After a year of burrowing deeper than our Kenton County moles, I’ve decided to attend a few events this year to see old friends, repay some favors and do some research during side trips. The following is a list of places where you can hurl rotten garbage at me without coming to my home.
Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event, Braxton Brewing, Covington, Ky.
March 10-11, 2017
We’ll have the Lost Art Press storefront open on one of the two days (probably Saturday). And will be organizing a barbecue/beer/Hammerschlager event at Rhinegeist Brewing across the river. Details to come. If you attended last year’s event at Braxton then you know it was a hoot – probably the biggest Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event I’ve been to.
Handworks, Amana, Iowa
May 19-20, 2017
Handworks is the S%^&. Period. End of story. Get there by any means possible. We will be there with books and tools. This year I promise not to die.
Dictum classes in Germany
Build a Sawbench, June 12-14
Build a Mallet and a Marking Gauge, June 15-16
These are the only two classes I’m teaching in 2017. Heck they might be the only classes I teach for the next decade. I owe the good people at Dictum a huge personal favor. These two classes are my way of repaying them. If you’ve never taken a class at their Niederalteich location, I highly recommend it. Many of my favorite stories begin with the line: “We were at the gasthaus in Niederalteich when Brian….” The classes are taught in English. The eating is in German.
Lie-Nielsen Open House
July 7-8
I have so many friends who attend this event that it’s difficult for me to skip it. The Open House is always a wonderful weekend of food, woodworking and axe throwing. Bring your family and they’ll enjoy it as well.
European Woodworking Shop
Sept. 16-17
Again, this is one of the few events that one simply cannot miss. The Cressing Temple barns inspire woodworking awe (and regular awe). There are always lots of fun makers, tool dealers and English-types at this well-organized show. And the food! I’ll be there.
Please note that this blog entry does not mark my return to public touring and teaching. This is probably too much activity already, and next year I will burrow in deeper.
— Christopher Schwarz
Too much to hope for an anarchist’s staked chair class, then.
Sorry Greg. Teaching seems to wreak havoc on my psyche – maybe it was the pace at which I did it for 10 years. I may return to it at some point, but right now I am enjoying my extra productivity with the writing, editing, woodworking and furniture design aspects of my life.
No, I get it. I was just (selfishly) hoping you’d forgotten how painful it was and get back into a couple of times before you remembered…
My banker would tell me in a very firm and strict voice to stay away from any and all of the above events. The company I work for would most likely share the sentiment. BUT… Having been to the Braxton Brewing Co. event last year, I know I will be missing out on being in the company of very skilled, talented and above all, pleasant people in the shared passion of wood working and the great tools that go along with it, for each event I am not attending. Wish I could make them all, as it seems each of them are very special. Now then to decide – which one will it be? Braxton is out unfortunately – already too close. I guess I’ll have to double check my schedule and flights to see which one will be the best match. But have fun everyone, no matter which of the events you are going to, and don’t forget to support your favorite hand tool maker(s)! Hopefully I get to see some of you this year as well.
None of those stories are true!
Well, at least the ones without photographic proof.
I’m really looking forward to Handworks this year. I wonder what will follow me home this year.
My dad and I were going to go to Handworks, but he realized that “Weekend with Wood” was the same weekend in Des Moines and he’d already paid his tuition. I may still try to go. To bad they were set the same weekend.
I want to do that one year. I live 2 hours way so it’s not like it’d be hard to get to.
See you in Niederalteich! That will be a great event, i am sure
Still a European woodworking show if they really start the Brexit?? Just coming in my mind….
I’d have to say non-EU and non-European are two different things altogether. 😊
We’ll still be European, just not part of the EU.
Looking forward to my first woodworking event at EWS. Hope to to see you there.