Are you an AAW member?

Tom Baugues

Member
Messages
2,790
Location
Lafayette, Indiana
Is any one here a member of the "American Association of Woodturners"? Last summer I won a gift certificate for a one year membership. I have not sent it in yet. I was just wondering if any one here was a member and if you benefit from being a member?
 
I am a member of AAW. I'd say the main things I get from it are the magazine (including all the back issues online) and the bodily injury insurance coverage that applies if and when I'm doing a club demo. (Haven't done any demos yet, but I do have one on the books for July.) Aside from that, the other benefits of membership really haven't affected me yet. I participate on the AAW forum, but I know of several other forums that are much more helpful (and which have fewer resident blowhards).

I have been turned off by much of the infighting that goes on within the organization, especially the scandal that happened last year in regards to the Executive Director being fired. Still, that whole thing didn't really affect me, since I didn't get involved in any of the drama.
 
I'm a member, and I agree with Vaughn's assessment about the benefits. For me, the journal is the one perk that will keep me on the membership roll. I occasionally read the forum, but I rarely post. I prefer several other forums to the AAW site.
 
Insurance and magazine are my motivating factors for continuing membership. When I win the drawing for the Powermatic lathe at the end of the year I'll come back and edit this post to add it as a recognized benefit :D

I'm with Vaughn on the drama issue. Too much of it.
 
Ditto what Vaughn said. I am a member and the woodturner magazine is pretty good. There is not much activity on the forum. In fact a lot of it doesn't involve turning which disappoints me. I have belonged to the forum since 2006 and have only posted 261 time. I have been to two Symposiums that are really nice to attend and learn a lot from the demo's plus the gallery is nice.
 
I'm not a member, but I'm thinking of joining because of the mag and the fact that this year's symposium is only 3hrs away. I take a look at the journal each month at the local Barnes & Noble and buy it if there is something of interest in it. Having access to all the back issues would be pretty cool too. I followed the brewhaha that went on this past year over there and was a bit put off by both sides of what happened...:(
 
I am not a member either and at this time I simply choose not to participate in the memebership and fees etc......I agree to with Vaughn with the scandel - corruption - favoritisim on and on, and there is alot that things posted that do not relate to woodturning but I do post on there from time to time. Why?, because there are alot of very nice pro's and experienced turners on there that I have written back and forth to and have been a large help in many areas of turning from tools, dying, finishes etc.....

Still there are others that are arrogant and even to the point of being almost argumentative and rude. A couple that i can think of that I can almost guarantee you there response teader on being offending at times.

I follow three websites on turning and that is one of them - I have limited it down because I do not have time to follow to many but I to find that there are others that are equally as helpful. I would hope some day the professionalism of the AAW will be there.............just my opinion
 
Is any one here a member of the "American Association of Woodturners"? Last summer I won a gift certificate for a one year membership. I have not sent it in yet. I was just wondering if any one here was a member and if you benefit from being a member?

I have been a member since before my first lathe arrived. I have enjoyed every issue of the Journal even when I had not yet turned. There is something for everyone there and well worth the price of the dues. I am not a professional woodturner however I like to approach turning in a professional manner. To me that means supporting the only professional organization representing woodturners here in the U.S.
As I am sure you are aware, the word "professional" can be used to describe an approach and not a major means of income.
 
I am not a member, but was considering joining until the "scandal" :eek: broke. Then, I decided to wait and see how things worked out before making a decision.

I get a lot of great information here (and other forums), web sites, etc - so I am not convinced a membership in AAW would be greatly beneficial for me at this stage.

Maybe things will look different after I get past being a newbie (although, I am not sure that will ever happen at the current rate of activity and progression :eek: )
 
I am a member for the same reasons as Barbara.

We all know that any organization (or website) has its warts.

...and the only way an organization gets to be a good and valuable organization is for good people to become involved in it.

In addition, it is needed in my club to do demos because of the insurance. And one does demos to give, because one has already received from others.
 
I am not a member simply because I have a tendancy to be a 'joiner'. My total annual dues are almost equivalent to a month's income. :eek: I have to limit somewhere.
BTW, I sometimes do demos at my club without being an AAW member. The club does have insurance and requires officers to be members of AAW.
 
I see everyone has their opinions on the topic and i agree with both sides of the debate and each has its merit.
At this point in time Ill wait to see if the organization can get itself back together on a better level. Where I live there are no turning organizations or clubs so demo's etc are not a perk, the magazine everyone says is very good, having a meeting spot on the web to discuss woodturning with pro's to amatures is great i think - the only way a profession gets better is for other to discuss and pass on what they have learned.

Although I choose not to pay organizational dues at this time I do contribute, stay involved and support it in my own way by posting and helping other like I do here. Whether new or experienced the conversations and topics are both interesting and helpful.....................
 
I am a proud member of the AAW I like how the organization promotes the hobby/craft/art of woodturning. The organization has brought turning to high level of recognition that we all benefit from. The magazine is a wonderful publication as well as the insurance AAW membership provides. It also offers educational opportunity's through grants open to all of us whom apply. IMHO much of the advanced tooling and lathes that we all enjoy are also in part a result of the promotion of our craft. Just the resource of people are of a great value weather you are a member of a club or not. The symposiums are wonderful not only the national but our many regional symposiums. At $48 it is one heck of a deal.

Alan
 
Last edited:
I am a member and have been for many years. I plan to continue to be a member as well. I did not get involved with the mess that happened this past summer even though I had lunch with the person in question at the Symposium. I enjoy the journal very much and the insurance issues are substantial. All organizations have their problems and I firmly believe the AAW is on a good path to a solid future. They are the premier outfit on the forefront of wood as art. They promote education, safety, creativity, publicity. I think I'll stick with them for a while.
 
Thank you all for your input on this. I contacted them by e-mail but was told that it is faster and easier to apply by sending in the form. I sent it this week. I look forward to seeing for myself.
 
Glad to hear you signed up Tom. I think it's a worthwhile 48 bucks a year. I joined several years ago and then let my membership lapse. It's interesting that several mentioned the controversy over the BOD as a reason for not joining. That was what made me renew my membership. I think it's a good organization that makes a great effort to promote and support woodturning. The journal alone is worth the price of the membership. I will agree with some of the others, their forum is somewhat of a dud though.
 
I am an AAW member and support the organization. I am fortunate to live in the Atlanta area where there are many AAW chapters. We also have two regional turning symposiums in the N. GA area. Two clubs I belong to have received AAW grants which have paid for mini lathes, DVD library, and audio visual equipment. I see my dues contributing to the advancement of turning.

On a more personal note, I enjoy the journal and access to on-line versions of all issues since the beginning - 25 years. Quite a resource! Also, I have benefited from the member directory which has allowed me to contact total strangers in my travels who are also AAW members. As a result I have made several new friends with the same common interest in turning.
 
Top