“The 2009 Fresh Wood Student Competition highlights outstanding construction and design achievements by students from the best high school and post-secondary woodworking programs in North America.” That’s according to the AWFS website. But the competition is so much more. There were so many fantastic pieces on display and unfortunately I couldn’t film them all. But I got the vast majority and I hope you enjoy the footage. Some of the talent in this competition is simply mind boggling.
Music courtesy of MusicAlley.com. The first track was Juxtaposition by B.D. Lenz and the second track was Phideauxs Strut by Brian McRae.
Awesome examples of some excellent woodworking. I can only hope to achieve something like those.
Great podcast! I saw the music props at the end of the segment, but what are the exact tracks you used?
Forrest Smith
Thanks Forest. I added the appropriate links to the writeup.
Thanks for giving me a glimpse of the competition. Man these guys really do boggle my mind; awesome work. Seeing pieces like these inspire me to build to the next level. Thanks for helping to bring that inspiration.
What I’d like to know is where these high school kids got the wood that they used? I suppose their parents bought it for them but when I was in shop class our choices were red oak and poplar. My how times have changed.
That is some amazing talent. I’d love to know where they got that wood also. I love the split personallity table, that wood is beautiful.
Yes, some students/parents do purchase their own wood. However, some schools (especially WoodLINKS schools) receive donations of exotic woods and veneers from local industry partners, and this was the case with several projects in the competition.
Wow. That was far beyond my expectations. It’s sure nice to see some wooman woodworkers. And a woman made my favorite project; “Cogsworth”. I’m wondering if the clock actually works. I’d be pleased if it did not. Then it would be true art.
There were 11 female finalists (out of 51 total finalists) in this year’s Fresh Wood competition. Yes, Cogsworth does work, there is a small battery operated clock inside.
Wow, all of these artists arre truly humbling and to think that some are high school students ! What will they be building in twenty years ?
Marc , thanks for sharing this with those of us who were unable to attend.
Technical question, how are the larger pieces transported to the event, I assume these came from all over the US, seems it would be quite expensive to transport some of those larger pieces to Vegas for a 3 day show ?
AWFS covers the cost of shipping all of the projects (total 50) to and from the show, the students are responsible for building the crate and packing the project for shipping. All shipping is done by the AWFS Fair decorator/contractor Freeman, so Freeman coordinates pickup and itâ
HS – High School?!
geez, my high school was no where near this. I had the teacher with the missing finger… no kidding.
excelent work
LOL mine was too! Actually he was missing the top of his finger. Plus he wouldn’t let the women near the lathe! jerk ;)
My shop teacher was like the Tin Man. He was missing a heart! And he wouldn’t let anyone near anything. Our final project was a 12″ plank which we were supposed to square; without touching any tools! Sheesh, I really hated that guy… I took Home-Ec after one year with him.
Wow. I wish I could have had those same mad skills when I was in “high scrool”
lol I wish I had those mad skills now!
I agree with Germain. It’s great to see so many young women winning…hell, competing. And yes, I too wish I had their “mad skills”.
Wow….Never seen such incredible wood working talent. As a beginner wood working hobbiest (is there such a word!) coming from a totally different trade, these students are inspiring. Great work to all and good review Marc. Thanks
I don’t know if I should be inspired, or just hang up my tools now. haha I guess I’ll just keep making sawdust until something functional comes out of it.
p.s.: to Marc and Nicole, thanks for all you do with this site.
I know the feeling, Andrew. Seeing those projects makes me want to grab my latest effort and set fire to it. Those students have got mad chops!
i am very impressed with all of those students work, i guess i better step it up lol
Sheesh that was humbling.
What kills me is their work with curves and inlays. As a beginner I have trouble thinking in straight lines and right angles. Obviously I need to expand another portion of the brain. Just another rock in the ruck sack.
Thanks for sharing that, gives me something to shoot for.
Wow, I love your video on these very talented youth. I think that most of them are already far better than I am. I hope they truly love woodworking.
The veneering work is outstanding. Their projects were, my the most part, a head and shoulders above most.
Thanks for showing us this amazing show.
FYI – If you are interested in hearing the students talk about their projects in depth…our competition sponsor Custommade.com interviewed several students and they are gradually posting the interviews on their website (www.custommmade.com/blog).
The news media thrive on giving young people a bad rap. We hear about kids and drugs, drive-by shootings, drunk parties, etc. Where is the coverage of these contestants and their awesome craftsmanship? What a pity that they are not in the national spotlight where they can get the recognition they deserve. How proud they make us old duffers feel!
Wow! Sure looks like the future of woodworking is in good hands.
Wow – That music made it really hard to watch – However the music was almost as bad as most of the designs submitted. Although the craftsmanship might of been great, the designs were ridiculously distasteful. After seeing the winners WOW. The worst designs were the winners…
Thanx for posting the footage in any case! Love the rest of the shows! Superb!!!!
Well to each his own I suppose, right?
I thought the music choice was excellent and I’m very impressed with the students. Nothing near that going on over here.
/A
Why didn’t my highschool have a program like this?!?! We all had to make mini stools that showcased everybody’s skill with a jointer.
Grumble.
That is amazing work coming from highschool and post secondary programs.
-Jones
Does Cobokk have some work we can look at and rate? I understand completely when I see something that may not be my personal taste and I want to share my opinion with others. The same goes with a element of project that in my opinion doesn’t fit with the piece as a whole, but to call someone else’s designs distasteful is ridiculous. Not to mention these are students and to be so harsh in my opinion is disrespectful and shows a lack of class. It’s usually our youth that comes along and tries something different and pushes the envelope of what’s been done. You can choose to have a glass half empty or a glass half full attitude and I choose the later. This allows me to look at something and even though it may not fit what my personal tastes are I can at least admire the creativity, the skill, and technique used in creating it. Now if one of the students did a huge inlay of a hand flipping the bird or carved drawer pull to look like a bull’s scrotum then I might understand Cobbok’s distasteful remark.
That’s some beautiful woodwork.
Wow, I miss high school wood shop.