Members can checkout materials free of charge.
- Mentoring/Advice - Whether you are new to woodworking or deciding to try your hand at something new like veneering or bending wood, there's a member that can help you out. The Guild can pair a new woodworker with a more experienced member to act as a mentor. Also, a lot of knowledge is shared between members at meetings, on the phone, via email or on our online forum.
- Forum - As a member, you will be given secure access to the members section of the website and also be able to post and reply to questions on our online forum to solicit opinions/advice from multiple members at one time.
- Gallery - As a member, you will be allowed to display pictures of your work on our online galleries where you can show off your work to the world!
- Industry Experts - Once a year, the guild hosts a weekend seminar with a renowned expert in the field of woodworking. Recent guests have included Frank Klausz, Marc Adams, Graham Blackburn, and Jeff Jewitt. Often with a hands-on format, these are events exclusive to members who, for an additional fee, can meet and learn from the world's best.
- Other Events - Each year, the guild hosts a couple of events that are open to spouses and friends of members. We have an annual picnic in the fall. Also, in the spring we usually have a whole program dedicated to show and tell wherein members bring in multiple samples of their work and answer questions related to design and construction. We also hold a tool auction each year for members to bring in tools that they would like to auction off to other members.
