ABOUT US
Our goal is to inspire each member to reach their full potential in pursuit of their craft or hobby. Guild members welcome the opportunity to mentor others in areas where we have achieved a level of craftmanship. We are passionate about teaching what we have learned to other interested individuals. Our members are from all over the central Florida region and have skill levels from beginner through advanced. We urge visitors to attend our meetings at any time as our guest so you can see for yourself what the guild is all about.
We meet on the second Thursday of each month, January through October, at the Woodcraft of Orlando Fl store. The meetings are from 7 to 9 pm. Guests are always welcome. During our meetings we start out with a Buy/Sell period where members are given an opportunity to sell or buy items they bring in. After that, we move into our Show & Tell session where members have an opportunity to show what they are working on and to talk about it for a few minutes. We typically spend about 30 minutes doing this. After a short break, we move into the feature demonstration. This may be a member or a guest talking and/or performing some aspect of woodworking such as Finishing, Design, Carving, Furniture, Tools, Woodburning, or anything related to woodworking. We typically finish up around 9:00 pm. For more information about our meetings, visit our FAQ page. To see some of the work that our members have created, please visit our Member's Gallery
Several other events are announced throughout the year such as Sawdust sessions, Super Show & Tell, and our annual Christmas Party. Please check our Events page for details on upcoming events.
HISTORY
The Central Florida Woodworkers Guild (CFWG) has been in existence for over 40 years.
The guild was founded by Robert “Bob" Entwistle, Bob Eaton, and Nelson Coresell. They met informally at a gas station and friendships grew from a common interest in woodworking. In 1982, the Guild formalized and began meeting at Nelson's cabinet shop on Nicolet Street in Winter Park. Unfortunately, after a few years Nelson's shop burned down and the Guild had to find a new place in which to meet. Apparently, the meeting place changed several times over the past 30 years. After Nelson's fire, the Guild started meeting at Home Depot, then Lowes, then the Public Library branch on S. Orange Ave. After that, the Guild met at the American Legion on Lee Road. About midyear in 1997, the Guild started meeting at the Woodcraft Store in Casselberry and we have been at that location ever since.
One of the early members was “ Doc" (Jim Campbell). Doc’s woodworking was museum quality. Back in the beginning, the Super Show & Tell First place award in Furniture was known as the Doc Campbell award. Also, the Best in Show award was known as the Bob Entwistle award. These awards honored the tradition and craftsmanship of our founders.
We continue to hold the Super Show & Tell event in November and still follow the tradition of honoring the Best in Show award.