A woodworking community of learning and craftsmanship.

Welcome to the SDFWA Member Shop!

The Shop

Our Shop is home to our dynamic community of 1,200 woodworking members, established in San Diego in 1982. Our 5,000 sq ft facility is a woodworker's dream with tools to make most things and space for our meetings and classes. Everyone is welcome!  Stop by for a tour during our open hours, the shop will be busy with people making things and the Shift Supervisor will be happy to show you around and answer questions. Join us!  Explore, take a class, learn from experts, make things, connect with other woodworkers, tell us about yourself, and come for the awesome donuts!

Equipment Status

Equipment Status has moved to our new Tools page.

Shop Hours & Location

Feel free to stop by for a tour during our open hours, Shop Members can reserve equipment during these time slots.  During the other times we've scheduled classes, meetings, maintaining equipment, special projects, and more.  Take a look at our Shop Calendar, we're busy!  Open hours:

Sun
Classes

Mon
1-4
6-9

Tue
Shop updates

Wed
1-4
4-7

Thu
10-1
1-4
6-9

Fri
Holiday Gift Sale

Sat
8-11
11-2
2-5

Classes

Our classes support every level of experience.  Beginners test the waters in our Introduction to Woodworking classes and learn to use the Shop's equipment safely, a vital part of woodworking and a first step to becoming a Shop Member using our equipment. Other classes delve into hand tools and digital tools; joinery and finishes; carving and lathes; Shaker boxes, stringed instruments; and many more.   For the latest on upcoming classes, click here.

Deep dives with SIGs

 

Dive in!  Come to our bird of a feather Special Interest Groups (SIGs) meetings. Everyone is welcome, and they are free.

All are led by knowledgable woodworkers sharing tips and information.  Some use hand tools, we've made mallets and cigar box banjos.  Some are social, like the Women of Woodworking.  

This is a unique opportunity: share, learn about new tools, hone your skills and knowledge and maybe your chisels, ask questions, and meet other people in the community.    Here's more info.

Tools

Make stuff!  Our machine rooms have virtually any tool you could need to complete projects. In addition to traditional power tools from jointers to lathes, we have specialty tools such as a Festool Domino, and a large vacuum press.  Digital makers enjoy the lasers cutters, CNC routers, a 3D Printer, and computers loaded with software.

Shop Members can use the tools during open hours when our Shift Supervisors are always on duty.  We're grateful for our supervisors, they keep us safe, help with equipment, and most have an extensive knowledge of woodworking and happily answer questions.

Our Tools page has more details and links on how to use tools safely.

Community

Most importantly, have a donut and join us for the warm community.  Come to our monthly Eye Opener with invited speakers, say hello, tell us about yourself, ask what people are making, we have lots to share.  Everyone is welcome.  Eye Openers

Help build!  We work together to support charities and the SDFWA.  Pop by on Friday mornings 8am – 12pm when we work together to make things for our Holiday Gift Sale in November, we're making things all year long.  Everyone can help:  Holiday Gift Sale

Join us

Subscribe to our newsletter for info on our upcoming events.  Come to our SIGS and meetings. Everyone is welcome.  Newsletter

Join the Association to take classes and use our library.

Become a Shop Member and make stuff with our tools.  It's easy and you'll be surprised how reasonable our prices are. Members don't have to be proficient, they must know how to use the equipment safely, it's vital from the very beginning and always when using wood working tools.  Our Intro to Woodworking classes introduce our equipment and how to use it safely, and we'll support you to quickly get you safety certified and working in the shop.  Shop Membership.

Volunteer!  As a non-profit organization, we rely on volunteers for everything, all members help out.  It's a great way to meet others, and we have roles for all kinds of skills.  Want to help?  Volunteer

Everyone is welcome!  Please explore our website, tour the shop, come to the meetings and SIGS, take a class, make things, come join us!

I look forward to seeing you in the Shop!

Dallas Keck
Member Shop Chairman
ShopDirector@sdfwa.org
Shop Phone – (858) 230-7593

Eye Opener: Jenna Roessel on Marquetry

Jan 2024. Jenna Roessel presented on the different types of traditional marquetry as well as an overview of creating packets for cutting and the steps for assembling the marquetry.

Building a Base

Women find camaraderie, community and leadership opportunities with other hobbyists in a woodworkers association formerly dominated by men.

Advanced CNC Topics

We tested topics that our 145 CNC-trained members want to learn more about: end joinery milling, vcarve inlay milling, topographic milling, multi-pour epoxy milling? Watch the pitches and tell us your preferences.

Paul Duffield – Super Volunteer

Member Shop Leader and Super Volunteer Paul Duffield is a man willing to share his expertise,
especially when it comes to the use of hand tools.

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.