As an added bonus to the Atlantic Woodworkers Association’s visit to the Window & Door Co. we also had the good fortune to visit a tool museum in the making! As luck would have it Troy’s brother Kevin lives just up the road a bit and he is in the beginning stages of building a working tool museum.

Kevin is a member of the Atlantic Tool Collectors Association and has been collecting tools for many years. He recently bought a farm here in Port Williams that has several large barns that will be used exclusively for this endeavor. His goal is that over the next five years he will be able to get his tools organized and displayed into the different areas of specialties like livery, cooper and wheelwright. There’s even plans to hold workshops in the use of these tools and the making of their specific wares!

The highlight of the tour was the collection of pedal operated tools from the W.F. & John Barnes Company of Rockford, Illinois that were built in the 1870′s. Here are a few photos of these fantastic tools:

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A few weeks ago the Atlantic Woodworkers were treated to a tour of the Wooden Window & Door Co., located in the small community of Woodville in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. Our host was owner/operator Troy Wood. Yep, you got that right – Troy Wood of Woodville owns and operates the Wooden Window and Door Company. What choice did he have? Really.

Troy began by telling us that the company started because of the passion he has with period architecture and that he had found how hard it was to find well built wooden windows and doors. Using tried and true building techniques, modern technology, high quality woods and with the help of two employees he crafts real, old fashioned quality windows and doors.

Restoration and replication is a large part of their business. Troy swears by the use of AutoCad which ensures authenticity and correct details. Then, using Thermopane glass units modern functionality is ensured with historic attributes.

Most of the windows made here are for great rooms and grand entrances with about 40% of the finished product being shipped to the Eastern United States.

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This month’s meeting of the Atlantic Woodworkers Association was our After Christmas Show and Tell, where members brought in ‘toys’ that they received as gifts as well as projects that they were able to complete over the holidays.

We also had a special guest from the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Wilf (Woody) Woods, who dropped by to tell us more about the upcoming ‘Nest Box Project’ which the AWA will be partnering with them on.

This is a project that will require us to build at least 200 nesting boxes that will be suitably sized for the Wood Duck, the Merganser and the Golden Eye. Once placed these boxes will help minimize the impact from nest predators. Placement, monitoring and maintenance of the boxes will be undertaken by a variety of groups and individuals like Scouting troops, companies and other clubs, through an ‘Adopt A Box Program’. We also hope to include local Scout troops in the construction, giving them an opportunity for skill learning and badge work.

The boxes will be approximately 2 feet tall and 10″ square with a sloped roof and an oval entrance hole. One of the sides will swing out for easy cleaning and there will be screening attached to the inside front wall that will help the young reach the exit hole.

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This month’s meeting of the Atlantic Woodworkers Association was our Annual Wooden Toy Drive and Christmas Social. The meeting was held in the seminar room of our local Lee Valley store.

The meeting is centered around the toys that the members have made and brought in for donation to the Salvation Army for distribution to families less fortunate.

As with year’s past it was a great showing of woodworking skill and support for such a worth-while cause. There were toys for girls and boys, both young and old. In fact, there was everything from cars to cradles!

After a short introduction and welcome by the club chairman to the members and their guests the meeting began with the highpoint of the evening, the Show and Tell. The Christmas Show and Tell is always fun with the members telling of all the fuss and foibles of getting their toys done, and on time! There’s also some great tips to take home to apply to toy making next year.

Here’s a few photos of some of the toys that were made this year:

Continue reading 'AWA Christmas Toy Fest And Social 2009'