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Counterpoint

Dick Coers

This is the first year I have not renewed in a long time. My membership number is 1,2XX something. I only attended one symposium, and was not comfortable with the standing room only rotation rooms, and crush of people trying to move between rotations. I enjoyed the vendor area the most, but paid a lot of money to attend so I could spend more money. (And in those days they gave nice discounts!) I also imagine that part of my yearly membership helped fund all the effort put into the marketing and support for the symposium. So with my desire not to attend another symposium, I was put off with all the pages of the journal dedicated to advertising and promoting the symposium each year. Never thought to count the pages, but felt like I was getting one less issue a year if you subtracted all those pages about the national symposium. On the AAW forum, you get about the same dozen people doing 75% of the conversation there. That's an incredibly small percentage of the AAW membership! And basically none of the big name turners talk on the forum, despite advertising themselves for local demos and selling signature tools to the masses. Finally, I looked around and didn't see a single thing that I made that was described as a project in the magazine. I'm certain I got a ton of inspiration, but doing a Google image search brings up an exponentially greater amount of content. I strongly encourage new turners to seek out an AAW club. Mentorship should be 90% of what the AAW should focus on, not a single symposium. Our club requires AAW membership to join, so I had to even factor that in. All considered, it just wasn't worth the investment for me this year.

Re: Counterpoint

Damon McLaughlin

This is my first year as an AAW member, I joined so that I could go to the symposium at the lesser price. While I have only been a member a very short time my feels are the same as Dick's on many points. I'll need to decide in six months if the membership provided enough value to me to renew. I do enjoy browsing the forums over there and the magazine does provide for some inspiration.

Re: Counterpoint

john lucas

I still go back to the main point. It's access to all the back issues to me that makes it worthwhile. As far as the symposiums go it's more about meeting friends than about attending the demos. yes the demos are interesting but they can be crowded. That's simply because we have grown so much. When you go to a symposium if you've been active on the various forums and now facebook you meet a lot of people that you have talked to or admired their work. Then you keep in touch and you get to meet them again at the next symposium. So it sort of becomes a gathering of friends. Yes the big names aren't on the forum's. YOu have to remember that they actually work for a living and have to produce that work. Doing demos and is a way to make extra income but not their sole income. Personally I like the smaller symposiums. they are within my very limited budget both entry fee and travel. I do try to save up and go to the AAW symposium when I can. This next year in Raleigh I am a demonstrator so I hope to get to meet a lot of you there since I will be attending.

Re: Counterpoint

Damon McLaughlin

John, I agree that there is value in the past issues. As a new turner I'm still going through the past issues. I find them enjoyable to read and I'm learning a lot. But eventually I'll run out of past issues. I will say that I received my first subscription to Woodturning (from the UK I believe) and I find it to be a great magazine.

The symposium in Portland was tough for me. As someone that has mobility issues I brought my walker to help me get around. By the time I could make it to the demo room many were standing room only with no room for me to find a place to sit with my walker. I missed a few demos that were high on my list.

But I did enjoy meeting some other turners and had a lot of fun (and spent too much money) in the trade show. I'm looking forward to going to the smaller symposium next March in Albany Oregon, it will be interesting to compare the smaller symposium to the larger one in Portland.

Re: Counterpoint

Charlie belden

Well if you see the value or lack of value from a What’s In It For Me perspective, your choice to no longer belong makes sense. And sure, if you’re looking for ideas for things to turn, google will provide plenty and sometimes even so How To. But how would you have become aware of escoulen or Derek Weidman or Barbara Dill and multi axis turning. The AAW also provides insurance for AAW affiliated turning clubs as well as grants for things like lathes for schools. Like most AAW clubs, Silicon Valley Woodturners has a mentoring program for new turners. Then there is the annual members directory if you plan on visiting somewhere and want to get together with turners in the area. as for hectic symposium experiences - realize you can’t see everything and always find a seat with a great view of all demonstrations. Symposiums are like trying to drink from a wide open fire hose. But if you pick the two or maybe three demoed to see and make a point of getting to them early ... and with a little planning you might get in on having lunch with folks from wood central during the event. As for the cost, you probably spend more on coffee and or donuts each month. But hey, to each his/her own.

Re: Counterpoint

John K Jordan

I don't go to the AAW symposiums or have time for the forum. For me the journal is worth the membership fee. But I'm a compulsive reader.

Re: Counterpoint

john lucas

Have you looked at the online magazine Woodturning fundamentals. That comes with your membership. Next time you go to a symposium find someone who is going to the demo you want to attend and ask them to save you a seat. I'm sure no one would complain about that.

Also the online magazine More Woodturning is excellent and a lot less expensive than the British magazine although I have an online subscription to that one as well.

you get out of it what you put into it.

john lucas

It's like anything else. The more you put into something the more you will get out of it. I started trying to promote the AAW a long time ago. It was really the only organization besides our local club that helped people learn turning. I have worked as the tips editor and written many articles for the magazine. I promote the AAW because it is the driving force behind wood turning. As the AAW grew so did our access to good and new tools, more people selling wood and chucks and other lathe accessories. Their main goal is education and I think they do a pretty good job. Sure they aren't perfect. The organization is run by fellow turners and they have a huge range of talents and ideas. Of course because of that you can't please everyone but they really do try to please all that they can. Since it is run by fellow turners your input is always welcome. So feel free to drop them a line or call one of the board members and discuss any concerns you might have or give them ideas.