A woodworking community of learning and craftsmanship.

Our organization strives to serve the community in many ways. One example is our active toy making program in which our members create a large number of hand made wooden toys. We also provide plans and some parts for those who wish to make toys in their shop. These are distributed throughout the year to churches, hospitals, schools, shelters, and other non-profit facilities. In recent years our annual toy production and donations have averaged over 2,000 items. In addition to the toys we make memory boxes and cutout figures for pediatric patients at the Rady Children's Hospital. They color the cutouts and they get a box to store their supplies. This gives the kids something to do while waiting for treatment, plus they get a box for them to take home.

Another example is donating the 50 solid oak children's chairs produced in the traditional woodworking shop at the annual Design in Wood Exhibition at the San Diego County Fair. After construction, our members also spend hours finishing them with a hand rubbed oil finish. Then they are donated to worthy nonprofit social service organizations such as day care facilities, preschools, churches, public libraries, orphanages and hospitals. A set of four chairs and table are also constructed for a charity fund-raising auction. We have distributed more than 1700 chairs over the years.

From time to time we receive requests from the community to undertake woodworking projects. In recent years our members have built a play house for the Camp Pendleton Marine Base, display cases for the Design in Wood Exhibit and Palomar College and furnishings for the new San Diego Central Library. We have also just begun a project making commemorative plaques for the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion.

An exhibit of high quality woodworking projects made by students from local high school programs and Palomar College is held at the San Diego County Fair. To support and encourage fine woodworking, each year San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association awards cash scholarships to exemplary high school and college woodworking students.

Special Projects

Thank You Letters

Rady Childrens Hospital Prize Box

This is a small toy box we made for Rady Children's Hospital to hold toys they use as rewards for children undergoing treatment. It's made from solid cherry, and has soft-closing hinges to protect little fingers. It has received five coats of thinned oil-based polyurethane applied with a cloth, with wet sanding between coats using 400, then 600 and finally 800 grit wet or dry sandpaper and mineral spirits. It will be polished a couple of days after this final coat with Watco liquid wax.

Organizations that receive toys made by SDFWA

SAY San Diego, (6 offices that help families)Horizon Christian Childrens Ministry
Episcopal Churches of San DiegoBrandon Gallery
Presbyterian Church, KoreanKorean Baptist Church of San DiegoSt. Vincent De Paul Family Center
Korean Christian Church of San MarcoCatholic Charities of San Diego
Catholic Refugee Center, San DiegoSan Diego Floral Association Balboa Park
Jewish Children Center, San DiegoDept. of Pediatrics, Naval Medical Center
Balboa Hospital Navy CenterHouse of Peru, distribution for disaster relief
Camp Pendleton Family CenterFoundation for the Children of CA
North Island Navy CenterWaldorf School of San Diego
Congregation Beth IsraelFamily Health Centers (ll centers in county)
San Diego Regional Center for speech & language disordersHouse of David, Church of God
Start Smart of San Diego, (6 separate offices)Rady Children's Hospital
Lakeside Christian Helps CenterA Child's Center of Wonder & Discovery
California School Employees AssociationNortre Dame Academy
Kyyper Preparatory SchoolSan Diego Coalition for the Homeless
North County PreschoolCounty of San Diego Health and Human Services
Head StartSt. Clares Home, Escondido
Childrens Museum, EncinitasBayside Community Center serving North Central S.D.
North City Preschool, PowayLos Angeles orphanage, Tijuana, Mexico
El Cajon Fire Dept (serving 3 centers for children)

Craftsman Referral Terms

BACKGROUND
The San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association (SDFWA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the education, promotion, and execution of the principles of fine woodworking.
The SDFWA frequently receives requests from people seeking the service of a woodworker. Therefore, although custom woodworking for hire is not the purpose of our organization, we offer this referral service to the public so that they might connect with a woodworker.

SCOPE
SDFWA does not screen or warrant the skills or work of any craftsman. The public should use their own discretion and due diligence before hiring any craftsman, from any source, including this one.
The sole role of SDFWA in this referral service is limited to providing our member woodworkers with your completed form. It is up to each craftsman to initiate a contact with the requester.

PROCEDURE
After a requester submits a project, the form will be emailed to our list of participating craftsmen. If a craftsman is interested in the project, they will contact the client directly, and a two-way conversation can begin.

As the craftsmen themselves choose which projects to respond to, this means that it is probable that some project requests will receive no response. If you do not receive a response in a reasonable time, please submit your request again, using the provided referral form.
Note that contacting SDFWA directly will not achieve the desired results.

DISCLAIMER
By agreeing to these Terms, and by continuing to submit this Referral Form, and by utilizing one or more of the services of any of these craftsmen, you are agreeing to contract exclusively with that individual craftsman and to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the SDFWA Organization, its officers, officials, employees and volunteers from any and all claims, injuries, damages, losses or suits including attorney fees, arising out of or in connection with the performance of this agreement, and any and all failures, damages, or otherwise negative outcomes caused directly or indirectly by the craftsmen you employ to do any project initiated by this Form. This does not preclude you from pursuing legal remedies from the individual craftsman that you employ. But any remedy you pursue is restricted to that individual craftsman, and does not include the SDFWA organization or any of its volunteer members.